Creation of Cult Films

The beginning of 'cult status' for a film starts with a true failure in the box office.   The first hint that it might turn 'cult' is that the mass audience rejects the film.   On occasion a box office hit will turn into 'cult' in the following years but usually mass success and cult film status are mutually exclusive. (www.allmovie.com)   The lack of success provides a solid base for the film to take on devoted fans to bring it to the next step in becoming a 'cult film'.   A certain audience will find something particularly special about the film and word of mouth spreads like wild fire.   Thus, a cult film is created.       

The term 'cult film' has only been around since the late 70's.   For the first 60 years of the 20 th century, cult films were an underground phenomenon.   Viewers had to take their own initiative and find the revival theatres playing the older classics and cults.   This is where 'word of mouth' worked wonders.

The invention of the television was the first major outlet for the breeding grounds of cult films.   When a film failed to find a mass audience it was buried or sold.   Television allowed the owners of such failures to sell the films to the stations to help fill the airtime that had no allotted program.   

There was an explosion of interest in vintage films, the good, the bad and the unusual during 1955-1980.   Access to all these films daily and free of charge offered a lifetime of movie viewing.   Some films being repeated daily and weekly allowed fans to congregate and watch.   (www.allmovie.com)  

In the 60's, college students were discovering and rediscovering films from the past and attending revival theatres and midnight shows.   The smaller theatres were making it big with the weird and unusual films.   Filmmakers picked up on this trend and started producing new films for this audience.  

Soon after, the home video was introduced which aided in the production of cult films.   Home videos allowed access to most films even the ones turned down by television.   

And thus, the 'cult film' was born.