You know the ones - movies that may have underperformed at the box office and then for whatever reason found a new life and a big following on home video. Which are your favorites?


Night of the Comet



The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai



Big Trouble in Little China



Hairspray (most anything by John Waters, come to think of it)



The Return of the Living Dead



Terminator



Evil Dead



Blade Runner



Blue Velvet (Baby wants to fuck! Baby wants to fuck blue velvet!)

[Edited 6/21/05 20:18pm]

cocofantasy said:

That is one weird friggin' movie. I know it as Crimes of Passion. Ken Russell is one strange, fucked up director. Another of my fave B-movies that I forget was one of his:

Altered States

Wendy O. Williams, Cybil Danning and Pat Ast. Hell yeah.

I think you stretch the definition somewhat to call films like Blade Runner and Terminator "cult", since in a way they were, at least in the first few months of release - but they are certainly not "B-grade".

VoicesCarry said:

i was thinking that myself. 'blade runner' might be considered a 'sleeper' or a 'cult' film, but it was really an amazing piece of filmmaking.

Anxiety said:

Same with Blue Velvet. A stunning work and definitely cult, but not a B-movie.

VoicesCarry said:

You're right. I should have said B-grade AND cult films. But B-grade doesn't necessarily mean a film of lesser quality; just one not made by "A-quality" process. Now quit nitpicking and name some films!

RipHer2Shreds said:

'blue velvet' and 'blade runner' weren't made by 'a-quality' process?

Anxiety said:

And some others on that list, as well. Studio pictures are generally not B-quality, at least technically

Anxiety said:

Hi there. Did you miss the part where I corrected myself?

i'm confused about everything now.

Anxiety said:

This is one of my fav. cult items from the 80's:

RipHer2Shreds said:

VoicesCarry said:

Technically, yes. lol It's interesting that a lot of the big studio films these days are the ones that would have been relegated to the indie theatres and drive-ins not more than 20 years ago. Independence Day, Jurassic Park, Sahara, Battlefield Earth - these are all just B-movie stories with big budgets. But with a heaping helping of advertising, they're marketed as A-list product. Gone are the days of the big-budget studio dramas. They're all put out by indie studios, and Hollywood has little to no interest in drama anymore.

I don't think you could call this a b-movie, but it definitely ought to qualify as a cult film:



A woman at work told me I remind her of a cross between Crispin Glover and Vincent Gallo in Buffalo 66. I've never been simultaneously flattered and insulted in quite that way before.
[Edited 6/21/05 18:58pm]

How could you forget Flash Gordon...or Krull for that matter.

Isn't Under the Cherry Moon a B-Grade Cult Film?

Anxiety said:

i LOVE this movie

How is blade runner b-grade.

VoicesCarry said:

That's hardly a cult film.....

lilgish said:

Did poorly at the box office, gained a hell of a life on home vid. Yup, it's a cult film.

Especially if Blade Runner and Terminator are cult films.

damosuzuki said:

you must be fucking scary

lilgish said:

lol That is kind of a frightening movie.

VoicesCarry said:

Blade runer and Terminator are not cult films....When I went to see Terminator the theater was fucking packed. Harrison ford/Ridley Scott...not cult....

RipHer2Shreds said:

Great Music though

lilgish said:

I see you didn't grasp my sarcasm.

damosuzuki said:

VoicesCarry said:

The only reason that movie took of cause HBO showed it everyday for like 5 years in the 80's. Great movie. Good Soundtrack, esp the Howard Jones track.

lilgish said:

And now they're busy showing: The Freddie Prinze, Jr. Marathon!