Films or TV shows that masqueraded as "cult".

Ok, discussing whether in this day and age, any film or tv show can be "cult" is for another thread. At least one film that I recall was taken by many as a "cult" film when in fact it was a big budget, mainstream release. IIRC The Matrix did ok in the cinema but not hugely well, but latterly on DVD it was a huge success, partially through word of mouth. A number of my friends recommended it as if it were this amazing underground thing but I clearly recall seeing adverts for it at bus stops, which is about as mainstream a thing as I can imagine. Any other film/tv/music etc. that was treated as cult by many fans when in fact it wasn't?

I don't even know what 'cult' means. As far as I can tell, it's a movie or show that's very popular with a very narrow segment of the population. I would think The Matrix would apply.

What is your definition of 'cult'?

It would be a lot narrower than that. Cult films (to me) would be low or no budget films, non-English language cinema, less well known classic b n w films. The Matrix is and was available in every single DVD shop in the Western World. Prior to DVDs cult films typically had to be got from mail order or were copied by enthusiasts on tape etc. They genuinely lacked distribution. Nowadays the fact is that even the most obscure film is usually available somewhere online, and lots of b-movies that in the past enjoyed cultdom are wider known and available.

I think that SciFi devoted a lot of energy crafting "Cult" milieu for a number of its less-than-popular shows. Farscape, Lexx and any of the Stargate spinoffs come to mind.

I suppose that a mediocre semi-popular series is easier to pedal to advertisers if the show has a devoted "cult" following.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the TV series.

Come on, seriously? A cult favorite? Look at the ratings on this. Yes, there were (and are) crazy obsessed people, but it was a popular show. It was nothing obscure or underground.

The films of John Woo. Back in the 90s people treated him like he was some kind of insider tip. The guy was the freaking Jerry Bruckheimer of Hong Kong.

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Originally posted by OneCentStamp

The films of John Woo. Back in the 90s people treated him like he was some kind of insider tip. The guy was the freaking Jerry Bruckheimer of Hong Kong.

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To be fair that would make him cult in the North America and Europe though. Even the biggest Japanese director is still only somewhat known in the US and same for Italian, French, Spanish and etc. Cinema.

Mallrats is considered cult by many, but it was the one Kevin Smith movie that has a fairly large budget and studio push. But overall Kevin Smith movies are effectively "cult". Dogma only got a bunch of publicity as one of the oddball non-church religious groups condemned it loudly and often. I think it was the Catholic League that also goes after South Park regularly. It is not a church entity but good at generating publicity for shows and movies while claiming to be protecting the RCC.

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Originally posted by What Exit?

But overall Kevin Smith movies are effectively "cult".

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I'm not sure I can agree with this, unless the definition of cult includes "limited to one particular age group". Because IME Kevin Smith movies are pretty universally known among people around my age. In college everyone seemed to either love Clerks or Chasing Amy.

The Blair Witch Project.

Yes, it was shot on a low budget and released through an independent studio. But the marketing push behind it was clever, sophisticated, and not at all low-budget.

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Originally posted by Taumpy

I'm not sure I can agree with this, unless the definition of cult includes "limited to one particular age group". Because IME Kevin Smith movies are pretty universally known among people around my age. In college everyone seemed to either love Clerks or Chasing Amy.

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Well they never make big money. They rarely have large ad campaigns or budgets. Mallrats was the exception. I believe none of them have topped $20m gross. There is a a strong following and then most movie goers don't even really know who he is or his films. It seems like a cult and it does skew heavily to the Daily Show audience demographic from what I can see.