Your favorite crazy cult film?

[-K2-]

Frankly, there are so many I'm not even sure how to answer this. Some started as little films that went big, others flopped and then when folks stumbled upon it took on a cult following that lasted decades. Still others are simply so old that people forgot about them, and then rediscovered them.

For me to say 'favorite' would be unfair as well. I tend to enjoy everything I see not in a comparative sense, yet on its own. So for me, the number that I would watch time and again would be vast. A couple I'll toss out in that no one has would be the original Metropolis movie, and then the Metropolis anime that was exceptional in its own right.

Post-apocalyptic films however being a 'child of the atom' (those folks who grew up during the '60-'70s (mid-cold war) and instead of fearing the bomb, became comfortable with it, some even embracing it), always draw my eye to them... I'm not even sure many of those rate as "B-movies." So much so, the story I'm writing for that "post-Punk Future" anthology, revolves around that theme.

K2

 

[HanaBi]

Scanners is at least a B+. I watched it again earlier this year and I can't call it schlock. It still has one of the best exploding head scenes.

If you want a schlocky cult classic I vote for The Toxic Avenger (1984).

Yes, you're right. Perhaps I was being a little unfair on "Scanners" - Michael Ironside stole the show, and it was good to see Patrick McGoohan again. The only problem with that film is that it is remembered for just the one highlight - which was head (ha!) and shoulders above most other gory sfx back in the day. Other than that I am struggling to remember the film as a whole.

I loved Cronenberg back then: always pushing the boundaries of taste prior to going mainstream

 

[dwndrgn]

I can't think of any cult films that I've actually seen other than Rocky Horror Picture Show. I've seen some really crazy/bad/strange movies but most of those never really made it to cult status. Movies like Beastmaster or Yor, The Hunter from the Future are good (bad) ones to watch.

 

[Vince W]

Aside from Dune (I don't consider Blade Runner a cult film) my favourites are The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension, The Last Starfighter, Outland, They Live, and Real Genius.

I would add more but it would take too long. There a lot of films that most people don't seem to like but I do.

 

[HanaBi]

"Barbarella" (1968) - was rather a hoot back in the day.

I couldn't make head nor tail of it when I first watched it on Channel 4 in the early 80s, and to be honest I wasn't all that interested in the so-called "plot", but far more taken by the glamour-puss, Jane Fonda and the 41st Century outfit she was almost wearing.

I have sat through the film a few more times since then; and the plot is still nonsensical & kitsch, but it does have rather a cult following, not least because of some of the more eclectic characters like Marcel Marceau's "Professor Ping"and Milo O'Shea's "Durand Durand" to name but two.

 

[-K2-]

Though I'd consider neither to be a "cult" film, if you want a great movie akin to Real Genius @Vince W ; consider watching "Creator" an absolutely wonderful movie (the romance in it enjoyed by all). Another which might verge on 'cult' would be "Brainstorm."

K2

 

[Vince W]

"Barbarella" (1968) - was rather a hoot back in the day.

I couldn't make head nor tail of it when I first watched it on Channel 4 in the early 80s, and to be honest I wasn't all that interested in the so-called "plot", but far more taken by the glamour-puss, Jane Fonda and the 41st Century outfit she was almost wearing.

I have sat through the film a few more times since then; and the plot is still nonsensical & kitsch, but it does have rather a cult following, not least because of some of the more eclectic characters like Marcel Marceau's "Professor Ping"and Milo O'Shea's "Durand Durand" to name but two.

Barbarella was a fantastic film. In it's time. It's still watchable though.

Though I'd consider neither to be a "cult" film, if you want a great movie akin to Real Genius @Vince W ; consider watching "Creator" an absolutely wonderful movie (the romance in it enjoyed by all). Another which might verge on 'cult' would be "Brainstorm."

K2

I remember Creator. It's a bit jarring when you watch Peter O'Toole in something other than Lawrence of Arabia. But I would watch just about anything with Mariel Hemingway in those days.

I can't believe I forgot to mention DEATH RACE 2000. I begged and pleaded with my parents to take me to this film and eventually they caved. It was everything a 6 year old could want in a film. I watched it again a couple of years ago and guess what, I STILL LOVED IT!

 

[BAYLOR]

The Toxic Avenger There is nothing like Troma quality films .

 

[Vince W]

Another Roddy Piper film Hell Comes to Frogtown. What's not to love?

 

[logan_run]

I liked boy and his dog..

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Naked Lunch, The Loved One, Videodrome, Repo Man, they all seem to be muttering something in the background about life in general.

 

[BigBadBob141]

"A Boy And His Dog", "Deathrace 2000" & " In The Mouth Of Madness".
If anyone is interested the latter can be seen in You Tube.

 

[Dave]

here for, the already mentioned, Scanners, The Incredible Shrinking Man and A Boy and his Dog.

 

[Justin Swanton]

Does Pitch Black count? And Moon?

 

[HanaBi]

Barbarella was a fantastic film. In it's time. It's still watchable though.


I remember Creator. It's a bit jarring when you watch Peter O'Toole in something other than Lawrence of Arabia. But I would watch just about anything with Mariel Hemingway in those days.

I can't believe I forgot to mention DEATH RACE 2000. I begged and pleaded with my parents to take me to this film and eventually they caved. It was everything a 6 year old could want in a film. I watched it again a couple of years ago and guess what, I STILL LOVED IT!

Golly gosh, "Death Race 2000" is certainly a blast from the past! I think that had a rating of "X" back in the 70s and I managed to sneak into the cinema (at the third attempt) trying to pretend I was a gruff 19 year old, even though I was only about 12.

Great film though; looks hugely dated now of course, but somehow feels quite relevant today - more so when driving through the centre of Birmingham during the two rush hours!

The original "Night of the Living Dead" (1968) - is a huge blast to watch on a Saturday evening (either with or without alcohol). Definitely has a cult following, and still carries a solid punch or two, that the subsequent remakes couldn't quite muster.

 

[Al Jackson]

How could i forget the 'Basket Case' trilogy?! The lord of the rings of B movies!

Basket Case was a good one, I thought the sequels were limp compared the first movie. Henenlotter never got his groove back.

Re-Anomator trumps Basket Case for outrageous
Stuart Gordon on the other hand went of to do some other good stuff.

 

[Robert Zwilling]

Once upon a time there was a TV movie called LA 2017 by Steven Spielberg made in 1971, it was broadcast on The Name of the Game TV Series and never made it to VHS or DVD. Looks like only the trailers survived. An environmental disaster featuring mad psychiatrists vs a crazy world.

 

[psikeyhackr]

Fantastic Planet (1973)

There is another movie that had an evil force taking over a WWII bomber. It is like the title is right outside the edge of memory. Some kind of 70s hippie title.

 

[dask]

"A Boy And His Dog", "Deathrace 2000" & " In The Mouth Of Madness".
If anyone is interested the latter can be seen in You Tube.

I remember when Death Race 2000 came out it was billed as the movie for people who couldn't wait for Rollerball. Haven't seen it since and it may not be my favorite but liked it enough to go see it twice. (Rollerball, that is.) Not sure it was actually liked by enough filmgoers to be considered a cult film. If Sergio Leone's films are cult films then they are my favorites without equivocation. (Even if they are cult films I'm not sure they qualify as "crazy" cult films, however.)

 

[Nozzle Velocity]

The greatest non-great movie ever made was Latitude Zero (1969). This is the artistic pinnacle of visual imagery that ever involved guys wearing giant rat suits. A major breakthrough in filmic suction.