Table of Contents
Evil Dead
Well, the reason why we fear to track in the woods and spend a night or weekend at an isolated cabin is because of the 1981 popular cult film The Evil Dead. This film actually sparked the concept of horror thrillers where a group of friends slowly get killed one after the other either by a monstrous serial killer, supernatural effects or demons, accidents, etc. etc. Directed by Sam Raimi, the film follows the story of five friends who are vacationing in an isolated cabin in a remote wooded area. After they find an audiotape that releases a legion of supernatural demons, the friends are one by one possessed by demons creating mayhem throughout the film. The references of this film can be seen widely among several video games and TV series as well as films released after 1981. Evil Dead is still on the top of Best Horror Movies of All the Time.
2001: A Space Odyssey
One of the earliest Space Adventure film in the Hollywood history, 2001: A Space Odyssey is an epic saga of adventure and space exploration directed by Stanley Kubrick. The film was written by Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, and was based on the short story “The Sentinel” penned by Clarke himself. The film depicts a future voyage to Jupiter and involves space relevant themes such as existentialism, artificial intelligence, extraterrestrial, human evolution, and many other stuff. Owing to the space theme and one of a kind experience of space exploration, the film garnered cult status and is even today considered to be one of the most influential films of all time.
The Warriors
The Warriors is one of those films which earned a cult status merely because of the controversies based around it at the time of its filming or release. The story of the film is pretty basic, but based on violent crimes and gang wars spread across New York City in that era. The film is about a New City gang who must return to their home turf after they are kicked out framing them for the murder of a respected gang leader. Directed by Walter Hill and based on the Sol Yurick’s 1965 novel of the same name, the film was temporarily halted owing to the reports of violence and vandalism. However, after the initial setback and negative reception, the film got its due success in the form of cult following. The huge cult popularity of the film also resulted in multiple spinoffs as well as the film became an inspiration for several video games and a comic book series.
Repo Man
Repo Man is an interesting science fiction film that will make you nuts with its storytelling and obsession towards a 1964 Chevy Malibu. The film is directed by Alex Cox and stars Harry Dean Stanton and Emilio Estevez as the main protagonists of the film. The film revolves around Repo Man, a repossession agent for cars in exchange for bounties. While the two main characters are enjoying their work as Repo Man, their lives change into a chasing escapade as a bounty is released for a mysterious Chevy Malibu that contains radiation emitting corpse of alien creature. Owing to the funny concept and popularity of the theme, the film became a cult classic over the years.
Dawn of the Dead (1978)
The second film of the Living Dead series, the 1978 action horror film Dawn of the Dead is also directed by George A. Romero just like all major films in the seven-film series except one. The film is based on zombie theme where a mysterious unidentified origin has turned the dead into flesh eating zombies causing mass hysteria. Despite being the second film of the series, the film actually began the trend of zombies and living dead in several films to come in the future. The huge popularity of the film also inspired several parodies and pop culture references over the years, in addition to the 4 sequels that followed after in the Living Dead series.
Also Read: Best Hollywood Survival movies
The Big Lebowski (1998)
The 1998 crime comedy film, The Big Lebowski, is another example of a film that boxed at the box office but gained cult status years after its release. Directed by Joel Coen, the film follows the life of a Los Angeles Slacker and an avid bowler named Jeffrey “The Dude” Lebowski, who shares the same name as a millionaire and finds himself entangled in a feud that involves a million dollar ransom. Despite being a failure at the box office, the film become a cult favourite over the time as it grew on popularity for its idiosyncratic characters, dream sequences, unconventional dialogue, and eclectic soundtrack.
Blade Runner (1982)
Blade Runner is a 1982 Dystopian-era science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott. The film is a modified adaptation of the 1968 novel titled Do Androids Dream of Electric Ship? penned by Philip K. Dick. The film talks about a dystopian Los Angeles, where genetically engineered replicants that are visually indistinguishable from adult humans are being manufactured by powerful Tyrell Corporation. These replicants are primarily used for off-world colonies for dangerous or menial work and they are banned on Earth. When rebel replicants return to Earth, they are hunted down and destroyed by special police operatives called Blade Runners. The main plot of the film is about a recently escaped replicants hiding in L.A. and a retired Blade Runner, Rick Deckard takes up the mission to hunt them down.
Taxi Driver (1976)
Taxi Driver is one of the best works of ace director Martin Scorsese. Starring Robert De Niro in the titular role, the film follows the life of a Travis Bickle, who is a taxi driver but eventually distracts himself into becoming a vigilante learning combat and shooting skills. In addition to Robert De Niro, the film also stars Jodie Foster, Harvey Keitel, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Boyle, and Albert Brooks. Even today, the film is cited and referenced by critics, filmmakers, and audiences alike as one of the greatest films of all times.
The Shining (1980)
The Shining is a Psychological thriller film starring Jack Nicholson in the lead role as Jack Torrance. The film is a screen adaptation of Steven King’s 1977 novel of the same name with a slight but significant modification. Directed by Stanley Kubrick, the film follows the life of Jack Torrance, a writer and recovering alcoholic, who takes up a job at an isolated Overlook Hotel. While stationed on his new job, he becomes hugely influenced by a ghostly appearance and ultimately goes mad to an extreme level where he attempts to murder his wife and son. Being a horror film and one of the scariest one, The Shining was prone to gain a cult following with time.
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Mulholland Drive is a 2001 mystery film written and directed by David Lynch. Starring Naomi Watts and Laura Elena Harring in the lead roles, the film is quite interesting because of the mystery element throughout the movie. The same mysterious plot also makes the film quite confusing at times. Basically, the film follows the story of two women, one who is a struggling actress and the other is a amnesic. Now, the actress, played by Watts, is trying her best to the find the real identity of the amnesic woman, played by Harring.
Your Turn!
We have listed the films which we think are the best cult films of all the time, You can add more of your favorite films in the comment section, and share a complete list with us.
