WHAT MAKES A CULT MOVIE?

A broad definition of the phrase cult film is as follows “A cult film is a movie that attracts a small but devoted group of fans, usually failing to achieve considerable success outside that group.”1 In relation to the original nomenclature of the word, a cult movie has some congruence with cult religion. A cult religion can be looked at as a “small but devoted group of followers/worshippers, usually failing to achieve widespread recognition outside of that group”. In fact the word “fan” is a shortening of the word fanatic. Hence a textual relationship between these two concepts. This relationship is key to what makes a cult film.

Many movies have been said to be cult films, but this on the whole comes down to a number of factors; its socio-cultural significance historically speaking, its tone (eg. subversive, obtuse, dark or melancholy) and its position within a generalised genre. If one were to look at any number of purported cult films one would find that the above factors define the cult film to those that make it a cult film. Fight Club (David Fincher, 1999) is one of the most popular of cult films, along with STAR WARS (George Lucas, 1977-2005) and quite possibly the most famous or indeed infamous of cult films; The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975).

If one were to examine Fight Club in the context of the three factors listed above one would find a relativism of reason, in that these factors reasoned by myself or indeed the more general term of cult fans are all relative. Fight Club’s socio-cultural significance as with any film is based on primarily around the time it is released, but it lasts and again is relative. What this film did at the time of release was to examine the meaning of meaning in a time where everyone sought it out but few found it. The lead character in dealing with a life that bores him creates a separate personality so that he may live out his malocentric will guilt free. The lead eventually learns the truth and becomes self actualised as it were. He learns that it is not enough to just be alive but that life has to be purposeful, and that this purpose comes from losing everything physical and mental that limits this growth. This film came at a time (toward the big Y2K) that meant most were also looking for such things, a significant milestone in human existence and what do we have to show for it, Fight Club exemplified this. The second factor of cult film is Tone, the tone of Fight club is subversive, and its tone is an effect of angst and emotion. Again this is relative to its socio-cultural significance. We have a humorous rebellious tone, an anti-establishment tone, a tone of equality through attrition. Thus fight club has a tone that reconfirms and reinforces the reasoning behind its cult popularity.

The third factor as stated above is a qualitative placement of the film within its generalised (parent) genre. And the one place all cult films inhabit in this sense are in the fringes. The most basic archetypal genres of film are Drama, Action, Comedy and Documentary each branching off into a multitude of respective sub-genres. For Fight Club, its parent genre is drama, there is enough humor to make it funny but not enough to make it a comedy, there are guns, explosions and violence but not enough to make it an action film. Why fight club is on the fringe of drama is because of the aspects of its story and plot that make it so subversive (i.e. tone). A mainstream (i.e. non cult) film that fits into the set mould of Drama as a singular genre would not have this tone but perhaps some of the socio-cultural significance.

In essence Fight Club as a cult film falls dangerously close to being a mainstream film just because of its popularity in general. Its cult status as identified and defined by the three factors, are (to stress the point) relative to the cult fans. The people that watch a film, this small group, are the marginalised audience that give it the credibility. In conclusion, the relationship between the fans and the film (or the worshippers and the religion) is the only thing that defines cult film as cult film. Understanding the distinction that a small group of dedicated fans as opposed to the larger more accepted audience is how a cult film is appreciated as such is essential too. A film is not born into a cult status it is reasoned / worshipped in to such a state.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_film