Can a Blockbuster Movie Also Be a "Cult Classic"?

If your Dad was in the Elks, he was not in a cult. if he joined an isolated ufo suicide society, he was probably in a cult.

 

It seems we are at a crossroads of opinion and lack of an understood and accepted definition.
Because of this we are all basically incorrect, while at the same time possessing a general understanding of the theme.
Here are two portions of definitions as found in Merriam Websters dictionary...with certain parts left out to keep within forum rules concerning "cult"...Besides, those parts don't apply here anyway.

1) CULT: great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book)

2) CLASSIC: [adjective] serving as a standard of excellence : of recognized value. traditional, enduring.

With these two words defined it would seem the "failed at box office" or at least less than well received, component does not need to happen in order for a movie to become a "Cult Classic."

When the general population knows of the movie it is certainly popular.
When that movie made a very large profit when first released, it becomes a "blockbuster"
When a certain portion of that population delves so deeply into the movie it begins to take on a life of its own, it can be considered a "cult" like following.

Star Wars is a great example of this because it was VERY popular from inception, but has grown in cult like following to the point of certain fans knowing the metalurgical make up of the Sand Crawler used by the Jawa's, or at what age Chewbacca left Kashyyyk, or how long it takes the access ramp of the Millennimu Falcon to open and close....all things that were never part of the movie presentation, yet have become part of the lexicon concerning said movie.

This "cult" status can be given to many movies that have made huge sums of money, and were very popular when first released, but have also grown into a state of ultra detail and deep fan following to the point of the details taking on a life of their own outside the scope of the original story.

Maybe it would be a good idea to attempt to define what a "Cult Classic" movie should be.

 

Weirdos ?

The cognoscenti !!!!

 

Where did only come from?
As I said at the beginning, it depends on definitions and it's quite clear mine are different to yours.

 

Folks appear to interpret/connect “cult” to horror. Possibly because of “occult” and/or that typical low budget horror movies will often have a cult following. I agree that Ghostbusters isn’t a cult classic, not the original anyway.

 

I consider a cult classic to be a film that wasn't originally a hit, and became popular overtime with home video and television airings.

 

When you’re right, you’re right.
Ghostbusters is not a cult movie by any stretch.

 

How about something like The Blair Witch Project?

It was made for something like $500,000 and earned $140 million domestically. When it went into wide release, it ranked second place for the weekend and spent 8 weeks in the Top 10. It is mostly a forgotten film these days, but I am sure there are certain folks who deem it a "classic".

 

Yeah. My definition is the one that's been used for decades, and yours is one that apparently you invented.

 

Probably, but it's not a "cult classic" because it was a massive hit.

It's kind of the opposite of a "cult classic". Cult classics are initially largely ignored but develop a fanbase later, whereas "BWP" was a major success that faded from the public mind...

 

My interpretation of a cult classic is something closer to Harold and Maude than Ghostbusters.

 

Bruce Campbell--who knows a thing or two about cult movies--defined a mainstream hit movie as a film that 1,000 people watch 100 times and a cult movie as a film that 100 people watch 1,000 times.

 

Based on your definition(s) then there is NO Blockbuster that is also a Cult Classic.

Thousands of folks saw The Blair Witch Project giving it a very healthy box office, but I imagine a large section of the movie-going audience never bought a ticket. Heck, I'd go out on a limb and say likely NO ONE over 40 saw that film in theaters. And if you asked folks aged 18-65 TODAY to list 50 films they'd classify as "Blockbusters", I'd imagine you'd get less than 1% who'd say The Blair Witch Project.

You asked the question, "Can a Blockbuster also be a Cult Classic?" Sounds like you simply want everyone to say "NO!" and agree with you, or you want an example of a film that cost little to make, initially made no money, but was in the theaters for 100 weeks because it developed a small fan base. Perhaps My Big Fat Greek Wedding qualifies?

I'm just trying to help you, Colin!

 

I had never really thought of this before, my initial instinct was that a cult classic was a lesser known film with a devout following but if you go by wikipedia just about any film with a dedicated following can be a cult classic. I mean you do have a lot of blockbuster films which may be big initially though they have largely gone under the radar since then. Or with Marvel films, I don't think any one Marvel film could be considered a cult classic because the fan base is really more to the films as a collection and not the individual films themselves.

 

This.

It's true that the notion of a cult classic has morphed over the decades. Back in the (UK) 70s/early 80s it was the term given to movies that were screened in dingy old cinemas and cinema clubs for affectionados. Re-screenings of Rocky Horror Show, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Freaks, Bring Me THe Head Of Alfredo Garcia, Eraserhead,... or TV series like The Prisoner, The Avengers (McNee/Rigg era) or Fireball XL5.

 

While The Third Man was an International success in its day, it seems to be called a cult film by some people these days when in reality, it is a very famous movie.

 

The original Night of the Living Dead was also re-screened in these sorts of cinemas and cinema clubs for aficionados as well, plus it is a true cult film.

 

Return of the Living Dead and Army of Darkness are cult classics, not Ghostbusters.

 

I remember when I read about the blockbuster budget BLADE RUNNER sequel: "Um, did anyone tell them the original wasn't a hit?"

The original BLADE RUNNER found an audience on home video and was eventually proclaimed an influential classic, but it was never that popular.

 

Hmmm. "Cult Classic' may be a misnomer in the case of something like Ghostbusters, but Ghostbusters certainly does have a "cult" of fans. I'd wager that it has a certain appeal to the first generation that saw it that exceeds what it might stir in a modern audience. I suspect it's just lazy writing - the movie was a massive hit when it was released, and also commands a certain "cult" audience. I'm not sure there's an adequate shorthand for that.

 

not a cult classic. maybe a classic but....tbh i don't think i've watched since i saw in the theatre

 

Sexy Beast was a slow mover initially, and then everybody was saying rent out the DVD and check out Ben Kingsley's performance.
It was other worldly. It's amazing he didn't win any awards for that.

The Shawshank Redemption flopped initially in the cinema, then by word of mouth it became a cult classic on video.

 

A Christmas Story? Don't really even remember it when it was released, but now it's about as mainstream as you can get.

 

Is it really a cult classic if it becomes so popular that everyone has seen it? I don't think so. It's a Wonderful Life flopped and languished in obscurity for decades, but it's not a cult classic now. It's just a classic that everyone has seen. I would think for a movie to be a cult classic it would have to have a limited audience that loves it profoundly. Like Repo Man which turned a profit at the box office, but only because the budget was low. That's a cult classic.