Page 334 - DENG501_LITERARY_CRITICISM_AND_THEORIES

Literary Criticism and Theories

Notes 30.1 Intertextual Analysis

A cult film, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following
with a specific group of fans. Often, cult movies have failed to achieve fame outside small fanbases;
however, there are exceptions that have managed to gain fame among mainstream audiences.
Many cult movies have gone on to transcend their original cult status and have become recognized
as classics. Cult films often become the source of a thriving, obsessive, and elaborate subculture of
fandom, hence the analogy to cults. However, not every film with a devoted fanbase is necessarily
a cult film. Usually, cult films have limited but very special, noted appeal. Cult films are often
known to be eccentric, often do not follow traditional standards of mainstream cinema and usually
explore topics not considered in any way mainstream-yet there are examples that are relatively
normal. Many are often considered controversial because they step outside standard narrative
and technical conventions.
A cult film is a movie that attracts a devoted group of followers or obsessive fans, often despite
having failed commercially on its initial release. The term also describes films that have remained
popular over a long period of time amongst a small group of followers. Although they may only
have a short cinema life, cult films often enjoy ongoing popularity through long runs on video,
thus being issued in video "runs" with more copies than other movies. The movie Office Space
(1999), which lost money during its box office run, managed to turn significant profits when
word-of-mouth made it a popular video rental and purchase. Harold and Maude (1971) was not
successful financially at the time of its original release, but has since earned a cult following and
has become successful following its video and DVD releases. Many cult films were independent
films and were not expected by their creators to have mainstream success. Sometimes the audience
response to a cult film is somewhat different than what was intended by the film makers. Cult
films usually offer something different or innovative in comparison to mainstream films, but cult
films can also be popular across a wide audience.
A film can be both a major studio release and a cult film, particularly if despite its affiliation with
a major studio, it failed to achieve broad success on either the theatrical or home video markets but
was championed by a small number of dedicated film fanatics who seek out lesser-known offerings.
It is also true that the content of certain films (such as dark subjects, alienation, transgressive
content, or other controversial subject matter) can also decide whether or not a film is a "cult film",
regardless of the film's budget or studio affiliations. An example may be Paul Verhoeven's big
budgeted, highly sexualized Showgirls (1995), initially intended to be a drama film about the rise
of a Las Vegas stripper, that flopped both critically and commercially when released theatrically;
afterward, it enjoyed success on the home video market, generating more than $100 million from
video rentals. Today, it is a favorite of gay audiences and audiences in general have considered it
to be a comedy thanks to frequent midnight movie showings. According to activist writer Naomi
Klein, ironic enjoyment of the film initially arose among those with the video before MGM, the
film's chief marketer, capitalized on the idea. MGM noticed the video was performing well since
"trendy twenty-somethings were throwing Showgirls irony parties, laughing sardonically at the
implausibly poor screenplay and shrieking with horror at the aerobic sexual encounters."

30.2 Text—Casablanca

30.2.1 Cult
"Was it the cannon fire or is my heart pounding?" Whenever Casablanca is shown, at this point the
audience reacts with an enthusiasm usually reserved for football. Sometimes a single word is
enough: fans cry every time Bogey says "kid." Frequently the spectators quote the best lines before
they are uttered. According to the traditional standardsi n aesthetics, Casablancais not a work of
art-if such an expression still means anything. In any case, if the films of Dreyer, Eisenstein, or
Antonioni are works of art, Casablancare presents a very modest aesthetic achievement. It is a
hodgepodge of sensational scenes strung together implausibly; its characters are psychologically
incredible, its actors act in a manneristic way. Nevertheless, it is a great example of cine-matic

328 LOVELY PROFESSIONAL UNIVERSITY