The emergence of B-Movie (B-level film) is generally considered to be closely related to the "two-film performance" played in Hollywood movies in the 1930s: a high-cost film, a low-cost film, then a B-level film is that kind of low-cost film. Cost of the film. Because of the short shooting time and low production budget of B-level films, the setting is simple, the props are rough, the film is streamlined and formulaic, and it is difficult to have good quality. The type of B-level film lacks the participation of big stars due to insufficient budget, so it deliberately selects popular genres, such as cowboy, erotic, gangster, horror, science fiction, etc. Features as mentioned above. Therefore, the B-level film was established compared to the A-level film in the same period, and its shooting goal is to attract money, so we can't call the low-cost art film also the B-level film.
So back to Cult Film, we can go back to the original allusion of Cult, and we have to mention a 1981 book. The author of this book is Danny Peary (Danny Peary), a film critic and sports journalist. He has written some film books and sports books, but it is not ideal. He often mistakes the plot of the movie and the names of the characters. But it is famous for this. However, his publication "Cult Movies: The Classic, the Sleepers, the Weird, and the Wonderful" has become an important document for the future study of Cult Film (and in 1983 and 1989 respectively, "Cult Movies 2" and "Cult Movies 2" were published. Movies 3"), and laid a clearer definition for Cult Film.
In short, Cult Film refers to those films that are supported and respected in small circles. The bloody violence or horror pornography is completely outside the scope of the definition. Therefore, whether a film is a Cult film, the decision-making power is not in the studio or In the hands of the creators (the films that were sold with Cult when they were released, they were just joking), and they must be in the hands of movie audiences. Moreover, Cult films often make those fans watch it repeatedly and collectively climax. They will recite the lines of the film and actively praise the characters in the film. What's more, their research and interpretation of the plot of the film has reached a frenzied field. Still happy to continue, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) is very representative as the most famous Cult Film in film history. The film combines the usual shooting techniques of science fiction films and horror films, and includes elements such as homosexuality, transvestites, rock music, and antisocial norms, and is expressed in the form of a musical. Ideal, but after a year or two, through the midnight screenings of some theaters, they got unexpected response. The fans of the film began to emerge. They participated in the screening of the film in real time—dressing as the protagonists of the film to imitate the film. In the dialogue, singing and dancing to the music, the entire theater is full of singing, yelling, swearing, and confetti flying all over the sky. There are also some interesting phenomena. In some books about Cult Film, the commentary about "Rocky Horror Show" is basically passed by, and even some books do not mention the film, perhaps because the author is facing When fans of Cult Film, they naturally lack self-confidence in "The Horror Rocky Show". I am afraid that even the number of viewers of the film is harder than that of fans of this film, so what else? Today, "The Horror Rocky Show" is still a must-show film at midnight on Saturdays in many movie theaters, and the stage play of the same name has long become one of the regular shows on Broadway. Fans of this film will spontaneously hold a huge gathering about "The Horror Rocky Show" every year. This kind of film in which the audience interacts with the film simultaneously, has formed a unique cultural phenomenon in the world's film history.
Cult Film is just like this. These films, which can be regarded as sub-cultural teachings, often have a special image charm and are followed and worshipped by a considerable number of unspecified ethnic groups. The hidden meanings in these films often have a greater impact than ordinary commercial films, and can even change the thinking of mainstream culture of the era, especially for art workers, students studying light and shadow arts, and video work groups. Meaning or belief. Moreover, the commercial performance of such films is usually poor in theaters, but the subsequent rental and sale of DVDs have swept away the decadence, creating a more substantial revenue than the revenue from theaters. In most cases (but by no means all), Cult Film is difficult to impress the public, and the mainstream media also neglects to introduce it. However, the small group of viewers who admire the love of a certain Cult film often expresses a kind of appreciation or a certain belief in the film. Therefore, although Cult Film has many features such as counter-culture, bloody violence, political sex metaphors, etc., it ultimately depends on whether the audience is willing to stay together with it.
There are many famous Cult Films in film history, but it is not easy for a film to be a Cult Film premeditatedly. The reasons for fans' obsession with a film are complicated and interesting. It is said that Brigitte Lin’s "Oriental Undefeated" in "Swordsman II: Unbeaten in the East" is deeply loved by Taiwanese gay men. They will recite and interpret the plot of "Oriental Unbeaten" in the decisive battle at Heimuya (Lin Qingxia) The lines "little fly, bluff", and the charming force of a smile, can't be forgotten without words). It is precisely the randomness of these Cult Films that have been unintentionally inserted into the willows, so it is difficult for us to distinguish whether a film is a Cult Film. From this point of view, Cult Film is really troublesome, especially for those "Virgo" fans.
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