Thread: Films & TV: Russian & Non - Q&As/Reviews/Links all in here!

Originally Posted by CoffeeCup

It would be interesting to know what our movie expert rockzmom thinks of it and the term of a cult movie?

Sorry... I have been feeling up to posting too much...

Okay, my thoughts on what a cult film is....

I think a good example is Rocky Horror Picture Show and I can speak about that one as I have seen it in the movie theater and can explain it better.

First, what is a cult movie? It is any movie which has a large devoted specific fan base. And in that sentence is the key word...fan... short for fanatic, a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal. The people who like these films and go to see these movies don't go just once or twice, they go 100 times! I have a cousin who has seen Rocky Horror more than 200 times! I also believe it is "usually" a film that is not that great of a movie to begin with. Usually the topics of the films are the reasons they stay off the main charts. Rocky Horror is a musical that parodies science fiction and pornography films. It is not your main stream type of film! John Waters, a director from Baltimore, has a number of cult films. Pink Flamingo is one of his and the original Hair Spray, and Cry Baby (with a VERY young Johnny Depp) were his too. His films are just way out there and do not appeal to a mass audience but have a BIG fan base.

Now, back to Rocky Horror.... This film is a very funny film but if you were to watch it a home by yourself, oh my... you would just not have the same experience and would probably turn it off and think I have just lost my mind or I have taken way too much medication for liking this film.

In the movie theater, people dress up in costumes and bring props. They spray water (when it is raining in the movie), throw toast and rice (during the wedding scene of course) and snap rubber gloves (you'll have to guess why and when). They talk back to the screen and answer questions from the characters. It is all interactive. People get up and dance (they "do" the Time Warp dance that I posted the link for). It is a total experience, not just a movie.

Rocky Horror is also the longest-running theatrical release in film history, 34 years! I saw it the first time probably around 1979-80 as my sister who is older took me to see it. Now, I have only seen it in a movie theater a few times, but the music from the show and the Time Warp & Sweet Transvestite scenes are classic "cult" scenes and used in other TV show and movies.

Which leads me to my next point about a cult film....A cult movie is one that I feel is somehow used over and over again in other films or TV shows as an inside joke and Rocky Horror has been used countless times in other things:

Family Guy: They have done a number of episodes mentioning Rocky Horror. There is a Family Guy episode entitled Dammit Janet. In the episode, PTV, Peter, Stewie and Brian are dancing in transvestite’s outfits, for about 2 seconds.... and then there is this little clip ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js-Fji8KhaQ

Cold Case did an episode where they were looking for a murder that happened that was connected to Rocky Horror in the 1970's and Barry Bostwick played the killer. The ending of the show is really good as the used some of the songs from the movie and scenes from a theater showing the movie and then used similar fonts for the credits.... here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0_mytY4P-4

The Simpsons: (just for you alex!) The Dr. is dressed in Frank garb and is seen standing outside a theater -
(p.s. not from my computer, I just found the photo online)

Rocky Horror is mentioned on Gilmore Girls: Lorelei and Rory made plans to go to "Rocky Horror." Lorelei says she's Magenta, and Rory's usually Janet. And of course she tried to get Luke to dress up as Frank. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goU8TKht4NA

Rocky Horror has been spoofed on Whose Line is it Anyway? Wayne Brady has to do a song about a coffee grinder and he does "let's grind some coffee again!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSa3EFCn-14

There are many more… but you get the idea... a cult film is much more than the film itself... it takes over and spreads into other things. Many times you may not understand the references made until someone explains them to you and then you go "Ohhhh" and start to notice them all over the place.

So, whatcha think?? Do you understand why I DON'T understand Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory & The Shawshank Redemption being on the list? These two movies just don't seem to ME, to fit this type of movie.

So... if you are fans of GLEE... They are doing a Rocky Horror episode for Halloween!!!

Here are two of the more popular scenes/songs from the movie. They actually follow one another in the film.

Time Warp:
http://www.livevideo.com/video/C45A5...-show-tim.aspx

Sweet Transvestite:
http://www.livevideo.com/video/A4F52...-show-swe.aspx

Originally Posted by rockzmom

Sorry... I have been feeling up to posting too much...

Okay, my thoughts on what a cult film is....

I think a good example is Rocky Horror Picture Show and I can speak about that one as I have seen it in the movie theater and can explain it better.

First, what is a cult movie? It is any movie which has a large devoted specific fan base. And in that sentence is the key word...fan... short for fanatic, a person with an extreme and uncritical enthusiasm or zeal. The people who like these films and go to see these movies don't go just once or twice, they go 100 times! I have a cousin who has seen Rocky Horror more than 200 times! I also believe it is "usually" a film that is not that great of a movie to begin with. Usually the topics of the films are the reasons they stay off the main charts. Rocky Horror is a musical that parodies science fiction and pornography films. It is not your main stream type of film! John Waters, a director from Baltimore, has a number of cult films. Pink Flamingo is one of his and the original Hair Spray, and Cry Baby (with a VERY young Johnny Depp) were his too. His films are just way out there and do not appeal to a mass audience but have a BIG fan base.

Now, back to Rocky Horror.... This film is a very funny film but if you were to watch it a home by yourself, oh my... you would just not have the same experience and would probably turn it off and think I have just lost my mind or I have taken way too much medication for liking this film.

In the movie theater, people dress up in costumes and bring props. They spray water (when it is raining in the movie), throw toast and rice (during the wedding scene of course) and snap rubber gloves (you'll have to guess why and when). They talk back to the screen and answer questions from the characters. It is all interactive. People get up and dance (they "do" the Time Warp dance that I posted the link for). It is a total experience, not just a movie.

Rocky Horror is also the longest-running theatrical release in film history, 34 years! I saw it the first time probably around 1979-80 as my sister who is older took me to see it. Now, I have only seen it in a movie theater a few times, but the music from the show and the Time Warp & Sweet Transvestite scenes are classic "cult" scenes and used in other TV show and movies.

Which leads me to my next point about a cult film....A cult movie is one that I feel is somehow used over and over again in other films or TV shows as an inside joke and Rocky Horror has been used countless times in other things:

Family Guy: They have done a number of episodes mentioning Rocky Horror. There is a Family Guy episode entitled Dammit Janet. In the episode, PTV, Peter, Stewie and Brian are dancing in transvestite’s outfits, for about 2 seconds.... and then there is this little clip ... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=js-Fji8KhaQ

Cold Case did an episode where they were looking for a murder that happened that was connected to Rocky Horror in the 1970's and Barry Bostwick played the killer. The ending of the show is really good as the used some of the songs from the movie and scenes from a theater showing the movie and then used similar fonts for the credits.... here it is: YouTube - Cold Case 'Creatures Of The Night' Ending

The Simpsons: (just for you alex!) The Dr. is dressed in Frank garb and is seen standing outside a theater -
(p.s. not from my computer, I just found the photo online)

Rocky Horror is mentioned on Gilmore Girls: Lorelei and Rory made plans to go to "Rocky Horror." Lorelei says she's Magenta, and Rory's usually Janet. And of course she tried to get Luke to dress up as Frank. YouTube - GIlmore Girls 2.11 Luke/Lorelai Rocky Horror Diner Scene

Rocky Horror has been spoofed on Whose Line is it Anyway? Wayne Brady has to do a song about a coffee grinder and he does "let's grind some coffee again!” YouTube - Whose Line is it Anyway: Song Styles: Rocky Horror

There are many more… but you get the idea... a cult film is much more than the film itself... it takes over and spreads into other things. Many times you may not understand the references made until someone explains them to you and then you go "Ohhhh" and start to notice them all over the place.

So, whatcha think?? Do you understand why I DON'T understand Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory & The Shawshank Redemption being on the list? These two movies just don't seem to ME, to fit this type of movie.