Cult Movies in Sixty Seconds: The Best Films in the World in Less Than a Minute
Feb 2nd, 2010 by MrCult
Available now from: £4.71
Buy now: Cult Movies in Sixty Seconds: The Best Films in the World in Less Than a Minute
Available now from: £4.71
Average Rating: 4.0
Buy now: Cult Movies in Sixty Seconds: The Best Films in the World in Less Than a Minute
Rating: 4 / 5
One man’s Trainspotting is another man’s Hairspray, I suppose although Soren McCarthy does a good job – mostly – of sorting out what qualities a cult movie should display in order to be awarded the status of “cult”. There are few surprises in this neat little book. No one could argue that Betty Blue and Blade Runner deserve a place in the cult canon, or that Brazil, This is Spinal Tap and Withnail and I are equally deserving of a dedicated following among the cinema aficionados of all-time cultdom. But Valley of the Dolls? Easy Rider?, The Man Who Fell To Earth? Not in my universe.
McCarthy argues that there are six elements to the cult film: endurance, resonance, affection, technical craftsmanship, scope and originality. Some of these attributes, however, are far too nebulous – resonance, for instance, depends on an entirely individual reaction to film. Likewise scope – that’s such a large element that almost any film could be said to have it. Originality, fits the bill much better, as does affection, for surely you have to hold affection for any film you are willing to sit through more than twice. We could all raise our hand in approval for endurance and technical craftsmanship, but it seems to me McCarthy misses a few other attributes. Obscurity might fit in there somewhere too, as well as one vital addition – a certain kind of difficulty in interpretation. The film about the shark, we watch it, the shark gets killed after chewing up a few easy targets. Great film, but we surely don’t want to watch it again, and certainly not in an inferior second or third incarnation? Whereas, the film where someone seems to be haunted by a huge, sinister rabbit with metal teeth that no one else can see, and where melting contrails are extruded as party-goers move from fridge to bathroom – as in Donnie Darko, what is that all about? Give me a chance and I’ll tell you my theory. Films that we can construct our own theories about, which seem to have a logic, but defy any easy definition – now you’re talking. Oh, and then there’s Magnolia.