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Every movie in this book is a gem that every discerning film buff should know about. Although a few might be familiar - "Barbarella", "Un Chien Andalou", "The Blues Brothers" - most will be unfamiliar, and all will boast a small but devoted fanbase. So, just what makes a cult movie? Typically, these movies are independently made on a small budget and were never expected by their creators to attract a broad audience: the eccentricity of the film making or story telling, the controversial stance taken, or the narrow appeal of the subject matter guaranteed that their appeal was limited. Some movies achieve cult status long after their release. Neither commercially nor critically successful at the time, these movies were too revolutionary, fashionable, or simply badly made to find an appreciative audience. Movies, such as "Harold and Maude" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space", languished unnoticed until a small, devoted group from a later generation discovered them and declared them cool. A few movies, such as "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", originally attracted cult status, even though they were made by a major studio, owing to their dark, controversial, or offbeat subject matter. As tastes changed and tolerance increased, these films went on to appeal to a much wider audience and to gain commercial success without ever losing their cult status. With insight from critics, film historians, and academics from around the world, "101 Cult Movies You Must See Before You Die" is a homage to a century filled with 50-foot women, alcohol-fueled binges, surreal imaginary friends, flying pink elephants, and improbably large arachnids.
About the Author
Steven Jay Schneider is a film critic, scholar, and producer with MA degrees in Philosophy and Cinema Studies from Harvard University and New York University, respectively. He is the general editor of the best-selling 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, 501 Movie Stars, and 501 Movie Directors. He has written and edited a number of books about cinema, including Traditions in World Cinema (Edinburgh UP), Fear Without Frontiers: Horror Cinema Across the Globe (Fab Press), and New Hollywood Violence (Manchester UP).
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
A Smorgasbord of Oddball Films!
22 Sep 2010
101 CULT MOVIES YOU MUST SEE BEFORE YOU DIE is a celebration of the world's oddest, most tasteless, eccentric, weird, grossest, obscure, silly, scary, wicked, pretentious, ineptly made and/or controversial films of the past 90 years. There aren't many Academy Award winners in Steven Jay Schneider's book but film buffs will find it a long, strange (but enjoyable) trip.
Schneider's book is arranged chronologically. The first entry, surely one of THE most famous cult films ever, UN CHIEN ANDALOU, dates from 1928. The last movie covered, BRICK, was released in 2005. In between those two entries can be found most of the 'usual suspects' such as ROCKY HORROR, HAROLD AND MAUDE, SISTERS, BUCKAROO BANZAI, SUNSET BOULEVARD, FRANKENHOOKER, THIS IS SPINAL TAP, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, PINK FLAMINGOS, TOMMY, CRASH, EL TOPO, VANISHING POINT, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, etc. As with other books in this series, the joy is in being introduced to lesser-known titles such as SHOLAY, OUT OF THE PAST, GREY GARDENS, BANDE A PART and CITY OF LOST CHILDREN.
Schneider and his 16 contributors, a mix of college profs and film writers, offer up two-page summaries of each flick along with two photographs, many of which are in color. Generally the summaries are entertaining and insightful although occasionally you get the idea the writer is reaching for it and making 'much ado about nothing' (i.e. SHOWGIRLS!?!). Also, some entries give away the movie's ending, which may not please some readers.
I also wondered why certain films merited inclusion - like SHOWGIRLS and BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS - while other, more worthy movies - like FREAKS and DR. STRANGELOVE - didn't make the cut. But then, it's Schneider's book so what the heck!
In any case, film buffs should enjoy 101 CULT MOVIES. Whether you agree with all the titles chosen, Schneider & Co. dish up an interesting selection of boundary-stretching flicks. It's a hoot. Recommended.
Schneider's book is arranged chronologically. The first entry, surely one of THE most famous cult films ever, UN CHIEN ANDALOU, dates from 1928. The last movie covered, BRICK, was released in 2005. In between those two entries can be found most of the 'usual suspects' such as ROCKY HORROR, HAROLD AND MAUDE, SISTERS, BUCKAROO BANZAI, SUNSET BOULEVARD, FRANKENHOOKER, THIS IS SPINAL TAP, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, ATTACK OF THE KILLER TOMATOES, PINK FLAMINGOS, TOMMY, CRASH, EL TOPO, VANISHING POINT, THE BIG LEBOWSKI, etc. As with other books in this series, the joy is in being introduced to lesser-known titles such as SHOLAY, OUT OF THE PAST, GREY GARDENS, BANDE A PART and CITY OF LOST CHILDREN.
Schneider and his 16 contributors, a mix of college profs and film writers, offer up two-page summaries of each flick along with two photographs, many of which are in color. Generally the summaries are entertaining and insightful although occasionally you get the idea the writer is reaching for it and making 'much ado about nothing' (i.e. SHOWGIRLS!?!). Also, some entries give away the movie's ending, which may not please some readers.
I also wondered why certain films merited inclusion - like SHOWGIRLS and BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS - while other, more worthy movies - like FREAKS and DR. STRANGELOVE - didn't make the cut. But then, it's Schneider's book so what the heck!
In any case, film buffs should enjoy 101 CULT MOVIES. Whether you agree with all the titles chosen, Schneider & Co. dish up an interesting selection of boundary-stretching flicks. It's a hoot. Recommended.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
A fine compendium for those who are searching for these films and want an understanding of their popularity
13 Nov 2010
They weren't blockbuster hits, they didn't receive a pile of awards, but they have a following of their own. "101 Cult Movies You Must See Before You Die" is a compilation of cult films that have come to prominence since the medium's inception. With films from around the world, these films have gained much infamy for their humor which pushed the limits of taste and decency during the release in the name of brutal honesty or for the sake of pushing the limit. "101 Cult Movies You Must See Before You Die" is a fine compendium for those who are searching for these films and want an understanding of their popularity.
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