Will SERENITY be considered a cult film? by reginaroadie

GENERAL DISCUSSIONS

Will SERENITY be considered a cult film?

POSTED BY: REGINAROADIE
UPDATED: Thursday, October 13, 2005 12:52
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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 2:52 PM

I think yes. I think that in time, we will have a cult status in the genre of not only sci-fi, but cult as well.

Personally, I think it would be an honor to be considered a cult film. Cult films are often more fun and interesting than anything that the mianstream deems popular.

And just for a roundtable discussion, along with FIREFLY/SERENITY, what other cults are you a part of? What movies that are in the cult section of your video store are your favorites.

For me, it's THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW (the textbook definition of a cult film. I always imagined that if Joss Whedon made a full blown musical, then this would be it. I havn't seen "Once More, With Feeling", so don't spoil it for me), WITHNAIL AND I (the entire movie is infinitly quotable and funny as Hell. I always smile whenever I see Richard E. Grant's name in a movie's credits, and after WITHNAIL, whenever I see a HARRY POTTER movie and see Uncle Vernon, I keep expecting him to say "I mean to have you, boy. Even if it must be by burglary."), CLERKS (I always feel insulted that this is the one of Kevin Smith's in that it's the cult flick. I always thought MALLRATS was more culty. CLERKS is a generation defining flick.) ARMY OF DARKNESS (the best of the EVIL DEAD films I feel) and THE BIG LEBOWSKI (can't wait to pick up the new SE DVD of it coming out next week, I think.)

So what other cult flicks are you guys fans of, other than SERENITY?

And do you think "Touch Me" from ROCKY HORROR is a Kaylee song, or an Inara song?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
XANDER: (baby-talk) Who's a little fear demon?
C'mon, who's a lit-tle fear demon?
GILES: Don't taunt the fear demon.
XANDER: Why? Can he hurt me?
GILES: No, it's just… tacky.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 6:17 PM

DACRAMPS

well I saw star wars( and not to be blashphemous but I like firefly better than star wars) 13 times and I plan on seeing Serenity many more than that. I have fallen in love with the series and don't know why I missed it when it came out on tv.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 6:53 PM

SPRINGFAERY

I think "Touch Me" is more of a Kaylee song, personally. Something about going from innocence to well...not so innocence seems to fit Kaylee more than Inara (not that Kaylee is innocent, but she is kind of naive).

What's the difference between a cult and a fandom? Which category would Stargate SG-1 fall into anyway?

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 7:36 PM

DREAMTROVE

I don't think it can be a cult film. Cult film implies the followers are followers of the film. If Aerosmith makes a movie it's not automatically a cult film because it has a cult following, because it would not have it's own cult following, it has aerosmith's cult following. Maybe I underestimate Aerosmith, but even if so, say if atomic kitten made a film, or fill in whoever.

The point is the wall is a cult film, sure, because it's a madness kind of cult, not just a pink floyd fan thing to do. Rocky Horror has a cult which is definitely it's own, and not just a collection of meatloaf fans. For a TV show though, this would be truly bizarre, if the fans of the film were not the fans of the TV show. It's probably happened. I can't think of one off the top of my head, but I'm sure it's happened.

But that's clearly not what's happening here. The cult belongs to firefly, and serenity, as part of that, has inherited it's cult.

I'm going to kill them all. That oughtta distract 'em

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 7:40 PM

REGINAROADIE

I think STARGATE SG-1 is a fandom and not a cult. It was based on a successful movie which then lead to an almost ten year long series and a successful spin-off as well. There has to be a twinge of failure attached to the thing for it to be considered a cult, so STARGATE SG-1 is not a cult.

Speaking of ROCKY HORROR though, who would you think would be funnier as Dr. Frank-N-Furter? Adam or Nathan. While the latter has a track record of cross-dressing, it would just be so funny to see Jayne purring "I'm just a sweet transvestite."

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
XANDER: (baby-talk) Who's a little fear demon?
C'mon, who's a lit-tle fear demon?
GILES: Don't taunt the fear demon.
XANDER: Why? Can he hurt me?
GILES: No, it's just… tacky.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 9:48 PM

FLAMETREE

I loved ghosts of mars.

That was an under-rated film.

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Tuesday, October 11, 2005 11:56 PM

SIMONWHO

Of course, many cult films have a previous history too. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was once just a show.

But I like to think that Serenity will fall into the category that Blade Runner, The Blues Brothers, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory also fall into: films that flopped on their release but are now part of the mainstream.

Hopefully to pave way for a big ass sequel in a few years time.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:15 AM

CYBERSNARK

I think Serenity is a cult film, just as Firefly is a cult series.

It can't be mainstream; it's not safe. Too smart, too cutting, too daring. Not for public consupmtion. If it wasn't, it wouldn't have hooked us in (and Fox likely wouldn't have cancelled it). It's not like anything else out there, but people need to label it, so it becomes "cult" by default.

Joss is like Shakespeare; he can't be mainstream until he's dead and his genius is truly recognized by a bunch of poseurs trying to ape it without really understanding it.

Then in a few centuries, someone will finally get it and be hailed as "the next Joss." . .

EDIT: because it's obviously not me. 9_9

-----
We applied the cortical electrodes but were unable to get a neural reaction from either patient.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:30 AM

THESOMNAMBULIST

I once heard the definition of a cult film is a film that just you and your friends sit through on occasions as a social event.

Films like :TRON, Buckaroo Bonzai across the 8th dimension or Zombie FLesh eaters etc.

Over the years the term has expanded to mean films that perhaps don't hit it big at the box office but still garner a susbstantial following on video or DVD sales.

But anyway... Yes Serenity probably is :)

The
Somnambulist

www.cirqus.com

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 10:33 AM

LIMINALOSITY

Yeah, oh yeah, I think Joss is too smart and too far outside the box to appeal to a large enough % to stay in the cultural Mississippi for long. I'll bet he'll have a few brushes with the mega like this one. I wholeheartedly want Serenity to do well, and will continue my efforts to bring in more peeps. I don't think Joss would be happy making the choices for accessibility that staying in the bighot spotlight would require. But in case this sounds too half-empty, I also believe his work will always enjoy large enough commercial success that he will be able to continue to tell fabulous stories without too many constraints, and have no need to take on projects that might have a Baby Hughie alien inserted into them by someone else.

Cult favorites - that would be most of what I like...
Beauty and the Beast (Cocteau, not Disney)
Nosferatu (and the recent homage with John Malkovich: Shadow of the Vampire -was pretty amazing too)
Casablanca
(subset) Hitchcock
Fellini's Amarcord
Eraserhead
Monty Python and the Holy Grail
The original and only Star Wars (I stood in line with my peeps for the first show, and when Obiwan gave his speech to Luke about the force 'it surrounds us, it binds us', you could feel it open up in the theater like a flower blooming, I kid you not James T Kirk)
Alien
Blade Runner 1.0
Buckaroo Bonzai: Across the 8th Dimension (John Lithgow fastening the electrodes to his tongue is one of my alltime favorite moments in this life, Bigbooty)
Brazil
The Princess Bride
12 Monkeys
Fargo (yeah, pretty much anything else Coen bros too, esp Blood Simple cuz it's just so raw)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (and pretty much anything else either Johnny or Tim have breathed on, especially:)
Dead Man
The Fifth Element
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Being John Malkovich

I like writing and performance a way lot, maybe even more than painting and almost as much as music. Couldn't live without music, wouldn't want to live without the rest.

"A vague disclaimer is no one's friend" -Willow

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:00 AM

BELASERA

My cousin and I watched 'The Princess Bride' literally hundreds of times.
It's my ultimate cult movie.

"I'll be in my bunk."

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:03 AM

BELASERA

Quote:
Originally posted by reginaroadie:
WITHNAIL AND I (the entire movie is infinitly quotable and funny as Hell. I always smile whenever I see Richard E. Grant's name in a movie's credits, and after WITHNAIL, whenever I see a HARRY POTTER movie and see Uncle Vernon, I keep expecting him to say "I mean to have you, boy. Even if it must be by burglary.")

I just added WIthnail and I to my netflix queu. You made it sound irresistable!

"I'll be in my bunk."

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:14 AM

JASONZZZ

Quote:
Originally posted by liminalosity:

Brazil

"A vague disclaimer is no one's friend" -Willow

Brazil!!! I hope you are not refering to the theatrical release - i.e. the "Love conquers all" version...

you also missed:

Office Space
Lawn Mower man
Tankgirl
Time Bandits
A Christmas Story
Anything with Christopher Walken or Gary Oldman

Like Fireflyfans.net?
Haken needs new equipment to keep the site shiny. Donate.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=5&t=3283
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=13317#185514

Given the freedom to do so, anarchy will result in an organic organization unto itself.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:33 AM

SEP7IMUS

I'm not sure that most of the films mentioned are really "cult" films. Mostly, they're just good, but unappreciated by the masses (because people are stupid) films. (I have a feeling that that may be the case with Serenity (and Firefly) too...) I don't think, for instance, that anything that is considered a classic or is highly critically acclaimed (like most of Hitchcock) can also be considered "cult."

That being said, Liminalosity's list was pretty freakin' awesome. You dont' see a lot of film lists that include Cocteau and Buckaroo Banzai...

I almost entirely agree.

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 12:09 PM

STILLSHINY

Favorite cultish films.

Lost Skeleton of Cadavara

The MST3K movie

Strange Brew

I think true cultism is found in the imitation. ie costumes, special language, you know the whole "fandom society" I would also say to be cultish there also has to be an element of rejection from others and a hint of the bizzare or weird. Plus in a strange way a degree of heroism, even anti-heroism. That's why SG-1 doesn't fit in the cultish category for me.

Here are three very similar movies but I think they exemplify my meaning.

The Boondock Saints - I immediately bought a Navy peacoat & memorized the "prayer" and my firends & I constantly were quoting the lines.

Lock Stock & Two smoking Barrels - great movie, but no real following, no real heroes to imitate.

Snatch - An attempt to capitalize on the populaity of the other two films I just mentioned.

"We had ties that could not be broken, except by the passing of time. Like a rock. A broken time rock. And you're very special to me, my broken time rock people." - Nathan Fillion

Stillshiny's Shop - I'm thinkin we rose again

http://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?sid=4728

Listen to "The Signal" www.serenityfirefly.com

Serenity is coming. 9/30/05

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 4:38 PM

ZAPHODBEEBLEBROXTHE3RD

It's got some MEAN momentum .. havn't seen this much hype about a film for a long time .. I believe from footage I've seen of browncoats turning up everywhere that it already is well on the way to cult status .. but of course time will tell

"If I meet you ...I'll CTRL + ALT + DELETE you"
Wierd al ... from "It's all about the Pentiums BABY"

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:13 PM

LIMINALOSITY

Quote:
Originally posted by Jasonzzz:
Quote:
Originally posted by liminalosity:

Brazil

"A vague disclaimer is no one's friend" -Willow

Brazil!!! I hope you are not refering to the theatrical release - i.e. the "Love conquers all" version...

you also missed:

Office Space
Lawn Mower man
Tankgirl
Time Bandits
A Christmas Story
Anything with Christopher Walken or Gary Oldman

Like Fireflyfans.net?
Haken needs new equipment to keep the site shiny. Donate.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=5&t=3283
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=13317#185514

Given the freedom to do so, anarchy will result in an organic organization unto itself.

I did this, but it disappeared. Learning, still learning how to navigate. Please forgive me if it shows up twice. I am not a leaf in the net.

The only Brazil I know ends with her gone, and him dying while halucinating a happy ending under the not so gentle touch of the eeevil Michael Palin. I'm pretty much a romantic - but Brazil a love conquers all ending? Ok, well reincarnation, there's that. Is there another version I don't know about?

Yeah, Office Space made me laugh till I cried and I really wasn't expecting it.
Christopher Walken was in a music vid a couple years ago that was pretty amazing, love that guy. Suicide Kings.

Donny Darko, but the original release without all the extra expository stuff.

"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend." -Willow

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Wednesday, October 12, 2005 6:49 PM

CALHOUN

Quote:
belasera wrote:
Wednesday, October 12, 2005 11:00
My cousin and I watched 'The Princess Bride' literally hundreds of times.
It's my ultimate cult movie.

"I'll be in my bunk."

Hello! My name is Indgo Montoya... You killed my father. Prepare to die!

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Thursday, October 13, 2005 4:02 AM

JASONZZZ

Quote:
Originally posted by liminalosity:
Quote:
Originally posted by Jasonzzz:
Quote:
Originally posted by liminalosity:

Brazil

"A vague disclaimer is no one's friend" -Willow

Brazil!!! I hope you are not refering to the theatrical release - i.e. the "Love conquers all" version...

you also missed:

Office Space
Lawn Mower man
Tankgirl
Time Bandits
A Christmas Story
Anything with Christopher Walken or Gary Oldman

Like Fireflyfans.net?
Haken needs new equipment to keep the site shiny. Donate.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=5&t=3283
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=13317#185514

Given the freedom to do so, anarchy will result in an organic organization unto itself.

I did this, but it disappeared. Learning, still learning how to navigate. Please forgive me if it shows up twice. I am not a leaf in the net.

The only Brazil I know ends with her gone, and him dying while halucinating a happy ending under the not so gentle touch of the eeevil Michael Palin. I'm pretty much a romantic - but Brazil a love conquers all ending? Ok, well reincarnation, there's that. Is there another version I don't know about?

Did you see this in the cinema, in the UK perhaps? What you've seen was the original Terry Gilliam cut with the dark ending. Universal took Terry's reels and made a studio cut (by that time, there were already a mountain of disputes between Terry and the studio over budget, delivery scheule, etc.) after audience tested poorly on the Gilliam cut. They ended up with the "Love Conquers all" ending where they were able to escape into the country side presumbly living happily ever after... Terry got plenty pissed off by this, took a reel of his own cut and did various illegal clandestine showings to USC film school students inviting many many LA film critics/journalists to see it and created quite a bit of hubris for Universal.

Quote:
Originally posted by liminalosity:

Yeah, Office Space made me laugh till I cried and I really wasn't expecting it.
Christopher Walken was in a music vid a couple years ago that was pretty amazing, love that guy. Suicide Kings.

Donny Darko, but the original release without all the extra expository stuff.

"A vague disclaimer is nobody's friend." -Willow

Like Fireflyfans.net?
Haken needs new equipment to keep the site shiny. Donate.
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=5&t=3283
http://www.fireflyfans.net/thread.asp?b=2&t=13317#185514

Given the freedom to do so, anarchy will result in an organic organization unto itself.

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Thursday, October 13, 2005 5:40 AM

LIMINALOSITY

Quote:
Originally posted by Jasonzzz:

Bwaaah ha ha! Seriously? That's appalling, but typical cowardice when it comes to art, religion or politics. To quote Mal; "Half of writing history is hiding the truth." Terry took it to Mr Universe though, didn't he. Did that version self destruct? I bought a DVD a while ago that I haven't watched - will it be the riven or the real version?

Das Boat, but with subtitles, not the voiceover, which ruins it for me (unlike Blade Runner where I was very fond of the voice over). Not cultish, really at all, but off the radar.

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Thursday, October 13, 2005 12:52 PM

REGINAROADIE

Actually, with BRAZIL, because of the LA Film Critics who gave it top honors, despite it not being released, Terry was able to release BRAZIL without the "Love Conquer's All" finale in the states, albeit to not much fanfare. The "Love Conquers All" cut of the film ended up as the tv edit for the film.

If any of you want to make the effort, there's a great Criterion Edition DVD of BRAZIL that has both cuts of the film as well as a ton of info spread across three discs. It's interesting to compare both versions from an editing standpoint. And it's funny as Hell to see specific shots and moments out of context to create a movie that makes even less sense than the original cut.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
XANDER: (baby-talk) Who's a little fear demon?
C'mon, who's a lit-tle fear demon?
GILES: Don't taunt the fear demon.
XANDER: Why? Can he hurt me?
GILES: No, it's just… tacky.

NOTIFY: Y | REPLY | REPLY WITH QUOTE | TOP | HOME

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