What does it mean when a ...
Question: What does it mean when a movie is a "cult classic"?
Answer: It depends on who's saying it. The term "cult movie" was coined to describe films whose appeal was limited to a small, but often deeply devoted, circle of fans. It's now often used as though it were synonymous with "weird" or "I don't get it, but lots of people do." The term "classic" should be applied only to films that have stood the test of time, which is why the phrase "instant classic" makes me clench my teeth. Anyway, what "cult classic" should mean is a movie whose appeal to a limited but passionate audience is unabated. El Topo (1971) is a bona fide cult classic. Reefer Madness (1936) isn't: If millions of college students think Reefer Madness is hilarious, it's not cult any more.
