Classic
college films
keep reeling
from the
mainstream
BY SEAN NELSON
Til! / \ M M NX i)|
Hock) Honor, the
Iun,u \ of .Hondo
( one and tin: dark
humot of Harold c
Maude that s what cult
inosn-s aie made of. Wc
r|tiote them at patties and
res el m tfieir ss it, hut ss hat
makes a loss budget link a
stilt classic?
In umniliss jfficlo ihm unlike
Inc om you ic .iUml to rv.nl Collect
l‘'um,ilius have ituvi to deft in uh.it
Hukl'l 4 tttlivtc ,1 c till t ,1 • iM 11i .Hid
none h,o cum Muuuial
Hut let v get tc.il ( tilt him*
exot tuf .t fr.mm 1 hen .tntH’jl. jI
though not sju.mnfi.ihlt j*
tx.H.M ttilion.H JVH Jf, tH V4
of thcm;
Oi V OIH Si- (hit \K 4s
be t *»f e tin 4 d v e f 11 m fig
i it d its11 r t .»11 v I* ,i»fled
boss lit \mk it\ nefh int<«
I he naive lloh of the vi it
deni demo^Mphit
Bi lnii felt ' IM(in hid
e*1 f i rc I v h t j 111% 4 died
« hole gc nf fituttn
Be foie fittfbf't Hite
Now. itisfcid of host
mp obscure films, timm
vollepe iMtctnjv pridr
tlu nuelvt n on shou mg
the same did crin you uiit
hx' .it jn\ multiplex
I he (t4£cdv of ci*l
lege iiinnjji % t ipping
out is t hit i. tilt films,
above ill. defy the cun
vcmiorn ot tin medium
V\ hi t hi t in < < r mv of
lotto oi siiittcnt these
movies limn the whole
I .
II * \ k *
Lunacy. B-grado horror,
cowboy monga — cult filma
off or tho whole achmoor.
kIcj iIiji 4m thing hii% to in ilonc
4n.«irJni|; in ruLi ot.iMidud In
MHISfiMU' tin
In UKk mmn tU.u % v^M the
punk ctltn I In Vann thing cMeruh
to him I he v11 v luuitv ai the
experimentation the tlivefgfmc
tnim the ituJ nuirc traveled iv
v\lui nuke* iht: him wntth hyiii^
I !u divvrjji'tKc hnwnd, thnsn t
ftnciMnh nuke u gm*! whivh t>
.motint iIjimv, hjlim.uk of inlt
hltm, and *mc that mmt ncoftk' fail
in uiulrnuiui the Ih'Juis ol 1 he
nun ut ju often ifuom|Mcnily
anemhlcd bit* of random teUtdoid
wjnkcr* in the guivc of rtattafivc,
lUit ih>tt guiw, .uni the thee
tear tt down, u the whole
1 he St x PivtnU weren t about
aiUfthv. I he> vtctr about the think
^ due of tailing thcnuclvc* the
\muhr*M on the HIU It all anno
down u» pt twmjl t x|MCMian
( ollcgt - ment is
uud t * * v mbf jvc
thew films iH'uiiu
students were Ciger
U'ckcrs of ideas
that tvutMiu be
pfCimil vstthm the
dull confine* of
numviium popu
Ur 4*1
l )*» ViUl li
mcmlur he .trine
jImuu j unit- when
eollcge slIH UU W4*
s \ no n v in o u s
w lift w oriU like
"fringe. ~ under
ground" and vet.
\uh When off
beat independent
or foreign release*
sou Id vuunt on
college audience*
(without advert is
mg on M l \ to
Cutt tllmm turn ovor A Naw Leaf.
Cult classics every college
student should see
Heft are some cote picks - best viewed at midnight, ol course
TTm» PmmUttx Vhaw {1974 Alan J Pakula) The scariest conspiracy
him ot alt lime puts JfK lo shame Warren Beatty plays a reporter who gets caught
up in a web ot intrigue and murder while investigating the assassinations ot politi
cal tigures So cynical and dark a version ol America that even the light at the end
ot ttie tunnel 15 dim
9p/d«c B*tt>y (19B4 Jack Mill) And you thought John Waters (Pink
flamingos) was weird this tale ot a family ot inbred killers is the standard old dark
house genre with twists so kinky they put hard core fetishists to shame Classic
erploitalion filmmaking
Mraevcf (1968 Bob Ratelson) Starring the Monkees and written by Jack
Nicholson this is the only truly successful (although not financially) psychedelic
film It s an active deconstruction of the prefab teenybopper rock stars, and it rev
els in smashing icons — the group appears as dandruff in a hair commercial at one
point and tweaks the nose ol rock movies in general Even the music is good
A Buokmt Of Bloorf (1969, Roger Corman) Made in two days, this
strange little horror story about a coffeehouse busboy with dreams ot being a
sculptor proves that ultra low budget lilms can be not only well made but also
more witty and subversive than studio protects Walter Paisley wants so badly to
impress the artists who hang around the cate that he's willing to kill
accidentally at first
Jo* Vmrmum fh* Voloano (1990, John Patrick Shanley) With
Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan1 Ves It s a criminally underrated allegory ot the
movie business with a bad ending tacked on by timid producers This one
combines the elements ot magical realism Brechhan theater, pulp '30s serials
and cowboy songs Some of the best lunatic romantic dialogue ever lensed The
story is daffy, as are the characters That's the best part Don't believe what
you ve heard
Q <Tt*a Wlnfjmnf Baryaant) (1962, l any Cohen) A prehistoric god
m the form ot a giant pterodactyl has buirt a nest in the Chrysler building1 You real
ly don't need to know any more about It, e*cept that it elevates the standards lor
characterization in B grade horror films with an impressive array ot actors who are
really allowed to act (Also see God Told Me To by Cohen )
Ttta Trial (1963, Orson Welles) The consummate Kafka nightmare done
up in classtcalty eipressionist detail by the greatest director ot all time The spaces
squeeze Josef K into odd comers. |ust like the plot does The real story lies in the
shadows, barely visible
A New Loaf (1971. Elaine May) Starring Walter Matthau, this long lost
dark comedy is about class in America told through the eyes ot star crossed lovers
One ot them spends most ot the him trying to kill the other in order to save the
family fortune (in the vein ot The Ruling Class, which is also highly recommended)
My Broahtamt Wttti BUammla (1963. Johnny legend, Linda
lautrec ) Starring Andy Kautman this satire ot the pretentious My Dinner With
Andre takes place at a Sambo s restaurant in los Angeles Two characters order
greasy food and chew the tat about their careers as entertainers and wrestlers So
subtle it's almost not even there But it is The |Oke is on you Nothingness hasn t
been so absurd since Waiting lor Godot
Torts Id dan /one (1980 Richard Ettman) Odd nightmare set in
what looks like a Betty Boop cartoon ot hell, all ot which breaks loose Freaks
and perverts abound as Queen Dons and King Fausto battle tor control ot the
torbidden zone, where Outgo Bomgo make the music and everybody scores
Consummate cult
OK, we ran out ot space. But here are some more cult movies you won't want to
miss Little Shop ot Horrors (original) The State ot Things, Invasion ot the Body
Snatchers. The Cars that Ate Pans. Children Shouldn t Play with Dead Things and
Mickey One (a Holy Gralt ot curt tilmdom — starring Warren Beatty).
Sean Nelson a tumor at the U ot Washington, is the him critic tor the Glass Onion.
and he watches way too many movies