Most cult films are low-cost films produced by B-class, which are generally shown in low-level cinemas. Most of the plots are bizarre, and the shooting techniques are free and unrestrained. They don't play cards according to common sense and have a group of small but loyal fans.

Although it is difficult for us to define whether a movie is a cult movie, generally speaking, cult movies have more or less the following characteristics:

1. Cheap B films

Generally speaking, mass-produced films are not cult films, such as Gladiator-although ridley scott has made cult films, such as blade runner. Look at Sam Raimi's "Death of Evil", which made a lot of money for filming "Spider-Man". Haunted huts are places where you find yourself. Some special effects are just a prosthetic hand dangling in front of the camera, and even the ghost roar requires the actor to go into battle himself.

2. Vulgar, artificial and exaggerated style

Many people don't like cult movies. In addition to physical strangeness, they found that these films are full of absurd and even boring scenes, simple and low-level, which is quite different from the clean, catching up and beautiful taste pursued by ordinary people. Edward D. Wood Jr, and more recently CQ, deliberately imitated the poor scenery and special effects of sci-fi films in the 1950s and 1960s, instead of making the past times exquisite and fresh like ordinary movies. At first, this style was limited by production funds, and later it became a deliberate pursuit. Once again, it represents the subversion of business operations, mainstream values and middle class tastes. Almost every subsequent cult film has objects to imitate, pay tribute to or subvert, especially horror movies. The repeated appearance of classic shapes or scenes is mostly the image memory left by the B-class films that the director loved in his childhood.

3. A mixture of various elements

Cult movies are basically a cross-type movie, which is often a hodgepodge of science fiction, horror, music, animation and comedy. The dystopian tradition of science fiction films, eschatological complex, fear of machinery, indifference between people, rebellious thoughts in rock music, decadent aesthetics, gorgeous style, social critical consciousness, strong visual stimulation in horror films, free expression of animation, digestion brought by black humor ... often combined with imagination, a cup of inedible cocktail is concocted at will.

4. Sub-cultural groups

The word culture comes from culture. Cult movies can be regarded as an alternative and personalized cultural expression, which describes mostly marginal people, such as homosexuals, drug addicts, transvestites, sadists or people with spiritual tendencies (such as being obsessed with sex and violence). By fighting against social taboos, cult films have gained a kind of liberation and strength, and these audiences have also got the opportunity to confirm their identity. This group identity is as attractive as ancient secret sects. Cult movies potentially provide a carnival atmosphere. Western cult movie fans always imitate the costumes in movies, perform outside and show their personalities.

self-sufficiency

Cult movies generally have a complete and independent world system, and there are countless details to be extended, most of which have strong implications. Those fans have enhanced the film through continuous exploration, making it more complete and accurate-just like it really exists. Fans of "Star Wars" are more familiar with the Milky Way than Lucas, while fans of "Big Talk" can recite lines that Zhou Xingxing has long forgotten. In other words, the audience of cult movies don't care about the topics raised by the movies, they only care about the movies themselves. Therefore, no matter how lively the Titanic and Pearl Harbor are, people only talk about the Titanic incident and World War II, not about love, war or human nature. In addition, like "The Matrix" or "Star Wars", although there are countless audiences who like to watch it, not everyone can appreciate the cult side of the film. Only those who have watched it countless times and enjoy the details are real cult movie fans. The audience chose the cult film, and the cult film also chose its audience.

lead the fashion trend

Cult movies are usually cool and always lead a certain fashion trend. At that time, leather clothes, long hair, metal ornaments, tattoos and easy-to-wear trends, and later, the black clothing in the matrix changed people's aesthetic concepts. Although it is not the mainstream, it is often absorbed by the mainstream and moves from the alternative to the public. However, that maverick spirit will gradually disappear with the popularity until the next more unusual revolution comes.

7. Art films cannot be called cult films.

Even though many people like and even admire tarkovsky very much, his films are not cult films. This is not because it is not weird enough. However, art films mainly focus on ideological depth and artistic techniques, and most of them have a clear purpose. Cult movies are released movies that won't make you sit still and look up.

Especially when it comes to article 7, Shunji Iwai's films should still belong to the category of art films. Although they can also strongly reflect the theme of cruel youth, the main energy is really in the depth of thought and shooting techniques, so I don't think Everything in Zhou Lili can be regarded as a cult film.