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Cult Films / After Dark

Cult Films generally have limited but very special appeal. They are usually strange, quirky, offbeat, eccentric, oddball, or surreal. They may have outrageous, weird, cartoony characters or plots, and garish sets. They are often considered controversial because they step outside standard narrative and technical conventions. Cult films cut across many film genres (science fiction, horror, melodrama, etc.), and though they can be very stylized, they are often flawed or unusual in some striking way. To make a little sense of this unique genre, scroll the motherlode below, or take a side road by clicking a blue sub-heading to yer left... Visiting "Television Shows" and the "Cult Television" sub-feature may be worth checking out, also the "Animation" feature and the "Cult Animation" or "JapAnime" sub-feature will help with the bigger picture.. Right: Henry (Jack Nance) is "Eraserhead".

The Ape Man (1943)

4.5/10
Director: William Beaudine
Starring: Bela Lugosi, Wallace Ford, Louise Currie

Scientist Bela Lugosi turns into a gorilla in this z grade cult horror classic.Jaw-droppingly bad acting, cardboard sets, and "one-take" direction tur... Read more

The Arena (1974)

5.4/10
Director: Steve Carver
Starring: Margaret Markov, Pam Grier, Lucretia Love, Paul Muller, Daniel Vargas

"See wild women fight to the death!" in this 70s exploitation classic from Roger Corman. Kidnapped by Roman soldiers, a voluptuous Nubian slave (Pam G... Read more

The Asphyx (1972)

6.3/10
Director: Peter Newbrook
Starring: Jane Lapotaire, Robert Powell, Robert Stephens, Fiona Walker

During his experiments in the burgeoning world of photography Hugo, (Robert Stephens) stumbles on the Asphyx of Greek legend, carrier of souls to the... Read more

The Astounding She-Monster (1958)

3.3/10
Director: Ronnie Ashcroft
Starring: Robert Clarke, Kenne Duncan, Shirley Kilpatrick

Astoundingly cheap little film in which Hollywood gangsters kidnap a Beverly Hills socialite and take her to a remote mountain cabin where a curvy 'st... Read more

The Babadook (2014)

6.8/10
Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, Barbara West, Ben...

Baba-dook-dook-dook joins Candyman and Bloody Mary as words too terrifying to say, but too tempting not to, thanks to Australian writer-director... Read more

The Babadook (Blu-ray) (2014)

6.8/10
Director: Jennifer Kent
Starring: Essie Davis, Daniel Henshall, Noah Wiseman, Hayley McElhinney, Barbara West, Ben...

Baba-dook-dook-dook joins Candyman and Bloody Mary as words too terrifying to say, but too tempting not to, thanks to Australian writer-director... Read more

The Beast (1975)

5.8/10
Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Starring: Guy Trejan, Lisabeth Hummel, Sirpa Lane, Elizabeth Kaza

AKA 'La Bete'. Passing New Zealand censors for the first time, Walerian Borowcyzyk's official director's cut of his controversial film can finally be... Read more

The Bed Sitting Room (1969)

6.4/10
Director: Richard Lester
Starring: Arthur Lowe, Dudley Moore, Harry Secombe, Marty Feldman, Michael Hordern, Peter...

In the hazy aftermath of World War III, the fallout from a 'nuclear misunderstanding' (which lasted two minutes and twenty eight seconds, including th... Read more

The Believer (2001)

7.2/10
Director: Henry Bean
Starring: Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Theresa Russell, Billy Zane

Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, "The Believer" is a daring and gripping portrayal of a young Jewish man living an imposs... Read more

The Belko Experiment (2016)

6.1/10
Director: Greg McLean
Starring: John C McGinley, Michael Rooker, Tony Goldwyn, Sean Gunn, John Gallagher Jr., Da...

An ordinary day at the office becomes a horrific quest for survival when 80 employees (John Gallagher Jr., Tony Goldwyn, Adria Arjona) at the Belko Co... Read more