As Hollywood perfects its formula for high-grossing, high-profile and high-budget movies geared toward audiences with ever-decreasing attention spans, the college-cult DVD has emerged as a niche for innovative films and TV shows — even those doomed to poor ticket sales and a limited audience. Thanks to a limited but devoted fan base, these DVDs enjoy unusually high sales despite their seemingly limited appeal and usually art house form. After an informal campus survey, we've compiled a must-have list with a few classic and some more recent cult DVDs — for those with an interest in escaping Hollywood for a while.
Donnie Darko
A movie that practically defines cult classic, "Donnie Darko" is as strange as it is compelling. The oddball premise — a high school student, Donnie Darko, sees visions of a giant bunny prophesizing apocalypse — masks the film's excellent qualities, which range from the teenagers' angst to a dark and pervasively grim mood. It's almost impossible to understand the film completely with just one viewing — a factor that certainly cemented its cult status. Luckily, the newly released director's cut DVD clears up much of the ambiguity of the original.
Napoleon Dynamite
Who would have thought a no-cussing, no-kissing Mormon teen comedy would become so popular? A love-it-or-hate-it movie, "Napoleon Dynamite"'s greatest strength is its seemingly limitless bank of quotable quotes, truly perfect for almost any situation. Even if you haven't seen this film yet, you've probably heard such memorable exchanges as Napoleon's response to "How was school?": "Worst day of my life, what do you think?" Pedro's election platform: "Vote for me and all of your wildest dreams will come true." And, perhaps the greatest pickup line of all time: "I see you're drinking 1%. Is that 'cause you think you're fat? 'Cause you're not. You could be drinking whole if you wanted to."
The Big Lebowski
It's impossible to say what "The Big Lebowski" is all about. The ostensible plot — the Dude's quest for compensation for a ruined rug, and all the resulting misadventures — doesn't appropriately capture the movie's wit, charm and off-the-wall, almost farcical characters. As with all Coen Brothers movies, sharp and funny dialogue, combined with near-outrageous action, make "The Big Lebowski" an underground hit.
Kill Bill I & II
Director Quentin Tarantino pulls out all the stops in this tour de force of kung-fu clichés and old western cinema techniques. But one doesn't need to be a film buff to enjoy Tarantino's excessively bloody and oddly funny action sequences, or to appreciate the dialogue that never takes itself too seriously. While not as universally appealing as "Pulp Fiction," the "Kill Bill" DVDs are a no-brainer for any Tarantino fan.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Under conventional wisdom, "Eternal Sunshine"'s complicated storyline and fast-paced, often confusing editing would be enough to doom this independent film to complete obscurity. However, an all-star cast, including an amazingly serious Jim Carry and a delightfully flighty Kate Winslet, has made this film so popular that it almost rises above cult status. At its core, "Eternal Sunshine" is a typical Hollywood love story with a typical Hollywood cast — but told in reverse, simultaneously turning chronology and rom-com formula on their respective heads.
Spirited Away
Arguably the greatest Anime film of all time, "Spirited Away" tells the simple story of a young girl trapped in a fantasy land of spirits, witches and monsters. The wonderful characters and imaginative environments of the film enthrall, but the storytelling is the movie's most engaging aspect. Anime purists may decry the use of dubbing — which makes it more accessible to audiences of all ages — in the original release instead of subtitles, but irrespective of the mode of communication, "Spirited Away" has a wonderful story to tell in any language.
Garden State
In his directorial debut, Zach Braff managed to strike gold with "Garden State." As the movie follows Braff's alter ego Andrew Largeman through his return home, the numerous quirky characters he runs into — combined with Largeman's own low-key stupor — makes for always intriguing and often hilarious encounters. This movie fell mostly under the radar in theaters due to a somewhat limited ad campaign, but the DVD is picking up steam among a growing fan base.
Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain
"Amelie's" spot on this list is not a requisite nod to cult French films, but rather a testament to its own merit. The film captures an energetic, almost childlike spirit and bubbly humor absent in most other romantic comedies. While its foreign origins may have turned most away from the original theatrical release, "Amelie" is sure to charm audiences well beyond even their tenth viewing of the colorful film.
Rushmore
Though "Lost in Translation" may have revealed Bill Murray's uncanny knack for sullen, downtrodden characters to the popular eye, his true followers will remember "Rushmore" as a masterpiece of Murray deadpan. This dark comedy, set around a stereotypically snobby prep school, depicts love, obsession and revenge with a host of characters who all seem to take their predicaments far too seriously or, in Murray's case, with far too much detachment.
Fight Club
At first, it might seem odd that a Hollywood film starring the biggest celebrities would wind up as a certified cult DVD. However, the philosophical story, with blood and guts to spare, has secured a following well above the "seen it, liked it" level. Sure, "Fight Club" may be enjoyable, even understandable, after merely one viewing. But there's so much material in the film that, after enough viewings, a person could conceivably form their own religion around the film's theology. After all, isn't that what cults really are about?
Nip/Tuck
Why is it that whenever we pass a car wreck on the highway, we slow down to have a look? It's this kind of fascination that seems to be the origin of "Nip/Tuck's" cult following. A show about plastic surgeons and their numerous, often gruesomely deformed patients is a far cry from what the rest of cable television has to offer. Surrounded by dozens of vapid reality TV clones and crime drama spin-offs, "Nip/Tuck" provides a stark and startling experience that has drawn many disgruntled viewers to its DVD box sets.
The Ring
"The Ring" is a remake of the Japanese horror film "Ringu," whose cult status in Japan seems to have seamlessly transferred to America. Thanks to the advent of the teen-slasher genre, we've come to expect goons, serial killers and otherwise spooky villains to be hiding behind every corner, knife in hand. "The Ring's" horror, however, hearkens back to an older style of atmospheric fright that shows up in many other cult DVDs on this list. It's a welcome contrast to the ho-hum nature of more mainstream horror flicks.
Super Troopers
A previously unknown group, "Broken Lizard" — analogous to the venerable "National Lampoon" comedy group — turned out this awkward comedy full of fresh humor. Fans of the old "Police Academy" movies might also enjoy a new take on the old slacker-cops gag found in "Super Troopers." This DVD is as likely to entertain as it is to turn viewers away with disgust, with enough of the former to create a vibrant cult following.
Aqua Teen Hunger Force
You may have run into this title late at night between "Family Guy" episodes on Cartoon Network's Adult Swim and thought, just as I did, "what the hell is that?" It turns out that its place next to "Family Guy" isn't entirely arbitrary; "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" also depends on completely random and, often, seemingly nonsensical humor. Unlike other cartoons, however, the show — which features a talking meatball, fries and a drink — almost completely throws away conventions of plot and continuity. After exhausting every single episode of "Family Guy" and "The Simpsons," some have found this show's DVDs more than adequate for an evening's entertainment.
Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle
In the grand tradition of "Half Baked" and "Dude, Where's My Car?," "Harold and Kumar" chronicles the munchies-induced journey of two stoners searching through New Jersey for a few good White Castle burgers. Though some fans would insist that the not-so-subtle social commentary of the film makes it worth watching over and over again, the film's gross-out humor and audacious gags seem to be its strongest points.
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