Has streaming brought an end to cult films?
Many have attempted to articulate the essence of what makes a cult film a cult film. According to the famously accurate and reliable Wikipedia, cult films are “known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase, an elaborate subculture that engage in repeated viewings, quoted dialogue and audience participation.” In a similar vein, perennial arbiter of all things culture Rolling Stone describes a cult film as having a “fiercely devoted audience that watches it over and over, preferably at midnight in a theater packed with other die-hards.” These two definitions are fairly adequate for almost 50 years of movie cult movie history. In this modern age of social media and streaming, however, such descriptions may no longer be accurate. The question then arises: Can cult films still exist today?