Cult Movies

An examination and comparison of the cult movies, “Freaks” and “Blade Runner”.

This paper begins by examining the concept of cult movies and their sociological impact. It then focuses on two such movies, “Freaks” by Tod Browning and “Blade Runner” by Ridley Scott. It explains how they both portray similar yet different messages about society, and the main theme that binds “Freaks” and “Blade Runner” is the existence of the outcasts and their survival.
“When the term “cult film” is introduced to an ordinary person, it is inevitable for him to wonder what kind of hidden message or belief is portrayed in the specific film. While the directors and screenwriters have their own interpretations of their works, the audience can also gather their own thoughts and “educationally guess” what the film is devoted to. It can lead to a problematic situation where what the directors try to convey through the film is interpreted in a different way by the audience due to the fact that they do not share the common belief or the existence of various perspectives on the same issue. Some films are relatively obvious to grasp the main theme while others are rather confusing and complicated which is a typical reaction from the audience when viewing a cult film. Therefore, it may be dangerous for an ordinary moviegoer to analyze the cult films, since there is a great possibility to generate a totally different interpretation of the work from the original intention of the directors; however, it needs to be recognized that there is no such thing as a incorrect way and correct way of appreciating the form of art ” cult films in this particular context ” one should be encouraged to view the films with a critical eye in hope to identify what this particular film is devoted to.”