Thursday List – Top 10 Cults in Film
As a bonus this week, we are running a second list. In honour of Martha Marcy May Marlene here is FRC’s Top 10 Cults in Film
The secretive and illusive nature of cults has been depicted in cinema for decades. Human curiosity has looked at these mysterious organisations in a variety of screenplays, examining cults’ religious devotions and obsessions. To chime with the release of Martha Marcy May Marlene (out 3rd February), FRC has collated the best of cinema’s cult films
10. Indiana Jones and Temple of Doom
The second Indy film directed by Steven Spielberg follows the legendary Dr. Jones (Ford), who travels to an Indian village where the natives believe spirits have nabbed their children because of a sacrosanct jewel that was stolen. The film has actually ripened with age and is now revered by critics, whereas, on its release, Temple of Doom was criticised for excessive on-screen violence. The release was originally a controversial subject because of its depiction of Indian culture (India temporarily banned the movie), particularly because Temple of Doom illustrates Indian villagers’ appetite for human sacrifice, snakes, eyeballs and monkey brain.
9. Witness
Another ‘80s classic that stars Harris Ford; Witness centres on an American detective who makes it his purpose to protect a young Amish boy besieged by a merciless killer after bearing witness to a homicide in Philadelphia. Detective John Book (Ford), returns with the boy to an Amish commune and develops romantic feelings for the kid’s mother. Glittering with Academy Awards, BAFTAs and Golden Globes, Witness illustrates Amish traditionalism conflicting with the progression of a modern society.
8. Ticket to Heaven
Released in 1981, this Canadian production is based on the non-fiction book Moonwebs, which speaks of cultist experiences. The movie follows the lead, David Kappel, a young man, who travels to San Francisco following a devastating breakup with his girlfriend. Out in the country side, David notices an unusual summer camp; intrigued by the impenetrable walls of the camp and wooed by the etiquette of all who attend, David makes it his mission to gain access. The audience then witnesses the extremist tactics of a cultist organisation and brainwashing and torture transform David into an entirely different person.
7. Children of the Corn
Based on Stephen King’s short story, Children of the Corn horrifies audiences using a young male protagonist who visits a Nebraskan town and orders kids to murder the adult inhabitants. As the town’s streets become eerily desolate, the kids pray to a celestial force in the corn fields. Fritz Kiersh’s adaptation may not be the best cinematic production, but seriously, it is a sinister assault on the senses.
6. Eyes Wide Shut
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, Eyes Wide Shut co-starred Hollywood’s favourite couple, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. The film depicts a certain Dr. Harford (Cruise), who develops an obsession with adultery after uncovering his wife’s lust for another man. After a wild night on the town, Hardford hears of a sexual organisation and attends one of their meetings. What started as Harford’s hunger for sexual gratification quickly turns into nightmare, and this gripping thriller sketches the full effects of orgiastic chaos.
5. Suspiria
Recognised as one of the scariest films to come out of Italian cinema, the camera follows an American dancer who joins a European ballet school. Straight from the start, a brutal and violent murder takes place in the school. The film’s protagonist soon realises that the school doesn’t actually practice ballet; instead, the school is a front for an abhorrent organisation with a thirst for bloody murder. The caption on the movie poster says, “The only thing more terrifying than the first 80 minutes of Suspiria… is the last 10″. And they weren’t lying.
4. Disturbing Behaviour
Starring the young Katie Holmes and released in 1998, Disturbing Behaviour is a sci-fi questioning a town’s teenage rehabilitation program. There is just something rather odd about the school psychologist and his “special program”.
3. Fight Club
Fight Club has its own cult following, which is ironic when the film focuses on group obedience to a particular cause. Fed up with consumer need and greed, Jack (Norton) attends gloomy self-help groups until he meets Tyler Durden (Pitt). Together, the pair create a violent, sadistic organisation that is intent on causing the destruction of society. Fight Club is recognised as one of the best novel adaptations and illustrates submission and deference, even in the face of death.
2. Holy Smoke
Unhappy with society’s dysfunctionality, Ruth (Winslet) leaves suburbia for Indian tranquillity. However, worried for their daughter, Ruth’s family hire the esteemed P.J. Waters (Keitel), who claims to be able to reverse brainwashed hippies. Waters takes Ruth to an isolated spot in the Australian Outback, and the two leads battle one another for domination. Stunning on-screen chemistry produces sexually charged performances from Keitel and Winslet.
1. Martha Marcy May Marlene
Marcy May (Elizabeth Olsen) suffers harrowing flashbacks of her abusive and incestuous past. This film illustrates the complete defilation of a person’s identity, perhaps best depicted when Patrick (Hawkes) casually renames Marcy May after a horrific rape scene. The film’s examination of psychological repression and the effects of abuse are poignant and eye-watering. And Olsen’s haunting performance will leave the viewer with a wrinkled brow.
Martha Marcy May Marlene, out in UK cinemas from 3rd February
What are your favourite cults in film? Have you seen the above movies? Are you excited for MMMM? Comment below…
More From Custard
- Thursday List – FRC’s Top 10 TV Shows to fill in the gaps
- Thursday List – Top 10 Joseph Gordon-Levitt Performances
- Thursday List – Top 10 Dirty Cops in Movies
Custard Recommends
- Film Review #90: Anaconda III: Offspring (The World According to Dave)
- Film Review #66: The Haunting in Connecticut (The World According to Dave)
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 12:50 pm
Suspiria scary? I’m a weakhearted one but I wasn’t scared for a moment. I think the lack of lip sync brought me out of it. Among a lot of other things. But I still enjoyed it quite a bit. The use of colours was quite something! I’ve never seen as red blood before.
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 1:52 pm
Ooh good point Jessica!!
Thanks for the comment
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 1:21 pm
Some great choices there, including a couple i haven’t heard of, which is always a bonus. Big kudos for indiana jones and the temple of doom, I can hear the guys chanting now ‘om dom shiva om dom shiva’ or something like that anyway…
You should branch out into more horror! Wicker Man, Rosemary’s Baby and Martyrs all have pretty freaky cults in them.
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 1:53 pm
HAHA I do so love Indy!! In fact I think Temple was my fave…
“You call Him Doctor Jones!!”
You know Horror and I do not mix!!
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 1:32 pm
speaking of CHILDREN OF THE CORN – this must be my favourite picture ever, check it out:
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/funny-pictures-youre-welcome.jpg
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 1:55 pm
HAHAHAH That is hilarious!! Good find matey
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 4:21 pm
[...] would you have in a top 10?Martha Marcy May Marlene, out in UK cinemas from 3rd FebruaryThanks to Front Room Cinema for sending this over. /**/ /**/ var Scribol; if(typeof Scribol=='undefined'){Scribol={}; [...]
02 Feb 2012, 4:39 pm
Hi, Scott and company:
Excellent choices and photos!
Full points for ‘Suspiria’ and ‘Children of the Corn’.
For Honorable Mention, Cult/Conspiracy, I’d add ‘The Bedford Wives’. Since the husbands had no impetus for their wives to leave. Also ‘Repo Man’, just for its crazy, over the top characters!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 9:59 am
Thanks Jack.
Nice additions to the list my friend (as always)…. I don’t think I have seen Bedford Wives…
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 5:02 pm
Wow, double Thursday lists! You’ve been busy eh matey?
I haven’t seen a lot of these but movies about cults just aren’t that appealing to me. Fight Club is indeed very good though, perhaps one of my fave Brad Pitt performance though Norton is equally good if not better in it.
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:01 am
I know… I didn’t plan to, but it kinda went a bit mad today
I didn’t think this would be your cup of tea my friend. But thanks for commenting anyway!! You are the greatest
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 7:03 pm
Nice list, Scott! I have only seen a few of these, but I definitely agree with MMMM. I will always think of that movie and John Hawkes when cults are being mentioned.
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:01 am
MMMM was pretty good huh? And Hawkes just owns that movie!
loading...
loading...
02 Feb 2012, 8:59 pm
Children of the Corn freaked me out when I was little.
The Amish are cool
Especially Viggo Mortensen who is hanging out in the back of your shot of Witness 
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:06 am
haha Doesn’t he look fetching in his hat?
I agree though, CHildren of the Corn is very freaky indeed!!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 12:55 am
Notice in MMMM that the term “cult” is never used.
Interesting list.
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:07 am
Ah you are very right matey!! It is never mentioned!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 4:24 am
Nice list Scott and you had me for a minute, as I thought you were talking about cult movies ahah
I’ve only seen Temple of Doom and Fight Club, have yet to check out MMMM.
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:08 am
HAHA I know matey, it was hard to get it over in the title.
I hope you enjoy MMMM, It is good
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 4:26 pm
Any list with Eyes Wide Shut in it is a list i support
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:19 pm
HAHAH I am glad you approve Julian!!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 5:01 pm
What about the original Conan the Barbarian? Big cult in that; people walking off cliffs and such. Nice list.
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:22 pm
HI S,
Welcome to FRC
Yeah totally Conan is a fantastic CULT!! Great suggestion!!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 6:06 pm
How about the Wicker Man? I’d say is a very interesting cult.
I love your list and Martha Marcy May Marlene is definitely a unique look at the portrayal of an individual in a cult.
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:23 pm
Thanks for the comment Amelie. Great addition too!
loading...
loading...
03 Feb 2012, 10:23 pm
Cool list Scott, I’ve seen all of them except #1, might have to check it out. I vaguely remember Disturbing Behaviour, it also stars James Marsden right? Such a long time ago since I saw it.
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:24 pm
Hi Ted!! Long time no see!!
Thanks for popping in and leaving a comment!!
loading...
loading...
05 Feb 2012, 3:52 pm
Great list, a few on there I’ll have to check out! Fight Club should be number one, HIS NAME IS ROBERT PAULSON, HIS NAME IS ROBERT PAULSON! Just saw MMMM on the plane over to NY and really liked it but had hoped for a little more of an ending. Harrowing stuff and the new Olsen girl is bloody incredible. Also The (original) Wicker Man’s island full of nutters should be on here!
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:34 pm
Hi Pete,
thanks for commenting matey. Really kind!!
His Name Is Robert Paulson!!!
HAHA That made me chuckle
loading...
loading...
05 Feb 2012, 9:38 pm
I got a book at a swap shop recently called ‘Defining Cult Cinema’ so this review is well timed as I haven’t started reading it but there has to be at least one post in it. I love Temple of Doom, it is a modern classic and the darker undertones set it apart from the more light hearted films either side of it. Thanks for this Scott, food for thought!
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 12:35 pm
Defining Cult Cinema sounds an awesome book.
I am glad you enjoyed the list matey
loading...
loading...
06 Feb 2012, 9:44 pm
Loving the lists, Scott!
Oh man, Eyes Wide Shut. We saw that one Christmas, I googled “alternative Christmas films” and some wise guy suggested that as an indie festive thing. There’s like one Christmas tree in one scene or something, hardly festive!
Not seen a lot of these, and unfortunately won’t see Martha Marcy May Marlene as the nearest cinema to me showing it is 55 miles away, unless it’s still on when we’re in Essex towards the end of the month. I doubt it somehow though!
loading...
loading...
07 Feb 2012, 1:51 pm
You know, even after reading your post I still couldn’t undestand the full meaning of cult
shame on me.
I really like Indi, not only Tempe of Doom. The fourth one was also good if it wasnt about alien.
The Children of the corn is really intense. I have both read and watched it and I think it was a good adaptation
loading...
loading...