Every so often, a movie will come out that draws very little money, or the movie actually loses money. Many times ,these movies fade into obscurity. But sometimes, they get rediscovered and become what is called a cult classic. By cult classic, we mean movies that are talked about for a long time after they come out. They might have irreverent references, plus they’re just plain freakin’ cool.
10 Box Office Disasters That Became Cult Classics Later
Let’s check out 10 box office disasters which were sidelined, but then came racing back into counterculture faves. Here they are, in no particular order.
1. Grindhouse (2007)
As a reference back to double-feature movies, directors Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez paired two movies. They were Death Proof and Planet Terror. Crazy stunts, weird storylines, and gratuitous violence (lots of blood) all were present in this doubleheader. Fun fact: Rob Zombie was a writer on this project.
2. Tron (1982)
This is a sci-fi thriller about a computer hacker/arcade owner, played by Jeff Bridges, who gets caught up in a digital world. To escape, he must play life or death games inside the system. Amazing effects at that time were used to create the digital world. Tron: Ares, another sequel, is coming out later this year. Surprisingly, one of the Top 10 Box Office Disasters that became a cult classic later.
3. The Big Lebowski (1998)
While we’re still on Jeff Bridges, another one of his movies, The Big Lebowski, didn’t do so well at the box office. A few years later, references to the movie were all the rage, including movie quotes, The Dude’s clothing, and bowling. And oh – let those Sam Elliott memes fly!
4. The Room (2003)
The list wouldn’t be complete without this Tommy Wiseau film. The eccentric Wiseau wrote, directed, acted in, and produced a very, umm, mediocre film. 14 years later, The Disaster Artist was another film made about Wiseau and his cinematic efforts. James Franco starred as Wiseau in the latter film.
5. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)
This movie is one of those where that’s so bad that it’s good. It’s about, you guessed it, an alien invasion. Starring Gregory Walcott and Tom Keene, this was a box office disaster. But that didn’t stop the cult references from happening decades later.
6. The Thing (1982)
Surprisingly, John Carpenter’s horror movie The Thing did not do very well at all at the box office. The New York Times completely slammed it, calling actors “props… that were… disemboweled.” More than 40 years later, this flick has a loyal following still, even today.
7. Reefer Madness (1938)
Next up is the cult classic about – what else? Ganja! High school principal, Dr. Carroll, warns parents of the horrible drug that is taking over the bodies, minds, and lives of school kids. Yikes. This anti-stoner flick definitely deserves a place in our top 10 box office disasters.
8. Labyrinth (1986)
Let’s get lost in the maze! Next is Labyrinth, where a teenage girl must navigate to save her younger brother from the clutches of the Goblin King (played by David Bowie with a bizarre hairdo). The film barely managed to earn back a little over half of its $25 million budget.
9. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Wait – what?! This absolute classic, the Judy Garland film, which shows Dorothy and her loyal companion Toto following the yellow brick road was a flop? Shockingly, it didn’t earn much at the box office. At that time, fantasy films were not the norm. Years later, this extraordinary film has become a national treasure.
10. Idiocracy (2006)
Luke Wilson and Maya Rudolph star in this comedic fantasy, directed by Mike Judge. It’s a story of two people who time travel 500 years in the future, only to be met with, well, idiots. (Hence, Idiocracy.) Rita and Joe (a.k.a. “Not Sure” – don’t ask) make their way to President Camacho to seek help. Or not. While it did not earn enough money and became one of the 10 Box office Disasters, it managed to create a cult following later on.
It’s a Wrap!
These 10 box office disasters are only a few films that have later become cult classics. Even better, some films have sequels, which frequently will be remembered with a cult following, too. Some honorable mentions include Donnie Darko, Highlander, Heathers, and Citizen Kane. Get your box of hot buttery popcorn and favorite drink, and watch a cult classic tonight!
