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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Tampa chapter.

Defined as films with a cult following, the cult classics are movies almost everyone knows by name. These films may not be critically acclaimed, but it’s the audience that establishes its spot in pop culture. We can quote from films such as Mean Girls (2004) or recreate scenes from Heathers (1988) because those films are integral to the connection between audiences and media. The fanbase is the heart of the cult classic.

The audience has always had a connection to cinema. Films are love letters from directors to the audience. Rooted and originated in escapism, cinema is all about the people. The people write reviews and give their friends movie recommendations. Cult classics originate from controversial or suppressed films that are kept alive by the fans. These cult classics are valued for their campiness and peculiarity. The films often break cultural barriers with excessive displays of violence, gore, or sexuality. While these elements can lead to controversy, it doesn’t stop the fan bases from coming to their defense. These films become rooted in the interaction between audiences and cinema. For example, an iconic film from 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has been a classic interactive experience in theaters across the United States. Fans go to the theater singing along with the film and dressing up as the characters every year. But cult classics aren’t strictly defined by physical interaction. Cult classics are referenced in everyday activities. People quote “As if!” from Clueless (1995) or imitate Matthew McConaughey’s “All right, all right, all right” from Dazed and Confused (1993) in everyday moments with those around them. The people power the status of the cult classic. The audience is what makes cinema successful. The cult classic, whether it be too raunchy or too violent, is necessary to keep the heart of the film alive.

At the end of reading this article, go watch a cult classic. Feel nostalgic for high school with The Breakfast Club or feel pumped up with Fight Club (1999). When you watch one of these films, think about how it made you feel. It’s not whether cinematography is superior or its narrative follows continuity rules; just think about how you felt. Your feelings, your favoritism, and your opinions might just solidify another movie as a cult classic.

Kaila DeJesus is a writer for Her Campus at the University of Tampa Chapter. Covering mainly entertainment in her articles, Kaila writes on an array of topics from film and television recommendations to internet culture. Her writing centers around multiple forms of media, the modern lives of college students, and pop culture. Beyond being a writer for Her Campus, Kaila is also a junior at the University of Tampa. Currently majoring in Film and Media Arts, she hopes to pursue a career in film journalism. She hopes to become a journalistic film critic post-graduation. While enrolled full-time at the university, Kaila is also a part-time sales associate for Vans under the parent VF Corporation. In her free time, Kaila enjoys watching movies, keeping up with pop culture, and vinyl record shopping. Enjoying the "older" hobbies such as record collecting, Kaila loves going to her local movie theater to watch a movie over streaming. She spends most of her free time hanging out with her friends, writing reviews for films on Letterboxd, and rewatching her favorite sitcoms multiple times. Kaila also enjoys attending the concerts of some of her favorite artists such as Taylor Swift, Phoebe Bridgers, and SZA.