Defining cult movies The cultural politics of oppositional taste

This collection concentrates on the analysis of cult movies, how they are defined, who defines them and the cultural politics of these definitions. The definition of the cult movie relies on a sense of its distinction from the "mainstream" or "ordinary." This also raises issues about the perception of it as an oppositional form of cinema, and of its strained relationships to processes of institutionalization and classification. In other words, cult movie fandom has often presented itself as being in opposition to the academy, commercial film industries and the media more generally, but has been far more dependent on these forms than it has usually been willing to admit. The international roster of essayists range over the full and entertaining gamut of cult films from Dario Argento, Spanish horror and Peter Jackson's New Zealand gorefests to sexploitation, kung fu and sci-fi flicks.

Mark Jancovich is Reader and Director of the Institute of Film Studies, Antonio Lazaro Reboll is Lector in Hispanic Studies, and Julian Stringer is Lecturer in Film Studies, all at the University of Nottingham. Andrew Willis is Senior Lecturer in Media and Performance at the University of Salford.

Esper, The Renunciator: Teaching "Bad" Movies to Good Students--Jeffrey Sconce * The Masculinity of Cult--Joanne Hollows * The Cult of Masculinity: From Fan-Boys to Academic Bad-Boys--Jacinda Read * Spanish Horror and the Flight from "Art" Cinema 1967-1973--Andrew Willis * Trading in Horror, Cult and Matricide: Peter Jackson's Phenomenal Bad Taste and New Zealand Fantasies of Inter/National Cinematic Success--Harmony H. Wu * The Making of a Cult Reputation: Topicality and Controversy in the Critical Reception of "Shivers"--Ernest Mathijs * The Argento Effect--Peter Hutchings * Sexploitation as Feminine Territory: The Films of Doris Wishman--Moya Luckett * Kung Fu Cult Masters: Stardom, Performance and "Authenticity" in Hong Kong Martial Arts Films--Leon Hunt * "Sharon Stone, Screen Diva": Stardom, Femininity and Cult Fandom--Rebecca Feasey * The Importance of Trivia: Ownership, Exclusion and Authority in Science Fiction Fandom--Nathan Hunt * Art, Exploitation, Underground--Mark Betz * Midnight Sex--Horror Movies and the Downtown Avant-Garde--Joan Hawkins
Esper, The Renunciator: Teaching "Bad" Movies to Good Students--Jeffrey Sconce * The Masculinity of Cult--Joanne Hollows * The Cult of Masculinity: From Fan-Boys to Academic Bad-Boys--Jacinda Read * Spanish Horror and the Flight from "Art" Cinema 1967-1973--Andrew Willis * Trading in Horror, Cult and Matricide: Peter Jackson's Phenomenal Bad Taste and New Zealand Fantasies of Inter/National Cinematic Success--Harmony H. Wu * The Making of a Cult Reputation: Topicality and Controversy in the Critical Reception of "Shivers"--Ernest Mathijs * The Argento Effect--Peter Hutchings * Sexploitation as Feminine Territory: The Films of Doris Wishman--Moya Luckett * Kung Fu Cult Masters: Stardom, Performance and "Authenticity" in Hong Kong Martial Arts Films--Leon Hunt * "Sharon Stone, Screen Diva": Stardom, Femininity and Cult Fandom--Rebecca Feasey * The Importance of Trivia: Ownership, Exclusion and Authority in Science Fiction Fandom--Nathan Hunt * Art, Exploitation, Underground--Mark Betz * Midnight Sex--Horror Movies and the Downtown Avant-Garde--Joan Hawkins