Mega Misconceptions

The phrase “instant cult classic” was one I’d heard tossed around so often, flashing across the screen alongside a handful of new movie reviews, that the words never held any real value – it was to my uneducated mind the equivalent of seeing a “New York Times Bestseller” sticker on the cover of any (and every) book on the shelf. Before taking this class, I couldn’t even begin to understand the concept of cult or its value in cinematic history, let alone the impact that these films have left on the minds and in the hearts of their most dedicated followers. And, now having taken it, I’m saddened by the lack of recognition that there seems to be for cult as a genre in general among non-scholars and casual moviegoers.

A film doesn’t have to be loved or even known widely in order to be considered cult; but it is loved deeply, by a collection of loyal fans to whom it speaks on a personal level, through the use of a combination of transgression, controversy, badness (that really makes it good), and a certain countercultural ideology that captivates audiences outside of the mainstream.

 "a film about the interplay between fantasy and reality, memory, mythology, masculinity, violence. It’s about fiction and film as redemptive, transformative, and just, and pop culture as a force that brings people together. It’s make-believe, and it’s memoir. Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s second draft of history." - Priscilla Page

Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood was an amazing film to end our semester with; not only because the movie itself is a masterpiece, but because it’s one of the rare examples of how a film today can successfully achieve true cult status. It embodies everything that Hollywood was during the time period, and its intense ending really leaves a lasting impression.

One thing that really struck me about the film was the depth to which Tarantino truly valued and put into the recreation of 1960s Hollywood nostalgia. This week’s round table reading discusses how much a viewer needs to already know before walking into see this film in order to get the most out of it, and I feel that even for those of us who don’t have an “emotional stake” in the film, having not lived during any part of this era, the atmosphere is so perfectly recreated through the use of clothing, billboards, music on the radio, etc, that we’re able to experience our own kind of nostalgia. There’s a certain shared cultural knowledge amongst those who were young during the time when this movie is set that definitely will enhance the viewing for them, but the story of Sharon Tate and the Manson family is one that most people are familiar with; I don’t think that not having the experience of being alive in the late 1960s leaves viewers missing out – it just allows for more than one type of nostalgia.

Tarantino has described his film as a “love letter to Los Angeles,” but Page describes it more specifically as “a love letter to those who make movies, the people on screen and the people behind the scenes, not only the stars, but the people who’ve been forgotten, fading in our collective memory, or the people we never knew or never saw at all.” I thought that this was a beautiful way to describe the film, and it really sums up the different journeys that we see our main characters embark upon. All in different levels of the Hollywood hierarchy, there’s a complexity in their stories with none ultimately being more valid than the other. It’s a reminder of mortality and the reality that there’s in the spotlight, out of it, and a million different levels in between.

My favorite quote from this reading was: “Cinema not only has the power to reframe myth, but to rewrite history: it brings back Sharon Tate. Manson longed for fame, and the film denies him this. The film doesn’t deliver its revenge exclusively via violence. It demythologizes Charles Manson, reduces him to a cameo, exposes the Manson Family as inept, and makes Sharon Tate the story’s beating heart. It gives Sharon a cinematic legacy that transcends her murder.” The ending of this movie was so powerful that it’s hard to put into words the sort of emotion it evokes. As brutal and unsettling as it may be to watch, the ending serves to bring a certain sort of justice to the Manson family murder case by taking its legacy and the horror that Manson so desperately wanted remembered and essentially writing him out of the story, while also preserving the memory of Sharon Tate and all of the lives lost. Tarantino rewrites history in a way that honor’s Sharon Tate’s legacy, honors this era of Hollywood and everything that it stood for, and ultimately reinforces this idea of the importance of redemption and preservation.

I honestly came into Cult Movies wondering whether or not I’d be able to hold up under the pressure of an upper-level film course. This semester has been an experience that I’m glad to have had because not only has it taught me about cult film, something I never would have understood otherwise, but it’s also challenged me as both a scholar and film novice.

There were so many good screenings this semester that it’s hard to choose just one to call my favorite. I connected the most with the later films and their nostalgic atmosphere, so I would probably have to say that Dazed and Confused was one that really stuck, and a film that I know I’ll be watching again; however, Matinee was a close second. And, surprising to even myself, Blacula was one of the earlier films that I enjoyed the most, simply because I admired the dignity and professionalism that William Marshall was able to bring to the role.

(Also, let it be noted that I also loved The Warriors but I felt that I was already pushing it with three favorite films, and four was just overkill - footnotes don't count.)

As far as least favorite screenings go, I wasn’t a huge fan of Pink Flamingos in the moment, when I was actually watching these things happen on the screen, but I now recognize just how crucial it is within the study of cult, and having been exposed to the film has given me an appreciation for John Waters that I never expected to have. Detroit Rock City was another film that I didn’t particularly connect with, but I felt was used to really strengthen the understanding of the links between music and cult films.

The syllabus this semester was incredible; the entire course was incredible. There were times I went into screenings wondering what the hell I was watching this film for, but there’s not a single film this semester that didn’t contribute towards my understanding of, well, why the hell I was watching it. The one disappointment I had with the syllabus was that it didn’t include Rocky Horror, which I was definitely expecting to see, but I don’t feel like there’s anything that needs to be changed. As someone with very limited knowledge when it comes to film, this course was designed in a way that really did make it possible for me to learn, not just go through the motions as I originally feared, and that’s what has made it such a positive and impactful experience.

Another semester is at its close. As crazy as this year has been, I’m grateful I was able to take Cult Film this semester. Film classes have always been the highlight of my courses, and I am glad I got to participate in one last class before graduating. And now it is time for the mega blog.

I’d like to begin by discussing our last screening, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. This was my favorite screening of the semester, right above Carnival of Souls. But I didn’t like it initially. The slow pacing was jarring, in the beginning. I was also distracted at home and kept pausing the film, which dragged it out longer. However, after finishing the film I realized the pacing was brilliant. Especially during the Manson Family scene. The slow, creepy build up was realistic horror. No monster jumping out of a shed with a chainsaw, just a bunch of mind washed freaks waiting for Cliff to make one wrong move. I found myself really getting invested in the characters. While I can’t imagine anyone beating Bruce Lee (seriously, Bruce Lee?!), I loved watching Cliff in ever fight. It also helped that, even if he was suspected for killing his wife, the audience never sees an ‘evil’ side of Cliff. He turns down an under-aged hippie’s sexual advances, checks in on an old friend in fear that he is being taken advantaged of, loves his dog, and cares for his celebrity friend. It’s hard not to like Cliff…even after he and his dog kill two people on screen.

I also really enjoyed DiCaprio’s character, Rick Dalton. While I didn’t care so much about his struggles in the beginning, watching his scene with the young actress really made me feel for the guy. Again, the audience is able to love him because we don’t see any fault in him—he looks out for his best friend/employee, he’s nice to little girls, he’s polite to everyone he meets. Its also important to note how great both Dicaprio and Pitt were in their performances.  Even I noticed how great the acting was in this film, from the leads to the secondary characters. Everyone gave their all, and you can see it.

But how can we talk about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood without discussing that ending? Because…damn. What a finale. Again, I had to sit and think about how I felt about it after watching the final scene. The Manson murders are one of the most infamous cases in America history, and just seeing those scenes of Sharon going about her daily life made me tear up. When the film stared narrating the events up until the Manson murder, I was bracing myself for a worst. So I was completely taken about when the psycho hippies changed their plans. Yet, that decision felt realistic, after their confrontation with Rick. At first, I wondered if this re-imagining was disrespectful to the victums. However the film is not mocking the Manson Murders, but the murderers themselves. Watching Cliff, tripping on acid, kick the ever living shit out of those monsters was something I did not know I needed in my life. Also, love that dog. Go Brandy go! But man, what a brutal scene. I want to meet the make up artists for this film, they deserve an award for those effects. I almost gagged several times just listening to Cliff bash that girl’s head in. So gross…but not as disturbing as the actual Manson Murders. Even Rick’s new wife got in a good shot at the criminals. Never mess with an Italian.

The last scene, with Rick being invited into Sharon’s home, really got to me. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is not an insult to Manson’s victims, but a mockery of Manson and his zealot followers. If only Rick and Cliff were real. If only Sharon, Jay, Wojciech, and Abigail had survived. This film isn’t about Manson—its about the heroes who manage to stop him in this alternate world.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a new cult classic that I can’t wait to share with my family. But what is a cult film? As we’ve learned, cult cinema is a unique branch of film that centers around the audience’s ‘worship’ of a particular movie. Cult film fans enjoy films that are either unknown in mainstream society, or down right rejected by the mainstream. And yet, that is what makes these films so loved. To love something that everyone else looks down on makes you unique, makes you and those like you stand apart from the mundane tastes of everyone else. There is very much an ‘us vs them’ mind set with cult film. Either you love the disgustingness of Pink Flamingos and consider it a film like no other, or you label it a bad movie and try to never to think of it again.

But what draws the audience in? Often, it is the films ability to show something taboo. Midnight features and Grindhouse Theaters gained fame for their showings of movies that other theaters felt were too risky to show anywhere else. That’s exactly where Rock Horror Picture Show gained its cult audience, resulting in their active participation of the film. Some fans would even act out the scenes in theaters during the showings. Pink Flamingos is once again a great example of a cult film, in that audiences today still see it as the most disgusting film ever made, which was its intended purpose. Some films are considered cult because of how under rated they are by the main stream. Carnival of Souls is a wonderfully unsettling film that, for some reason, many people have not watched. Herk Harvey, who wrote, directed, produced, and even starred in the film, had an initial budget of only $17,000. He was only able to create the film thanks to help of local businessmen and his friends, who pitched in by either making donations or starring in the film.  Some cult films gain recognition for standing above others in their genre. Blacula, a blaxsploation film about an African prince turned blood sucking anti-hero has one of the best actors starring as its lead, William Marshall. While Blacula could have just been another quick cash grab for black audiences, Marshall made this film fantastic in the seriousness he took in his roll. It didn’t hurt that Mamuwalde got to take out a couple of L.A cops in the final fight either. Blacula became so much more than an exploitation film thanks to dignity and suave Marshall brought to the story and characters, making Mamuwalde a heroic black icon.

Perhaps a cult film is all about nostalgia. While we watched no less than three rock and roll cult films, my favorite was Dazed and Confused. Made in the 90s, this film gives a realist take on the last day of school for 1970s teenagers. With such a large cast of characters, its easy to find at least one relatable. In contrast, Sid and Nancy was a tough film to get through. While one of my least favorite films this semester, I respect the film’s brutal honesty in its portray of these two infamous individuals. My main issue with the film was how hard it was to understand the characters. Their accents were incredibly difficult to understand, and that’s without their constant swearing and slurred speech when on drugs.

My only recommendation for this class would be to pick one rock-and-roll film. I enjoyed Detroit Rock City, but between all three of these rock films, Dazed and Confused stands out as the most memorable. Surpiria and Valerie’s Week of Wonders were great when showed back to back, and are a must see for the course. While I wasn’t in love with Matinee, I did enjoy the story after watching Sid and Nancy. Instead of three or two rock films, maybe show Night of the Living Dead, or Rock Horror Picture Show. When I think cult film, I thing Rocky Horror, so I was a bit surprised that we didn’t watch it. Then again, Rocky Horror has become more mainstream in recent years.

Lastly, I want to say how much I enjoyed the presentations. Seeing everyone talk about their own cult films was really enjoyable. Special shout to Trolls 2 and Back to the Future—I remember those two presentations the most. You gave us a lot of freedom in this class, Dr. Schlegel, and I greatly appreciate that. I’m glad I got to take as many classes as I did with you. You are one of the professors I am going to remember and miss after graduating.

Take care everyone. Stay alive, stay safe, and have a great summer.

The final screening in this class was none other than film lover extraordinaire Quinten Tarentinos latest film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. The film takes place in 1969 “Hollywoods Golden Age”. It follows western actor Rick Dalton as he comes to grips with his withering career getting further from the hype he used to have. MEANWHILE the film also manages to tell the tale of the Manson Family and the murder of Sharon Tate, or as this film ends, the murder of the Manson family, he then merges these two plots together for an entertaining 2 and a half hour film and boy is it a journey.

I first saw this film in theaters when it came out, I absolutely loved it. It seemed a lot different than films of his past like he took themes and aesthetics from old films of his and made this movie. It also is a love story to old Hollywood and the films which are some of his biggest inspirations. Watching this film I couldn’t help but recognize everything I learned in past classes of yours and how he was incorporating so much of Hollywood and film history into one film. The spaghetti westerns, the Trippy hippy films of the 60s, the action, the low budget sexy films. There is so much jammed packed into this movie. Another notable part was Margo Robie playing Sharon Tate, she was so charming. In one of the readings this week the author says “The Film Gives Sharon Tate the life she was denied” and I think that sums up a lot of this film perfectly. He rewrote history the way he wanted to, he painted it in his own loving way, its warm and affectionate, something that hasn’t necessarily been shown in films of his past, or at least not to this extent. The ending is bittersweet, It is a sigh of relief when history is changed and everyone ends up happy and safe, sadly this was not the reality of the situation. Walking out of the theater after watching it the first time I felt sad and happy, it’s nice to at least imagine this ideal world.

This film fits in with the class because it is an ode to everything that makes up cult films and films in general. Sharon Tate herself starred in a few cult films one being Valley Of The Dolls. (Side note, great album if anyone into music, Dorthy Ashby does a cover of the film’s theme on her album Afro-Harping which is phenomenal, check it.) Tarantino has created many cult films in the past, I expect this one will follow in the footsteps of those prior, especially for film lovers all over, its a must watch!

Now for the second half of this blog, a reflection on the semester.

First, writing this is extremely bitter sweet as it will be my last blog ever for one of these courses. The second I took my first film class, Intro To Film I was hooked. Ive always been a movie lover so to find a class where i get to discover new films and talk about them, learn more about everything that goes into them was like a dream come true. Ive always had so much fun in every film course i have taken and will 100% look back on them as a favorite part of my undergraduate years. I have learned so much, a lot of which has helped me become inspired with my own painting and photo practice.

This class was so much fun! I am a big fan in cult films in general, all types. I was delighted when we covered a few of my favorites such has Carnival Of Souls (I went through a phase where I listened to that soundtrack constantly, loved the creepy organ music.) Suspira was another one of my favorites that I came into the class already knowing. My friend and i actually went to a show in buffalo last fall of the artist who did the soundtrack Goblin, they preformed the music of Suspiria live, it was absolutely insane being able to experience that intense soundtrack in person. And then obviously John Waters Pink Flamingos. John waters is the king of camp as we learned, everything about his style screams over the top extreme which is what makes him so interesting to watch.

And despite having seen a few of these films, it still felt fresh, new and fun after reading the material and  getting to understand them further. As for the films that were new that i enjoyed. Honestly, most of these films were really interesting and brought a whole new set of ideas to the scope of the weird genre that is cult films. They all taught me something new and planted ideas in my head.

3. The Warriors– The way this film painted New York City and also the pure thrill of this film.

2. Matinee– This film was beautiful and goofy at the same time. We also got to read and learn about the interesting human that William Castle was, that alone put this film into my favorite list.

and 1. Valerie And Her Week Of Wonders – This film was my favorite, visually it was everything i could want. Moody soft color pallets are my favorite tone, or black and white. This film was dizzying and surreal, it felt like a fever dream which is something that appealed to me. It certainly made me feel uncomfortable at times which is something that makes a cult film.

As for my least favorite films it probably had to be Detroit Rock City. Not saying it wasn’t good or enjoyable, actually I think the reason it wasn’t my favorite is probably because in highschool while going through the inevitable angsty phase i spend a tremendous amount of time watching corny rock n roll flicks like this, so it just didn’t really bring anything new for me.

Overall, This course taught me a lot and made me think in ways i hadn’t before, it really sharpened my understanding of cult film and films in general. It was yet another great class.

Thank you much prof. Schlegel for really guiding and shaping my love for film, I have a better understanding and excitement for one of my favorite mediums and for that I am eternally grateful, I will carry what I’ve learned with me as I continue my journey in life!

First I’d like to say that I love the name mega blog. I’ve always named my virtual teams the mega dogs and plan to name my first dog that. Anyways this weeks film was Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) featuring the superstar cast of Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie. Taking place in Hollywood, 1969 it’s about an old western actor named Rick Dalton played by Leonardo DiCaprio. Throughout the film you watch his struggle handling his decline within Hollywood’s ranks. Tagging along is his stunt double Cliff Booth played by Brad Pitt. Cliff is a charming cool guy who might’ve killed his wife but we don’t really know. Rick also happens to live next to popping director at the time Roman Polanski who just released Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and his wife Sharon Tate played by Margot Robbie. Sharon is an actress who’s so joyful and naïve and really carry’s a joyful tone throughout the film.

Before watching this I honestly had no understanding of the Charles Mansion murders except that there’s someone who named Charles Mansion and that he killed someone but now I’m not so sure about that now. Thanks to the lovely Talulla I was caught up on the story at the beginning of the film so I didn’t miss out on anything. Also my Dad said he wouldn’t have finished the film if it wasn’t for the cast so I really didn’t know what to expect going into this. As the film strolled through Hollywood’s streets I was captivated by the films colors and cinematography. And with its build up to the big fight scene I could help but laugh and cringe at the same time as faces where smashed and body’s got torched.. It’s spectacular attention to detail was incredible and disgusting. But this detail would be more then just crushed noses as it carried throughout the whole film in every corner of it. Quentins rendition of Hollywood is absolutely outstanding and really captures its magical aura that it once had.

Hidden in the background of Ricks reality check Cliff has a run in with the Mansion ranch after picking up a hippy girl on the side of the road. The ranch is owned by an old friend of his so he try’s to see him but that stirred up trouble on the ranch causing a disliking towards Cliff. After linking with an old homie who doesn’t recognize him at all, On his way out Cliff spots a knife in his tire and eventually finds the culprit and beats his ass and makes him fix it just in time before cowboy Tex rolls up. This would lead to the end of the film where Tex and a few more of the Mansion family members pull up to Roman Polanskis house(where the freak murder happened) and end up meeting Rick who is extremely drunk(pitcher of margarita in hand) and yells at them to leave to leave. After they drive away the realize that was Rick Dalton and decide to kill their childhood icons who taught them to kill. Walking into Cliff(high as shit) and his dog they meet a tough and gruesome fight as all the films build leads up to these moments. Cliff clicking for the dog to attack the flame flower it was a great ending.

This weeks reading was about another one of Quentin Tarantino’s films with Robert Rodriguez called Grindhouse (2007) a tribute to exploitation films of the 70’s. This film is also a double header featuring “Death Proof” a slasher film by Quentin Tarantino and “Planet Terror” a zombie film by Robert Rodriguez. An overall attempt to capture and recreate this feeling of seeing a grindhouse film. Though extremely experimental in the terms of modern film and ties in really nicely with this weeks screening. Quentin Tarantino attempts to recreate these powerful moments of time that carry these magical auras around them. I’m Grindhouse it’s the Grindhouse movie experience and in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood it’s an attempt to capture Hollywood in its golden age. Though his first attempt wasn’t reached with the highest acclaim as recreating such a feeling aren’t easy. “Despite the visual and auditory markers linking Grindhouse’s content with several popular exploitation film genres, the economics informing the Grindhouse’s production and distribution necessarily condition the way spectators receive and understand the film. While the affection Rodriguez and Tarantino feel for exploitation cinema is palpable in virtually every one of Grindhouse’s seemingly rickety frames, their film ultimately straddles the line between the aesthetics of the “small” yet “ferocious” works that it glosses and the ramifications of Grindhouse’s status as “a bloated self-important ‘event’” (para. 9). What’s more, their self-professed “film geek” posturing locates Grindhouse as, paradoxically, a big-budget exploitation film about low-budget exploitation films that deploys high-end digital technologies to (re)create a low-tech analogue experience to which only a fraction of their audience may be able to relate first-hand”. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood doesn’t feel like it’s trying to hard it feel so natural. It was a great blend of nostalgia and modern film.

Before this class the idea of cult wasn’t something I thought about as much as I should. I was really opened up to the idea of cult in film and applying it to all of culture. That being said I’ve been introduced to so many new movies and a new way too look at them now going through a film class. So here I give you my top three and bottom three films!

Least Favorite:

3. Valerie and Her Week of Wonder

2.Sid and Nancy

I’m sorry if this hurts Doctor Schlegel but my least favorite film of the semester was Detroit Rock City and by far it was the only film I wouldn’t want to watch again. It just didn’t hit any spots for me.

Favorite:

3. The warriors

2. Suspiria

And my favorite film of the Semester was Matinee. It was stunning, charming and hilarious. A creative idea with amazing. I know I didn’t post a blog for this but it was incredibly inspiring to see something so beautiful and goofy at the same time.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019) was an incredibly interesting choice for a screening in this class. It’s weird for me to think of a “cult” of film studies scholars geeking out over a much anticipated film–much like how I geeked out when I watched the highly anticipated last installment of the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 (2011). This was my second time watching the film, and it was so much more enjoyable the second time, being fully aware of some of the winks that Quentin Tarantino threw at 1969 Hollywood.

Quentin Tarantino is a little film nerd, and everyone knows that. He is exceptionally well versed in cinema, a film genius. He’s completely in love with film. He wrote his first screenplay at 14-years-old. He’s worked in the film business for forever–first as an usher in a theater, and then at a video store in Manhattan Beach, CA. Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is his love letter to filmmaking, and that’s the filter that made this film so much more beautiful and enjoyable–it was a passion project through and through. The film was also set at an extremely enjoyable time period with regards to cinema–where Old Hollywood and New Hollywood briefly met and mingled.

I sincerely apologize in advance, but bear with me while I go on a little tangent. I started to research this film, and as I got deeper into my research, I started to realize how petty the negative critiques and reviews are. I landed on a few “Let’s Discuss That Massive Inaccuracy in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” type of articles that went on to speak about Quentin Tarantino’s habit of historical inaccuracy. Some critics had the audacity to insignificantly bitch about how Quentin Tarantino took his inaccuracy “too far” by making Brad Pitt’s character, Cliff Booth, smoke an acid-dipped cigarette.

Okay, maybe you can’t get high smoking acid–let’s say Tarantino doesn’t know that (he’s Quentin Tarantino, he knows). Tarantino is an auteur, through and through. He famously writes his screenplays so beautifully and concisely that you can visualize the movie perfectly just by reading his work. Next, he famously often directs his own screenplays. It’s his masterpiece of a world, and his imagination as a writer should be able to be as flexible as possible. If Quentin Tarantino wants to make an acid-dipped cigarette a thing in the world that he has masterfully crafted, let him! If Quentin Tarantino wants to randomly feature a green giraffe, let him!

Let’s say he does know that you can’t get high smoking an acid-dipped cigarette, which I guarantee you is the case–again, he’s Quentin Tarantino, he’s both done drugs and done extensive research in preparation for the film. That’s part of his magic. He knows you can’t smoke acid, he’s written the script that way. Quentin Tarantino carefully moulds his story-worlds, paying attention to each and every detail. He knows the characters he writes like himself. This interview will give you some insight into how much thought goes into Quentin Tarantino’s process:

Whenever you see a character in a Quentin Tarantino film smoking, the cigarette they are smoking is a fictional cigarette brand (Red Apple) that he has made up. In fact, one thing that Margot Robbie commented on about working with Quentin Tarantino was how detailed everything on set was–from clothing and cars to music and benches.

As you can see, Quentin Tarantino knows his shit. The acid-dipped cigarette was most probably a careful thought out aspect of the interaction that Cliff Booth had with the flower child, a perfect 1960s hippie scam. Tangent ended.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a wonderful film, and I am so excited for Quentin Tarantino’s 10th and final film, if this is any indication of how he’s planning on closing the book.

This semester was amazing, what a wonderful class! I have fallen in love with so many films that were screened in this class (actually so many films screened in Dr. Schlegel’s film classes in general, so thank you!). It’s astounding to me that I can actually take scholarly, academic classes about something that I love so much (I hated learning so much in high-school, I spent a lot of my time watching films until 4am on weeknights instead of working). As obvious as it is, it had never occurred to me how fun studying would be if you love and are passionate about what you’re learning.

Asking me to pin down what my favorite screening in this class was is ridiculous and unfair, so I’ll tell you which few movies really made an impact on me and why. I do have an easy least favorite–Detroit Rock City (1999). It just wasn’t my cup of tea. I thought that it was terrible.

First off, Suspiria (1977) was phenomenal. Not to be too dramatic, but it was so beautiful that I could cry, a visual assault from the moment Suzy reaches the exterior of the Tanz Dance Academy. The film was a beautiful chromatic journey, and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. Don’t even get me started on that soundtrack!

The next film that I really, really ‘dug’ was The Warriors (1979). Its stylin’ opening image, artful and highly-stylized shots, staggering costumes and a KILLER soundtrack shot right to my heart. I don’t want to say it, but if I had to pick my favorite screening of the semester, it would probably be this. The last scene was just so good. When we were walking back from class that night, my friends and I couldn’t stop raving about it. We watched it again the next day.

Carnival of Souls (1962) made me appreciate low-budget horror films. I could have paused the film at any moment, and the screen would be a painting. The cinematography was gorgeous–it almost brought me to tears. That abandoned pavilion is not something that I’ll be forgetting anytime soon. Carnival of Souls makes me excited about all the films out there that I have yet to see.

Lastly, Valerie and Her Week of Wonders (1970). When I first watched it, I thought that it was a beautiful dream, but it didn’t really resonate in me. After a few weeks of letting it sit, however, I’ve realized how much I loved it. It was so sensual and wonderful–a trip-like haze. Fantasy, horror and soft-core makes for a bomb coming-of-age film.

This class was great fun, and I enjoyed it tremendously. IT WOULD BE GREAT IF, IN THE FUTURE, A CLASS ON THE FRENCH NEW WAVE WAS TAUGHT. Thank you Dr. Schlegel, and thank you classmates!

This is it — after I finish writing this blog our class and my college career are over. I guess I should take a while to write this then.

I came into this class in January with the question, is this class about cult films, films about cults or films made by cults? I now have the answer, It was a class about cult films that ended with a film featuring a cult. This last week we watched Quentin Tarantino’s 2019 film, Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. OUATIH is Tarantino’s love letter to old Hollywood, the glory days of the ’60s and ’70s. The film is really about Rick Dalton and his stunt man Cliff as Rick comes to terms with the fact that is career isn’t what it used to be, and he has to adapt to New Hollywood. The Manson Family is the sub-plot that explodes in the end, and Sharon Tate is the personification of Hollywood that floats throughout the picture.

It’s hard for me to say if this film was really a cult film as it came out very recently and if this class taught me anything its that cult status comes with time. Nonetheless, I understand why it was included in the syllabus and certainly why it came at the end. It is almost like the reward after a semester’s worth of reading that leads up to it. The film is a smorgasbord of things we have spent time talking about: the cult of old Hollywood, the culture of movie theaters, Tarantino’s position in the Hollywood fandom, and most importantly, the film itself is an alternative canonization of historical events.

You could even say that OUATIH is the biggest fan-fiction out there. It changes the historical narrative of the Manson Family Murders and instead allows Tarantino’s dream of Hollywood to win out in the end. Charles Manson, like most struggling musicians/high profile cult leaders, wanted fame and notoriety, and he certainly got that in August 1969 when his followers killed actress Sharon Tate and her house-guests. However, Tarantino expertly strips that notoriety away from him in his version, refusing to give Manson credit for his crime of the century. The character of Manson himself is only seen in a brief cameo toward the beginning of the two-hour+ film; he is not introduced though, and from there on out, we only hear mention of a Charlie, but the name Manson is never spoken. The only real connection between Charles Manson and the film is the outside knowledge the audience brings into it. While people like Tex Watson and facts like Manson’s Twinkie Truck and home on Spahn Ranch exist in both universes, the man who craved fame was erased from the Oscar-winning film. This subtle assertion of power on Tarantino’s part is my favorite aspect of the film. It allows Tarantino to focus on what he really wanted his fan fiction to be about, an homage to old Hollywood. The world of Steve McQueen, old school television and spaghetti westerns looked at through fading star, Rick Dalton that wins out in the end when the angelic and still alive Sharon Tate closes out the movie with, “Hello Rick.”

This is now the part of the blog where I talk about my time in this very special (topics) class. As I am ending my college career, I am both happy and sad about taking this class. I am happy because it ended my higher education experience on a very high note, and hands down, this has been my favorite class at Alfred University. I am sad because I wish it never had to end. I don’t know about you guys, but if Dr. S could just keep sending us a movie to watch a week forever, I would be delighted. This class has expanded my horizons, making me watch movies I would have never watched on my own, as I said in my blog for Suspiria, I had been actively dodging that one for a matter of years!

Looking back on the films we watched, it’s tough to pick a favorite. I’d say it was Richard Linklater’s Dazed and Confused, but that feels like cheating as I already loved that film before coming into the class. If I had to choose between the movies that were introduced to me during this course, I think it might have to be the ’70s cheese that is Walter Hill’s Warriors. It was a film I had previously heard of but never seen, and it did not disappoint. I am not sure if it was because it’s idiotic antagonist, comic book-inspired aesthetic, or expert costume design, but it has not escaped my mind. I can not wait to watch it again and again.

I don’t think it is a secret that my least favorite screening was Adam Rifkin’s Detroit Rock City. I was pretty outspoken, during that weeks discussion, about my issues with the many plot holes I found in the film. Its position as a teen boy comedy didn’t appeal to my sense of humor. I tend to steer away from some of the physical comedy that is very apparent in that film. I do understand why it was included in our syllabus for its important position as a rock and roll film. I personally however, would just choose a different rock and roll film like Rob Reiner’s Spinal Tap to show in its place instead.

Other than maybe switching out Detroit Rock City, I wouldn’t change a thing about this class. I honestly had a great time watching and discussing movies with all of you. While the unfortunate transition to online learning impacted the seminar aspect of the class the most, I still think we were able to have a lot of really interesting and intellectual discussions that opened my eyes to the theory and history behind films. I want to thank all you for making the class as awesome as it was and making the end of my college career a very special one.

Where do you even begin with Once Upon a Time in Hollywood? This film was a lot. Quentin Tarantino only produces masterpieces and this film was no different. The cast was full of A-listers. Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, and Margot Robbie star in this film about a washed out television star trying to achieve fame with his stunt double during the late 60s in Los Angeles. This film was the perfect close to the semester because it shows the change in the film industry, which is a lot of what we have learned throughout the course. As the semester progressed we got to see the changes of film story-lines, quality, production, directors, and so much more. And then Tarantino shows it so well in this film, giving it his own perspective. The film really speaks for itself, especially with its top 10 films of 2019 ranking by the American Film Institute.

One of the many readings this week was “Once Upon A Time in Hollywood” by Priscilla Page. Page wrote that Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is “a film about the interplay between fantasy and reality, memory, mythology, masculinity, violence. It’s about fiction and film as redemptive, transformative, and just, and pop culture as a force that brings people together. It’s make-believe, and it’s memoir. Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood is Quentin Tarantino’s second draft of history.” Page’s description corresponds well with what this film is. She uses the right words to show the magnificence that is Tarantino’s film. DiCaprio’s vocal range is impressive, and the drastic difference between his voice in this film and any other was an interesting artistic choice. His back and forth with Brad Pitt is amusing and almost comical that Pitt is his stunt double when they don’t look that much alike, other than maybe their hair color. And lastly, Robbie. Margot Robbie plays the role of Sharon Tate, a wonderful actress, whose life was cute too short because of Charles Manson. Robbie’s role is controversial, but Tarantino didn’t want her role as a murder victim only commemorating the murder, but rather the amazing actress she was. There’s a scene where Robbie watches a film with the real Sharon Tate and the emotions she displays strikes home over the up and coming actress. Robbie commemorates Tate and represents everything she had to go through before she was suddenly taken from the cinematic world. Tarantino took great care for all three of these actors and actress to represent the reality of what it was like in the film industry, while making the story his own. Rather than conforming to modern day ideals he showed the truth of what it was like, even though it earned harsh words like misogyny and disrespectful. It was the truth and that in itself shows how far everything has come since the 60s.

Post modernism is very important. This week we had two videos on it. Nostalgia is the biggest part of post modernism. Throughout the decades nostalgia has been used to evoke emotional responses to the mass audiences, whether it be a Coca-Cola commercial or the newest cinematic reboot. Nostalgia is the most used and effective method in post modern media.

While watching the Frederic Jameson video, they referenced Andrew Butler in their discussion about post modernism. Andrew Butler states: “There is a breakdown in any meaningful connection between words and images” post modern art has “an eclectic range of allusions or a bewildering collection of fragments of different voices.” Post modernism is related to late capitalism. Late capitalism focuses on style over substance, surface over depth. This creates this unstable, fragmented reality that is artificial. All of which is very true. Society now is so focused on appearance and what the eyes can see, that it fails to recognize the beauty and meaning in the things it can’t see, or is considered outside the norm. There is little to no substance in this mindset.

At the start of the semester I took my very first film course. I was introduced to the class with one very specific objective and description. “Cult Movies is a broad but vivid special topics seminar designed to produce rigorous analysis and critique of the cult film phenomenon. Together, we’ll investigate their modes of production, distribution, and exhibition. We’ll also focus on their reception, their fans and various reading strategies. This course also examines the question of “taste” as it relates to culture.” Even with this I had absolutely no idea what to expect from this class. My idea of cult didn’t even come close to what it really meant. I knew I was in for a whirlwind of discoveries and experiences the moment Maniac came on the screen.

Audio plays a massive role in cinema, whether its the overlay of dialogue from a separate recording or the soundtrack of the film. A really good soundtrack can salvage some relatively bad acting or bad writing. Exploring and examining soundtracks and other audio effect methods were my favorite aspect to learn about when we learned about what goes into a film. The hardest thing to learn was by far camp. It is complex and covers several different aspects of cult. Camp is both when something is trying to be camp and when it isn’t.

My favorite film this semester was by far Matinee directed by Joe Dante. A close second would have to be The Warriors directed by Walter Hill. Both of these films started off as something I didn’t think I was going to like and I ended up loving them. They’re both really entertaining and keep you engaged, so I would highly recommend them.

My least favorite film this semester has to be John Waters’s Pink Flamingos. It wasn’t a bad film, it just was not for me. The amount of disgusting scenes in it were just too much for me. I can sit here and watch gore all day long and still have an appetite, but could not eat my dinner after this film, it was, insane.

The semester introduced me to not only new films, but so much I didn’t know about film making. It’s hard to focus on just one thing, because everything was new for me. I honestly had no idea what to expect or what a cult movie even was and it was an amazing experience that I would recommend to everyone.

After eight feature-length directing credits and more than 20 years atop the Hollywood hierarchy, director Quentin Tarantino has earned a reputation that makes any project he’s working on a big deal. The famed auteur’s next film, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, uses the infamous Manson Family murders of 1969 as its backdrop, and now we have the film’s first official trailer. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is a nostalgia-inducing ode to Los Angelas and classic film. This director/screenwriter teases the story from this very real 1969 tragedy- the brutal and cruel murder of Sharon Tate and her friends by the Manson family. Although the storyline develops at a leisurely pace, Tarintino nevertheless delivers an engaging snapshot of a moment in time with a thrillingly ruthless ending inn this valentine to Hollywood. And the title Once Upon a time in Hollywood refers to a whole collection of movies with similar titles. Two of the major ones were made by a big influence on Tarantino’s career: Sergio Leone, who made Once upon a time in West and Once Upon a time in America, both epics about different eras in American history.

The plentiful footage of Mike Moh as Bruce Lee has us wondering. Quentin Tarantino’s film Inglorious Bastards rewrote history by having the heroes kill Adolf Hitler in a movie theatre Django Unchained certainly had elements of altered reality, as a former slave gets to take revenge on a slaver. The style just continues at Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, the film where the most important female character (Margot Robbie’s Sharon Tate) is well understood as a kind of vision of old Hollywood glamour, an occasionally unknowable cipher, And where some of the other women in this news live mostly to be punished. Take, for example, the one-off portrayal of cliff’s woman, who died at some point before the movie starts. (some people think drop defeated her, but he’s never existed convicted.) She’s hectoring him on the boat that once we find her, at yet another uncertain flashback whose veracity is impossible to define. Then as things put today, Once Upon a time in Hollywood ranks as Quentin Tarantino’s second most commercially successful film, trailing behind 2012’s Django Unchained. It finished its theatrical race with $ 425.4 million worldwide, with a similar split between the national and world runs as Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. One of the biggest surprises at Quentin Tarantino’s “ Once Upon a Time in Hollywood ” was that lack of Charles Manson, played by an Australian actor. Tarantino had warned fans prior to the movie’s release that “ Hollywood ” was not the Manson film, but more moviegoers expected this notorious serial killer to have a larger role in the narrative. Herriman’s Manson pops up shortly within the incident at which he roams this place of Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), But, besides this, Manson is only talked about by members of his cult.

Seeing the class title of Cult Film on the registrar made me immediately excited and the level of excitement has sustained throughout this class up until this epidemic that turned everything upside down. When we first received the syllabus I was excited to see I knew two or three of the scheduled screenings but the best ones we watched had to be the ones I haven’t seen yet. Being able to view these movies in a movie theater Esque setting was also a huge highlight of the class. I have never taken a film class in Alfred yet nor have I had a class in the giant lecture space, getting able to do so was the highlight of my senior year since the shit hit the fan with senior shows.

When I showed my mom the syllabus she got very excited as she has seen almost all the movies on the list. Growing up my mom’s side of the family communicates through movie quotes and most of them went completely over my head until the screenings in this class. The lecture style of the class was refreshing in the way that it’s not the teacher just droning on, having a professor, as well as students who are very passionate about the topic, presented helped as well. Getting to ear everyone’s arguments about what movie they believe to be a cult film was also very entertaining and enlightening, many of the movies presented on I wouldn’t think of arguing for but after the presentations, I was right on board. My favorite screening of the class was probably pink flamingo, although I wish I sat I the back so I could see people reactions, hearing the gasps and disgust coming from behind me put an even bigger smile on my face.

If I were to add a movie or two, Murials Wedding would absolutely be at the top of the list along with Darren Aronofsky’s Mother!, a movie that has incredible pacing to it along with an amazing underlying biblical allusion throughout the film. Having limited internet access and time available, my effort and enthusiasm for the class severely dropped. Not being able to screen the movies and participate in some of the canvas chats was very disheartening, as well as the lack of response to emails reaching out for help. Overall I had a great time with the class and would happily take it again if I had a guarantee there wouldn’t be an epidemic this time around. I wish I was able to do more with the class and screen more of the films on the roster but I am happy with how the class was running pre-COVID.