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| I don't know if film makers set out to make a film that they think will gain a cult status, but certain film makers achieve this with mostly every film they make. Quinten Tarantino is a good example of this, I guess it's all about how your brain is wired, if you are constantly thinking outside the box then it makes sense that all your films will also fall out size the box. Some times a cult film can be a victim of it's own success, by being so different it becomes refreshing to see a different type of movie and ends up being a classic. So it is possible to have a movie that has cult and classic status and becomes a box office smash. | |
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In 1977 George Lucas released a film called Star Wars - A new hope. When George originally wrote the story Star Wars he realised that it was too long to make into one film, so he split the story in to 6 parts, but instead if making a film out of part 1 he jumped straight in at part 4. Part 4 was followed up by part 5, 6, 1, 2 and 3 in that order. It took 28 years to complete the saga. Although films based in space are pretty common now, back in 77 there was very few and none experimenting in the special effects that Star Wars used.
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Phantom Menace - Episode 1 tells the tale of two Jedi Knights Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who have brought in to settle a disagreement between the Planet of Naboo and a Trade Federation. The Dispute turns nasty and the Trade Federation attempt to take control of the planet. The Jedi go to Naboo and rescue the Queen of the planet Queen Amidala. When escaping Naboo the Jedi Knights space craft breaks down which forces them to land on the planet Tatooine. It is hear that the Jedi Knights come across a young boy called Anakin Skywalker. The Jedi's realise that this young boy is very strong with the force (this is the power the Jedi's use), so they take Anakin with them to train in the ways of the Jedi. Along the way there are wars and lightsaber fights (futuristic sword) with a Sith Lord called Darth Maul (evil equivalent to a Jedi). In the end good prevails over evil.
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Attack of the Clones - Episode 2 is set 10 years after The Phantom Menace. Anakin Skywalker is now grown up and is in the advanced stages of his Jedi Training. The former Queen of Naboo is now a Senator and has had many threats to her life; this is why Anakin and his mentor Obi-Wan Kenobi are assigned to protect the Senator. Anakin takes the Senator back to the planet of Naboo to keep her safe; this is when the romance between Anakin and the Senator starts to flourish. While Anakin is on bodyguard duty Obi-Wan is searching for the Senator's attackers, his search leads him to a world where clone soldiers are being made. The order to make the clones came from a Jedi some years ago. The clones are cloned on a bounty hunter called Jango Fett. Obi-Wan follows Jango Fett to another planet, Anakin gets a distress call from Obi-Wan and follows his lead by going to the planet taking the Senator there. All 3 get captured and have to rely on the other Jedi and the clone army to rescue them. Here is the start of the Clone Wars.
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| Revenge of the Sith - Episode 3 starts 3 years after Attack of the Clones. Chancellor Palpatine has been kidnapped by the evil General Grievous and it's down to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to rescue the Chancellor. The other Jedi Knights are spread out all over the galaxy leading armies of Clone Soldiers in a war against the Separatists. After a succesful rescue mission Obi-Wan is given the task to eliminate General Grievous. Mean while Anakin starts to get very friendly with the Chancellor, not to the liking of the Jedi Council as they have now grown to distrust the Chancellor. The true identity of Sith Lord Darth Sidious is unveiled as he reveals his thousand year old plot to take over the galaxy. |  |
A New Hope - Episode 4 is based 20 years after Revenge of the Sith, Emperor Palpatine is now the ruler of the galaxy, keeping all the star systems in line by threatening to use the newly constructed space station the Death Star, one blast from this would totally destroy any planet. The Emperor has Darth Vader as his right hand man, Darth Vader was formerly known as Anakin Skywalker before the Emperor turned the Jedi over to the Dark Side. Meanwhile a leader of the Rebel Alliance - Princess Leia Organa has intercepted the plans for the Death Star, which she tries to take back to the Rebels so they can find a weakness in the space station. A Star Cruiser which has Darth Vader at the helm captures the Princess and her crew, but not before she gives the Death Star plans to a droid called R2D2, who with another droid C3P0 manage to escape. The droids find their way in to the hands of a young Farmer on Tatooine called Luke Skywalker. Luke is convinced by the former owner of the droids, Obi-Wan Kenobi to help him attempt to rescue the Princess, in return for his help Obi-Wan will train him to become a Jedi, like his father was. To achieve this they must go to Mos Eisley to hire a space craft to get them to the Death Star. It is here that they a hire a smuggler Han Solo and his first mate a wookie called Chewbacca and the use of their ship the Millennium Falcon. Then the real adventure begins.
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The Empire Strikes Back - Episode 5 set 3 years after the Rebel Alliance with the help of Luke, Han and Chewbacca destroyed the Death Star. The Rebels are hiding out on an ice planet called Hoth. It doesn't take too long before the Galactic Empire find the Rebels base and start to invade. The Rebels start to evacuate, Luke decides to meet up with the Rebels after he has visited a Jedi Master called Yoda on a swamp planet called Dagobah, it is here that he will continue his Jedi training. Han Solo, Chewbacca, Princess Leia and C3P0 get separated from the rest of the Rebels so escape in the Millennium Falcon. Darth Vader has now made it his main goal to capture the Millennium Falcon and its crew. Han Solo finds a safe haven on a floating cloud city called Bespin, Bespin is run by Lando Calrissian, who is a former acquaintance of Han Solo as well as being the former owner of the Millennium Falcon. Unfortunately for Han Solo and his passengers Darth Vader arrived at Bespin shortly before them. Capturing Han Solo and the crew is just a ploy to lure Luke Skywalker too Bespin; capturing Luke is Darth Vader's real goal. Luke arrives on Bespin but it is to late to rescue Han Solo as he has been frozen in carbonate and taken by a bounty hunter called Boba Fett to be delivered to Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. Lando Calrissian takes control of the Millennium Falcon and leads the escape party of Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C3P0 and R2D2. Leaving Luke to battle it out with Darth Vader
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Return of the Jedi - Episode 6, set one year after the Empire Strikes Back. Han Solo is frozen in carbonite and being held in Jabba the Hutt's palace. One by one the rebels attempt to rescue Han Solo; Princess Leia successfully unfreezes Solo but ends up getting caught. Han Solo is thrown in cell which he shares with Chewbacca. Leia is put in chains and is made to be Jabba's play thing. Finally Luke arrives but also gets caught. Jabba decides the fate of Han Solo, Chewbacca and Luke Skywalker; they should all be thrown in to the sarlacc pit. The Sarlacc is the home of a large omnivorous creature that uses the pit to capture and eat its prey. The rebels struggle and over Jabba's guards while Leia manages to strangle and kill Jabba. The rebels then re-group with the rest of the Alliance, while Luke goes back to Dagobah to find out the truth about Darth Vader being his father, and to continue his Jedi training with Yoda. To complete his training Luke must fight Darth Vader again, so he joins the rest of the Alliance to help plot the Empires down fall. The Empire is in the middle of constructing a new Death Star, Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are both on board the Death Star to see that the construction is completed. The Alliance has found a weakness in the new Death Star. An attack of the Death Star is to be led by Lando Calrissian in the Millennium Falcon, while Han Solo leads a team which includes Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, the Droids and some soldiers, they must go to the Forest Moon of Endor to destroy the shield generator that is protecting the Death Star. The planet of Endor is inhabited by a race called Ewoks. The Ewoks prove to be vital allies when it comes to bring down the Empire. Luke hands himself in so he can confront his Father, thinking he can convert him back from the Dark Side. Darth Vader takes him to the Emperor; Luke has got the tough decision to try and kill the Emperor which will probably lead to his Father killing him. Or giving into the Dark Side and killing his Father and take his father's place at the Emperor's side or do nothing and watch his friends get killed. Cult Rating 4/4 (this is based on the first film to be made in 1977 Star Wars - A New Hope)
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This is the second film written by Quinten Tarantino. The title of the film refers to the Pulp magazines that were available in the mid 20th century. The film is made up of 6 individual stories which all interlink with each other. In true Tarantino style these stories are not layed out in chronical order for example the story at the start of the movie in fact should be somewhere in the middle of the film. The 6 stories revolve around 5 main characters; some of the characters appear in more than one of the stories. The characters are Hit men Vincent Vega and Jules Winnfield, Gangland boss Marsellus Wallace and his wife Mia Wallace and a washed up boxer called Butch Coolidge. There are some other big names starring in smaller roles like Christopher Walken, Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel and as per usual Tarantino himself. Due to some mucked up stories and some great lines plus a combination of quality actors this has become a box office success with a cult status. There is one question relating to the film that still remains unanswered, what's in the briefcase. Cult Rating 4/4 |
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Fight Club stars Edward Norton who plays Jack a chronic insomniac, the only way he knows to send himself to sleep is to attend self help group. It doesn't matter what the self help group is Jack will take on the roll of a victim of whatever the group is discussing. These classes make him cry which in turn helps him sleep. This is until he bumps in to Marla Singer played by Helena Bonham Carter, who is also at these meetings under force pretences; Marla works out Jack is also faking it which leaves Jack feeling guilty and no longer able to cry so his insomnia comes back. It's not longer before Jack comes into contact with Tyler Durden played by Brad Pitt, Tyler is one cool dude who teachers Jack how to relax. There is only one true way in Tyler's eyes to totally unwind and this by having a good old fashioned bare knuckled fight. So Jack and Tyler square up in bar parking lot. Jack finds this as the ultimate high and between Jack and Tyler they set up a secret Fight Club where other people can come and fight; there are strict rules to these fights. This becomes really successful and Tyler starts to get carried away with the power and starts up Project Mayhem, with fight club members as soldiers. Project Mayhem specialise in Vandalism, demolition and brainwashing. Jack doesn't like how Tyler has gone off the rails and he does his best to stop him, while doing this he finds out something that really disturbs him. Cult Rating 3/4 |
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The year is 2000 and America has a new favourite sport. The Transcontinental Race, this is a car race between New York and Los Angeles, but a car race with a difference all the same. Arriving first in LA doesn't guarantee you to be the winner, the race is point based. Points are awarded for every pedestrian killed by the drivers; points vary depending on age and sex. The race has 5 contestants, but the main rivalry is between Frankenstein (David Carradine, from the TV show Kung Fu and the recent Kill Bill films) and Machine Gun Joe Viterbo (Sylvestor Stallone from the Rocky and Rambo films). The film was made in 1975 on a very low budget; It is a typical 1970's film that looks dated in the modern day. But due to the nature of the film it has gained cult status. Cult Rating 2/4 |
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Grindhouse is the collective name for the double feature put together by Robert Rodriguez and Quinten Tarantino. What makes this collection so different from anything else is how it was filmed and put together. These films were always meant to be a double feature and were filmed as if both films were B Movies. The Rodriguez film is called Planet Terror and the Tarantino one is called Death Proof, both films are horror movies, which have cheesy lines in them and look like they are made on a low budget. This is the exact look that both directors wanted. The collaboration is never going to be a box office hit due to the look of the film, but Tarantino and Rodriguez won't lose any sleep over this. The film has already gained a cult status in the States and I'm sure it will do the same here in the UK. The collaboration works so well as the directors/writers are very good friends and have worked together on lots of other projects like Pulp Fiction, Desperado from Dusk till Dawn to name just a few. |
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Planet Terror is a zombie film starring Freddy Rodriguez and cameos from Bruce Willis and Quinten Tarantino. Bruce Willis's character Lt. Muldoon of the US Army is trying to buy some toxic gas, half way through the transaction some of the gas is let out which spreads out to the local town and starts to infect the residents, which turns them in to zombie like creatures. It is down to Freddy Rodriguez's character El Wray and the rest of the uninfected town folk to battle against the Zombies.#
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Death Proof is all about a stuntman called Stuntman Mike who Death Proof's his car so that it if he crashes at 60mph he won't get hurt. Stuntman Mike played by Kurt Russell gets his kicks from scaring girls by following them in his car and crashing in to them which usually results in killing them. But he has met his match when he decides to pick on a group of female stunt drivers. Cult Rating 2/4 (this may change once the film is released in the UK) |
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