“something, typically a movie or book, that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.” I’m going to say that exactly fits LOTR, Star Wars, Star Trek etc. You are just trying to say the group size matters, it doesn’t. I’d also say the Bible is a cult classic by definition.
You are being intentionally obtuse. A mainstream mega hit is in no way among a particular group. Those franchises you mention may be in a way, but their touchstone movies are all mainstream hits. Videodrome or Twin Peaks are cult classics, not Fifth Element or X Files. Like, Twin Peaks was a big hit for a very short amount of time, then its popularity nosedived. The continuing fans them were the cult. But Airplane! was a mega hit and never went out if vogue. It spawned a sequel and a whole genre of slapstick parody.
So if the cult gets large enough it doesn’t count?
It was never a cult classic. It was a huge hit from the beginning.
“something, typically a movie or book, that is popular or fashionable among a particular group or section of society.” I’m going to say that exactly fits LOTR, Star Wars, Star Trek etc. You are just trying to say the group size matters, it doesn’t. I’d also say the Bible is a cult classic by definition.
You are being intentionally obtuse. A mainstream mega hit is in no way among a particular group. Those franchises you mention may be in a way, but their touchstone movies are all mainstream hits. Videodrome or Twin Peaks are cult classics, not Fifth Element or X Files. Like, Twin Peaks was a big hit for a very short amount of time, then its popularity nosedived. The continuing fans them were the cult. But Airplane! was a mega hit and never went out if vogue. It spawned a sequel and a whole genre of slapstick parody.