Gateway Film Center Announces Full List to “Cult 101” Program for 2017

Gateway Film Center is starting a yearlong cult dedicated to the most obscure, secretly-beloved films of all time – and Columbus is invited.

It’s called Cult 101, and it’s their most ambitious program yet. With the help of a panel of film experts from around the country, the film center has identified the best cult films of all time – and will play every one of them over the course of 2017.

“If you get two film fans together anywhere in the world, they will eventually get into the age-old debate about the best cult films of all time,” said GFC President and Programmer Chris Hamel. “Cult 101 came about because we wanted to put forth a point of view that could inform that debate at a national level, and have a lot of fun along the way.”

The program had its start this summer, when Hamel reached out to contacts made over 20 years in the film business and asked them one question: “How would you like to put together the ultimate year-long cult series?” The response was overwhelming. International news outlets, tastemakers, studios, critics and programmers sent in their picks by the hundreds, including Wired, Time Out, Alamo Drafthouse, Paramount, Sony, IFC Films, Magnolia Pictures, the Belcourt Theatre, Outfest, NPR and more.

Contributors also included local organizations 614 Magazine (us), Columbus Underground, Dennison and Otterbein Universities, Film Columbus and others.

The film center team tabulated results and gave them to Hamel for final decisions. And now the complete list of the 101 top cult films in history is finished, booked and will be playing at Gateway Film Center throughout the year.

The program begins New Year’s Day with Blade Runner at 9:30 p.m. The complete list of films is below, and their screening times will be revealed each quarter, treating Cult 101 as four seasons of top cult film. Special screenings – 4k restorations, 35mm and 70mm presentations, panel discussions and more – are planned, and will be announced on the quarterly schedule.

But what about that age-old debate: does it finally have its answer?

“We went into this knowing it’d be part science, part art, and we wouldn’t be able to include everything,” he said. “We’ve already joked about hosting ‘Cut 101’ in 2018, with 100 greats we couldn’t fit into this one.”

We’ve gone ahead and bolded the films we’re most excited about — but really, all these movies are so good, and weird, and incredible.

Alphabetical listing of films

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE
AGUIRRE, THE WRATH OF GOD
AKIRA
AMERICAN PSYCHO
AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN LONDON
AUDITION
BADLANDS
BARBARELLA
BATTLE ROYALE
BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS
BIG TROUBLE IN LITTLE CHINA
BLACK CHRISTMAS
BLADE RUNNER
BLUE VELVET
BRAZIL
BUBBA HO TEP
CITY OF LOST CHILDREN
CLERKS
CLUE
DAWN OF THE DEAD
DAZED AND CONFUSED
DEATH RACE 2000
DONNIE DARKO
DR. STRANGELOVE
EASY RIDER
EL MARIACHI
EL TOPO
ENTER THE DRAGON
ERASERHEAD
ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK
FANTASTIC PLANET
FIGHT CLUB
GET CARTER
GHOST WORLD
GREY GARDENS
HARD BOILED
HAROLD AND MAUDE
HEATHERS
HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH
IRMA VEP
JACOB’S LADDER
KISS KISS BANG BANG
LABYRINTH
LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL
LOGAN’S RUN
MAD MAX
MEAN STREETS
MEMENTO
MONTY PYTHON AND THE HOLY GRAIL
MULHOLLAND DRIVE
NIGHT SHIFT
OLDBOY
PEE-WEE’S BIG ADVENTURE
PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE
PINK FLAMINGOS
PINK FLOYD: THE WALL
PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE
PULP FICTION
PURPLE RAIN
RAISING ARIZONA
RE-ANIMATOR
REPO MAN
REQUIEM FOR A DREAM
RESERVOIR DOGS
RUSHMORE
SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE
SHOWGIRLS
STOP MAKING SENSE
STRANGER THAN PARADISE
TAXI DRIVER
TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE
THE ADVENTURES OF BUCKAROO BONZAI
THE BIG LEBOWSKI
THE BLUES BROTHERS
THE BOONDOCK SAINTS
THE BREAKFAST CLUB
THE EVIL DEAD
THE EVIL DEAD 2
THE GHOST IN THE SHELL
THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH
THE PRINCESS BRIDE
THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
THE THING
THE USUAL SUSPECTS
THE WARRIORS
THE WICKER MAN
THEY LIVE
THIS IS SPINAL TAP
TOMMY
TOUCH OF EVIL
TRAINSPOTTING
TRUE ROMANCE
TWELVE MONKEYS
TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME
VIDEODROME
WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE
WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER
WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY
WITHNAIL AND I
YELLOW SUBMARINE
YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

BROUGHT TO YOU BY