10. The Crow (1994)

One of the earlier films to successfully bank on the popularity of a graphic novel, The Crow got even more traction with cult audiences due to the freakish death of lead actor Brandon Lee (son of legendary martial artist Bruce Lee) on the set of the film via a defective prop gun which fired shrapnel. This unfortunate event received widespread media coverage, which only increased its exposure and box office success (given its modest budget). The tale of a musician returning from the dead to avenge his and his fiancee's deaths added to the existing mystique of this charismatic actor, who had a great career ahead of him. An awesome soundtrack and an eerie gothic mood make The Crow an experience all of its own.

9. Videodrome (1983)

David Cronenberg's twisted surreal thriller explores how the media --- and more precisely, television --- can and does take over our lives as we're bombarded by interminable hours of programming. This being a Cronenberg film, Videodrome goes a few steps further, veering towards the bizarre and containing scenes of borderline gore with makeup effects from Hollywood monster veteran Rick Baker. With leads like James Woods and Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry, this film compels with its multi-layered story peppered with metaphysical concepts. Try not to scratch your head too often when making sense of its message.

8. Eraserhead (1977)

Eraserhead counts as another example of how the visual medium can be used in more creative ways than a simple linear story. As an experimental film by auteur David Lynch (better known for his film version of Dune and the equally surreal Twin Peaks TV show) which was filmed over a six-year period due to financial constraints, Eraserhead follows the life of one Henry Spencer (Lynch regular Jack Nance), a reticent printer whose wife gives birth to a deformed baby. The visuals in the film, which range from dreamlike scenes featuring a dancer found within a radiator to a sequence which has the protagonist imagining his head used to make pencil erasers (hence the title), make this film a vintage piece of Lynchian off-centeredness.

7. Reservoir Dogs (1992)

Hyperactive director Quentin Tarantino's first film is considered by many to be the pivotal indie film which opened the door to many subsequent others. Shot on a shoestring budget and laced with copious amounts of profanity and violence, Dogs caused many viewers to leave the theatre due to a graphic scene in which one of the story's criminals tortures a police officer while dancing to a catchy Stealers Wheel tune. This film got widespread recognition after Tarantino's follow-up, Pulp Fiction, went on to win an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, generating interest in his previous work.  

6. Brazil (1985)

Former Monty Python alumnus Terry Gilliam, known for a body of highly creative films like 12 Monkeys, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Time Bandits, directed Brazil earlier in his career, immediately setting himself apart as a name to be associated with the fantasy genre. Essentially a satire on dystopian tales (such as 1984 or Metropolis), Brazil cleverly examines a totalitarian society where humanity depends completely on run down, Rube Goldberg-type machines, requiring constant repairs. By offering a redundant bureaucratic setting which nearly has the entire population working for the government in some shape or form, Gilliam comments on our society's obsession with consumerism as well as our reliance on higher government... and our need to keep a good credit rating. 

    5. This is Spinal Tap (1984)

Rob Reiner directed this early "mockumentary" which follows the members of a fictitious British heavy metal rock band. Similar to later films of the same sub-genre (see cast member Christopher Guest's later films as an example), Spinal Tap relies heavily on ad libbed performances from its actors, resulting in very original, often unexpected content. Reiner himself acts as the faux director Marty DiBergi as he follows the band on their North American tour. Peppered with clever criticism on the self-importance of many big-name music acts of the time, This is Spinal Tap quickly became a cult hit, inspiring many films of its kind in the years that followed.


4. The Evil Dead (1981)

The first full-length movie by Spider-Man director Sam Raimi, Evil Dead was virtually unmarketable back in 1981 due to its explicit gore and violence. Shot with very little funding and showcasing the creative inventiveness of its director, Evil Dead continues to maintain a healthy cult following to this day, and has made Bruce "The Chin" Campbell a household name. Campbell plays Ash, one of five college students stranded in an old cabin where demon spirits possess the poor saps, causing bloody carnage to ensue. The film led to two sequels which veered more and more towards the comedic, thanks to Campbell's physical hi-jinks. A musical based on this film was staged in Toronto in 2004, receiving rave reviews. 

3. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Another film about humanity's response to a totalitarian state, A Clockwork Orange makes several strong points concerning the rights of the individual in a strict society. Directed by perfectionist filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, Clockwork Orange explores the violent reaction of British youth when faced with the iron fist of a dystopian government. Malcolm McDowell portrays Alex, a rebellious teen who has a taste for a bit of "the old ultra-violence," and who spends his nights in the company of his "droogs" (a Russian derivative of "friends" or "buddies"), terrorizing innocent folks in a grim futuristic London. The film's more difficult scenes come as the government tries to rehabilitate the young lad using aversion therapy. The film was withdrawn from British theatres and re-released in the early-2000s, adding to its cult cachet.

2. The Princess Bride (1987)

One of the more popular comedies of the 1980s, Rob Reiner's swashbuckling tale of love, "true love," continues to be cherished today. Using a narrative device in which a grandfather (Peter Falk) reads a storybook adventure (called The Princess Bride, naturally) to his ailing grandson (Fred Savage), The Princess Bride opens the doors to a comedic tale filled with romance, adventure, swordfights, magic potions and daring rescues. The cast is well chosen, the writing is witty and offers many opportunities for its stars to shine, and has several very quotable scenes, including a recurring line from Spaniard Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), telling his enemies to "prepare to die." Fun for the whole family and worthy of repeat viewings.

1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

As of this writing, Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest-running film still in theatrical release, 34 years after its opening. This is largely due to its rank as the top cult movie, fueled by regular midnight screenings in myriad theatres in North America and abroad. Though the film itself is unremarkable (it's essentially a spoof of horror and sci-fi films of the 50s), its fame is based on the highly entertaining audience reaction during screenings. Much to the dismay of theatre janitors everywhere, attendees heckle the film, shower each other with rice, spray each other with water guns and throw toilet paper at one another on cue. The success of the film (based on a London stage musical) generated high sales of its entertaining soundtrack, and the home video and DVD sales that followed.