Cult

Although the exact definition of a cult is debatable, the term is decidedly derogatory and is generally used to indicate a group of individuals who profess unorthodox religious, philosophical, or social beliefs. Members often demonstrate extreme devotion and blind obedience to a charismatic leader and live isolated from society (even cut off from non-believing family members). This isolation increases the members' dependence on the group, making it far more difficult for them to leave. Members may even be subjected to physical and/or psychological manipulation and be pressured to provide money, unpaid labor, and sexual favors.

Although most of these groups don't include harmful or destructive elements, the word "cult" has taken on an increasingly derogative connotation over the years (consider the term "doomsday cult"). This negativity is clearly reflected and emphasized in horror films which naturally tend to focus on the most disturbing and unsettling aspects of such groups. Given that our website focuses mainly on horror and/or sci-fi films, it's all but inevitable that the concept of "cults" will frequently be paired with "occult practices", "spiritualism", "Satanism", or, more generally, "witchcraft".

Here are some of the most frequently depicted characteristics of cults when it comes to their portrayal on the big screen:

1. The presence of charismatic leaders: feared, respected, even venerated, these leaders generally take advantage of followers who've fallen under the sway of their insane beliefs (sometimes after deep, systematic psychological conditioning);
2. The importance of secrecy and the cult's esoteric teachings, which are treated as some kind of extraordinary truth to be closely guarded by an elite few;
3. The importance assigned to folklore and rituals, with a special interest in their magical and/or astrological aspect;
4. The climate of fanaticism and intolerance towards others' beliefs and/or conduct.