Cult films, they manage to survive no matter how many years goes by. Some of them might have been big box office flops, but did find a new audience on VHS and DVD. There are of course a number of reasons why this happens, but i think movie fans love films that stands out of the ordinary release. So even if they are considered box office failures, they can find a new audience in other ways. There are a lot of titles to choose between, that are considered to be cult classics. But i decided to pick out 2 titles that have become cult films, and appreciated by movie lovers worldwide. Let´s begin with the 1986 film Big Trouble In Little China, directed by John Carpenter. This is a very odd action comedy, mixing martial arts with chinese magic. But from an entertainment perspective, this is one of those 80´s classics that works still today, especially the main character Jack Burton, played by legendary actor Kurt Russel. Director John Carpenter found a way to make this film both fun, and give us a different perspective on the legacy of Chinatown. Big Trouble In Little China bombed at the box office, taking in only about 11 million U.S. dollars. But the film managed to do better on VHS, including on a 2 DVD disc special edition, with some nice features. There is a really good Blu Ray release from Arrow Video with even more special features, that´s worth buying. My next pick for a cult movie is Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas, released in 1998. A very odd psychedelic satirical black comedy from legendary director Terry Gilliam, with a brilliant performance from Johnny Depp. This film is a completely different trip than most ordinary road movies, with odd characters travelling across the Nevada desert in 1971. I have to mention some great actors are included here as well, such as Benicio Del Toro, Tobey Maguire, Gary Busey, Mark Harmon, Flea ( from The Red Hot Chili Peppers ), Cameron Diaz and many more. Also worth checking out on DVD or Blu Ray. This year one cult film turned 20 years old, a film known as The Boondock Saints. I remember this film for a different of reasons, but have not seen this film for almost 20 years. So i decided to watch the film again on Blu Ray, to see if this film would still be good after so many years. Is it possible that The Boondock Saints is still a hell of a good time, or has this film aged too much after 20 years ?
In Boston, two Irish American twin brothers Connor MacManus ( Sean Patrick Flanery ) and Murpy MacManus ( Norman Reedus ) kill Russian mobsters, especially when the Russian Mobsters want to close down their favourite pub. The Russian Mob seek revenge on the brothers, but end up dead. FBI agent Paul Smecker ( Willem Dafoe ) is assigned to the case, as he finds out that the Police and local news reporters see The MacManus brothers as heroes. Connor and Murphy turn themselves in at a Police station, where Smecker interview them. After they retell their incident, Smecker declines to press charges and allows them to spend the night in a holding cell to avoid the attention from media. That night they receive a calling from " God " telling them to hunt down wicked men so that the innocent will flourish. The MacManus Brothers are about to clean up the city of Boston from sinners, and they will not stop until they have succeeded.
When you have not seen a film for almost 20 years, and you see this film again and still feel the magic, you know there is something special about this title. And this is exactly how i feel about The Boondock Saints, this is a very odd mixture of a vigilante story, with some crazy characters included. And one of the reasons why this film stands out from all the other vigilante stories we have so many times before, is the violent style and the Irish Catholic theme of this film. Let´s talk about the characters in this film. Main actors Sean Patrick Flanery ( who i especially remember from the 1997 film Suicide Kings ) and Norman Reedus ( who is excellent in the TV series The Walking Dead ) play the two Irish brothers Connor and Murphy. It becomes clear that they both have worked hard to make these characters fit in with the plot, and get the right tone of Boston vigilantes. I feel both of them have done a really good job portraying these characters. Now, i have to talk about my favourite character in this film. Actor David Della Rocco as the mentally insane criminal Rocco is absolutely brilliant. When he starts freaking out, he goes all in for his character in a very powerful way. Legendary actor Willem Dafoe ( with so many classics in his catalogue, especially David Lynch cult film Wild At Heart ) as Paul Scmecker, is another classic performance from Dafoe. No matter what character he takes on, he knows exactly how to make them his own. One of the things that make Paul so cool, is how sure he is about solving crimes and needs no advices. Legendary actor Ron Jeremy is also really cool as Vincenzo Lipazzi. I have to mention legendary actor ( comedian ) Billy Connolly as the gun crazy character Il Duce ( one of his best performances ). If you look at The Boondock Saints from an action perspective, this is a wet dream for fans of violence. There is a lot of brutality here, with a lot of shooting. But there is a good reason for that, since this is connected to the plot in a clever way. Director Troy Duffy have made a film that is not only really cool, but also give a different perspective on the city of Boston and the Catholic society. You could say that this is a love letter to the city of Boston. The Boondock Saints will live on as a cult film, and i would not be surprised if a young generation will connect with this film in present day. An action film with lots of power, and a strong message about justice and brotherhood. If you have not seen this one, make sure you do and i guarantee you will have a great time.
Rating: DDDD
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