A still from "Black Moon".
Cult Night! With Anthony, the newest monthly series at Best Video, offered its third showing Wednesday night and cultivated not only a discussion of what the film was about, but also multiple discussions of what constitutes a “cult” film in the first place.
Anthony Capasso, the curator of the series that began back in April with Godzilla vs. Hedorah in conjunction with Earth Day, personally chooses a film each month that he considers a cult film, the definition of which he admits might vary depending on who you ask.
“I think it lies in the sensibilities of the film,” he said, noting that they were typically made for “certain groups” and are “more targeted.”
“Its hard to really establish what cult means,” he said. With the series, “my intention is to establish parameters.”
Last month’s film, 1979’s Microwave Massacre, was what he described as “a much trashier film.” This month he wanted to show something “more sophisticated,” choosing a film that is part of the Criterion Collection.
“There are a lot of Criterion Collection films that could be considered cult films,” he added, also mentioning that he had been discussing the topic earlier with Best Video’s Rob Harmon, who said he “gets asked a lot” about what constitutes a cult film.
“There are a few ways to describe it, but I think the simplest is that it’s a film that is polarizing,” said Harmon, adding that these films have a “built in audience” and can also “turn off a large subset of viewers.”
“They fly under the mainstream radar, but have influence.” He also added that information about these films will typically spread by word of mouth and “take on a life of their own.”
Citing classic cult films like Rocky Horror Picture Show and Repo Man, he also noted that fans of such films will “take their devotion to an unheard level.”
“That’s kind of a cool thing,” he said with a smile.
Harmon said he and Capasso had talked about making choices that were “not so much cult” as “movies you can stand behind.”
Capasso did not and does not plan to advertise ahead of time what movie he will be showing at these events. For Wednesday’s feature, all he said before the screening was “I just like that it can have such a different feeling and sensory responses.”
He also added that he would not be “intentionally sharing shocking things” but that these types of films “can be more shocking than what you go to the theater to see, kind of the nature of what makes a cult film.”
As moviegoers filed in, fetched their refreshments, and found their seats, anticipation grew for what was to come. At about ten after seven, Capasso came to the front of the room and introduced this month’s choice, 1975’s Black Moon, directed by Louis Malle. An audience member asked what genre it was, and Capasso answered “surrealism, avant garde, not really horror but it has horror elements to it.”
“I hope you guys like it, and I hope you come back next month,” he added.
The stark black-and-white opening credits of the film do not prepare the viewer for what is to come, though finding out that Sven Nykvist is involved gives a bit of a hint. Considered one of the greatest cinematographers in film history, he is probably best known for his work with legendary director Ingmar Bergman, and Black Moon bears his mark with muted colors of the countryside and lush interiors, certain frames often looking like an actual painting.
I hesitate to describe an actual narrative because I am not quite sure there was one. A young woman named Lily (played by Cathryn Harrison) drives through a countryside where there appears to be a postapocalyptic war between men and women. After being found out and shot at, she escapes into the woods and happens upon a house where the activities around her seem to be occurring independently of what is going on in the rest of the world — or are they? There’s an old woman in one bedroom talking to someone on a radio (and occasionally a rat that hops up on her furniture). There are a brother and sister, both named Lily. And there is minimal dialogue, mostly because the family can speak to Lily telepathically.
Adding to all of the above are a trove of animals and insects that seem to also have a language of their own, including a black unicorn. But are these people and these creatures even real? Is this some kind of Alice in Wonderland-type adventure, or perhaps some limbo between heaven and hell? Are the feral children running around angels, or are they even there at all? There is a lot going on, yet it is all so self-contained one may even consider that it is all a dream of Lily’s, or possibly a nightmare. Either way, much like the definition of the term “cult film” itself, this film leaves viewers to their own devices to determine exactly what is and isn’t the real story.
I can say without question this is the type of film my husband — a fan of a straightforward narrative with a beginning, middle, and definitive end — would absolutely hate. Yet it is also the type of film that I might recommend to friends of mine who enjoy David Lynch, with his unique brand of surrealism and the way he flips and distorts a more typical type of storytelling. Will parts of this film disturb some? Absolutely. Is there a lot in this film to discuss? Absolutely.
Karen Ponzio Photo.
Capasso and his film choice for the evening.
After the film was over one of the audience members said to Capasso “I have a lot of questions.”
“Me too,” he said with a laugh.
Another audience member asked him the question of the evening: what his definition of a cult film was. Luckily, we will have a chance to discuss exactly that and more at least once a month from here on in.
Cult Night! with Anthony is held on the third Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m. with an admission fee of $5. Please visit the Best Video website for further information.