In a 2008 article speaking about his own experience as member of a cult flm community in the 1970s, flm historian and theorist Jefrey Sconce expresses his belief that due to the rise of technology, moments of communal “cult solidarity” have been lost for modern spectators.1 Indeed, the practice of communal cult flm consumption, as seen with a midnight movie such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Jim Sharman, 1975) or Eraserhead (David Lynch, 1977), was characterized somewhat by the limited availability and accessibility of flms at the time the midnight screening trend began. As modern technology has shifted the consumption of flm into something more accessible and private than it was in the 1970s, the possibilities of a cult flm community have changed and, as Sconce views it, become more limited. One response to this is the rise of podcasts. In particular, the podcast How Did This Get Made? is notable for having a cult-like fan community, despite the fact that the podcast and the flms discussed on it have a more private aspect to their consumption than was ever available for midnight movies. The podcast’s use of public and private components produce opportunities for the individual listener’s experience to become part of a communal form of enjoyment, creating a new kind of fan experience with a sense of “solidarity” akin to that of the cult flm experience of the 1970s.2 In “Cult Cinema: A Critical Symposium,” Sconce shares his experience of going to see Eraserhead in 1977. Sconce recounts that he formed a sense How Did This Become Cult?: of solidarity with his friends over the fact that they liked the movie, while Podcasting and Cult Film Practices one of the ushers working at the theatre did not understand why anyone would enjoy it.3 He also propounds that ‘cult’ flms do not exist in his in How Did This Get Made? contemporaneous time, as compared to the way they existed in the 1970s and 1980s when “flm culture was growing” and yet “access to certain flms remained” limited.4 With the availability of flms online, it is now possible ANNA SWANSON for viewers to procure many obscure flms that used to require the ‘work’ of fnding, anticipating, and attending cult flm screenings.5 Sconce fears that because of changing consumption practices, there is a possibility that the day will come where he “will have the sick realization that [he has] never had access to so many movies in [his] life, and yet cared so little about any of them.”6 Sconce qualifes a flm as cult not based on the flm itself, but on the exhibition and viewing practices which position the flm viewing as reward for the work that goes into attending a screening. This sentiment is also explored in Bruce A. Austin’s “Portrait of a Cult Film Audience: The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Austin examines statistics gathered from attendees of midnight screenings of Rocky Horror during the 1970s. Austin was able to deduce that the quality of the flm, the intent of Anna Swanson recently completed a double major at the the flmmakers, and the flm’s content were not signifcant motivating factors University of Toronto in English and Cinema Studies. for people to attend screenings, but rather the flm’s exhibition practices Starting in September 2018, she will be pursuing an involving consistent screenings at irregular hours, in this case at midnight MA in Cinema Studies at U of T. She particularly enjoys on weekends, and the audience experiences during these screenings.7 As a Old Hollywood and horror movies.
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part of the experience, Rocky Horror fans would bring props and dress up there are live recordings held wherein one of the segments is a question-and- in costume to attend, arriving sometimes two hours before the screening to answer session with the studio audience. Through the podcasting format socialize with other fans.8 The cult fans of Rocky Horror therefore exemplify and live shows, HDTGM combines public and private viewing and discussion Sconce’s ideas regarding the willingness of fans to put work into viewing cult practices into a format that both embraces the technological availability of flms that they would not otherwise have to do with mainstream cinema. flms in the twenty-frst century, and creates a cult-like sense of solidarity Elena Gorfnkel also discusses the viewing practices of cult fans as she among the hosts and listeners alike. describes the apparent lack of quality in many cult flms. Gorfnkel argues There is an inherently private aspect to HDTGM, attributable to the that the lack of quality is an indicator of the limited means available during podcast form as a whole. Episodes are released online for listeners to production and allows fans to read the flms as being resistant to the dominant download, and it is generally assumed that most people listen to the podcast Hollywood mode of production.9 Cult fans would embrace the poor quality while doing solitary activities. That most listeners perform solitary activities and poorly constructed narratives as fragments of a flm, and to make sense while listening is often found to be a source of comedic fodder on HDTGM. or create enjoyment out of this “fragmentation,” would insert themselves In one episode featuring a live recording discussion of Hell Comes to Frogtown into the screening by throwing props or creating lines of dialogue.10 Much (1988), guest host Natasha Leggero pointed out that an audience member like with Sconce fnding solidarity among his Eraserhead-loving friends—a was knitting. This prompted Mantzoukas to joke that he would like to see flm which they believed mass audiences would not understand—Gorfnkel people “come to the live podcast and do what they do when they listen to the posits that this positioning of oneself against dominant cinema is part of the podcast,” such as folding laundry or exercising. The format of the podcast is cult flm’s appeal.11 based around the idea that people consume them alone, such that someone Based on the ideas of cult cinema held by Sconce, Austin, and Gorfnkel, one doing the tasks they normally do at home and alone at a live episode is can argue that a unifying factor in cult flms from the 1970s is the formation of considered out of place, pointed out and discussed by the hosts. a community around cult cinema through theatrical screenings. Cult movies, There is also the assumption that listeners watch the movies discussed however, were “on the wane by the late 1970s,” partially due to the rise of at- on the show privately, as the majority of the chosen flms are not regularly home viewing possibilities.12 In 1977, the frst feature length flm was released on screened in theatres at the time of the recording. As a result, if listeners wish VHS and Betamax formats, and by 1985 the frst Blockbuster video rental store to watch a movie in anticipation of its episode, they will have to search it had opened.13 In 2003, DVDs outsold VHS tapes for the frst time, and by 2013 out to watch on DVD or through a streaming platform. Those who have not DVD sales had decreased by three billions dollars over four years as streaming watched the flm before are given a review at the end of the episode by each services had begun to attract more customers.14 Indeed, as Sconce indicated host on whether or not the flm is worth watching. In some episodes, such about streaming possibilities, in the twenty frst century, “there have never been as those on Hard Ticket To Hawaii (1987) and The Jazz Singer (1980), the hosts’ more opportunities to sample the entirety of flm history” ;it is therefore difcult recommendations are based on the convenience of a flm being available to qualify a flm as cult according to the standards of the 1970s, as the means of on YouTube, or the viewer’s ability to fast-forward through segments of the consuming cult flms have since shifted from theatrical screenings, to VHS, to flm. These recommendations are based on convenience, therefore posing a DVD, and now to streaming services.15 contrast to the screening practices of a 1970s midnight movie, which required One way to broaden the idea of cult is to look at how podcasts about a certain amount of work in attending. As will be explored later, however, flms have the potential to provide cult-like communal experiences despite work is put into the podcast by fans in other ways. their more private consumption practices. How Did This Get Made? (HDTGM) In addition to podcast listeners consuming the podcast and the flms privately, is a bi-weekly comedy podcast in which comedians Paul Scheer, June it is also often noted how the hosts have watched the flm. In an episode on Jason Diane Raphael, and Jason Mantzoukas discuss and joke about movies that X (2001), Scheer joked about watching the flm on his iPad on a plane, and was are “so bad” they are “amazing,” according to the podcast’s description on embarrassed of watching in a public setting, in contrast to his usual method of iTunes. Two of the frequent qualifers for a flm ‘so bad it’s good’ are actors’ viewing the flms in the privacy of his own home. The oddness of viewing these exaggerated performances and incoherent narratives, but as will be explored, flms in a public setting is also noted in a discussion of xXx: Return of Xander there are many diferent ways the hosts discuss fnding enjoyment in the flms. Cage (2017), one of the rare occasions in which the podcast was recorded shortly The show has regular segments such as “Second Opinions,” where Scheer after the flm’s theatrical release. Although the hosts’ consumption is not part of reads fve-star reviews for a flm from Amazon.com. On a semi-regular basis, the content of the flm, their experiences watching it in theatres was discussed
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considerably on the show. This indicates that the cult cinema’s public form of watching the flm, if at all, as it does not afect their participation in the consumption is notably diferent from that of mainstream cinema, at least to the enjoyment of the podcast. point that it is deemed worthy of discussion. While some listeners may not watch the flms, the podcast still models fan While there are a number of private components to the podcast, however, engagement in a similar way to the involvement of cult flm fans. Following there is also a public aspect that allows the communal sense of solidarity Gorfnkel’s ideas regarding the fragmented nature of cult flms, one can argue among listeners and hosts to thrive. Similar to the fans of 1970s cult flms who that fan experiences are a way to blend individual viewing experiences with brought props, dressed up in costume and otherwise put some form of work the content of the flm, and that this is part of what garners a movie its cult into their viewing of the flm, HDTGM live show attendees also frequently following.17 HDTGM follows a similar principle by taking the fragmented involve themselves in the show and the flms discussed. In the question-and- pieces of a bad movie and constructing jokes and discussions around them. answer segments on episodes such as Hard Ticket To Hawaii (1987), Solarbabies One such example occurs in the live-recorded episode on Bloodsport (1988), (1986), and The Avengers (1998), Scheer states that he chooses audience during which fans chanted “Kumite,” the fctional martial arts fghting members who have made notes and thus have clearly prepared for the show. tournament from the flm. In other live episodes since, such as Hard Ticket In the episode discussing The Shadow (1994), Scheer goes to people in the to Hawaii, fans can be heard chanting “Kumite,” and in the ofcial HDTGM audience wearing homemade HDTGM shirts or have fan art with them. Each store, there is a “Kumite” shirt for sale. This ‘fragmented’ piece of the flm has live episode also features a “Second Opinions” theme song sung live by a become a frequent reference within the podcast, and much like the cult flm member of the audience. In these cases, audience members have consumed audience that enjoys the movies not based on the content but on their own some aspect of the podcast or the flm privately and then have put in work to experiences, HDTGM fans can reference Bloodsport regardless of whether or display their appreciation and enjoyment publicly. not they care to watch the flm. In addition, there are also a number of ways in which listeners who do Similarly, the podcast makes repeated references to the flm Jacob’s Ladder not attend live shows are able to participate in the podcast. Earwolf, the (1990). According to a user-made list on the website Letterboxd cataloguing network that hosts HDTGM, has a forum on its website where fans can every flm that has been mentioned on HDTGM—another indication of discuss podcasts on message boards. Some of these discussions indicate the the work fans are willing to put into the podcast—Jacob’s Ladder was frst work that fans are willing to put into their enjoyment of the podcast. One referenced in the eightieth episode during a discussion on Jack Frost (1998).18 thread from September 2015 remains regularly updated, featuring listeners Although the flm has never been ofcially selected for an episode on HDTGM, who have searched and listed the Rotten Tomatoes critic scores for all of it has since become a recurring joke whereby Mantzoukas posits that the flm the flms.16 Additionally, between episodes of HDTGM are ‘mini’ episodes being discussed in an episode is similar to the plot of Jacob’s Ladder, in which wherein Scheer receives calls from fans. Often these calls involve listeners the flm’s scenarios play out in a character’s imagination as they are dying. asking questions about a flm or the podcast as a whole, but some callers Because of this reference, the flm has become so associated with the podcast discuss personal matters. On the November 17, 2017 episode, Scheer received that an article from Decider about Jacob’s Ladder’s addition into the catalogue a call from someone on his wedding night who had proposed to his girlfriend of online streaming service Hulu is explicitly addressed to HDTGM fans.19 at a live show the previous year. In the same episode, a man called to ask for Additionally, the joke has been repeated to the point of being somewhat advice on his relationship and career. Through the message boards and the overplayed, as evidenced by the 168th episode of the podcast, released more phone hotline, it is clear that even listeners who do not attend live shows have than three years after the initial reference, wherein an audience member other opportunities for engagement and participation. suggests that the flm in question is a “Jacob’s Ladder scenario.” Mantzoukas One major diference between HDTGM listeners and audience members exasperatedly replies that he has “really backed [himself] into this” reference who attended cult flm screenings in the 1970s is the ability to participate as people continually bring it up over and over again. despite having not watched the flms. As noted, at the end of each episode One notable aspect of cult flm is the involvement that fans feel with the text the hosts state whether or not they would recommend the flm, indicating and how they exhibit this attachment. As Sconce divulged, he cannot “imagine an awareness of listeners who have not seen it. This practice—along with the that he will ever care as much about a movie as [he] did about Eraserhead in recommendations based on convenience—demonstrates that while cult flm 1977.”20 For podcasts, this care and involvement can be seen in how fans take attendees watch the flms as endemic to their participation in screenings, on aspects of the podcast in their personal lives. One of the running jokes on HDTGM listeners can choose how much work they are willing to put into the podcast, which has been turned into a shirt for sale on the ofcial HDTGM
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store, is a listener being “the Jason of his friend group.” This statement came from this flm on the podcast because it is so good. On the episode for The Fate an audience member in the episode on The Shadow during the question-and- of the Furious (2017), before Scheer begins the “Second Opinions” segment, answer segment. In other episodes, audience members play with this concept Mantzoukas immediately states that he would give the flm fve stars. Though of running jokes, such as the xXx episode in which an attendee says she is the these instances are not indicative of the overall tone of the podcast or its ‘June’ of her group. Although these remarks are made in jest, they indicate that concern with bad movies, they do reveal how the hosts are able to embrace fans feel an attachment to the podcast in relating aspects of their own lives to the movies that are not conventional examples of mainstream high-quality dynamics they hear on a bi-weekly basis. cinema, much like cult fans. The hosts often reciprocate the involvement and attachment that The implication that HDTGM hosts and fans could position themselves listeners feel towards the podcast. On January 19, 2017, a special episode of in the majority more often than not, while cult flm fans are in the minority, is HDTGM was released in which Scheer discussed the recent announcement also complicated by the question of how much either group creates a sense of that HDTGM, and all Earwolf network podcasts, would become part of the solidarity around the flm texts. Though cult audiences may enjoy the content Howl streaming service and, as a result, older episodes would be available of their flms in a way that the HDTGM hosts do not feel about every flm they only to those who pay a subscription fee. He stated that he does not feel the watch, it is primarily because of the “repeated regular screenings,” not the situation is entirely fair and tells listeners he has worked out a deal so that content of the flms, that there becomes a “build up of a regular, returning the last year’s worth of episodes will be available, and every few months they audience which characterizes the cult phenomenon.”21 Similarly, whether will also add twenty-fve older episodes as chosen by fans. Scheer clearly any given HDTGM episode has a primarily positive or negative tone is largely acknowledges the attachment listeners have towards the show and that fans irrelevant because of the enthusiasm and involvement regular listeners feel may want to revisit some older episodes and listen again. He also encourages toward the show regardless of the episode’s flm. This allows “Kumite” or further involvement by having fans decide which twenty-fve episodes they the Jacob’s Ladder scenario to be popularized among fans, printed on shirts, would like to have available next. and brought up for discussion at live shows that do not concern the flm the One of the ways that cult flm spectatorship creates solidarity among its reference was originally seen in. audience is by positioning itself against mainstream flms and their forms Due to the importance of the exhibition practices of a flm achieving cult of spectatorship. Cult cinema fans create a community around the idea that status, one can argue that the rise of home viewing possibilities has hindered they are enjoying or appreciating a flm that most other people would not the opportunity for cult flm experiences akin to those of midnight movie understand. They take on a minority identity against the perceived majority screenings in the 1970s as with Eraserhead and Rocky Horror. With modern of dominant cinema. This is one of the ways in which HDTGM difers from technology, flms—even those outside of mainstream cinema—are easily a cult cinema fan base. As part of the “Second Opinions” segment, the hosts accessible, and streaming services allow people to consume them privately. position themselves in the majority, and against the minority of people who Although this may be more convenient than waiting two hours in line once genuinely like the bad flms being discussed. Additionally, the hosts often a week for a flm, it limits the potential for a sense of solidarity to form joke about feeling as though they are forced into watching these flms. In around the viewing practice. However, with the rise of this kind of viewership the Solarbabies episode, Mantzoukas compared having to watch flms for technology, audiences like that of the How Did This Get Made? podcast have the podcast to being in prison, for exaggerated comedic efect. In the Jason X transformed their individual consumption practices of flms and podcast episode, Scheer jokes that watching the flm on a plane could be perceived episodes into a communal experience. While technology has made media as rejecting the quality flms ofered by the in-fight entertainment system. In like flms and podcasts more accessible, fans of the show put work into these cases, the hosts position themselves against the minority in a way cult their enjoyment in other ways, such as creating theme songs and shirts. In fans do not. live shows, online fan websites, and the regular podcast episodes, the hosts However, though a great deal of humour on HDTGM comes from and listeners are able to form bonds with each other that extend beyond mocking the flms, there are also many occasions when the hosts praise discussions of the flms. All of these aspects indicate Sconce may have no the flms discussed for being enjoyable, even good. In the episode on The need to fear that having access to so many flms will mean he will care “so little Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012), there was consensus that the flm was more about any of them.”22 Although the years when cult flms thrived in theatres emotionally resonant than Scheer, Mantzoukas, or Raphael expected. In the may be over, the solidarity created among cult fans has not disappeared, but Face/Of (1997) episode, Mantzoukas jokes that they should not be covering has merely shifted formats.
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Notes Bibliography
1 Sconce et al., ‘CULT CINEMA’. 48. ‘All Movies Referenced on How Did This Get Made?’ Accessed 29 November 2 Sconce et al., 48. 2017. https://letterboxd.com/wallacewells19/list/all-movies-referenced- 3 Sconce et al., 48. on-how-did-this-get/. 4 Sconce et al., 48. Austin, Bruce A. ‘Portrait of a Cult Film Audience: The Rocky Horror Picture 5 Sconce et al.,t 49. Show’. In The Cult Film Reader, edited by Ernest Mathijs and Xavier 6 Sconce et al., 49. Mendik, 392–402. Open University Press/McGraw-Hill Education, 2008. 7 Austin, ‘Portrait of a Cult Film Audience: The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ Epstein, Eli. ‘The Evolution of Video, from Technicolor to Streaming to 4K’. 394, 395, 400. Mashable. Accessed 28 November 2017. http://mashable.com/2015/01/09/ 8 Austin, 400-1. ces-tech-video/. 9 Gorfnkel, ‘Cult Film or Cinephilia by Any Other Name,’ 36. Gorfnkel, Elena. ‘Cult Film or Cinephilia by Any Other Name’. Cinéaste 34, 10 Austin, 395. no. 1 (2008): 33–38. 11 Sconce et al., 48; Gorfnkel, 37. ‘HTGM Movies and Their RT Scores - Earwolf Forums’. Accessed 28 12 Gorfnkel, 36. November 2017. http://forum.earwolf.com/topic/25474-htgm-movies- 13 Epstein, ‘The Evolution of Video, from Technicolor to Streaming to 4K’. and-their-rt-scores/. 14 Epstein. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Fate of the Furious” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf 15 Sconce et al., 48. Network, April 28, 2017. Web. November 28, 2017. 16 ‘HTGM Movies and Their RT Scores - Earwolf Forums’. Scheer, Paul, et al. “The Jazz Singer” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf 17 Gorfnkel, 36. Network, November 24, 2017. Web. November 28, 2017. 18 ‘All Movies Referenced on How Did This Get Made?’ Scheer, Paul, et al. “Jason X” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, 19 White, ‘Hey ‘How Did This Get Made?’ October 22, 2017. Web. November 28, 2017. 20 Sconce et al., 49. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Hard Ticket to Hawaii” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf 21 Austin, 394-5. Network, August 4, 2017. Web. November 28, 2017. 22 Sconce et al., 49. Scheer, Paul, et al. “xXx: Return of Xander Cage” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, February 17, 2017. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “The Shadow” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, July 22, 2016. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “The Avengers” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, May 27, 2016. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Hell Comes To Frogtown” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, May 13, 2016. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Solarbabies” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, April 29, 2016. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Bloodsport” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, March 23, 2016. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “Face/Of” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, May 1, 2015. Web. November 28, 2017. Scheer, Paul, et al. “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” How Did This Get Made? Earwolf Network, January 22, 2013. Web. November 28, 2017.
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Sconce, Jefrey, Joe Bob Briggs, J. Hoberman, Damien Love, Tim Lucas, Danny Peary, and Peter Stanfeld. ‘CULT CINEMA: A CRITICAL SYMPOSIUM’. Cinéaste 34, no. 1 (2008): 43–50. White, Brett. ‘Hey “How Did This Get Made?” Fans: “Jacob”s Ladder’ Is Now On Hulu’. Decider (blog), 1 November 2017. https://decider. com/2017/11/01/hey-how-did-this-get-made-fans-jacobs-ladder-is-now- on-hulu/.
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