Top 20 Cult Comedies You NEED to See

This movie is quite the trip — several of them, actually. Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo ride into Las Vegas, ostensibly to write an article on a motorcycle race. However, they wind up spending most of their money on a variety of drugs. The duo spends the majority of the film veering between confusion and paranoia due to their substance-induced hallucinations. The film was met with mixed reception upon release and performed poorly at the box office. But the Terry Gilliam tale has gained popularity over the years, particularly among those who might enjoy taking trips of their own.

You’ll find bored people who will do anything to spice up their work in nearly any profession. “Super Troopers” follows a group of highway patrol officers who are more interested in practical jokes than doing their jobs. Although a chance to catch some big-time criminals could help save their failing department, they take it about as seriously as they do anything else. A favorite among the — shall we say — altered state — crowd, “Super Troopers” is loaded with hysterical and quotable moments. It’s a cult movie to be rewatched and enjoyed from “meow” to eternity.

To those in love, age is just a number. Even so, back in the seventies, a romantic black comedy featuring a young man and an elderly woman was a bit much to swallow for general audiences. Harold’s obsession with all things morbid and Maude’s sunny outlook on life — and disregard for the law — help make this strange cocktail of a film an acquired taste for some. Yet even so, much like Harold’s romance with Maude, it’s surprisingly sweet. It charmed audiences years after its release, going on to become profitable over a decade later. “Harold and Maude” may be as untraditional as its two leads, but the film has become a true love for many viewers.

Raunchy teen comedies may have peaked with “Wet Hot American Summer.” The film follows a group of counselors on the last day at Camp Firewood. It may have crashed critically and commercially upon initial release, but the movie has acquired fans who return like campers year after year. Most of its cast would go on to bigger and better things, including now recognizable stars like Bradley Cooper, Elizabeth Banks, and Amy Poehler. Along with revived interest from a couple Netflix spin-offs, this has helped cement its reputation as a quintessential teen flick. And we can’t believe Paul Rudd still looks basically the same.

With its awkward, breathy-voiced titular character and the barest semblance of a plot, there’s no question why “Napoleon Dynamite” wasn’t exactly mainstream when it was released. Yet there’s something undeniably appealing about Napoleon and his quirky friends and family. So many scenes contain unforgettable lines and iconic costumes. Plus, we’re pretty sure every high schooler at the time tried to learn that epic dance to get elected student president. Whether you’re a Rex Kwon Do master or your mom goes to college, “Napoleon Dynamite” is sure to make your hands and your heart happy.

Director Mel Brooks has one of the most extensive catalogs of cult favorite comedy films. Our pick for this list goes to the “Star Wars” sendup “Spaceballs.” Although it features several other movie references, “Spaceballs” centers its target on “Star Wars” in telling the story of Lone Starr’s attempt to rescue Princess Vespa from the evil Dark Helmet. The film is a veritable buffet of comedic bits, featuring practically every kind of joke you can imagine. Lone Starr and Dark Helmet may be absolutely nothing to each other, but to its fans, “Spaceballs” is a movie that needs to be watched and rewatched at ludicrous speed!

Christopher Guest is a creative whose films tend to develop cult followings. Arguably the most devoted of these is for “Best in Show.” A mockumentary film that follows contestants at a dog show, the eccentricities of the human owners tend to outshine the competing pups. With quotable dialogue that’s largely improvised by the performers, this movie is one you can enjoy dozens of times over and still find new things to laugh at. The cast of comedic heavyweights includes Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara, Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Lynch, and Fred Willard. “Best in Show” always puts its best foot forward, even if both of them are left feet!

A flop upon its release, “Heathers” deliberately eschewed the optimistic teen films of its time to be a pitch-black comedy. Veronica is a teenage girl whose tyrannical friend group, the eponymous trio of Heathers, are the envy and worship of the whole school. After striking up a relationship with J.D., Veronica is disturbed when her new beau has decidedly lethal intentions when helping her get back at her gang. “Heathers” has developed not only a cult following, but its tone has influenced teen movies for decades. It has even been credited with the invention of certain slang phrases — keep that in mind next time you call something righteous.

It may not have exploded like a Bob-omb at the box office, but fans can’t get enough of “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” Director Edgar Wright brought his inventive direction to his adaptation of the graphic novel series. The titular hero is pitted against his new girlfriend Ramona’s seven evil exes, making for an incredible mashup of a rom-com and an action movie. There are fights, laughs, romance, and music galore — plus a veritable who’s who of up-and-coming actors. Despite all this, it couldn’t recoup its budget at the box office at the time. It was definitely ahead of its time.

Those looking for a comedy with a lot of plot or a central protagonist probably weren’t sure what to make of this coming-of-age film. The ensemble of high schoolers — and Wooderson — all engage in typical teenage behavior throughout the film. They haze each other, get into trouble, throw parties, and generally hang out. Reviews at the time were generally positive, but the box office was a disappointment. The Richard Linklater film developed quite the following on home video. It perfectly captures a lot about the teenage experience, has a stacked soundtrack, and provides some unforgettable performances by actors before they got their big breaks. For those looking to take it easy, “Dazed and Confused” is an absolute vibe.

Mockumentary films tend to be cult favorites, and “What We Do in the Shadows” puts a horrifically funny spin on the subject of monsters. The movie follows a group of vampires living together in New Zealand. A film crew documents their lives as they contend with werewolves, modern technology, and petty roommate squabbles. All the characters’ individual quirks play against each other wonderfully, and the special effects have a surprising charm for such a low budget production. Given its unique premise and hauntingly hilarious comedy throughout, it’s no wonder it produced two television spin-offs and helped launch the career of Taika Waititi.

Based on a recurring “Saturday Night Live” sketch, “The Blues Brothers” sees Jake and Elwood Blues on a mission from God to save the orphanage where they were raised. They attempt to do so by reuniting their old band. However, their attempts to make enough money are complicated by their run-ins with the law and various other misadventures. While quite successful at the box office, “The Blues Brothers'' also became a late-night staple on television. This helped it develop a devoted fan base along with its catchy songs, artist appearances, and iconic costumes.

This surprise indie hit follows a day in the life of Dante and Randal, two retail clerks at a convenience store and video rental shop, respectively. The scrappy film cost under $28,000 to shoot, but would go on to gross over $4 million in theaters. The naturalistic dialogue and dozens of quotable lines have helped “Clerks” earn a ravenous cult following. Plus, “Clerks” launched the career of director Kevin Smith and led to numerous spin-offs and sequels in his shared universe of films. Not bad for a movie about a guy who wasn’t even supposed to be there that day!

It was really tempting to choose “Hot Fuzz,” another film in Edgar Wright’s Cornetto trilogy, for this list. However, its action movie trappings and comparable financial success make it a bit more mainstream. “Shaun of the Dead,” on the other hand, is a loving parody of zombie movies, which are often cult movies in their own rights. Its unmotivated protagonist attempts to survive the undead apocalypse, win over his ex-girlfriend, and do some growing up in the process. The gags are as omnipresent as Wright’s rapid-fire directorial style and Simon Pegg and Nick Frost’s legendary chemistry. Fans everywhere are convinced it’s a slice of fried gold, and we’re hard pressed to disagree.

Few movies before or since manage to cut to the heart of corporate office work quite like this one. “Office Space” follows Peter Gibbons and his fellow downtrodden office workers at software company Initech. The film’s biting satire of all the little irritating things about working in an office — from malfunctioning printers to micromanaging bosses — are all extremely relatable for anyone who’s ever had a white-collar job. “Office Space” flopped in theaters. But its success on video and its countless meme-worthy moments right as the Internet began taking off has ensured its place in pop culture history.

The true monarch of midnight movies, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a sci-fi comedy horror musical like no other. In the film, Janet and Brad find themselves at a castle populated by eccentric characters — and the night only gets stranger. While initially ignored by critics and general audiences, “Rocky Horror” gradually developed into an underground movie phenomenon. Screenings are still held around the world, usually around Halloween. Fans dress up as characters, act out the film alongside it, and generally get into the campy spirit. With just a jump to the left or a step to the right, we could easily see “Rocky Horror” as one of the biggest cult films ever made.

When it was first released, “The Princess Bride” probably looked like any other lighthearted fantasy film. But its legacy has grown to be one of the most beloved films of all time. Not only does it have a little bit of everything — fencing, fighting, revenge, giants, true love, miracles, et cetera — every scene and line is memorable. Fans love revisiting the tale of Wesley and Buttercup, whether it’s at home on a sick day or in theaters with other enthusiasts. And although it wasn’t a major box office success, it found its niche on home video. If you rounded up every “Princess Bride” fan, they could storm any castle in the world, no sweat!

This mockumentary classic follows England’s loudest rock band. The Rob Reiner film lampoons just about everything about rock bands, from the writing process to pretentious band members to their absurd excesses. Even the documentary format itself is up for parody, with the film credited for popularizing the mockumentary genre. Spinal Tap’s tour may be a disaster, but the real/fake band has garnered plenty of fans over the years. It also drew praise from critics and real-life rockers, including Dave Grohl, who once called it “the only rock movie worth watching.” “This is Spinal Tap” is a cult favorite that goes to 11 and beyond!

Every Monty Python offering has its merits, but the comedy troupe’s breakout hit internationally was definitely “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” The absurd take on King Arthur’s God-given quest mystified some audiences upon its initial release. However, its popularity has grown over time, to the point where it’s become one of the most influential comedy films of all time. By 2016, Empire magazine had it as one of the top 20 British films of all time. Practically every scene has been quoted or referenced throughout pop culture at some point. Some diehard fans have even memorized the whole thing.

The Coen Brothers have been at the helm of several cult favorite comedies. While “Raising Arizona” is also an underground favorite, it’s just edged out by “The Big Lebowski.” The Dude’s hilariously nonchalant turn as an amateur sleuth between bowling games is loaded from top to bottom with unforgettable characters and iconic lines. It’s just, like, our opinion, man that “The Big Lebowski” will probably live forever. Few if any other comedies on our list have spawned actual religious philosophies. Dudeism is real. The dude abides, and we take comfort in that.

Were we out of our element with any of our picks? Correct us with your favorites in the comments!