Cult films have a special place in American film nerds’ hearts. This documentary explores how cult films affect their fans and how they become so through interviews with fans, filmmakers, and a variety of speakers.
Written and directed by Bill Fulkerson and Kyle Kuchta, this documentary is a fun one to watch for film fans and cult film fans in particular. The subject of cult films is explorer from the point of views of film pundits and film fans mostly, exploring how films can become cult films and how some may take longer than others that become almost instant cult films (which may seem like something that may not make a lot of sense to some). Where the film does really well and takes itself apart from the rest is in the people they interview as they include some who have first end experience being involved in films that have become cult films.
People like Ted Raimi, Lloyd Kaufman, and Luigi Cozzi, all talking about what is a passion to them. This passion shows and gives the film its main point of interest for anyone watching it, whether big time film fans or casual viewers. Of course the film will most likely appeal mostly to the former while the later will find it more by happenstance most likely. That being said, the subject is approached with such interest from all the interviewees. As everyone shares their knowledge and gives their opinions, the viewer gets more and more into the subject while also learning a thing or two about different films.
Of course, the cult film crowd is not the only one involved in the interviews here with a few more active names speaking eloquently on camera about their passions, these include Jackson Stewart, Adam Green, and Robert V. Galluzzo, all names horror fans in particular will be familiar with. Here they add more information and show a bit of a fanboy side to themselves in what they say but that is something that connects with the viewer better as they will see themselves in some of what is being talked about and gushed about.
Survival of the Film Freaks is definitely a niche documentary, but it is a definitively fun one to watch and it contains enough information for even hardcore film fans to learn a few things while they watch the film. The way the film is shot makes it easy to watch and gives it a good veneer to help it appeal to more commercial crowds who will most likely find it later down the road, a bit like the films it covers as its central subject.