What Is a “Midnight Movie”?
Midnight movies are films shown in theaters around midnight, or late at night. Such films veer away from the ordinary, mainstream, or mass popularity. Cult, fringe, low-budget, or non-conformist cinema, are the hallmark traits of midnight films. There is a unique community and culture built around the viewing experience, making the entire atmosphere captivating.
Historical Beginnings and Growth
Televisions Early Years (1950s–60s)
The idea of midnight movies started with the late-night shows on television in the 1950s and 60s. Science fiction, horror, and B-movies were popular, albeit cheap, and so local television stations started using them to fill late-night slots. The late-night show model began these forms of television, and developed a dedicated viewer base. The bizarre movies and the comedic or spooky hosts created an entertaining package. This communal method of viewing TV set the stage for the rise of the theatrical midnight movie.
Theatrical Emergence: The Case of El Topo
Theatrical conventions transformed with ‘midnight movies’ in Western cinemas. It started with Alejandro Jodorowsky’s surrealist Western El Topo, an unconventional movie filled with violence, spirituality, and symbolism, which premiered in New York’s Elgin Theater. It captivated most and in a short span of time, gained the reputation of a cult and garnered demand.
Growth in the 1970s
With the ongoing success and concept of a ‘midnight movie,’ other films such as The Pink Flamingos, Eraserhead, Fritz the Cat, and Night of the Living Dead gained recognition and were widely accepted. Waters’ grotesque and mocking film garnered a lot of success too. The films and content being produced were of broad genre and even experimental which were eagerly accepted into the night slots as the audience craved chaos and outrageous concepts paired with the freedom of staying up.
Cultural Explosion: The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is arguably the most iconic example of a ‘midnight movie.’ It started showing in 1976 and it remains a pop culture sensation to this day. It gave fans the ability to go to the movie theater in costumes, quote the movie, use props, and perform in front of the screen—all of which movie-goers did in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The shift of getting cinema-goers to scream, act, and shout was a shift away from the movie itself to the community. It was a ritual.
Key Themes and Cultural Impact
Rebellion and Counterculture
The midnight movie genre was a form of rebellion in itself, as it was fully bypassed the conventions of mainstream movie-making storytelling. The production, censorship, and value was of no standard. It leaned fully into the grotesque and absurd, which was a critical highlight of this genre. For a generation frustrated and anxious due to disillusionment, it gave them the comfort that they deeply longed for.
Cult Community
Cult films became widespread with the aid of the underground midnight movie scene. These films would often have a small audience that would remain devoted for them. It was not just a ritual but a community. The LGBTQ+ audience, punks, and goths would come together and over time, an inside joke connected the movie-goers. It was a form of belonging and acceptance.
Low Budget, High Creativity
Most midnight films have a common trait; they were made with constrained budgets. However, those monetary limits always riled up more creativity. Filmmakers used inventive visuals, practical effects, and shocking concepts or ideas. These filmmakers were not beholden to commercial demands and, because of that, had the freedom to experiment and push boundaries.
Independent Cinema’s Lifeline
Midnight movies, for decades, became a medium through which independent filmmakers showcased their work. These films did not require massive box office numbers or ticket sales. As long as they had a passionate niche audience, they were good to go. And these films did find passionate, niche audiences. Many directors, such as David Lynch and John Waters, began or found their voice through the midnight circuit.
Iconic Midnight Movies
El Topo – The film that began the midnight phenomenon, blending surrealism, mysticism, and western.
Pink Flamingos – Infamous for its shocking content, it became a staple of underground cinema.
Eraserhead – Lynch’s haunting, nightmarish debut, whose disturbing imagery and tone resonated greatly with the midnight crowd.
Night of the Living Dead – A revolutionary zombie film that found a second life in the midnight circuit.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show – The crown jewel that turned it’s screening into costume filled, interactive parties.
Repo Man, Liquid Sky, Faster; Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Donnie Darko and The Room are some notable films that joined the midnight tradition and gained recognition for their films.
The Decline and Transformation
The emergence of home video, included with cable television and changing consumer habits, contributed heavily to the decline of theaters in the late 1980’s and early 90’s. During this time, people no longer needed to wait till midnight to watch something unusual. The spirit of midnight movies lived on in late night television, VHS, and bootleg tapes.
The 2000’s saw revival screenings that allowed independent cinemas to replace the tradition, injecting the midnight spirit into these theaters. New generations began to enjoy special screenings of classics like The Room or Rocky Horror, and they’ve become cultural events. Today, the programming is a staple in genre film festivals around the world.
Modern midnight movies have further evolved.
While independent cinemas host midnight screenings of cult classic films, these are now a global tradition in their own right. The term midnight movie is now a state of mind. Although streaming services make the films easy to access, there is still unmatched power in in-house midnight screenings.
Prominent film festivals, such as the Toronto International Film Festival, have a section called “Midnight Madness” which focuses on strange and new horror-themed films. This film continues to meet expectations in the same manner as its predecessors: by creatively and innovatively expanding cinematic and story-telling techniques.
Conclusion
The tradition of midnight viewing shouldn’t be dismissed as a peculiar custom. This phenomenon completely transformed the manner in which films are viewed. It provided a platform for outsider filmmakers, cultivated devoted communities, and shifted the paradigm of what cinema could be. It doesn’t matter if you are watching a weird Western in the 70s, hurling slices of bread at the screen during The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or laughing along with a crowd at Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. The concept of midnight movies extends beyond mere enjoyment. It serves as the joyous commemoration of the odd, shared among those at the margins of society, and the undying influence of unconventional narrative cinema.
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