Buzz
Beginning in the 1970s, late-night screenings of offbeat and cult classics became a cornerstone of indie theaters. The golden age of the midnight movie waned in the mid-80s, as cable TV and VCRs gained popularity, leading to a decline in independent cinemas. This list highlights ten of the most unforgettable Midnight Movies—some previously featured on Mytour—but now it's time to revisit these iconic films.
10. El Topo 1970
Alejandro Jodorowsky's avant-garde spaghetti Western is often credited as the film that birthed the midnight movie trend. El Topo ran for nine consecutive months at the Elgin Theater in New York City's Chelsea district, drawing packed crowds every night. After seeing the film multiple times, John Lennon persuaded Beatle manager Allen Klein to acquire the film through ABCKO Productions, leading to a theatrical release. Lennon and Yoko Ono later helped finance Jodorowsky's subsequent project, The Holy Mountain (1973).
9. Night of the Living Dead 1968
Director George Romero revolutionized the zombie genre with this iconic film. A group of survivors must defend themselves against the undead who crave human flesh. Romero's limited budget led to the decision to shoot in black and white, which gave the movie a documentary-like, authentic feel. Unlike the other films on this list, Night of the Living Dead was a commercial success upon its initial release. It later became a staple of the midnight movie circuit, largely because its original producers accidentally omitted the copyright notice, allowing it to enter the public domain.
8. The Harder They Come 1972
Reggae great Jimmy Cliff stars as an aspiring singer turned outlaw. Thanks to the cast’s strong Jamaican accents, this was one of the few English-language films released with subtitles. The movie was initially marketed by New World Pictures as a blaxploitation film without success. The Harder They Come became a staple on the midnight film circuit and, along with its influential soundtrack album, spurred the growing popularity of reggae music in America.
7. Reefer Madness 1936
To quote the film’s opening crawl: “The motion picture you are about to witness may startle you. It would not have been possible, otherwise, to sufficiently emphasize the frightful toll of the new drug menace which is destroying the youth of America in alarmingly increasing numbers. Marihuana is that drug – a violent narcotic – an unspeakable scourge – The Real Public Enemy Number One!” Financed by a church group as an anti-drug morality tale, Reefer Madness gained new life in the 70s as an unintentional comedy.
6. Pink Floyd The Wall 1982
Inspired by Pink Floyd's iconic 1979 album, The Wall features Bob Geldof as a disillusioned, exhausted rock star. The film mixes live-action sequences with surreal and disturbing animation by Gerald Scarfe. Director Alan Parker and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters had frequent clashes during production, with Waters criticizing the film as overly bleak, while Parker derided it as 'the most expensive student film ever made.' Despite the tension, The Wall became a cult classic. In a strange twist, a neo-Nazi group known as the Hammerskin Nation adopted a crossed hammer symbol from the film as their logo.
5. Freaks 1932
In this disturbing tale, trapeze artist Cleopatra marries the little person Hans and conspires with the strongman Hercules to murder him for his wealth. The other sideshow performers uncover the plot and retaliate violently. Director Tod Browning's decision to cast real-life sideshow performers (including conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton, human torso Prince Randian, and half-boy Johnny Eck) caused a scandal. After a disastrous test screening (in which one woman threatened legal action, claiming the film caused her miscarriage), MGM drastically cut the film from 90 minutes to just over an hour. Even with these cuts, Freaks was banned in the UK for three decades. Rediscovered by counterculture audiences, it eventually became a fixture of midnight screenings.
4. Harold and Maude 1971
This dark comedy was one of the first major studio films to gain a second life on the midnight movie circuit after a disappointing initial release. The story follows Harold (Bud Cort), a 19-year-old obsessed with death, who meets the lively septuagenarian Maude (Ruth Gordon) at a funeral and eventually falls in love. The film had such staying power at Minnesota’s Westgate Theater that both Gordon and Cort appeared to celebrate its two-year anniversary. In 2008, the American Film Institute ranked Harold and Maude as the 9th greatest romantic comedy of all time.
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show 1975
Experience the Time Warp once more in this iconic sci-fi musical, featuring a “sweet transsexual from Transylvania.” Known as the quintessential cult classic, Rocky Horror Picture Show has attracted loyal fans who return to theaters week after week. What makes the film stand out is its unique audience participation: viewers interact with the screen, dress as characters, and even reenact scenes using props. Some theaters have been screening this masterpiece non-stop for over three decades.
2. Pink Flamingos 1972
Transvestite performer Divine stars as Babs Johnson, vying for the title of the “Filthiest Person Alive.” In the infamous climax, Divine clinches the title by eating dog feces, a feat that was achieved without the aid of special effects. Director John Waters shared that one of his favorite reviews for the film was headlined, “Dregs of Human Perversity Draws Weirdo Element.” Some theaters even handed out Pink Phlegmingo vomit bags to attendees.
1. Eraserhead 1977
David Lynch’s groundbreaking debut, Eraserhead, is a nightmarish surreal horror film set to an industrial white noise soundtrack. Jack Nance plays the role of Henry Spencer, a factory worker faced with the challenge of raising a disturbing mutant child (said to have been created using a preserved calf fetus). Initially shown exclusively in midnight screenings, the film garnered the attention of Hollywood’s top directors, including Stanley Kubrick, George Lucas, and Mel Brooks, who later hired Lynch to direct The Elephant Man. Upon its release, Variety dubbed Eraserhead 'a sickening bad-taste exercise,' while three decades later, the New York Times hailed it as 'an amazing, still mysterious work.'
