At
Plan9Crunch blog we have already reviewed the book, “TCM Underground: 50 Must-See Films From the World of Classic Cult and Late-night Cinema,” by TCMUnderground's Millie de Chirico (directly above) and film critic and writer Quatoyiah Murry (above middle).
We love this book and TCM Underground, which is can’t miss TV for us. Take your
pick: it’s either the Bible or Apocrypha of cult film fans. The book, from
runningpress.com and TCM's website, is for sale Oct. 25, 2022. It's a best-seller on Amazon right now! Don’t miss it. I was
thrilled to chat with both authors. – Doug Gibson
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What goes into selecting a film to air on TCM Underground? Is
there a group that meets to discuss films, or is it a one-person decision.
Do you work with filmmakers, or DVD/Blu-ray releasing companies; do they pitch
films? Or do you respond to viewers requests on website or Twitter ... I ask
that because for years I emailed TCM urging Andy Milligan to be represented.
MDC: It’s basically a one-person decision (me) but I’m very open to
suggestions from my co-workers and viewers. Sometimes filmmakers or rights
holders will pitch to me but I also come to them a lot, asking what they have
available. I wish I had more time to respond to viewer requests online but I do
make note of them.
QM: That’s all Millie working her magic behind the scenes! But
she’s a great collaborator who takes suggestions from various places. It’s
usually a question of rights and advanced planning, but I’ve been lucky to have
had a say in a few titles that have aired on TCM Underground. It’s a truly
sensational feeling when that happens!
I like how TCM Underground, and its book, have discovered
genres worthy of cults and TCM Underground inclusion beyond the traditional.
These include anime, shorts, Asian horror films, and so-called
"blaxploitation." Are there other film genres out there,
under-appreciated, that merit notice?
MDC: There’s a section in the book called Domestic Disturbances that focuses on movies that are basically melodramas with a twist, or dark dramas about families or relationships. I’m responsible for a lot of those entries in that section because I’m a big fan of melodrama. I feel that’s a genre that definitely deserves cult status. And it seems like they haven’t been included much in the canon over the years because cult has mostly been defined by genre movies like horror or action. Melodrama was also maligned for many years where they were thought of as just “women’s pictures” or soap operas, which maybe turned people off. But some of them can be really weird! SECRET CEREMONY (see a scene from that film below) is such a wild movie but was never presented to me as a cult film when I was growing up. Or maybe, these films get categorized as horror or slasher because of the violence (like BUTCHER, BAKER, NIGHTMARE MAKER) but at its core are basically melodramas.
QM: It was super cool getting to write about folk horror, which is a genre that I’m really intrigued by and love that it’s getting more attention from filmmakers and within film studies. Outside of the book though, my favorite underappreciated microgenre is probably techno-horror, where the film’s horror is technology related or connected, so films like Pulse (2001), Unfriended (2014), Host (2020), and VHS (2012). Generally found-footage horror has a special place in my heart too. I'd love to deep dive into it and write more about the genre someday.
I
enjoyed the book thoroughly. I'll read it often. But there are so many films
within TCM Underground. Could we see future editions of this book with other
films discussed and analyzed?
MDC: I hope so!
QM: That would be a dream come true!
Tell your friends and anyone who will listen to buy this one and maybe our
publishers will want a part two.
Just
like Danny Peary did two generations ago, you included films I learned about
for the first time, or hadn't realized were unique -- Secret Ceremony, Remember
My Name, are examples -- and had grown fan bases. "Little Darlings"
is another example. I saw it 40-plus years ago, thought it was interesting, and
hadn't thought of it since. Reading the chapter, I wonder if it could be made
today. What are some films released in the past generation that you think may
become TCM Underground films?
MDC: I think there are obviously now people who grew up in the 1990’s and 2000’s who are starting to look back into their youth and pluck out some of the weird movies they remember. If I had to make some guesses, I think something like HACKERS or THE NET would maybe become cult films -- you gotta love anything that tried to capitalize on those early internet days. There was also a lot of teen horror that came out in the late 90’s and early 2000’s that was trying to cash in on the SCREAM franchise but maybe weren’t as successful, which conceptually, is a good place for a movie to become a cult film. There was also a huge independent film scene in those days and there’s a lot of movies from it that are now out of print. It would be interesting to see what gets taken out of obscurity and restored. I can’t wait to see what’s next.
QM: Ooh that’s a great question. I think a lot of A24 films could be contenders considering how the company has amassed a cult fan base and each film creates its own pocket of fanatics. Personally, I could see a huge variety of films in the near future being options on TCM Underground. My wish list would be Palindromes (2004), Kids (1995), Gummo (1997), some Gregg Araki, a James Spader pic like Bad Influence (1990) or Jack’s Back (1988), Tales from the Hood (1995), and Belly (1998). A few of us behind the scenes at TCM love campy erotic thrillers, which is also another favorite microgenre of mine, so The Crush (1993) or Body of Evidence (1993) would be so wild to see on TCM Underground!
We appreciate both of you for taking the time to chat with Plan9Crunch blog and hope the book is a big success. On the evening of the book's publication, Oct. 25, 2022, TCM will air several of the films mentioned in the book, including "Secret Ceremony," "Mac and Me," "Emma Mae," and "Hausa."
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