Inversion of religious symbols, such as desecrated altars or distorted crucifixes, is a common visual shorthand for the presence of evil. The Evolution: Realism vs. Supernatural
The modern evil cult movie found its footing in the late 1960s. Two seminal films, (1968) and The Devil Rides Out (1968), popularized the concept of "urban" and "satanic" horror. While Rosemary’s Baby focused on the claustrophobia of a New York apartment building where your friendly elderly neighbors are literal devil worshippers, The Devil Rides Out leaned into the high-occult drama of Hammer Horror. evil cult movie
What makes a "cult movie" about an actual cult? Writers and directors often rely on several recurring narrative devices: Inversion of religious symbols, such as desecrated altars
Today, the subgenre is thriving under the "A24 style" of horror. (2019) turned the genre on its head by setting its cult horror in broad, bright daylight, while The Invitation (2015) used a simple dinner party to build unbearable tension. Two seminal films, (1968) and The Devil Rides