TIME WARP: THE GREATEST CULT FILMS OF ALL-TIME: VOL. 1: MIDNIGHT MADNESS (2020) ****

Usually, these nostalgic documentaries on cult movies are empty, clip-driven affairs that play like a greatest hits compilation of memorable and iconic moments from the films featured.  Either that, or they employ a lot of talking heads that really have nothing to do with the movie and offer very little insight and/or regurgitate stuff you already knew about said pictures.  What makes Time Warp:  The Greatest Cult Films of All-Time:  Vol. 1:  Midnight Madness a treat for fans is that they were able to convince a LOT of the major players to come onboard and reminisce about the making of some of your favorite films.  I’m sure you would expect a movie like The Big Lebowski to be on a list like this.  However, the fact they got The Dude himself, Jeff Bridges to wax philosophical about the movie and the character really sets this compilation apart from other similar ventures.  

I also liked the framing sequences that feature the host, Gremlins director Joe Dante and a panel of guests that include Illeana Douglas, Kevin Pollack, and the incomparable John Waters who give commentary and lend their expertise to the films.  Their participation further cements Time Warp’s place among the premiere cult movie documentaries of all time.  Heck, I could’ve just listened to Waters all by himself gushing on and on about the movies.  

This first (of three) entry focuses primarily on Midnight Movies.  Many of the inclusions aren’t surprising, but there’s a lot more attention paid to what makes these movies so special to their particular audience than most docs provide.  The movies include The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Big Lebowski, Coffy, Foxy Brown, Reefer Madness, Freaks, Eraserhead, Pink Flamingos, Harold and Maude, This is Spinal Tap, Faster, Pussycat!  Kill!  Kill!, The Decline of Western Civilization, Assault on Precinct 13, The Naked Kiss, The Warriors, and Point Break.  The only one I really scratched my head at was Point Break, but other than that, Time Warp is a great primer for viewers looking to get into cult movies as well as fans who know most of these classics by heart.