In the tradition of the American midnight movie staple, Turner Classic Movies launched a series five years ago to appeal to younger audiences who were seeking a more askew observation of classic cinema for late-night programming.
What viewers got was the cult film program, TCM Underground.
The inauguration couldn’t have been more perfectly timed or planned for the subject matter. On Friday the 13th 2006, two and a half weeks before Halloween, viewers were exposed to the world of untraditional standards not normally seen in mainstream cinema – transgressive values and controversial themes for entertainment purposes – some of the many personifications of cult cinema.
As a product of grindhouse influence, musician and filmmaker Rob Zombie hosted the show, disbursing his knowledge of these subversive classics from his experiences at New York’s 42nd Street, drive-in theatres and anything else outside of mainstream pictures, until his departure less than two months after TCM Underground's premiere.
No host has replaced Zombie since.
Raygun, a company that centers on an energetic, edgy and unique vision for all medium from live action to photography, motion design, art direction, animation and music videos, produced the advertising campaign and opening sequences for TCM Underground.
Describing it on their website as “footage of a gritty urban landscape, walls that come alive, classic cult film clips, these spots take the viewer on a powerful journey to spread the news that the cult of cult film is coming to TCM.
Broadcasting low-budget genre films that range from a multi-hue of colourful subgenres, this step outside of the mundane TCM film presentations has expanded TCM’s appeal beyond their focal audience. It has been going strong every week since, with the exception of days with special significance (civic holidays, 31 Days of Oscars, Summer Under the Stars etc.).
TCM provokes the suggestion to the viewer that they are paying homage to grindhouse or drive-in double features, bi-weekly playing a double-bill with two films that share a similar subject.
These socially infringing films have become more conventional over the years, attracting the masses by mainstream filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino, Robert Rodriguez and Rob Zombie.
TCM Underground has provided some of the most imaginative cult films, bringing to light obscure gems and unearthing relics of the past.
Whether you’re a newcomer looking for camp fare or a veteran of cult cinema looking for nostalgia, TCM Underground has something for everybody, starting around 2 am every Friday night.
Sources
- TCM Underground
- TCM Movie News
- Raygun
- Alexander, Dave. “Trailer Trash Madmen” Rue Morgue. Apr. 2007
Matthew McPhee - Matthew is currently a second year journalism student. He is also a reporter for both the Durham College Chronicle and Downtown Oshawa ...
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