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50 Best Cult Movies That Are a Must-Watch

By definition, a cult is a system of unquestioned devotion, usually directed towards a particular figure or object. The word comes from the Latin word, Cultus, which means worshipping a deity. Over time, the definition was expanded a bit, and in 1981, Robert Jay Lifton, a psychiatrist with the Harvard Mental Health Letter defined a charismatic leader blindly followed, coercive persuasion, and economic, sexual, and other forms of exploitation of members as the three typical characteristics of a cult. Generally speaking, the word cult has a negative connotation to it because of how brainwashed the followers end up being and even when you try to make them see why it is wrong, they are usually not so receptive. This list is about some of the best cult movies that you just must watch to get a deeper understanding of how cults work and how they recruit people. On the other hand, these movies make you wonder if indeed you鈥檇 be any different. If you were in a cult, would you actually recognize it and would you work so hard towards getting out of it? Here is a list of the 50 best cult movies that you have to give a try.

1. The Other Lamb- 2019

Apart from how messed up this movie is, it sheds light on how easily one can be in a cult and how hard you would fight for your freedom the moment it hits you it is being curtailed. This particular movie is about a cult of women who have only one male and this person is their leader and husband. They have to do what he asks and says, no matter how messed up and unhinged it is. They blindly follow him until one girl decides enough is enough and fight after she gets pregnant and the baby is killed.

2. The Black Cat- 1934

This 1934 film is considered the very first to depict cultism. The guru of horror films, Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff teamed up and decided to depict Satanism as a cult in a film. Karloff played the leader of a satanic group who precisely takes orders from a book known as, 鈥楾he Rites of Lucifer.鈥� You can of course imagine the chaos he manages to bring about. As he tries to sacrifice a beautiful blonde lady to satan during the season of the New Moon, Lugosi鈥檚 character comes in and saves the day. He is the hero and the protagonist after all.

3. The City of The Dead- 1960

鈥楥ity of the Dead鈥� is a classic and an oldie that also depicts cultism quite well. In this movie, a young female student becomes interested in the occult and hence decides to pay a visit to the fictional town of Whitewood in Massachusetts where a witch was burned at the stake in 1692. When she arrives, she realizes that witchcraft is actually very much alive in this town. Fun fact: The creepy incantation chanted by one of the characters in this movie, (鈥淚 have made my pact with thee O Lucifer! Hear me, hear me! I will do thy bidding for all eternity. For all eternity shall I practice the ritual of Black Mass. For all eternity shall I sacrifice unto thee. I give thee my soul, take me into thy service”) made it to be banned in several countries

4. Manos: The Hands of Fate- 1966

This film is another must-watch seeing as how it features a polygynous pagan cult based in Texas. Although it has been termed dumb by many even its directors, the plot is pretty good. A family gets lost driving around in the desert and ends up encountering a polygynous pagan cult led by a guy calling himself 鈥楾he Master.鈥� The family senses the danger and tries to free themselves from the weirdo who holds their fate. As much as it has this serious theme it has some funny streaks here and there.

5. Rosemary鈥檚 Baby- 1968

A coven that practices satanism wants to take Rosemary鈥檚 newborn baby away and she fights for her baby. Played by Mia Farrow, she gives a really convincing performance and her paranoia and tricky situation is what makes you glued to the film. This film has been deemed so iconic that it was actually selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Furthermore, the movie did so well that over the years it has earned so much recognition and accolades, something that is very rare for this genre of film. For instance, it was nominated for Best Screenplay at the Academy Awards and also won Best Supporting Actress at the Golden Globes and two other nominations. It has an amazing movie that will keep you at the edge of your seat trying to guess what will unfold next.

6. The Devil Rides Out- 1968

This film is considered one of Terrence Fisher鈥檚 best films. It revolves around the story of a man who decides to investigate his friend鈥檚 son and finds out that he joined a devil-worshipping cult. He rescues his friend鈥檚 son and another young member while at it. However, he faces opposition from the cult鈥檚 leader who attacks him with black magic. The film has amazing reviews from fans, even holding a 95% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

7. The Devils- 1971

The thing with this movie is how controversial it actually is. Thus, it may not be everyone鈥檚 cup of tea even though in terms of its cinematic ability, it is quite a gem. Its plot revolves around a dramatized account of the real-life Urbain Grandier, a French priest who was burned at the stake for witchcraft. It also focuses on sexual repression and dominance given that the nun who accused the priest was sexually attracted to him and became very angry when the priest married another woman instead. In the film, a town-wide exorcism transitions into an orgy hence why audiences summarized it as too pornographic. However, the film still won Best Director at the Venice Film Festival and got recognition too from the National Board of Review.

8. All the Colours of the Dark- 1972

This 1972 film revolves around the story of a woman named Jane who witnessed her mother鈥檚 murder as a child and hence deals with the trauma of it after being involved in an accident that causes her to miscarry. While in that vulnerable state, her neighbour is able to get her to come to a meeting that turns out to be a murderous cult. As a Giallo movie, it really isn鈥檛 a surprise that there are sex rituals and gorry murders involved. It is an interesting film all the same as we witness Jane being bounced from one controller to another. Being told to not question anything and just be quiet.

9. The Wicker Man- 1973

Released in 1973, this film revolves around a pagan cultic movement based on the Scottish island. It often makes the list for best horror movies having been described as 鈥渢he Citizen Kane of horror movies,鈥� by Cinefantasique. It follows the story of Sergeant Howie who is investigating the disappearance of a young girl known as Rowan. When he arrives on this Scottish island, the pagan worshippers inhabiting it claim that Rowan doesn鈥檛 even exist hence forcing Howie to go to extreme lengths in an attempt to find the truth. It is an amazing film with an 89% rating on RottenTomatoes.

10. The Devil鈥檚 Rain- 1975

In this film, a woman is kidnapped in what appears to be a 300-year-old feud between the descendants of a satanic leader and those of a Christian one who burned him at the stake. The guy who played the character of the cult leader (Ernest Borgnine), appears with horns and he was actually so creeped out by this in real life that he swore to never do a film with a satanic theme again. The Devil鈥檚 Rain has been reviewed as the ultimate cult movie and as Michael Adams puts it, 鈥淚t鈥檚 about a cult, has a cult following, was devised with input from a cult leader, and saw a future superstar indoctrinated into a cult he鈥檇 help popularize.鈥�

11. Race With the Devil- 1975

This 1975 film is a folk horror that talks about a satanic sacrifice that disrupts a skiing trip. It tells the story of Roger and Frank, co-owners of a motorcycle dealership who embark on a skiing trip with their wives. They then witness a ritual of human sacrifice being done on their first night. They report it to the police but he gives off a very weird vibe that convinces you he is definitely involved. Sooner than later, it becomes clear that they are being targeted by the town and hence make a run for it. This was the movie that inspired another cult movie released later, known as Red State and Drive Angry. 

12. To The Devil A Daughter- 1976

Another cultic movie revolving around some weird satanic rituals, this movie revolves around the story of satanic worshippers dedicating themselves to some demon named Astaroth. The legendary Hollywood actor, Richard Widmark plays as an American expat writer who focuses on the occult. A friend asks him to pick up his daughter, Catherine, from the airport and she is said to be a nun with a cultic group formed by an excommunicated priest. It then turns out that her group is actually Satanic and not Christians and they are planning to sacrifice her to Astaroth once she is 18 years old.

13.  Suspiria-1977

This is one of the most famous works of Argento. It is part of The Three Mothers trilogy and also one of his most successful films. With vibrant and catchy cinematography, Suspiria tells the story of a German dance school that is run by a coven of witches. Secrets unfold and the unsuspecting dancers get to realize they are part of a cult hence why the unexplained deaths keep on happening.

14. Ticket to Heaven- 1981

This particular film features more of a New Age cult revolving around a character named David who is a young guy searching for meaning and purpose. California was the cult capital of the U.S. in the 70s and 80s. Hence it isn鈥檛 a surprise that this is the main setting of the film. David goes to California and falls under the spell of a New Age group. He leaves everything behind and joins the cult and in the long run, he becomes a thin, exhausted, and mindless zombie. When a friend sees David and raises concern over his worrying transformation, David鈥檚 family hires a deprogrammer who attempts to pry David from the cult鈥檚 grip.

15. Split Image- 1982

Fun fact: This movie was actually made during the 鈥楽atanic Panic鈥� of the 80s. An era that had everyone in actual fear. The movie tells the story of a college student who aspires to be a gold medalist in gymnastics until he is lured into a religious commune known as Homeland. The leader of the group, Neil, brainwashes this student into believing his life鈥檚 purpose is being part of this cult. His parents in turn hire a bounty hunter to bring him home and deprogram him. This film is very significant culturally speaking because as noted earlier, it came out at a time when U.S.A. was plagued with so many cultic movements.

16. Children of the Corn- 1984

Released in 1984, this one is a bit creepy as it revolves around a child鈥檚 cultic agenda who kills off all adults. The film spawned a franchise that led to at least nine sequels and we can therefore conclude it indeed has a cultic movement itself,nooun intended. Whenever you think of creepy children, this is the movie that comes to mind given how an unsuspecting couple stumbles upon these children who previously killed all the adults in their town. Makes you wonder how you鈥檇 have handled such a situation. FYI: This movie was listed by Rolling Stone as number seven of the 鈥淭op 30 Stephen King Movies.鈥�

17. The Believers- 1987

The summary of this movie is that a cult ends up being bigger than the investigators feared. Played by Martin Sheen as Cal, he takes a job as a police psychologist in a period where ritualistic child murders are happening left,right and centre. He is given the assignment of interviewing a character named Tom, the man who called in the body of one of the victims and who believes that these killings are the responsibility of a Hispanic cult that practices malevolent witchcraft. As they uncover the truth behind this group, they come to realize that it isn鈥檛 just a small crowd but one that reaches wider than they could have pictured.

18. Lord of Illusions- 1995

Written and directed by Clive Barker, this film tells the story of Nix, a magical cult leader who is discussing an upcoming human sacrifice when two former members (Quaid and Swann) arrive to stop him. He is then killed and the people decide he鈥檒l be buried deep in the ground. A decade passes by and Quaid is killed. Swann who has now become a famous magician, hires a private detective to investigate the death and along the way, Nix is revived. This is when the battle begins. One fought with magic.

19. Holy Smoke-1999

Released in 1999, 鈥楬oly Smoke,鈥� tells the story of a woman from Australia, who abandons her family so as to follow a charming guru all the way in India. Her family hires an investigator to deprogram her. He actually manages to lure her back home and keeps her in a cabin in the Australian outback. However, this is when things get pretty weird, and you get to understand just how weird this cultic movement was.

20. EyesWide Shut- 1999

Another 1999 cult movie, 鈥楨yesWide Shut鈥� follows the story of a character known as Dr. Bill Harford, who infiltrates the orgy of a secret society. He is then outed as an intruder but one of the masked members offers an unnamed 鈥榩ersonal cost鈥� for Billtobespared. They let him go but sooner than later, he begins fearing for his safety because anyone tied to the cultic group ends up dead or missing.

21. The Ninth Gate- 1999

This is another of Johnny Depp鈥檚 gem movies and unsurprisingly, it is a good one. He plays the role of Dean Corso whose client has acquired a remarkable book that was adopted from the devil鈥檚 own writing. At that point, only three copies of the book exist but his clients believe that only his is legitimate. As it turns out, everyone who possesses the book ends up dying and Corso tries to find the other copies to compareengravings. He together with his associates believe that the engravings from all three books contain a specific ritual that opens up the ninth gate.

22. The Village- 2004

This movie released in 2004 tells the story of residents living in an isolated Pennsylvania village who believe that the surrounding woods are inhabited by dangerous creatures. Hence, no one is allowed to leave the community so as to be safe. Later on, one of the men from this community is stabbed and the chief elder allows his daughter to venture into the forest to look for medicine for the man. However as it turns out, the elders have not been completely honest about who they are and how they ended up in that isolated village. What could possibly go wrong?

23. Silent Hill- 2006

I remember watching this movie as a child and being so scared because I couldn鈥檛 comprehend the idea of a human being being burnt at the stake. Released in 2006, this movie is a story about a mother and daughter who struggle to escape a cult. It is an adaptation of a late 90s horror video game. Another comes to discover that her adopted daughter is actually a manifestation of a young girl who was burned alive by a fanatical cult in a town known as Silent Hill. A coal seam fire was ignited at one point and the girl鈥檚 rage caused a shift that caused the whole townto be dark and be inhabited by monsters.The mother and daughter fight off the creatures and the cult and finally manage to get out eventually. It is a great movie that never really gets old.

24. End of the  Line- 2007

This is a movie about a doomsday cult based in Toronto. Late one night, a group of strangers is forced to encounter members of a doomsday cult who have been informed by their leader that it’s now time to 鈥榮ave鈥� anyone who is not a leader. Being 鈥榮aved鈥� means being stabbed to death. However, towards the end of the movie, it is revealed that none of the occurrences are actually real and the protagonist, is just having hallucinations after eating some mouldy muffins. It is not made so clear however and the audience is left to wonder.

25. Martyrs- 2008

In this movie, women are forced to learn the secrets of the afterlife. A young woman known as Anna is abducted by a secret society whose main agenda is to learn the secrets of the afterlife. In order to obtain this knowledge, they abduct and torture women, believing that this act will push their martyr into a transcendental state. Anna manages to make it further than any of the previous test subjects. The ending will however surprise you very much.

26. House of the Devil- 2009

This 2009 movie has adopted a 70s theme that just sets it apart. The story starts off with a familiar trope; the typical young girl taking a babysitting job and ends up in a remote house. When she arrives, the man who hired her reveals that she will be babysitting his elderly mother in law and Samantha reluctantly agrees after they settle on payment. It turns out to be a mistake because Samantha realizes she is the target of a ritualistic sacrifice. The suspense in this movie is amazing and will definitely keep you on the edge of your seat.

Read more: /blog/world/40-best-horror-movies-on-netflix-right-now-2023/

27. The Cabin in the Woods- 2011

In a way, this movie is similar to Scream in the sense that it has that horror movie trope involving friends going out to some secluded place somewhere and getting in trouble. This particular film revolves around such friends who go out to a forested cabin in the woods and they end up being convinced by the well- dressed members of a global cult who sacrifice young people every year so as to avoid the return of the 鈥榦ld gods鈥� and ultimately maintaining the order of the modern world. The story is hence about survival and getting away from this sick cult.

28. Martha Marcy May Marlene- 2011

Elizabeth Olsen plays in this 2011 movie as a young woman named Martha who flees a cult after a series of sexual assaults and coerced crimes. She is given somewhere to stay by her estranged sister, Lucy, who grows concerned by Martha鈥檚 abnormal behaviours. The movie did quite well in that it received a number of recognition with Olsen being highly praised for her performance.

29. Kill List- 2011

This 2011 movie did amazingly well in that it was nominated for multiple British Independent Film Awards. It revolves around an ex-soldier who became a hitman and is hired to take out three targets. The targets however seem to recognize him before being killed and this is what makes it interesting. Before killing his last target, he witnesses him engaging in a ceremonial human sacrifice. The hitman starts shooting and the cult members start escaping during a shootout hence putting him and his family in danger.

30. Red State- 2011

This movie is based on the real-life story of Reverend Fred Phelps and the horrors of Westboro Baptist Church. The story is about three teenage boys who become captives of a radically conservative and homophobic church leader which prompts an all-out war. It is another very interesting movie which was Kevin Smith鈥檚 introduction into horror filmmaking.

31. Sound of My Voice-2011

Released in 2011, this funny and educative movie revolves around the story of two documentarians who decide to infiltrate a cult in order to expose the cult leader, Maggie, as a fraud. Maggie claims to be a time traveler from the future and has settled in the present in order to prepare her followers for the war-stricken and famine-riddled future. One of the filmmakers notices that her partner is being swayed by Maggie鈥檚 teachings and hence works towards deprogramming her. This film has won the best international feature film at the Strasbourg European Fantastic Film Festival.

32. Drive Angry- 2011

Another movie released in 2011, this Nicolas Cage movie just proves how good an actor the guy is. In this movie, he breaks out of hell in order to get revenge on the cult leader who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. After ambushing some of the cult鈥檚 followers, he finds out where his granddaughter is supposed to be sacrificed and goes on a mission to rescue her. It is however not a very easy mission as he has to deal with and dodge satan鈥檚 associates and followers. It is dramatic and interesting all the same.

33. Paranormal Activity 3- 2011

This is the third movie of the occultic movie franchise which now gets to the explanation of all the paranormal activities witnessed in the previous films. The setting is in the year 1988 when the main characters (Katie and Kristi) were children, living with their mother, Julie, and their mother鈥檚 boyfriend, Dennis. After unexplainable events, Dennis finds a strange symbol in the girls鈥� closet that he is able to identify in a demonology book. The symbol apparently belongs to a coven of witches that brainwashes girls into having sons so that this coven can take them. This film is the highest-grossing film in the paranormal activity franchise movies.

34. The Master- 2012

In this legendary movie, Philip Seymour Hoffman under the character Lancaster Dodd, plays the role of a cult leader. Starting off, a Navy veteran with severe PTSD returns from war and is seeking to make sense of what he had witnessed in the war. He then falls under the spell of Lancaster, a charming and deceptive character. This movie basically explores the power of manipulation and how a manipulative individual can wield and win over people who are desperatley looking for some form of meaning.

35. Holy Ghost People-2013

In this film, a woman named Charlotte seeks to find her missing sister by enrolling the help of an ex-marine and alcoholic known as Wayne, to help her infiltrate a snake-handling community in the Appalachian hills called the Church of One Accord. The leader of this community is a charismatic man who can easily brainwash someone. It is not a surprise therefore when Wayne becomes mesmerized with this leader even after learning that this church may have been responsible for the disappearance of Charlotte鈥檚 sister.

36. VHS 2- 2013

This anthology film is the fourth segment of 鈥楽afe Haven,鈥� and it follows a news crew鈥檚 investigation of an Indonesian cult. The crew discovers walls that are covered with strange symbols. There are classrooms of schoolchildren and women dressed in pure white and this weird alarm goes off. Asking around, they are told that the 鈥榯ime of reckoning,鈥� has come and this is where all the drama begins.

37. The Sacrement- 2013

This 2013 movie was inspired by a real-life world event surrounding what happened in Jonestown and the following massacre. The movie did an amazing job of showing the insidiousness of cults and how damaging mentally speaking, it can be. In the movie, Patrick, played by Joe Swanberg learns that his sister is living in a remote religious community and decides to pay her a visit. The trip doesn鈥檛 go so well when it is realized that this is actually a cultic group and all members are heavily brainwashed.

38. Annabelle- 2014

A couple鈥檚 apartment is ransacked by members of a satanic cult and thereafter, strange things start happening with a vintage doll that鈥檚 in their house. They then come to realize that their estranged daughter, Annabelle, is a member of a cult that practices devil worshipping and has even summoned a demon with the sole purpose of destroying their family. It is a good movie that keeps you guessing and keeps you vested to the very end. Fun fact: Ellen Degeneres used to live in that very apartment where the movie was shot.

39. Faults- 2014

In this 2014 movie, a young girl falls under a cult鈥檚 spell. It is a thriller and dark comedy exploring the story of Ansel, a cult specialist whose career fails after an unsuccessful television show. It is then learned that earlier on, Ansel had had an encounter with a young female cult member in the past who committed suicide. After a presentation, Ansel is approached by a couple asking for his help in retrieving their daughter, Claire, who is involved in the same cult. Because of his financial strains, he agrees to help by kidnapping Claire and deprograming her. During this whole process, Ansel鈥檚 mental health suffers a lot.

40. Kristy-2014

Released in 2014, this movie explores the story of Justine, played by Haley Bennet. She plays the character of a college student who decides to remain in school during Thanksgiving.While alone in her dorm, she becomes the target of a cyber cult and it ends up being a very random horror story. It makes you realize how random events can happen to anyone without necessarily being prepared for it. Haley got a lot of recognition for her role which she did an outstanding job in.

41. Starry Eyes- 2014

Ever heard of the famous selling your soul to the devil in order to be famous? This horror movie explores that theme quite well. A young actress trying to make it big in Hollywood sells her soul and soon after, her physical and mental health starts deteriorating. The film has been ranked as one of the ten best films at the SXSW Film Fest,2014. The dramatic way events are depicted makes you glued to it.

42. The Invitation- 2015

Released and made in 2015, this movie didn鈥檛 get its deserved recognition until a year later, when it became available on Netflix. Will (played by Logan Marshall), arrives at a dinner party in his ex-wife鈥檚 home and it doesn鈥檛 take long for him to realize that something is not quite okay. He tries to understand the lingering foreboding feeling and soon, the movie sheds light on how cults successfully prey on their followers. 鈥楾he Invitation,鈥� has been ranked as one of the most devasting and interesting horror movies to ever be made.

43. The Veil- 2016

In this movie, the iconic and legendary Jessica Alba plays instory that revolves around a cult survivor who returns to the scene of the religious cult mass suicide. It is also based on the Jonestwon massacre story and Alba plays the role of Maggie Price, a doumentary filmaker who befriends the sole survivor of the massacre who wasonly five years old at the time. They revisist the site and soon after they wish to God they weren鈥檛 so curious to begingwith. Why? Because this is when everything goes sohorribly wrong.

44. The Void- 2016

In this movie, hell is unleashed upon the occupants of a small hospital after they are surrounded by a crowd of weird-looking hooded figures. The beauty of this movie is that it has involved so many themes hence making it interesting and unpredictable. It involves the theme of cults, demons, claustrophobic gore, and anything horror you can think of. The movie has also been praised for its special effects and rightfully so because this is what sets it apart.

45. Cult of Chucky- 2017

In the Child鈥檚 Play franchise, 鈥楥ult of Chucky鈥� has the highest Roten Tomatoes score and Andy Barclay plays the hell out of his role which is very commendable. In this movie, he has managed to capture Chucky and keeps the doll鈥檚 head in order to torture the doll. A character named Nica who was framed for killing her family in previous movies, is confined in a mental facility and some evil guys gain access to the facility. They perform a voodoo spell and Chucky continues his bloody wrath.

46. The Ritual-2017

This 2017 movie is a typical cult movie that shows how horrific the whole thing can actually be. Four friends decide to go on a hiking trip in Sweden in order to honour their friend who was recently murdered. It soon becomes sinister when the group experiences unexplainable events and encounters weird symbols throughout the forest. They then start being attacked and are held hostage by a cult that worships an entity called Jotunn. It is the kind of movie that keeps you interested to the very end because of how captivating it is.

47. The Endless- 2017

In this movie, two brothers, Justin and Aaron have different opinions about a group they were in while they were young adults. Justin recalls it as a UFO death cult while Aaron has no recollection of what exactly went down. They therefore decide to return for one day and get their stories straight. However, strange occurrences begin happening and a verbal argument with Hal, the leader of the group ensues. Of course, this is when the whole drama erupts and all the horrifying truths start unfolding.

48. The Babysitter- 2017

This comedy horror movie streamed on Netflix and immediately caught the attention of every fan. Samara Weaving plays the role of Bee, a well-loved babysitter to 12-year-old Cole. Bee invites her friends over after sending Cole to bed but without her knowledge, Cole sneaks out and witnesses this group killing a fellow classmate. It is found out that Bee has to keep on appeasing the devil in order to get whatever she wants. Cole has naturally interrupted such a session and now he must pay. It is an interesting movie if you don鈥檛 mind being scared and at the same time having a good laugh while at it.

49. Hereditary- 2018

Released in 2018,鈥� Hereditary鈥� was ranked as the best horror movie of the year 2018 and even won 13 different filmcritic awards. It opens up with Annie Graham, played by Toni Collete, giving a eulogy at her mother鈥檚 funeral, who died very mysteriously. There is unfortunately more losses await Annie and this takes a toll on her mental health hence believing that her family is being haunted. So far, this movie is the highest-grossing A-24 film in worldwide box office.

50. Apostle- 2018

Set in the 1900s, 鈥楢postle鈥� revolves around the story of Thomas who is on his way to rescue his sister, being held by a Welsh cult. He pretends to be a newcomer who wants to join the cult and even manages to gain the trust of the leader, Malcolm. It is revealed that the island was previously barren but has now been restored thanks to blood sacrifice. This movie has actually been cited as a homage to another legendary movie noted above, 鈥橶icker Man.鈥�

Cultism is mentally and physically draining and more often than not, the victims are brainwashed into believing that whatever they are involved in is very much justified. As much as these movies entertain, they also shed light on how damaging cults can actually be.

Read more: /blog/world/50-best-movies-on-hulu-right-now-2023/