By Paul Renier

Cult films are unintentionally remembered and beloved dusty cinematic gems that through the years gather a small following which then grows to be a large one, although compared to blockbuster films it’s still a relatively selective gathering of people who adore each particular cult film, a cult film is loved for a much longer time than the popular blockbuster.

Often times a cult film will be unsuccessful upon initial release and then many years later will warrant some attention because of the number of fans who have drawn to it.

And with this, cult actors attached to these films often have a hard time shaking off the popularity of their cult film characters – but these actors will also benefit from having a following that includes websites dedicated to them as if they were old friends.

Cult films often have elements of b-movies and are sometimes not terrific or outstanding in any sense of the word, but the fans are attracted to the ambition and the originality, sort of an: "I can’t believe they even made this movie" situation.

Although some cult films were blockbusters in their initial release and then have grown to have a following, like JAWS or THE GODFATHER movies or the original STAR WARS trilogy. The cult film fanatics (or freaks) help even those big blockbusters stay alive and will give them an even more endearing status.

There are also the b-movies that are critically panned and which have very bad stories and horrible acting, which then are put into the so-bad-it’s-good category. These are the cult films that usually hit the top of the cut film list because they’ve become the red-haired stepchild in the history of cinema.

An actor will have originally been part of one of these films to simply get a paycheck and then to realize many years later that this particular film has gained a bigger hype then, say, something very popular, which then is forgotten about. In other words, cult films have legs.

Campy special effects, bad acting, bad dialog, inept direction and production – these all make for a somehow beloved cult film, because there is one thing that makes these movies stand-out through time – they engage the viewer.

Big popular grandiose modern films can spend over two hundred million on special effects and will look terrific, but sometimes these movies look so perfect that there is really nothing to love – and the legs only last throughout the span in which the film is popular, unlike a cult film which is often discovered time and time again through every ten years or so, gaining younger fans who weren’t even alive during the film’s original release.

The thing about these so-called bad cult films is that they seem real – they’re too outrageous not to be. A screaming bum is often avoided on the streets, but hardly ignored – and his words might even mean more to somebody years later while something "deep" a good friend tells you is forgotten five minutes after they say it.

Cult films are always remembered – at least by those who refuse to forget them.

By Paul Renier, contributor for www.CultFilmFreak.com. For interviews and behind the scenes info on your favorite cult films, visit: Cult Film Freak

By Clarke Baldwin

It seems like all we see in the movie industry is sequels and remakes. If that is not the case then it was a book or comic strip. Are there no original ideas left in this world? Saw 5, High School Musical 3? Rocky Balboa (6th one in the series). When do you draw the line or cut em off? It seems as long as the sequels keep making money, the producers will keep at it. I know it’s no big news that movies are all about money in Hollywood. But we as movie goers need to stop supporting this drivel.

Look at Japan, they have original concepts and amazing imaginations. They think outside the box and actually use their brains. They still care about cinema as an art form. Sure there are some exploitative animes and B films, but they don’t have as many as America does. "The Ring" came from Japan, and was a refreshing revamp to the horror saga. Their horror films get inside your head, and you think about them long after you leave the theater. Whereas American films you forget about the second you walk into the parking lot.

I just wonder how much repetitions Americans can possibly take? Rambo 15? Saw 20? Scarily enough, these seem like real possibilities. You could eventually see those movie posters and not be dreaming. They saw that "Watchmen" won’t have a sequel. Ahh, but they never said it wouldn’t have a prequel, gotcha! They could do a story about the original watchmen. The producers and marketers never quit thinking how they can milk a movie concept for all it’s worth. Why did they need to remake "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" the original can not be outdone.

I recently gained another perspective when I went into a book store. Yes, books, they’re those things with paper pages that you look at. First off, I noticed tons of these best sellers had been made into movies or were about to. Secondly, I noticed when I left the store someone said I don’t really read books anymore that pretty much sums up American culture. Nobody reads anymore. Movies are never as good as the books. We can never fully match the amount of imagination in our minds using a movie to portray it. I love movies myself, but I realize how much our culture has shifted away from books and the imagination. Losing creativity and imagination is never good for a society that wants to progress.

Clarke Baldwin is a journalist who has worked for Dallas Morning News and other publications. You can find his site at Quick Flash News and this story at Sick of Sequels and Remakes in Movies

By Henry Ashworth

In the recent past Malta has been the shooting site for great, award-winning movies. Most movies are filmed in Hollywood with extensive props to give a realistic feel to the lives of the characters. More filmmakers are now searching for real world settings for their movies.

Troy, 2004's blockbuster hit starring Brad Pitt and Orlando Bloom, introduced the world to Malta. Most of Troy was filmed at Fort Ricasoli. The massive fort was built by the Knights of Malta sometime between 1670 and 1693. Many people around the world would have never had the opportunity to see Fort Ricasoli if producers had decided to use props in a studio.

A Different Loyalty, starring Sharon Stone was shot in Fort St. Elmo in Valletta, Malta in 2004. Fort Saint Elmo divides Marsamxett Harbour and Grand Harbour and provides a grand entrance to both. The fort doubled for the city of Beirut in the movie. The Golden Sands Beach was also chosen as a setting for parts of the movie.

Alexander, starring Colin Farrell, Anthony Hopkins and Angelina Jolie and directed by Oliver Stone included shots from Valletta's Grand Harbour. Grand Harbour is a natural harbour that has been since Roman times. The harbour doubled as part of the ancient port city of Alexandria in the movie.

The 1995 pirate movie, Cutthroat Island, with Geena Davis and Matthew Modine, was filmed primarily in Vittoriosa. The Maritime Museum is seen multiple times in the film. Mdina, Fort St. Elmo and the Dingli Cliffs were also settings for scenes in the movie. Water tanks were provided by The Mediterranean Film Studio for use in the sea scenes.

A nighttime scene from Gladiator with Russell Crowe was filmed at Couvre Port just outside Vittoriosa. The remainder of the film was primarily shot at a replica of the Roman Coliseum. The replica was built at Fort Ricasoli on Malta.

The 1980 production of Popeye, starring Robin Williams and Shelley Duvall, was filmed near Mellieha. After building the set and filming the movie there, they left it all in place. Now known as Popeye Village, the set is a popular family attraction and includes a film about the making of the movie.

The 2002 movie The Count of Monte Cristo was actually filmed in Valletta and Vittoriosa instead of Marseille. The rocky area below Fort Saint Elmo served as the setting for a few scenes, as well as St. Paul's Cathedral in Mdina. St. Mary's Tower on Comino Island doubled as the Chateau d'If.

Madonna and Guy Ritchie chose Malta to shoot their 2002 film, Swept Away. Different scenes used various sites in Comino and Malta. The Italian port in the movie was actually filmed in Vittriosa. The snorkeling scene was filmed in the Blue Lagoon on Comino Island, between Malta and Gozo.

Other movies and TV shows that have been filmed in Malta include Midnight Express, Pinocchio, Raise the Titanic, U-571, Orca: Killer Whale, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, White Squall and Helen of Troy. With such an impressive mix of movies, one has to ponder what comes next.

Many of the movies previously mentioned in this article have included specific parts of Malta for successful scenes. Most recently, Oscar winning director Alejandro Amenabar has been working with Rachel Weisz filming Agora. The ancient Egyptian epic is being filmed on Malta and includes at least three Maltese actors in leading roles. Maltese workers comprise much of the crew. Agora is the first film to be shot entirely on Malta.

The Maltese government sees this as yet another opportunity for prmoting the audience to the wider world, and with much of Malta's economy dependent upon the travel trade just one successful film can have a positive influence on the number of visitors to Malta – the island will be looking forward to more film crews arriving in 2009.

The different towns and villages of Malta can be read about at yourmalta.com and includes airlines with Malta flights to Luqa Airport. Vacation and holiday in Malta details are available on the Malta travel site, and includes a Malta map