Decider Essentials

Decider Essentials: 10 Movies About Cults

What do you call a classic film about a cult? Surely the term “cult classic” doesn’t really fit here, as its reserves for films that are laughably bad but endearing nonetheless. No, movies about cults are certainly more sinister, examining an underlying tension, mania, and paranoia within a protagonist’s mind. And because the protagonist is likely being gaslighted, the viewer is primed for an unsettling experience. All of that makes for some good movie watchin’, and here are ten great films about cults that will certainly leave you feeling a little more like a loner.

Rosemary’s Baby (1968)

Roman Polanski’s horror masterpiece is about a coven of witches who submit Mia Farrow to the Devil in order to carry his son. But it’s really a meditation on the depressing nature of New York City real estate.

See where you can stream Rosemary’s Baby on GoWatchIt.

Race With the Devil (1975)

Peter Fonda plays a motorcycle enthusiast (of course) on vacation with his wife and friends. When they accidentally stumble on a Satanic ritual involving a human sacrifice, they are pursued by cult members throughout Texas.

See where you can stream Race With the Devil on GoWatchIt.

Helter Skelter (1976)

The famous Manson murders were dramatized in this epic made-for-TV miniseries based on the true-crime book of the same name co-written by prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi. It’s particularly notable for actor Steve Railsback’s creepily pitch-perfect portrayal of the murderous cult leader, Charles Manson.

See where you can stream Helter Skelter on GoWatchIt.

Suspiria (1977)

Jessica Harper stars as an American ballet dancer who enrolls in a famed German dance academy. Soon she realizes that ballet isn’t the only thing happening at the school, which is in fact run by a coven of witches.

See where you can stream Suspiria on GoWatchIt.

Holy Smoke! (1999)

Oscar-winning writer-director Jane Campion directs this film in which Kate Winslet plays Ruth, a woman rescued from an Indian spiritual group. Harvey Keitel plays a man who plans to deprogram Ruth from the cult, only to find himself sexually attracted — and ultimately worn down — by her.

See where you can stream Holy Smoke! on GoWatchIt.

Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011)

Elizabeth Olson starred in a break-out role as the titular cult member, who flees a family overseen by a terrifying leader played by John Hawkes.

See where you can stream Martha Marcy May Marlene on GoWatchIt.

Sound of My Voice (2011)

Zal Batmanglij directs Brit Marling (who co-wrote with Batmanglij) in this psychological thriller about two documentarians who plan on infiltrating a cult lead by Maggie, a woman who claims to have traveled through time from the year 2054.

See where you can stream Sound of My Voice on GoWatchIt.

The Master (2012)

Paul Thomas Anderson’s mind-bending drama follows Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), who finds himself a member of a religious movement called The Cause led by the charismatic, yet domineering, Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman).

See where you can stream The Master on GoWatchIt.

The Institute (2013)

This documentary focuses on the Jejune Institute, an alternate reality game in San Francisco that roped in 10,000 inductees who weren’t quite aware of what they had signed up for.

See where you can stream The Institute on GoWatchIt.

The Sacrament (2013)

Ti West directs this found-footage horror film in which three friends infiltrate a spiritual commune inspired by the infamous Jonestown Massacre and cult leader Jim Jones.

See where you can stream The Sacrament on GoWatchIt.