There have been many rock films that were box office hits or critical darlings, like Wayne’s World or Almost Famous. But that’s not what this whimsical list is about.
If you’re in the mood for some rock and roll fun and are looking to shake things up, consider hunkering down and bingeing these five cult classic rock films. We know what you’re thinking: “Bingeing five films?! That’s crazy!” No, it isn’t, especially when you consider how many times you’ve binged a season of a TV show or an entire series over the course of a weekend.
Without further ado, here are five cult classic rock films you should binge. Enjoy!
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975 – 98 minutes)
Fine, we’ll “Say it!”: This is an obvious choice, but it’s a classic for a reason. Actually, it’s a classic for many reasons. The soundtrack is incredible, and the film is always an enjoyable watch, whether you’re sober or in an altered state. For literal decades, it’s the reason why Tim Curry is considered by many to be a sexual awakening.
Despite famously flopping upon release, its cult legend grew thanks to midnight screenings where viewers showed up in costumes, brought props to throw around, and developed their own delightful dialog to yell during the film.
In closing, “SLUT!” (.)
This Is Spinal Tap (1984 – 82 minutes)
Again, another obvious choice, but it just feels wrong not to include it. This is Spinal Tap lovingly lampooned rock stars, . Plus, it had a massive impact on rock culture due to it being endlessly quoteable. For crying out loud, it inspired a list previously published titled ““
The long-awaited sequel, Spinal Tap II: The End Continues, is set for release on September 12, 2025, . Can’t wait to see what these legends cook up!
Velvet Goldmine (1998 – 124 minutes)
Have you ever thought to yourself, “What if the cult classic Eddie and the Cruisers had a glam sibling?” No…you haven’t? Well, spoiler: The answer to that question is Velvet Goldmine.
Boasting an incredible cast that includes Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Christian Bale, Toni Collette, Eddie Izzard, and Ewan McGregor (who provides some surprising full-frontal nudity), Velvet Goldmine is the story of glam rock star Brian Slade (Meyers), a David Bowie-esque musician equiped with his own Ziggy Stardust-like persona called Maxwell Demon, who ends up faking his death. A decade after the “death,” a journalist (Bale) is working on a retrospective piece about the incident, and it dovetails with the journalist’s coming out and his surprising connection to the London glam rock scene of the 1970s.
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979 – 93 minutes)
For obvious reasons (like the literally explosive ending), a movie like Rock ‘n’ Roll High School could never get made today. But this Roger Corman-produced film remains a fun romp and a camp delight.
Seriously, can you imagine overthrowing a nasty principal and then having your favorite band perform all throughout your school? The whole film is one big fever dream anchored by the Ramones and the super charming P.J. Soles as Riff Randell, the coolest rock chick ever.
Airheads (1994 – 92 minutes)
If you watched a lot of Comedy Central in the ’90s and early 2000s, there’s a good chance you accidentally watched Airheads at least a dozen times. (Seriously, even an oral history about the movie from pointed out the network played Airheads “on a continuous loop.”)
Airheads tells the story of the Lone Rangers, a struggling LA rock band that holds their local rock station hostage to get their demo tape played on the air. As expected, wackiness ensues, and it’s discovered that this beloved rock station is soon going to switch formats to easy listening. Oh, it’s also discovered that the Lone Rangers — played by Brendan Fraser, Steve Buscemi, and Adam Sandler — are holding the radio station hostage with toy guns.
Add in the likes of Michael McKean, Joe Mantegna, Ernie Hudson, David Arquette, Michael Richards, Chris Farley, and a slew of cameos (LEMMY!), and you just have a kick-ass good time.
