The modern evil cult movie found its footing in the late 1960s. Two seminal films, (1968) and The Devil Rides Out (1968), popularized the concept of "urban" and "satanic" horror. While Rosemary’s Baby focused on the claustrophobia of a New York apartment building where your friendly elderly neighbors are literal devil worshippers, The Devil Rides Out leaned into the high-occult drama of Hammer Horror.
Movies like The Sacrament (2013) and Martha Marcy May Marlene (2011) strip away the demons to show how human beings can be manipulated into committing horrific acts, often drawing inspiration from real-world tragedies like Jonestown. A Modern Renaissance evil cult movie
What makes a "cult movie" about an actual cult? Writers and directors often rely on several recurring narrative devices: The modern evil cult movie found its footing
Shortly after, the "Folk Horror" movement took these themes into the wilderness. Films like (1973) and The Blood on Satan’s Claw (1971) established a new blueprint: a protagonist enters a remote, insular community where ancient, "pagan" beliefs have replaced modern law. Key Tropes of the Genre Movies like The Sacrament (2013) and Martha Marcy
Whether the threat is a literal King of Hell or just the terrifying power of a charismatic man in a white robe, evil cult movies continue to remind us that sometimes, the scariest thing in the world is a group of people who truly believe they are doing the right thing.