Plot: An undercover East India Company agent (Pierce Brosnan) and a native (Saeed Jaffrey) expose the “Deceivers”, a Thuggee cult who commit robbery and ritualistic murder, in 1825’s India.

KBZ’s Take: This is an interesting Film about Cults as it covers a topic that’s not well known in the western world – Indian Thuggees carrying out crimes while worshiping the goddess, Kali. Though the film likely won’t appeal to hardcore fans of the subgenre, it’s an interesting film that delves into aspects of the Films About Undercover Agents subgenre and psychological impact of embedding oneself within a cult.

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Plot: Mourning the accidental death of his wife and having just moved to New York with his young son, laconic police psychologist Cal Jamison is reluctantly drawn into a series of grisly, ritualistic murders involving the immolation of two youths.

KBZ’s Take: Part Cult film and part Detective/Whodunit film, The Believers is one of the better films of the subgenre. Like The Deceivers, this film covers a lesser-known cult practice in Brujeria (which is a form of religion/witchcraft practices performed in Latin America and Afro-Caribbean cultures). The detective aspects of the film follow the disappearance of children for ritual sacrifice. With a cast of Martin Sheen, Helen Shaver, Robert Loggia and Jimmy Smits it’s a recommended film of the subgenre.

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Plot: A Satanist cult leader is burnt alive by the local church. He vows to come back to hunt down and enslave every descendant of his congregation, by the power of the book of blood contracts, in which they sold their souls to the devil.

KBZ’s Take: This film falls more within the Satanic Cult / Occult spectrum of Cult films, but we’re listing it due to its cult film status. Though the story is somewhat confusing and it’s not a particular ‘scary’ horror film, it does sport a great B-movie vibe and cast with Ernest Borgnine, Eddie Albert, William Shatner and Tom Skerritt. And how can we not list a subgenre film that has Ernest Borgnine as a cult leader that wears a Goat Head during satanic rituals?

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Plot: Two couples vacationing together in an R.V. from Texas to Colorado are terrorized after they witness a murder during a Satanic ritual.

KBZ’s Take: Another mid-70’s cult film that falls under the Satanic Cult / Occult spectrum of the subgenre. However, this film is more of an Action Chase subgenre film with elements of Survival Horror. Though the film doesn’t go into specifics of the cult and only briefly shows their satanic ritual, it does have an intense latter half of the film as the cult spares no expense in trying to capture the two couples who witnessed their ritual. A recommended film of the subgenre that deftly blends aspects of different subgenres for an entertaining ride.

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Plot: Young woman searches for her missing father in a seaside town inhabited by an undead cult.

KBZ’s Take: This film isn’t like your typical Zombie film (or film about Cults) but rather like a nightmare filled with dread that never seems to end. The buildup in this film will make you uncomfortable as will two specific Zombie scenes – in the supermarket (pictured above) and in the movie theater. Though the film is a bit dated with 70’s hippiness and paranoia, it’s still a film any Zombie film fan shouldn’t miss and is one of the weirder Films About Cults.

Additional List(s): Top Films About Zombies You Haven’t Seen #10

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Plot: A New York detective investigates a series of murders committed by random New Yorkers who claim that God told them to.

KBZ’s Take: If you’re familiar with Larry Cohen Films – It’s Alive (1974), Q: The Winged Serpent (1982) and The Stuff (1985) – then you likely know what you’re going to get with this film. If you’re not familiar with Cohen or this film, there are a few things to be prepared for. Most of his films are B-Movies set in New York City, are Horror in nature and feature multiple WTF type moments. God Told Me To checks off all three “Cohen Film” boxes and has probably one of the strangest moments in any film with Detective Nicholas’ (Tony Lo Bianco) interactions with cult leader Bernard Phillips (Richard Lynch). One of the more unique Films About Cults and worth checking out by completists of the subgenre.

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Plot: A Beverly Hills teen (Billy Warlock) discovers his parents are part of a gruesome orgy cult for the social elite.

KBZ’s Take: We’re going to start off by saying this film is not for everyone. Though its achieved cult status over the years, it’s one of the weirdest films you will ever see. This film is hard to describe, and we even have it in four different subgenres – Teen & College Comedy Films, Horror Comedies, Films About Cults and our Weird Films collection. It will also occupy our Body Horror subgenre list once that is launched soon. The film definitely falls within the Horror genre and the comedy in the film is more satirical in nature. It’s a film you won’t forget – especially the third act – and the less you know about the film going in, the better. But be warned, even hardened horror film veterans talk about how disturbing the third act of this film is.

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Plot: An impressionable young man finds himself literally enslaved by a modern-day religious cult. In an effort to bring him back to reality, the boy’s parents hire a deprogrammer to kidnap him and return him to his family.

KBZ’s Take: The last 3 films on our list are not Horror films per say, but rather Drama films that show the horror of indoctrination into a cult. Split Image is well known as one of the best films about the initial indoctrination into the cult, the cult leader’s power over cult members and a family’s desire to save their son from the cult and ‘deprogram’ him. This film was popular in the early 80’s and featured an amazing cast with Michael O’Keefe, Karen Allen, Peter Fonda, James Woods and Brian Dennehy. Its one of the best films of the subgenre and highly recommended.

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Plot: The real-life story of the Peoples Temple cult led by Reverend Jim Jones and the events involving its move to Guyana and its eventual mass suicide.

KBZ’s Take: There have been many films, television series and documentaries on Jim Jones and The Peoples’ Temple cult but none of them do a better job than this film. And its for one primary reason – Powers Boothe gives a career defining performance as Jim Jones (and he rightfully won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Special in 1980 for his role as Jones). He excels as the charismatic but psychotic cult leader that goes from small-town idealist to mass murderer in Guyana. The film spends quite a bit of time on the earlier parts of Jones’ life which helps provide more substance to Jones as a character. This in turn helps the audience better understand how so many people could ‘drink the Kool-Aid’ to their unfortunate end.

The film also has the best portrayal of the final few days before the end in Guyana that can be disturbing to watch for some. It is that depressing and sad to watch. However, it’s a film that should be seen to better understand cults and specifically Jim Jones. The film also includes a great cast apart from Powers Boothe including Ned Beatty, James Earl Jones, Randy Quaid, Meg Foster, LeVar Burton, Brad Dourif and Veronica Cartwright. Another highly recommended film of the subgenre and one of the few Films About Cults we always recommend to others.

Where to Stream / Buy: https://tubitv.com/movies/680020/guyana-tragedy-the-story-of-jim-jones

Plot: David is a young man seduced by a religious cult that uses starvation, exhaustion, and brainwashing to mold recruits into money hustling disciples of a messiah-like leader. Chronicles David’s chilling transformation into a gaunt, mindless shadow of his former self…and his ultimate salvation when friends and family launch a plan to kidnap and deprogram him.

KBZ’s Take: This is the definitive Film About Cults and the best at showing the cult indoctrination process. Like many people, you likely wonder how a seemingly normal person can ever join a cult or start believing in their leader and beliefs. This film shows the step-by-step process of how someone slowly comes under the cult’s spell and eventually becomes a member.

And like the indoctrination process, the film does an equally (if not better job) of showing the impact of the cult on the member’s family and eventual deprogramming process. It’s a film that shouldn’t be missed especially to better understand how cults work and people can eventually be freed from their grasp. Like Split Image, the film also features an excellent cast with Nick Mancuso, Saul Rubinek, Meg Foster, Kim Cattrall, R.H. Thomson and Robert Joy. Highly recommended film and best film of the subgenre (from any time period).

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