There are distinct qualities that make a movie a cult: a devoted and niche following, popularity based on word-of-mouth enthusiasm, and a tendency to remain in fans’ memories years after release, as well as many other intricacies, often hotly debated by film buffs. Dramas: The Essential Cult Movies sifts through the greatest movies of the genre ever made, to bring together a list of the best cult classics that ever graced the cinema screens or didn’t, in some cases!

Overwhelmingly character based, reflecting our collective fears, our despair, our hopes and our dreams, the films in this section are probably those we relate to most readily. When we feel old or cast aside by society we might drag out our tattered copy of Sunset Boulevard; misfits have a host of titles from which to take their comfort and dreamers can find a kind of solace in Sid and Nancy. They may not be the cult movies of conventions or raucous midnight showings but they are the films of repeated home viewings, secret smiles and cathartic tears.