 Like cult films themselves , magazines and websites dedicated to cult films revel in their self @-@ conscious offensiveness . They maintain a sense of exclusivity by offending mainstream audiences with misogyny , gore , and racism . Obsessive trivia can be used to bore mainstream audiences while building up subcultural capital . Specialist stores on the fringes of society ( or websites which prominently partner with hardcore pornographic sites ) can be used to reinforce the outsider nature of cult film fandom , especially when they use erotic or gory imagery . By assuming a preexisting knowledge of trivia , non @-@ fans can be excluded . Previous articles and controversies can also be alluded to without explanation . Casual readers and non @-@ fans will thus be left out of discussions and debates , as they lack enough information to meaningfully contribute . When fans like a cult film for the wrong reasons , such as casting or characters aimed at mainstream appeal , they may be ridiculed . Thus , fandom can keep the mainstream at bay while defining themselves in terms of the " Other " , a philosophical construct divergent from social norms . Commercial aspects of fandom ( such as magazines or books ) can also be defined in terms of " otherness " and thus valid to consume : consumers purchasing independent or niche publications are discerning consumers , but the mainstream is denigrated . Irony or self @-@ deprecating humor can also be used . In online communities , different subcultures attracted to transgressive films can clash over values and criteria for subcultural capital . Even within subcultures , fans who break subcultural scripts , such as denying the affectivity of a disturbing film , will be ridiculed for their lack of authenticity . 
