 Author Tomas Crowder @-@ Taraborrelli describes midnight movies as a reaction against the political and cultural conservatism in America , and Joan Hawkins identifies the movement as running the gamut from anarchist to libertarian , united in their anti @-@ establishment attitude and punk aesthetic . These films are resistant to simple categorization and are defined by the fanaticism and ritualistic behaviors of their audiences . Midnight movies require a night life and an audience willing to invest themselves actively . Hawkins states that these films took a rather bleak point of view due to the living conditions of the artists and the economic prospects of the 1970s . Like the surrealists and dadaists , they not only satirically attacked society but also the very structure of film – a counter @-@ cinema that deconstructs narrative and traditional processes . In the late 1980s and 1990s , midnight movies transitioned from underground showings to home video viewings ; eventually , a desire for community brought a resurgence , and The Big Lebowski kick @-@ started a new generation . Demographics shifted , and more hip and mainstream audiences were drawn to them . Although studios expressed skepticism , large audiences were drawn to box office flops , such as Donnie Darko ( 2001 ) and Office Space ( 1999 ) . Modern midnight movies retain their popularity and have been strongly diverging from mainstream films shown at midnight . Mainstream cinemas , eager to disassociate themselves from negative associations and increase profits , have begun abandoning midnight screenings . Although classic midnight movies have dropped off in popularity , they still bring reliable crowds . 
