 Mathijs states that cult films and fandom frequently involve nontraditional elements of time and time management . Fans will often watch films obsessively , an activity that is viewed by the mainstream as wasting time yet can be seen as resisting the commodification of leisure time . They may also watch films idiosyncratically : sped up , slowed down , frequently paused , or at odd hours . Cult films themselves subvert traditional views of time – time travel , non @-@ linear narratives , and ambiguous establishments of time are all popular . Mathijs also identifies specific cult film viewing habits , such as viewing horror films on Halloween , sentimental melodrama on Christmas , and romantic films on Valentine 's Day . These films are often viewed as marathons where fans can gorge themselves on their favorites . Mathijs states that cult films broadcast on Christmas have a nostalgic factor . These films , ritually watched every season , give a sense of community and shared nostalgia to viewers . New films often have trouble making inroads against the institutions of It 's A Wonderful Life ( 1946 ) and Miracle on 34th Street ( 1947 ) . These films provide mild criticism of consumerism while encouraging family values . Halloween , on the other hand , allows flaunting society 's taboos and testing one 's fears . Horror films have appropriated the holiday , and many horror films debut on Halloween . Mathijs criticizes the over @-@ cultified , commercialized nature of Halloween and horror films , which feed into each other so much that Halloween has turned into an image or product with no real community . Mathijs states that Halloween horror conventions can provide the missing community aspect . 
