I’m working on a list of every country’s most iconic cult film (list here: https://boxd.it/n5ZFs) and wondered if anyone could help me figure out Portugal’s entry.
I’m looking for a film that might not be well-known outside the country’s borders. Perhaps it’s a film everyone knows, and is hugely popular only to Portuguese audiences, even if it wasn’t popular with critics. Or maybe it’s a film that wasn’t well-received by audiences or critics, but has gained a cult following in the years since its release.
Any suggestions would be most welcome!

28 comments

  4. Only one option. Our greatest cineast, Manoel de Oliveira. Personally the movie “Aniki-Bóbó” from 1942. But definitely something from him. “Pátio das Cantigas” from 1942 is a good one too.

  13. Ignore all these trolls.
    The most iconic portuguese movie is called “Pátio das Cantigas” and was interpreted by the famous Vasco Santana. There’s nothing more iconic than “Evaristo, tens cá disto?” 😁👍

  17. Recordações da casa Amarela from João César Monteiro (a complete lunatic in real life and is the director and actor of the movie )

  20. “The beating of Batatinha.” (Batatinha anda à porrada)

    Lost to the sands of time, but never forgotten.

  24. You have an excellent triology called 1001 Noites from a director called Miguel Gomes. It’s a great look at portuguese culture with some of it being very specific to the situation circa 2015.
    This has everything to be a “cult movie”. Not a huge audience but definitely a proper well made movie. Patio Das Cantigas is a classic – not a cult a movie – I wouldn’t use that one.

  26. Formal: O Crime do Padre Amaro or Call Girl

    Classico: Balas e Bolinhos

    Cult of the cult: O Ninja das Caldas (i mean this shit is made with 34 Eur, awesome and ridiculous)

  27. The most iconic films, the oldies, would be “Pátio das Cantigas”, “A Canção de Lisboa” or “O Leão da Estrela”, but personally I’m not a fan of the type of 1940s slapstick comedy.

    A more recent one, and from the most acclaimed director (Manoel de Oliveira), would be “Non, ou a Vã Glória de Mandar”.

    If you mean a film that was very low-budget and got a grassroots following you have “Balas e Bolinhos”, or “O Ninja das Caldas”, but these are basically 2 kids and a camcorder type of films.

    Now, studio films that got famous. If you want a “proper” director I’d say “Recordações da Casa Amarela”, “Zona J”, “Branca de Neve”, “Jaime” or “O Crime do Padre Amaro”. If you’re more into films that were kind of spin-offs from something else, like comics, radio shows or the sort, then “Capitão Falcão”, “O Filme da Treta”, or “O Filme do Bruno Aleixo”.

    I’m a fan of the last type, but that may be because their predecessors were the ones with the cult following, the films were just the logical consequence.

Leave a Reply