In the United States, a midnight movie is a B movie or cult film shown at midnight, either at a cinema or on television.
The practice started in the 1950s with local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming, often with a host delivering sardonic asides. As a cinematic phenomenon, the midnight screening of offbeat movies began in the early 1970s in a few urban centers, particularly New York City, eventually spreading across the country. The screening of nonmainstream pictures at midnight was aimed at building a cult film audience, encouraging repeat viewing and social interaction in what was originally a countercultural setting.
The national success of The Rocky Horror Picture Show and the changing economics of the film exhibition industry altered the nature of the midnight movie phenomenon; as its association with broader trends of cultural and political opposition dwindled in the 1980s, the midnight movie became a more purely camp experience—in effect, bringing it closer to the television form that shares its name. The term midnight movie is now often used in two different, though related, ways: as a synonym for B movie, reflecting the relative cheapness characteristic of late-night movies both theatrically and on TV, and as a synonym for cult film.
Midnight Movies was an indie rock band formed in Los Angeles, California in 2002. Composed of Gena Olivier (vocals, drums), Larry Schemel (guitar), and Jason Hammons (keyboards, guitar), the indie rock trio quickly crafted a moody and stylish sound. They became a major face on the L.A. music scene within a year, and earned a nomination for Best New Artist at the L.A. Weekly Music Awards in May 2003. Just as their self-released six-song EP arrived, Midnight Movies received another nomination for Best Pop/Rock band in spring 2004. Midnight Movies' self-titled studio-length debut was released on Emperor Norton the following August. The group resurfaced in 2007 with Lion the Girl, which featured new bassist Ryan Wood and drummer Sandra Vu, with Olivier handling keyboard and vocal duties and production by Steve Fisk. The band's final show was at Spaceland (now The Satellite) on June 16, 2008 and have since broken up to pursue other projects or to spend time with family.
Midnight Movies is the debut studio album by the American indie rock band, Midnight Movies. It was released on August 31, 2014 through Emperor Norton Records.
Pastels and circles.
Lights on a wire.
Balancing babies.
Absense of time.
Dreaming of mother while they hover.
Sun rays blanket them while they dream.
Line stretching out over the city.
People below will carry parasols.
Blue babies on the line,
Happens time to time,
La la la la la.
Fragrent breeze of mother's broken touch
Lures them in from miles,
Once in awhile.
Eventually she realizes,
Tight-rope walker she becomes.
Careful not to shake the pins loose,
Steady she steps with her arms out