20 Best Cult Movies Of The 1980s
6. Withnail And I
Withnail And I follows the trials and tribulations of two young actors living in London and their efforts to land an acting job and get drunk (but mostly to get drunk). Starring Richard E. Grant and Paul McCann, it was the directorial debut of Bruce Robinson, working from his own semi-autobiographical screenplay.
Perhaps the most quotable British comedy of all time, Withnail And I didn't get the appreciation it truly deserved when it was first released in 1987, but home media and millions of drunk students - who invented drinking games and tried to keep up with the alcoholic protagonists - have guaranteed its place in cult movie history. It's not surprising, as the London flat they inhabit is much like a stereotypical student digs, all filth, squalor, dregs of booze and unwanted visits from drug dealers.
Withnail And I is tragic and hilarious in equal measure, and part of its enduring success is how it speaks to both the hedonism of the 60s and the crashing collective hang over felt by a generation of hippies and stoners. For a time many fans actually confused it for a film shot in that decade - a testament to the authentic production design and the exceptional soundtrack featuring 60s icons such as Jimi Hendrix.