History Main / VindicatedbyCable

* ''[[CatsDontDance Cats Don't Dance]]'' was a box-office flop, buried in an Easter-weekend release with scant advertising (and a barely promoted Subway tie-in). [[TServo2049 This troper]] saw it in the theaters, but only because of a promo on the video release of ''SpaceJam'' a month before it hit theaters. At the time, the only people really talking about it were the animation community (who went on to award it the Annie for Best Picture) and the FurryFandom. Eventually, the film did become a CultClassic after its subsequent video release, and airings on Cartoon Network.

A related phenomenon is VindicatedOnVideo, for when video rentals rescue a film which was laughed out of the box office.

Also known as VindicatedByVideo, for when video rentals rescue a film which was laughed out of the box office.

* ''TreasurePlanet'' has also been getting a much better rap outside of theaters then it did in theaters, where it was a box office bomb.

* ''WhitnailAndI''.

Also known as VindicatedOnVideo, for when video rentals rescue a film which was laughed out of the box office.

Also known as VindicatedOnVideo.

* Several of {{John Carpenter}}'s films (''{{Escape from New York}}'', ''Film/TheThing'', ''{{Big Trouble in Little China}}'', etc...) did much better on cable and home rental than in the theaters. KurtRussell, who stared in several of said films (including the three mentioned), has remarked a few times that he wouldn't have a career if it weren't for such.

* CitizenKane, [[MostTriumphantExample of all films.]] While it had received much critical acclaim and many Oscar nominations during its release, it quickly dropped out of the public eye until RKO released its catalogue to television networks.

* Unlike many other classic comedies, the films starring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were not shown on television during the Baby Boomer generation, which resulted in virtually no one having any clue who they were after Woolsey's untimely death in 1938. In the '80s and '90s, stations like TCM and AMC began to show Wheeler and Woolsey's movies for the first time in decades. OK, so they're still not very well-known at all, but among vintage film/comedy fans, Bert n' Bob have a very small but very loyal following, so this trope definitely counts despite the fact that they remain obscure to the general public.

** What makes this even more astonishing was that this sale was for about ''US$5'' and it still beat all those other games.
*** What's surprising about that? People are much more likely to impulse-buy a $5 game than a $50 one, especially if it's a cult hit like ''Psychonauts''.

** "WhatsOperaDoc?" was not recognized as a great cartoon when it was released in 1957, nor was it nominated for an Academy Award. WarnerBros. did not even submit it for consideration.

Through frequent airings on premium or basic cable channels because they're cheap, handy filler, they gather a devoted audience that sees its [[SoBadItsGood entertainment value]] despite the [[SnarkBait obvious flaws]]. Sometimes, these film bombed when they were first released and were just misunderstood at the time but a later time period and cable made them popular. This can also happen to a film if it gets featured on ''MysteryScienceTheater3000'', and, in fact, is the cause of many a MissingEpisode of said series; after a movie was [=MiSTied=], it often gained in popularity, which raised the price for the rights beyond what Best Brains (or Rhino/Shout Factory) was able to pay.

* Unlike many other classic comedies, the films starring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were not shown on television during the Baby Boomer generation, which resulted in virtually no one having any clue who they were after Woolsey's untimely death in 1938. In the '80s and '90s, stations like TCM and ACM began to show Wheeler and Woolsey's movies for the first time in decades. OK, so they're still not very well-known at all, but among vintage film/comedy fans, Bert n' Bob have a very small but very loyal following, so this trope definitely counts despite the fact that they remain obscure to the general public.

* Unlike many other classic comedies, the films starring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were not shown on television during the Baby Boomer generation, which resulted in virtually no one having any clue who they were after the Woolsey's death in 1938. In the '80s and '90s, stations like TCM and ACM began to show Wheeler and Woolsey's movies for the first time in decades. OK, so they're still not very well-known at all, but among vintage film/comedy fans, Bert n' Bob have a very small but very loyal following, so this trope definitely counts despite the fact that they remain obscure to the general public.

Unlike many other classic comedies, the films starring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were not shown on television during the Baby Boomer generation, which resulted in virtually no one having any clue who they were after the Woolsey's death in 1938. In the '80s and '90s, stations like TCM and ACM began to show Wheeler and Woolsey's movies for the first time in decades. OK, so they're still not very well-known at all, but among vintage film/comedy fans, Bert n' Bob have a very small but very loyal following, so this trope definitely counts despite the fact that they remain obscure to the general public.

* Unlike many other classic comedies, the films starring the team of Bert Wheeler and Robert Woolsey were not shown on television during the Baby Boomer generation, which resulted in virtually no one having any clue who they were after the Woolsey's death in 1938. In the '80s and '90s, stations like TCM and ACM began to show Wheeler and Woolsey's movies for the first time in decades. OK, so they're still not very well-known at all, but among vintage film/comedy fans, Bert n' Bob have a very small but very loyal following, so this trope definitely counts despite the fact that they remain obscure to the general public.

* ''EddieAndTheCruisers'' is one such film vindicated by cable. It was a major and critical flop when it came out in 1983. When it Showtime started to show this on that channel. There, it picked up it's cult fandom. It's popularity was such the studio made a sequel, ''Eddie and the Cruisers II: Eddie Lives''. Unfortunately, the movie was considered pretty bad and director of the first film wanted nothing to do with the sequel.

* ''TheLegendOfBillieJean'' was a box office bomb during it's original release, but started to gain popularity as it began to play on syndicated networks years later.

* the 1980 live action movie version of Film/Popeye also gained CultClassic status thanks to HBO, as did the {{camp}}, glitzy, all-star movie musicals {{Tommy}} and SergeantPeppersLonelyHeartsClubBand.

* ''AChristmasStory'': In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the film began airing quietly on SuperStation WTBS and Superstation WGN as a Thanksgiving movie, from there it starts to get popular. Because it was a seasonal movie the studio only ran it for a couple weeks in December during its original release, so it pretty much owes all of its reputation to cable, video and word-of-mouth.

** "WhatsOperaDoc?" was not recognized as a great cartoon when it was released in 1957, nor was it nominated for an Academy Award. Warner Bros. did not even submit it for consideration.

* ''The Legend of Billie Jean'' was a box office bomb during it's original release, but started to gain popularity as it began to play on syndicated networks years later.
* ''Strictly Sexual'' is a 2008 comedy that history would have forgotten...except for the fact that it is the most watched movie available for free on hulu.com through some bizarre twist. It still frequently ranks in the most popular movies of the week.

* ''SpaceMutiny'': This cheesy Sci-fi movie with a well built guy name David Ryder, who screams like a girl, got featured on ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''. This resulted in a MemeticMutation featuring the many names of David Ryder.
* Don't forget the SoBadItsGood Sandy Frank dub's of the showa ''Gamera'' films, as well as other Tsuburaya shows like ''Mighty Jack'' and ''Star Wolf''.

* ''{{Hobgoblins}''}: Suggested to the ''MST3K'' gang by the person who directed it. "It shoots right to the top of the list of the worst movies we've ever done," writer Paul Chaplin commented. Enough interest was generated in it that a sequel was made for it, 21 years after its original premier.

** Adult Swim is where animated shows go to get reborn. In addition to its most famous example, ''FamilyGuy'' (as discussed below), it's perhaps the reason why ''{{Futurama}}'' got four DVD movies and a Comedy Central [[UnCanceled revival]]; ''HomeMovies'' only lasted half a season on {{UPN}} but eventually got another three and a half as an Adult Swim original. This even applied to anime once - ''TheBigO'' received terrible ratings in Japan but it was Cartoon Network that funded a second season.

* ''TheIronGiant'' failed at the box office thanks to Warner Bros having pretty much no faith in the movie. Then Cartoon Network started doing 24-hour runs of it on Thanksgiving...

* ''ManosTheHandsOfFate'': This 1966 amateur horror film was made by a fertilizer salesman on a dare. It was screened at a few local [[DriveInTheater drive-ins]] before being shelved and completely forgotten by all but those personally involved in its making. In TheNineties, it was discovered by the makers of ''Mystery Science Theater 3000'' and quickly became known for being the worst film ever featured on the show. The character Torgo, along with his theme music, became a MemeticMutation.

* ''MerlinsShopOfMysticalWonders'': This 80's horror movie was edited much later to make a family friendly movie. It resulted in making this NightmareFuel laden movie suitable for ''Mystery Science Theater 3000''.

* {{Hobgoblins}}: Suggested to the MST3K gang by the person who directed it. "It shoots right to the top of the list of the worst movies we've ever done," writer Paul Chaplin commented. Enough interest was generated in it that a sequel was made for it, 21 years after its original premier.

* ''SomewhereInTime'' was unsuccessful at the box office. Later cable showings increased its popularity to the point that it had a significant cult following, unusual for a pure romance.

* The film ''ItsAWonderfulLife'' didn't make a whole lot of waves upon its release, having received mostly dismissive or negative reviews (with the notable exception of ''Time'' magazine, and even they complained that it was ultimately superficial and sentimental). However, after it was accidentally released into the public domain in 1974, it became a Christmas standard, and a new generation came to see it as a classic. Note that, in this case, it was repeated airings on broadcast stations, not basic cable, that brought the film its new status, but the principle is the same.

* Several of {{John Carpenter}}'s films (''{{Escape from New York}}'', ''Film/TheThing'', ''{{Big Trouble in Little China}}'', etc...) did much better on cable and home rental than in the theaters. Kurt Russell, who stared in several of said films (including the three mentioned), has remarked a few times that he wouldn't have a career if it weren't for such.