If you don’t mind me dropping in every week to discuss subjects from the frivolous to the enlightening, I’ll be happy to kick a little knowledge your way. Let me say I appreciate the depths of your interest in certain topics that are always hot (can anyone say Britney?), but even more, I appreciate the breadth of what you’re seeking. The ways in which you turn to the search box on such a variety of subjects offers a reflection of what drives your life.

I’m on the search beat every day, so I tend to get a little jaded about hype. Everyone loves an underdog, and I’m no exception. So when a little buzz ripple blossoms into a full-fledged trend, I tend to identify. Such is the case with the movie Napoleon Dynamite. While many big-budget summer blockbusters have come and gone, the little engine of Napoleon Dynamite is chugging along in our top 500 searches. Reaching out to the coveted teen audience, the indie flick did a super-slow-mo build to prominence. But unlike the shooting stars who performed mightily in their opening weekend only to slip quietly toward video, Dynamite has held steady in search for the better part of three months. On its way to cult fandom, the film inspired searches on “Napoleon Dynamite quotes” (+18%) and “Napoleon Dynamite soundtrack” (+62%) over the last week — adding further evidence of the film’s geeky yet oh so-powerful legs.

To celebrate a little movie that could, we present this indisputable visual evidence for your enjoyment:

Do you have a favorite movie, TV show, or band that built slowly toward mainstream acceptance? Comments? I’d love to know what you think.

Erik Gunther
Yahoo! Buzz Index Editor