A couple of weeks ago I saw the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” downtown with a group of fellow queers I had previously met at the yoga club. In case you are a virgin (in this context, someone who has not yet seen Rocky Horror in person- which I would highly recommend doing) here is a quick break down of what usually happens during the showing. This production is based on audience partici- (“Say it!”) -pation. There is a list of props that people should use during the show at certain lines or scenes, it is encouraged to dress up in costumes or as your favorite characters, and there are classic callbacks that are almost integral to watching the show. There is a lot of shouting, laughing, and generally good vibes. This viewing of the show that I had seen featured a shadow cast. A shadow cast consists of actors reenacting what is occurring on the movie screen but in real-time on a stage. Overall, it was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it again next year.
Rocky Horror is the epitome of what it means to be a cult classic movie. After all, this film is more than twice my age and it still has a very healthy fan base. So, I have to wonder, what makes this film and the community surrounding this film so appealing? My first thoughts went to the idea of acceptance. This film openly expressed queer identities and sexual liberation a long time before it was acceptable to do so in Hollywood. This film is especially a cult classic in the older queer community. After all, I cannot tell you how many older individuals came to the viewing dressed as their favorite character.
Also, it is expected that this film has an interactive element to it. There are not many opportunities in our daily lives where it is acceptable to break social decorum. In theaters especially, there is a strict ritual of when to clap, cheer, and a separate unspoken set of rules by which a person should conduct themselves. But, in this limited setting, it is encouraged to openly jeer at the character’s actions, sing along to your favorite numbers, throw props into the air during certain lines, and to get up and dance during the “Time Warp”.
The event of going to see Rocky Horror is an opportunity to shamelessly express gender and sexuality. Some of the callbacks may seem rude to those who are unfamiliar with the show but by turning what is abrasive and offensive into what can be considered as “the mundane”, marginalized groups can take power over what was once used to oppress them. “Rocky Horror Picture Show” is about liberation and embracing what is considered strange without remorse or shame. So, if you need a little more “weird” in your life, then this is the right movie for you.
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Movie: “Rocky Horror Picture Show” (duh.)
Song: “Bad Moon Rising” – Creedence Clearwater Revival
Quote: “Don’t dream it, be it.” – Dr. FranknFurter
I. Love. Rocky. Horror. I’ve had so much fun seeing a shadow cast a couple of times. One of my favorite books, and movies frankly, is the Perks of Being a Wallflower, in which Rocky Horror plays a pretty big role. I’m from the general Pittsburgh area, so I was actually fortunate enough to get to see the show in the same theater that was written about in the book. I think what you said about the show embodying acceptance is really spot on, and a central part of what makes the whole thing so great! Let me know if you’re ever headed to see it somewhere!!
Angie,
I am a fellow lover of Rocky Horror Picture Show, and I was actually in a student production at Penn State a few years back as a gender-bent Dr. Scott! I adore the love, freedom, and fun associated with the fanbase and experience. There’s something so wonderfully silly about bringing a piece of toast and a newspaper into a theater. This community celebrates new members with open arms and glamorous costumes, and has such a beautiful history of defying norms. I wish that this was a more common cultural experience and I hope more people get to be a part of the “weird.” Thank you so much for sharing!