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St. Cloud State University
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'Rocky Horror' cultists unite
By Amanda Degen
Published:
Monday, October 20, 2003
Media Credit: Ching Fung
Joel Lokken, art student of SCSU performs during the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in Atwood Center Saturday midnight.
In the spirit of Halloween, SCSU continued its annual tradition of showing the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" in the Atwood Ballroom at midnight Saturday to a room full of animated and interactive viewers.
The ballroom was crowded with students, many dressed in costume to resemble characters from the film. Some students arrived with simple face paint and hats, while others came completely costumed in fishnets, corsets and stilettos. Members from the UPB films committee, which sponsored the event, were present to hand out bags filled with rice, toilet paper, confetti and newspapers.
Toast, rubber gloves, noisemakers and playing cards were scattered on the surrounding tables to encourage students to participate with the film. Following the screening, a costume contest was held, awarding prizes to those voted best dressed by the crowd.
This local showing of the film reflects the cult following that the film maintains to this day. Many of the students were not born when the movie was originally released, yet they still perpetuate the ritual that remains associated with the film. Many came for the humor of the film and the crowd.
"This movie makes utterly no sense whatsoever, and people love that," said Robin Bronson. "It's Tim Curry in drag for me; he will never live that down. The only way I can watch (the movie) and not be terrified is to think of Tim Curry in drag."
Some of the more devoted students found deeper motives attached to the film.
"It's one of those movies that instinctively makes fun of itself, and therefore you're kind of drawn to it," Josh Swantz said. "I've done something so stupid that I just have to mock myself, and this movie intentionally makes fun of itself, and therefore you laugh more and more. Also, it dealt with things that were taboo in the seventies. The fact that it did deal with issues that weren't typically mainstream developed a large underground following, and then as those issues became mainstream, the movie itself became more mainstream. People just kind of latched onto it for various reasons."
The film is based on a play written by Richard O'Brien, a New Zealander living in London and pursuing a theater career. The play originated in smaller venues in London until its rapidly growing popularity moved it into larger venues. The play was performed in the U.S. only nine months after its first run in London and the film rights were bought quickly after.
The film, considered a parody of B horror movies, muscle flicks and fifties rock and roll, bombed at the box office when it was released in 1975, but theater owners found that a small part of the audience was returning for repeated screenings.
Deciding to capitalize on the film's growing cult, 20th Century Fox began to promote it at midnight screenings, based on word of mouth.
Gradually, the audience that continually attended felt a unique relationship with the film, as singing along with the songs led to performing the dances with the characters, and eventually the inclusion of props and comeback lines the audience shouts at the movie to provoke laughter. The glittery costumes inspired people to dress up, and those venues with wackier audiences showed the most attendance growth.
"I think it's because the film is so bad, you just love it," said Crystal Olson. "It's like a bad acid trip; not that I've done acid before. It's so bad you just love it, and you have to keep on watching it. You love it even more each time you watch it."
The film has worldwide success in the cult realm; the play and the film have been shown and performed in Norway, Australia, Japan, France, and New Zealand since its creation, and in Munich, Germany, at a local cinema, the film has been screened every week for the past 27 years. The film has been shown in theaters continually since its release; it has the longest theatrical run in history.
Most theatre owners provide kits to attendees, complete with everything necessary to participate with the film. The movie shown in Atwood even provided subtitles to cue students on when to throw the rice and when to grab the newspaper. The buzz surrounding the 'Rocky Horror' screening prompted the Directors of Residential Life, Atwood and the Child Care Center to visit students participating in the event.
"I just wanted to stop by and see all the people present," said Margaret Voss, director of Atwood Memorial Center. "I've only seen part of it on screen, though I didn't quite get it, it's okay that it doesn't make sense; it's just crazy and it's fun."
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