That epic moment when something is so bad, it is awesome!
When I was in junior high, my best friend raved about the Rocky Horror Picture Show. She had an older brother who told her all about it. And, I am pretty sure her parents both went to see it one time or another. So that Halloween, I was pretty excited to find out that VH1 was going to do an all day marathon of the film. I holed up in my basement that night so I could watch it.
Now, I'm a huge fan of musicals, so I was pleasantly surprised to find out that RHPS is indeed a musical. I absolutely loved the opening scenes with Brad and Janet. It was both hilarious, and reminiscent of the first few scenes of "Night of the Living Dead", at least in my opinion. Then Brad and Janet got lost on the road and ended up in a creepy house full of eccentric people, and some stuff started happening, and I was out like a light.
Several subsequent attempts at watching it later, and I realized that if I couldn't stay awake through the movie, even when fully rested, then I probably just didn't like the movie. That is until I was invited to a public showing several years later. That night, for the first time ever, I stayed awake and enjoyed the whole movie. I also realized that the music in the movie turned to slow, storytelling ballads that lulled me into a cozy sleep state.
I don't really need to get into all that goes on at a public showing of RHPS, as I am sure many of you have been to one, or at least heard about it already. If not, I'll post a link at the bottom of this post that'll tell you all about it. Indeed, it was definitely a good time out with friends, and I felt good for supporting a local independent theater. (disclaimer: I AM NOT A HIPSTER!)
Earlier this week, the same friends who took me to RHPS, took me to see another similar event. We went to an arts theater to see the epicly bad love triangle drama, The Room. This isn't nearly as popular as RHPS, but apparently it's growing in some circles. Audience participation for The Room is not nearly as energetic as Rocky Horror. The story is easier to follow, and there is only one thing to throw, SPOONS! You should definitely go see it if you get the chance.
Public participation in theaters is a fucking unique experience. It doesn't have to be nearly as involved as RHPS, or The Room, it could be as simple as filling a premiere with friends, or like minded people, and just experiencing a film for the first time with others. I remember seeing Star Wars episode 3 on opening night. The theater had to show it on all 18 of it's screens to accommodate the crowd, and I am sure they still had to turn people away. Nearly everyone was dressed up for the occasion. Everyone was just as excited as I was to see the final installment of Star Wars for the first time; movie history.
Environments like this create a special atmosphere. It's different than seeing a movie a few days later, when almost everyone who is a true fan has already seen it. When you see a premiere with like-minded enthusiasts, you're actually going on an adventure with your companions. It's new, uncharted territory. The whole theater struggles through the plight of the characters, they cry when Aniken's mom dies in his arms, and they cheer when Obi-Wan leaves him for dead on the lava planet (because it is bad-ass).
This isn't just true with Star Wars. One year in college, my history of games class was able to fill a pre-screening of Kick Ass. And it was awesome! When Kick Ass tazed the drug dealer in the face, someone yelled out, "Oh! in the face!", and everyone busted out laughing. The night was filled with such comments. It was a memory that the audience shared together. I will always remember that movie the way I saw it the first time, which was much more exciting than watching it alone at home on DVD.
So, in the comments below, let me know your favorite audience participation event story.
Rocky Horror Picture Show fan site: http://www.rockyhorror.com/
The Room wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Room_(film)
The Room Tribute video game: http://www.newgrounds.com/portal/view/547307 this shit is EPIC! Find all the hidden spoons!
