According to IMDB, the Rocky Horror Picture Show has been in continuous release since 1975. In other words, at 35 years RHPS is the longest running movie ever.
My first introduction to Rocky Horror was in the 6th grade (circa 1980). My sister was a senior in high school and midnight showings of RHPS were wildly popular with middle-class, suburban, white teenagers.
I don’t know if my sister ever made it to a screening in a theater. But a friend of hers loaned her the soundtrack and taught her all of the audience’s cues and responses. Which in turn I learned because I wanted to be all mature like that. Whatever. Listening to the music and reading the lyrics on the album sleeve made a lasting impression on me even if I didn’t understand it all at the time.
When I was finally a senior in high school six years later, the RHPS came around again for Halloween. A guy on my swim steam suggested that all of the seniors go to the midnight show… in prim & proper Montclair, New Jersey of all places! This was back before the multi-plex theaters and a single theater was huge and sat hundreds of people.
We thought we were so cool. You couldn’t have found a preppier group of kids. We had on our long, wool overcoats with scarves. We had mastered the perfect layering look with turtlenecks, sweaters, and polos with upturned collars. And all the girls wore Tretorn sneakers that matched the color of one of our layers.
Oh, we were so out of our element when we got to the theater. I knew people dressed up but we were literally the only ones not in some sort of costume. Some of the kids in our group were way out of their comfort zone and wanted to leave but were coaxed to stay. We couldn’t have been more out-of-place if we had walked into a drag club. We huddled together and tried to play along since “blending in” was definitely out of the question.
Some of my friends brought props like toast, rice, newspapers and squirt guns to the movie but they were unsure as to what to do with them. I didn’t bring anything because I didn’t want to make a mess in the theater. Yes, I feel guilty about other people cleaning up my mess.
The music of Rocky Horror is great. But the audience participation is what really makes this movie unique. And that doesn’t come through on the soundtrack or watching the movie at home on DVD. You need to experience it in person.
I remember watching the movie and thinking, “Wow.” Who came up with all of the audience’s lines? How did it become so viral? It’s a marketing dream come true! I was more amazed by that than anything else. And this was all before the internet!
To this day, whenever I hear someone say, “dammit” I automatically reply, “Janet.” It’s a natural response as saying “God Bless You” when someone sneezes. I know I can still do the Time Warp because I currently have the song running through my head. And I’m sure I totally freak my kids out when I sing Touch-a Touch-a to myself while I clean, knit, etc…
Tonight Glee is performing seven songs from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. I’ve been excited about this for two weeks. Now the day is here and I can’t wait! I may not turn up my collar anymore but I’m still a fairly nerdy, preppy geek. Being able to sing along to RHPS makes me feel cool… at least in my own mind.
Have you ever seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show?
What was it like the first time you saw it?
How many times have you seen it?
What’s your favorite line?
6 comments:
I have never seen it, can you believe it?
OMG! You're my sista from another mista! I think I was with your group going to see RHPS for the first time - right down to the Tretorn sneakers! (I had a green pair and a pink pair - how's that for preppy?)
That's so funny. I never would have pegged you as RHPS watcher...er, commenter. I first saw this in 10th grade when I, for unknown reasons, was asked by boyfriend at the time to wear white to a RH party. Little did I know that I was posing as a virgin for the dramatics of the event. It was quite the event. I realized years later that any RH party or showing was nearly identical.
HAHA. I remember going with my Arthur's/D&D friends. Can't remember where (Somewhere in Morris Co maybe??) but I know I had the army coat, so I got the task of bringing in the stuff. And I got patted down at the door by the movie theater staff. I still managed to get some of the stuff in. Rice, hot dog, newspaper, toilet paper. I think they got the water pistol, which was rather large and hard to hide anyway. We had a blast. and that was the first and last time I've seen it in a theater.
At least I didn't dress preppy. I was a bid forewarned, and went with someone who was not a virgin.
Thanks for the memories.
MK
I had forgotten about the virgin ritual before the movie began. So, we must NOT have been the only out of place people in the theater because none of us were picked as virgins.
Can you believe I have never seen it?
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