The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Cult following

In spite of (or perhaps because of) its initial luke-warm critical and commercial reception, the film developed a cult following and it began playing at midnight at the Waverly Theater in New York City. People began shouting responses to the characters' statements on the screen. These mostly include melodramatic abuse of the characters or actors, vulgar sex jokes, puns, or pop culture references. Casts of fans dress up as the characters and act out the movie in front of the screen, usually with great accuracy. Other audience participation includes dancing the Time Warp, throwing toast, water, toilet paper, hot dogs, and rice at the appropriate points in the movie (many theatres forbid throwing things that are difficult to clean up, such as confetti or buttered toast). At the defunct Key Theater in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., the theatre manager would ride his motorcycle down the aisle during Meat Loaf's/Eddie's song, "Hot Patootie." At the Tower Theater in Houston, people would celebrate Brad and Janet's wedding with 25-lb of rice. Audience members also use newspapers to cover their head and squirt guns for rain during the "There's A Light" musical sequence, and use noise makers during the scene where Rocky is unveiled. The whole phenomenon got a boost in 1980, with the release of the movie Fame, in which some characters attend a screening of RHPS at the Waverly.

Related Topics:
Cult - Waverly Theater - New York City - Responses - Characters - Melodramatic - Actor - Joke - Pun - Pop culture - Time Warp - Toast - Water - Toilet paper - Hot dogs - Rice - Theatre - Confetti - Butter - Georgetown, Washington, D.C. - Squirt gun - 1980 - Fame

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Sexual connotation

• People who have never seen the show are called "virgins." Often, before the movie starts, a "virgin hunt" is conducted, where the virgins are brought down to the front of the theatre and "have their cherries popped" or participate in ceremonial "virgin games."
• People who have seen the movie, but not the live (cult) show, are considered "masturbators."
• Those who attend the show frequently are referred to as "sluts."

Presentation

What were ad lib responses from the audience are now, in a few locales, as tightly scripted as any screenplay. Audience members who provide "incorrect" or poorly timed responses are occasionally angrily shouted down just as if they were being disruptive in a normal movie. However, creative new lines are usually applauded and even added to the local repertoire. In most theatres yelling at new lines (either incorrect or otherwise) or other participants is considered rude.

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There have been audience participation albums recorded and scripts published. However, most fans feel that it is preferable for responses to grow organically from the local culture. For example, the audience members in Salt Lake City have utilized frequent references to the Mormon church and Brigham Young University. In most locales, new responses are regularly added to the canon (for example the introduction of references to South Park character Timmy at times when Dr. Scott is in a scene). Additionally, in some areas, the AP lines take note of current events (for example, the use of the name of a recent famous decedent in the line "Ladies and gentlemen: NAME", when Riff-Raff opens the coffin at the beginning of the Time Warp).

Related Topics:
Album - Salt Lake City - Mormon - Church - Brigham Young University - Canon - South Park - Timmy

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Some arthouse cinemas will have a tradition of regularly playing the film on a particular date, especially Halloween. While the film—and associated live cast performances—are less popular than in its heyday, regular weekend showings can still be found in select US cities.

Related Topics:
Arthouse - Halloween

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