10/24/10

Let's do the time warp again

     Tonight my boyfriend took me to see the Rocky Horror Picture Show, at midnight, in a tiny sweltering theater. Luckily the audience wasn't wearing much so heat didn't bother them. I had always wanted to go to one of these showings but I always found an excuse not to. When we arrived the line was down the block. The man at the door yelled down the ticket line "remember, this movie is rated R but the audience is rated X so if you're easily offended don't go in." How could I turn away?
     It was the first time either of us had seen the movie in theaters but we lied through our teeth at the door (on my uncle's sound advice) and waved a few props as proof of our veteran status (though I hadn't the foggiest what to do with them yet.) We escaped the lipstick V's on our foreheads which marked the "virgins", and received the lovely lip-print stamp shown below. I felt like a spy. I still feel as though I missed out on part of the experience because we lied though, nothing bad happened to the virgins anyway.
     We sat down in the back row, the old seats creaked and mine actually almost slid off of the frame (I had to keep readjusting it). The velvet covering was worn out but clean, and I felt like I had stepped into an old timey western theatre, especially since there were girls in garters, wrapped in boas, and wearing feathers in their hair. As the ushers (really just people who loved the movie so much that they were helping the virgins to know what to do) were explaining in a dirty manner that watching the movie at home did not count, one guy asked if seeing the songs on Glee did... and things were promptly thrown at him.
     The movie began wonderfully, there was a fight between the front and back row, people got in front of the screen to be killed by random objects, angels did dirty things and we played 'red light, green light' in a cemetery. Also, I had rice thrown down my shirt.

     On a side note - if you haven't guessed by now this show is heavy on the audience participation.My favorite was this: At some point one character waves a candelabra at another and the audience yells "You WILL celebrate Hanuka!" If you want to learn more about that part of it google audience response and props. It's a good idea to do it before you go, we would have gotten wet, possibly soaked if not for that. Also, there is a slight chance that you will get soaked anyway. Don't say I didn't warn you. (Now you're curious enough to go aren't you? Well, except for you. Yes, you. I see you frowning at the screen.)

     Anyway, We danced the time warp, but I got embarrassed and probably looked more idiotic because no one else in the back was dancing - all of the loud and fun people had gone up in front of the screen and taken off most of their clothing in order to dance more freely. They came back though... and after what I've been through tonight I really want to make a joke there....
     Somehow I knew that we would see someone we knew and within seconds of entering the theater (I'm not exaggerating) we saw someone we considered to be very prim and proper from one of our social circles. Later in the show she went in front of the screen and made our night awkward and amazing all at once. Sadly, we didn't say hi.
     I do not think that going to a movie has ever been so fun. There were so many nerdy and dirty references that most people would never understand or care to. I understand the sentiment I suppose... wait, no I don't. Going to this show was like entering a special club that everyone secretly wants to be in but most would not dare to enter for fear of someone else's opinion. To my someone else's I say - sorry, but I will remember this night forever, will you even remember what you were doing by next week?
     So to sum up - find that small theater in your town (or if you're near me come next Saturday or Sunday at midnight), get some props, learn a couple audience responses and then go and yell at a screen with a bunch of half naked people for a couple of hours. You'd be surprised how fun it is. Also, don't forget your newspapers.

Rocky Horror lip prints
Mmmwah!

1 comment:

  1. Okay... this on top of watching Glee last night kind of makes me want to go see this. But only kind of. My mother would probably shoot me! I do think there's a high school up home that's putting this on though... I wonder how many cuts they're making! Sounds like a really fun night :)

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