I’ve been watching The Rocky Horror Picture Show (TRHPS) Reaction videos on YouTube, it being near Halloween and all, and it took about four of them that I started and left, before it dawned on me what was annoying.
The people watching did not understand the cultural references, nor did they understand the campy-ness of the movie.
And they certainly did not know what to say in the right spots. They sat mute as if there wasn’t anything to say!
One person asked what they were throwing at the wedding… popcorn? I rolled my eyes all over the room. Does no one know about throwing rice anymore?
Others did not recognize Riff Raff and Magenta as the painting American Gothic, asking, “Why does he have a pitchfork?” Ugh.
If they didn’t understand these small and easy details, how would the pick up on the horror movie tropes like the car breaking down in the rain or the creepy housekeepers? Or the B-Movie references to King Kong and Fay Wray?
And there was no patience! I couldn’t even get past the wedding as person after person commented on the “bad acting.”
CAMP, people, CAMP!
Fill in the Blanks, Already
“I really loved the………………………………………………………………… skillful way………………. You beat the other girls… to the bride’s bouquet”
The hesitation before “skillful way” was annoying to the viewers. That was where I gave up each time.
If they were annoyed by that, what were they going to think of Frank-N-Furter’s
“Anticip…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..”
(You know you had to say it!)
Rocky and Me
I first saw TRHPS when I was 16 years old. It was early in the participation era – rice, squirt guns, and newspapers were the main things I remember back in those days. Over the years, as we know, more and more was added to the show/production. I didn’t ever dress in movie drag, but definitely dressed like a drag queen.
Going to the movie was a glorious respite from the repressive society we were living in. I was in the gay world in high school, but only on the periphery. Within the next year, I was swimming in the deep end of the gay community, helping the guys find tricks at Lake Eola.
I was still going to Rocky Horror at 17, then 18, 19, 20, and 21. The last time I went at 21, I was pregnant with Tristan and wore a purple Izod shirt and was physically dragged down the center of the aisle as parts of the audience yelled, “VIRGIN!” at me. I was very worried about my pregnancy and did not have a good time that night. That was my last Rocky Horror experience. It broke my heart they thought I was a TRHPS virgin having been over 100 times in five years. Fucking preppy Izod. I should have known better.
History Passing By
Rocky Horror is shown in many cities around the country, usually on Halloween, but theaters do not allow the throwing of all the fun-stuffs like hot dogs, using squirt bottles, or raising lighters into the air; all that “dangerous” crap we didn’t consider back in the olden days.
I’ve watched Rocky Horror on TV each Halloween and I holler out the proper interjections at the right time, yet it just isn’t the same as with a theater full of crazy-fun folks dressed, high, and loving our bizarre lives for at least one hour and 38 minutes.
Shout With Me!
If you watch The Rocky Horror Picture Show this season, please yell along with me. I would love the company.
Navelgazing Writer 