Rocky Horror Picture Show Fun for All

Audience Participation Gives Movie Experience Plenty of Flavor

By Corey Sipe, published Oct 01, 2006
Published Content: 741  Total Views: 360,829  Favorited By: 4 CPs
Rating: 3.7 of 5
Water was being squirted, confetti and toilet paper were being thrown and newspapers were on everyone’s heads the evenings of October 18th and 19th in the Shafer Auditorium. It was all part of the fun of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, sponsored by the Drama Society. For only $4, students had the opportunity to watch the movie, get a prop bag, and have the opportunity to participate in a trivia contest and virgin sacrifice. Most theaters that actually show Rocky charge more to see the movie plus audience members need to bring in their own props, so students got a good deal. 

What is Rocky Horror about? Those who have seen the movie already know but for all you Rocky virgins out there I will tell you a little bit about the plot. Brad and Janet get stranded and enter a castle where Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite, is in the process of creating a perfect man. It’s a comedy, musical and a classic horror movie all rolled into one. 

The movie started as a play written by Patrick O’Brien in 1973. Two years later it was made into a movie with little success. However theater owners noticed that the same people kept coming back to see the Rocky. In 1976, a theater owner decided to play the soundtrack before the movie and he encouraged a party atmosphere thus resulting in audience participation such as speaking to the screen and dressing up like Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Riff-Raff, Magenta, and Columbia. Another form of audience participation includes throwing of props. 

Free horror videos were awarded to the winners of the trivia contest and the best costume contest. 

A student who dressed up like Dr. Frank-N-Furter won the best costume award which was determined by the audience and judges. 

Other costumes included one girl who dressed as a Hostess Twinkie while another girl dressed as a guy with a T-shirt and shorts. 

Some of the characters people dressed up as included Rocky, Riff-Raff, Magenta, Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Columbia, Eddie, Brad, and Janet. 

Takeaways
  • The movie started as a play written by Patrick O'Brien in 1973.
  • Brad and Janet enter a world where transsexualism and dancing is embraced
  • The edited cable version is terrible compared to the full version with audience participation
Did You Know?
In 1976, a theater owner decided to play the soundtrack before the movie and he encouraged a party atmosphere thus resulting in audience participation such as speaking to the screen and dressing up like Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Riff-Raff, Magenta, and Columbia. Another form of audience participation includes throwing of props.
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