2008 Woodie Awards
THE HOT SPOT
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Ike Saunders
Issue date: 11/12/04 Section: Entertainment
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Oh, who am I kidding. RHPS was supposed to be a wonderfully weird and fabulously freaky musical with an artistically creative plot not quiet accepted and appreciated at the time.
For those of you unaware of the movie's plot, the long of it is rather interesting. Brad Majors and Janet Weiss make plans at a mutual friend's wedding to get married, but first insist on visiting the professor of the class in which they met. On the way they encounter some "vehicle malfunctions" and must stop at the nearest location (a rather creepy castle) in hopes of finding a phone to call for roadside assistance. Once they arrive at the castle, however, Brad and Janet discover an astounding world of debauchery. Aliens from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy Transylvania have taken human form and inhabit a castle that, for our unsuspecting newlyweds-to-be, exposes them to a time they shall never forget, involving sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
No, really; it's amazing. The movie is a musical, yes, but it is a very demented film. Ask your parents about it if you truly need an opinion of someone who has probably seen it or at least knows a bit of its background (due to the time the movie was released). If your friends have seen it before, they can assure you whether you would love it or hate it.
Audience members also began creating call-outs during the movie that would either respond to actors' lines in the movie or would be just before an actor's line so that the movie character would respond to the call-out in a humorous fashion. As time went on, audience lines began to also make comments regarding the setting in the movie, situations, or lines would change according to current events.
Universal Cineplex (the movie theater at Universal Studios) presently works in conjunction with the Orlando-based performance group The Rich Weirdoes to provide showings RHPS for those crazy, cult-following, RHPS-junkie people in today's world. Every second and fourth Friday and Saturday of every month at midnight, Universal Cineplex screens RHPS. In addition The Rich Weirdoes (consisting of perhaps 20 or 30 some-odd members) hosts a half-hour pre-show (starting at midnight and commencing with the start of the movie at around 12:30) that consists of (sometimes) eccentric drag performances and audience interactive "games" involving the virgins (those who have never seen the movie in the theater before) to get everyone pumped for the movie. Once the movie starts, Rich Weirdoes actors also dress like the movie's characters and "act out" the movie while it's going on under spotlight throughout the theater. As the movie goes on, the audience then engages in the exciting game of call-outs. The hundreds of nationwide and worldwide known call-outs (RHPS is the longest-running audience participation movie ever) that interact with the movie on screen to result in a hilarious two-hour session of fun. The Rich Weirdoes also sell prop bags for five dollars with the rice, newspapers, cards, etc. that are used during different scenes of the movie as well.
Just a, forewarning regarding the humor. If you are in ANY way offended by jokes regarding death, sex, homosexuality, politicians, animals, drugs, races, etc. do NOT attend this show. Also maintain distance if you are bothered by, made uncomfortable by, or freaked out by homosexuals, men dressed as women, women dressed as men, partial nudity, gothic dress, freaks, etc. People really come out of the woodwork for bi-monthly event, so heed my warnings should they apply to you.
Otherwise, if you are accepting of the above jokes and people and wish to see what RHPS is all about, or if you fully know how awesome RHPS is and want to attend it anyway, head out to the Universal Cineplex at CityWalk. The movie is shown in a regular movie theater at regular movie price (student discount still applies!), for more information, go to www.richweirdos.com. Don't forget to wear your chained pants, fishnet shirt, and black make-up!