I would like, if I may, to tell you a strange story. It could be a story about the time I was a fifteen and a strange man invited me into his Indiana hotel room. What he showed me was strange and exhilarating, a little bit frightening. It was fun and sexy and left me dazed and wanting more, and frustrated because it would be years before I could do it again. Even though he was breaking the law it still filled a deep need in me that I’d had all my life but had never really been able to articulate.
But the first time I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show, on an illegal bootleg tape before it was officially released on video, is another story.
This is actually a stranger story about something that happened to me while I was walking to the bus stop. I have approximately seventeen different Rocky Horror soundtracks or cast recordings and at any given time I have some of them loaded on my phone and ready for my listening pleasure even though I only listen to them in the month of October.
I’m strange like that. Halloween is my favorite time of the year and I could indulge my love of Halloween stuff all the time, but I try to keep it partitioned off and only really get into the spirit of the season in October because the antici…………..pation just makes it so much better. It’s a delayed gratification thing.
I was walking to the bus stop in early October and pulled out my phone. I activated Siri and had the following conversation. The strangest part is I’m really not making this up.
Even stranger was that the bootleg tape included this trailer for The Rocky Horror Picture Show, which I’d never heard of before. The music sounded amazing and I thought, “Oh, cool, so this is a rock musical just like Jesus Christ Superstar.” Yes, exactly like Jesus Christ Superstar, only with corsets instead of togas. So. Do any of you guys know how to Madison?
Thanks for rocking time warps again, Chris. Happy October!
I’m so glad you’ve taken this jump to the left with me.
My first time (re: RHPS) was a very frightening experience. My at-the-time boyfriend and I literally clung to each other for dear life. We had no idea what was going on, all the crazy people in the theater and their shenanigans and the craziness on the screen. When we realized we had made it out alive, we went a few more times and brought unsuspecting friends/family. We got a kick out of watching the horror on their first-time faces. Great times! 🙂
That’s wonderful. My first time, as you can tell, wasn’t frightening but it was baffling. Why did the guy sitting behind me keep interrupting the movie? The things he said were hilarious and I thought, “Wow, he’s seen this a lot to have been able to think of all the things he’s saying!” but at times I wished he’d shut up so we could just watch the movie.
I can’t imagine how terrifying it must have been to be in the theater with no idea what was going on. Taking unsuspecting people, though, is cruel. I love it.
I think I was 17 the first time I saw the “Rocky Horror Picture Show”. It was so completely different from any movie I had ever seen and the audience participation was new also. I have only good memories of that time. It was just so much fun. And since the audience was made up of only young people (so it seemed) it felt like we were pulling a fast one on our parents.
I was beyond dismayed to see that there is a remake in the works. Why must Hollywood fuck with perfection?
That feeling we were pulling a fast one on our parents was definitely part of the fun. One night when I was out my parents were babysitting a pair of young kids and found my bootleg tape–I acquired one when I was a senior in high school–and thought, “Oh, this is that movie Chris and his friends enjoy. We’ll let the kids watch this.” Fortunately they changed their minds about that.
I’ve heard about the remake and I hope it’ll never happen. Honestly just leave it alone. The sequel “Shock Treatment” was a mess. And no one could be a Dr. Frank N. Furter than Tim Curry.
I might be risking everyone’s friendships with me but… I have never seen the movie. I will just be over here hanging my head in shame and making finger puppets to talk to because I’m pretty sure I’m out of the gang now.
You mean she’s…?
Uh-huh.
Most of us were introduced to it by accident. So that just never happened to you. You can still come and dine at the cool kids’ table. Another slice, anyone?
I’ll give you a few minutes to play with your finger puppets while I dig out my fishnets and garter belt. Okay, it’s startime! Riff Raff–set the sonic transducer to program 8 and all levels to zero!
Now it’s never too late to join the club. Don’t panic–I’ll send you a Satanic mechanic. Let me show you around, maybe play you a sound. You seem like you’re pretty groovy. Rocky Horror’s visual, and you missing it is abysmal, so we’ll skip the Steve Reeves movie. Now come on up to the lab and see what’s on the slab. I see you shiver with antici………….pation. But maybe the rain is really to blame so I’ll remove the cause but not the symptom!
Confused? Maybe this will help.
You had me really worried for a minute there!!!
Exactly the reaction I was hoping for!
Aaaaaaaaaand…..I’m 15 again.
My goodness I was scared for you at the beginning. Had no idea if you were going to be describing your first lapdance.
I’m relieved it turned out to be one of the most exhilarating moments of your life. Life’s greatest pleasures are often those that are forbidden. And those corsets should be forbidden…who breathes in those?
Glad you’re safe and not a missing person on the side of a milk container.
Seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show was some very sweet forbidden fruit–much sweeter than my first lapdance. I did take enough risks when I was young that it’s surprising sometimes I didn’t end up on a milk container. And I don’t think corsets should be forbidden, but they should be left loose enough to allow breathing. There’s nothing attractive about suffocating.