A normal movie viewing would be ruined if audience members yelled and threw things at the screen, but not when it comes to seeing “Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Englert.
At midnight, the buzzing crowd quieted down as one of the hosts, Ken Van Egdon, appeared on stage. After giving the trigger warnings, he began the “virgin sacrifice.” Each year, before the show begins, the “sacrifice” is performed as a fun way to introduce newcomers to the chaos that follows.
Then, the audience took a pledge, and everyone was told to sit down. As the hosts left the stage, they began a slow chant of “lips, lips, lips,” and the opening scene began.
Not long after the credits finished, people learned what the brown paper bags they were provided at the entrance were for. There were many points throughout the movie where the audience was directed on screen to throw something, shine the flashlight, or blow into the party horn.
“I don’t know where this started, but it’s been going on since the movie came out in the ‘70s, I believe. And I’m just glad to bring the tradition here,” Van Egdon said.
There was also a “shadow cast” that appeared on stage for certain scenes. These special people were dressed like certain characters and were meant to mimic what was happening on screen. Never knowing when an actor would appear on stage added a fun twist for both “virgins and non-virgins” of the performance.
Most audience members showed up in costumes. Some resembled actual movie characters and some did not. The Englert’s website itself highly suggests costumes, and they added another layer of fun to the event. During many of the songs, members of the crowd were brought onstage to show off the extra effort they put into their outfits.
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As this movie has been replayed for almost 50 years, fans know the plot and script well. There were many moments when the crowd yelled out little quips that only those rewatching would know.
“My favorite part was when the audience was screaming out lines or prompts to everything, it was hilarious,” Rowyn Maas, one of the attendees, said.
Each time certain characters’ names were said, like Janet Weiss and Brad Majors, the words “slut” and “asshole” would follow. These were also how the characters were introduced during the opening credits.
“This is a safe space to be silly, and when we leave here, we get to be humans again. So, we can say things, we can throw slurs at the screen if we want to, because it’s just out of fun,” Van Egdon said.
With the viewing starting at midnight, it seemed like it would be impossible to keep people’s attention. But with the constant uncertainty as to what was going to happen next, both on the screen and within the crowd, it was hard to lose any energy.
“It was really shocking to see all the different ways that things were going on, and I kind of didn’t know what to expect, and that made it more fun,” Mary Grace Guidi, a first-time viewer, said.
Even though the film did not do well when it was originally released, it still allows people from all communities to come together today to form a safe environment to be themselves. At the end of the day, making fun of the movie in such an exciting way lets the crowd connect.
“It’s equal opportunity, we don’t care about your sexuality, your gender,” Van Egdon said. We just want you to be here and have fun.”