About a dozen people protested “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” when it first screened in Kilgore in 1975. The rowdy reel’s back this weekend in the Texan Theater.
The musical-comedy-horror actually flopped at the box office upon its release. Over time, though, the show became a cult classic, finding its audience as one of the earliest ‘midnight movies.’ Five decades later, REEL East Texas Film Festival’s getting the bawdy band back together again Saturday night, and (most) everyone’s invited to join the fun at the Rocky Horror Picture Show Experience.
Tickets are on sale now, open for audience members 18-and-older: General Admission seats are available for $10, and $30 gets one of a limited number of VIP spots including early entry, a themed ‘mocktail’ beverage and a “prop bag” to accompany the screening and live-action experience. (Purchase tickets via https://givebutter.com/g8s6EY)
“It has quite the active following still to this day,” according to REEL Executive Director Chip Hale. “I don’t know of any other film that, when screened, has such an interactive audience.”
Kilgore native and avant-garde punk rock performance artist Ayrton Chapman, aka @slimj3lly, will fill Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s signature fishnets for the #Frankentastic experience.
With Chapman as emcee, the interactive screening also features a volunteer cast of college student performers in various roles from the film, including Ori Bedrigal (Brad), Addison Farris (Colombia), Hannah Haney (Magenta), Kat Linch (Eddie/Dr. Scott), Mariana Saldaña (Janet) and Hannah Smith as Rocky.
Notably, “Rocky Horror” is a niche film with a niche audience, Hale said, hence the ‘adults-only’ label on this particular event in the South Kilgore Street venue. Neither the movie nor the event is meant for a broad audience.
“The movie is rated R. It is not a kid-friendly film,” Hale emphasized. “While we understand Kilgore’s very familial and a lot of events that take place in our town are kid-friendly and family is welcome, this is one of those that will not fall into that category.
“For those who have seen Rocky Horror, they know what I’m talking about. For those who haven’t, hop on Internet Movie Database or on YouTube.”
Content cautions aside, the film does have a rabid following, and screenings (accompanied by live actors) are happening around the world this month as the fandom celebrates 50 years of #RHPS.
REEL East Texas licensed the film this summer, angling to give local enthusiasts a chance to dive into the show. Costumes are encouraged Saturday night.
Doors will open at 8 p.m. Oct. 25 for VIP seatholders, with General Admission entering about 8:30 p.m. The event gets underway about 9 p.m. kicking off with a showing of the REEL East Texas short film “Through the Ghost.” The locally-produced thriller stars East Texas actors and recently won ‘Best Short Film’ at the Gulf Coast Film & Video Festival.
Once “Rocky Horror” begins, audience members with prop bags will participate at key moments during the movie. (The souvenir swag will be available for purchase while supplies last.)
“As far as REEL East Texas is concerned, we’re trying to find fun fundraisers that fall into our cinematic wheelhouse,” Hale said. “With ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ and it also being right around Halloween, we thought it’d be a good way to have a fun and engaging event that could also be a good fundraiser just a few weeks before our 9th annual film festival.”
This year’s independent film showcase from REEL East Texas runs Nov. 6-8 in the Texan Theater and 4 Star Cinema as well as the Old Post Office downtown. For more information, follow @REELeasttexas on Facebook and Instagram or log on to REELeasttexas.com. Tickets are on sale now.
According to Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin, it was just “Rocky Horror” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” that drew protesters to local movie theaters back in the day.
As for the RHPS debut, “It didn’t show here right away. It showed later,” he recalled. “It showed in Tyler and in Gladewater. They tried showing it in Longview and had some protests.
When it reached Kilgore, “There wasn’t a large number of people; just ten to 12 with some posters out front. They weren’t vocal or active, they just discouraged people from going to it and gave the theater a hard time.”
The movie did make a bit of a splash back then, Hale agreed.
“‘Bawdy’ is a good adjective for the film. It is wild. It was made in a different era,” he added. “It was also during the time you had ‘Blazing Saddles’ and a handful of those satirical comedies the ’70s were full of. The 70s were just a different decade for filmmaking altogether.
“Rocky Horror falls into that time when people were coming off the studio films from the ’50s and ’60s. That’s when the independent film movement first started. Studios were ready to push the boundaries and the audiences. They became their own subgenre of subversive comedy.”
Nothing compared to today’s wilder and scarier fare, but it’ll make for a fun time Saturday. Reserve tickets now via tinyurl.com/frankentastic
