Today and tomorrow at 7:30 p.m., Peery’s Egyptian Theater will hold its annual screening of the 1975 musical comedy horror film “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
“Rocky Horror” is about a newlywed couple, Janet and Brad, played by Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick, who become lost after their car gets a flat tire. Looking for help, the couple knocks on the castle door of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, played by Tim Curry, the self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania,” and musical chaos ensues.
Shirley Genus, the theater director at Peery’s Egyptian Theater, said that as a college student, she enjoys watching “Rocky Horror” and singing along with the songs.
“It’s been going from generation to generation,” she said. “It’s just plain silliness . . . We had a guy come in the other day that said he hadn’t seen this movie in over 20 years and he bought tickets.”
Unlike with normal film screenings, however, the cost of the tickets covers more than just the screening of the show; it also includes a bag of props and an unconventional movie experience.
“Everybody is given a prop bag,” Genus said. “There are all kinds of different parts of the show where people use the props. There’s toast, rice, a party hat. It’s kind of a crazy musical . . . there’s all kinds of crazy things that happen all through the show, and you just follow what’s going on and you’ll know when to use the props.”
While Genus warned that the R-rated film is not for all audiences, she said that “it’s a chance for everybody to come out of their shell and relax.”
Genus also said “Rocky Horror” is not one that audiences can sit back and enjoy in peace. “Be aware that it’s not for someone that wants to sit back and be quiet. It’s going to be hard for them to do that. You just get caught up in the craziness of it.”
Jordan Barbadillo, a junior studying communication, has worked the concessions stand at Peery’s Egyptian Theater in the past and saw part of the movie while he was on break.
“From what I saw, it was fun,” he said. “Everyone had fun and had the chance to be someone they won’t normally be and let loose for a little bit. It was fun to watch everyone have fun for a little bit.”
Barbadillo said that to get the full effect of the movie and to understand what’s going on, patrons need to watch the movie beforehand. “Watch the movie before, because you will feel left out when people start yelling at the screen and possibly becoming even more naked than they already are. It’s interesting . . . It’s fun. It’s definitely an experience. You can take it one way or another, but why not have fun?”
David Rodriguez, a junior studying broadcast communication, said that the first time he saw “Rocky Horror,” he had no idea what he was getting into.
“I went with my girlfriend to go see it,” he said. “When we got into the theater and they started giving us props, I thought it was the weirdest thing ever.”
Rodriguez said that while he wasn’t aware of the plot before he went, he enjoyed the props and the interaction with the movie they created.
“When something happened up on screen, you grabbed the prop that people said and you just threw whatever they said. One of the props is toast, so when the person actually has toast on the movie screen, you throw the toast . . . I thought that was really cool.”
Like Barbadillo, Rodriguez suggested that patrons familiarize themselves with the plot before they go to “Rocky Horror” so they can more fully enjoy the show.
Tickets can be purchased by phone at 801-689-8700 or in person at the box office at 2415 Washington Blvd. Tickets can also be purchased online at Smithstix.com for an additional convenience fee. The ticket price includes entrance to the screening as well as one bag of props. Doors will open at 7 p.m., with a pre-show costume and dancing contest at 7:45 pm. The movie will begin at 8 p.m.
