When The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released 40 years ago, it was considered to be a flop. The Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry schlock-horror-comedy-musical about an alien transvestite did not find its true audience until it hit the midnight movie circuit on college campuses and larger cities in the US in 1976. Theaters let those dressed as cast members into screenings for free and soon the campy movie became a cult classic. Now, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest-running film in history, and it has never been pulled from theaters since its release in 1975.
Over the next two weekends, two very distinct groups in Taipei will be doing their own homages in different ways to The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
DOG DAYS IN DRAG
Photo courtesy of Kenny Paul
For the second year in a row, Taipei’s infamous drag queens are taking over Carnegie’s to help Animals Taiwan, but this year they are inspired by Frank Furter, Riff Raff and Brad Majors.
“We won’t have just the one sweet transvestite, oh no! We will have a riot of drag queens, drag kings, pansexuals, go-go boys and even a good old-fashioned cross-dresser,” said Magnolia La Manga (real name Jon Mangan), one of Taipei’s more notorious drag queens.
“We’re doing all the songs from Rocky Horror but we’ve taken that distinctive 1970’s glam style of gender and sexual fluidity even further to give our show an over-the-top twist.”
Animals Taiwan is moving to New Taipei City’s Sindian District (新店) in the middle of next month and all proceeds from the show and raffles will go to help the relocation of the animals.
Dog Days in Drag Rocky Horror Special is Saturday from 6:30pm to 12am at Carnegie’s, 100, Anhe Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市安和路二段100號). Admission is NT$900 at the door and there is a buffet and an open bar during this time.
TIME WARP TAIWAN
For close to 40 years, the midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show have become a guaranteed party. This is because the long-standing traditions are people dressing up as characters from the movie, the audience yelling at the screen with callback lines (every time Brad Majors and Janet Weiss talk, the audience yells, “Asshole” and “Slut,” respectively), and everyone in the theater throws things like toast, newspapers, confetti, rice and toilet paper at each other and the screen.
On Oct. 10, Time Warp Taiwan will be doing their rendition of a midnight screening. They have a whole cast of misfits who will be doing a shadowcast of the film, which means The Rocky Horror Picture Show plays on the screen in the background and performers wearing costumes like their characters, act out their movements and lip sync their lines in front of the screen. Audience participation is an essential part of the experience, so people are encouraged to dress up and scream at the screen.
Unfortunately, Lux Cinema is prohibiting the throwing of props because they do not want the theater totally wrecked. Security will be checking bags at the entrance, and since this is a movie with a lot of lewd jokes and people prancing around in their underwear, it is suggested that children stay at home.
Doors open at 11pm on Oct. 10 and the screening starts at midnight at Lux Cinema (樂聲—洛基恐怖秀), 85, Wuchang St Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市武昌街二段85號). Tickets are NT$400 and can be purchased at the Lux Cinema ticket counter or at any 7-Eleven iBon machine.
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