Aug. 6, 2006
RUTHERFORD ON FILM: ‘Rocky Horror Picture Show’ Legendary Midnight Show
Returns to Cinema Theatre; Shadow Cast Applications Available to Perform
Interactively with Movie
By Tony Rutherford
Huntington News Network Critic
Huntington, WV (HNN) -- “I used to come here every week dressed as…,” a
“Rocky Horror Picture Show” alum told HNN from his seat at the premiere
midnight revival showing of the one of a kind audience participation film at
the Cinema Theatre.
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When “Rocky Horror” first came, it played at the Camelot Theatre to a small audience on the midnight series. “It was before it clicked with all the audience participation.” Believe it or not, “The picture did not do that great.”
Later, after it got rolling across the country, the picture was brought back to the Cinema, “We had 852 seats in the auditorium and it sold out. The ticket line was down to the corner then up to Fifth Avenue. I don’t remember the year [though],” Pauley explained.
Although Pauley was not sure of the length of the “Rocky” run at the Cinema, he moved on to manage Park Place Cinemas in Charleston where it played every Saturday night for 12-14 years “straight, solid.”
Prior to the Friday August 4 showing, Pauley speculated on the type of audience that would come.
In fact, he told his workers that the ‘virgins’ to be alert for are the one’s who complain something like, “I can’t hear the movie,” “I thought this was a horror film,” or “I can’t see all the people are standing up.”
“I think what you are going to see tonight is there are going to be a core of real fans that come dressed up . Some people who were younger dressed up but now they are older and don’t want to dress up but want to see the picture. Some people who had heard of it but were too young to see what it was all about. It will be interesting to see how people react who have never seen it. It’s been awhile since it’s played in this area.”
David Driskell, who put together “Rocky Rocks the River,” is putting together a ‘shadow cast,’ for the Huntington showings. The ‘shadow cast’ stands up in front of the screen and leads the interaction with the audience.
Driskell and his group were instrumental in convincing the Greater Huntington Theatre Corp. to bring the movie to the Cinema with restrictions on tossing projectiles and lighters.
To learn more about ‘shadow casting’ for “Rocky Horror” visit http://www.myspace.com/rhpswv or http://www.mirrorofthesoul.com/rocky Incidentally, the first night drew a capacity crowd! Long live the Time Warp!!!
