The year is 1986.
Every weekend my friends and I tell our parents we’re going to the midnight showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. This buys us a pass for a few curfew bonus hours, until at least 2:30 in the morning.
Sometimes we actually go.
Our little group of prepsters and jocks don our garters, party hats and freakwear, sneaking rice and water guns into the theater downtown.
And we’re not the only ones. Every weekend this place is packed with kids in drag at midnight, as we sing, dance and scream out the lines to the most freakishly fabulous film any of us have ever seen to this point.
“Hi! My name is Brad Majors, and this is my fiancee, Janet Weiss.”
“Oh, it’s probably some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos.”
“What have you done to Brad?”
“Nothing. Why, do you think I should?”
Tim Curry. Academy Award winner Susan Sarandon (well, not for this picture, but still.) Barry Bostwick. Meat Loaf. Singing and dancing in their underwear.
But not exactly the kind of thing you’d put in a time capsule.
At least not with a really long letter of explanation.
The Time Warp
I remember doing the Time Warp
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me and the void would be calling
Let’s do the time warp again…
Let’s do the time warp again!
It’s just a jump to the left
And then a step to the right
With your hands on your hips
You bring your knees in tight
But it’s the pelvic thrust that really drives you insane,
Let’s do the Time Warp again!
It’s so dreamy, oh fantasy free me
So you can’t see me, no not at all
In another dimension, with voyeuristic intention
Well-secluded, I see all
With a bit of a mind flip
You’re there in the time slip
And nothing can ever be the same
You’re spaced out on sensation, like you’re under sedation
Let’s do the Time Warp again!
I never did get to that movie–I guess it was when I was recently out of college so didn’t have the time so much then. I so remember the craze, though. Sounds like a lot of fun!
Lisa, thank you for the nostalgia porn!
I was in grade 7 when I discovered TRHPS – but not the movie, the soundtrack, owned by my bff’s older sister. We learned every word of that record, singing along while dancing and gyrating in her basement. I could sing all the words to Toucha Toucha Touch me well before I understood what was going on in the song. When I finally saw the movie, many years later, I was appalled at how horrible it was and never really got the whole cultish audience participation. Tim Curry was amazing, though.
Nice, Lisa! I can just picture you there.
I was in NYC when I used to stand in long lines on St. Marks Place to see TRHPS. What a time travel to read those lyrics!!
This brings back two sets of memories:
1) My first Rocky Horror experience, visiting another college during my own college years. We’re getting ready to go to the auditorium on a cold Halloween night and I’m donning my leather jacket and they all tell me, “Oh, you can’t wear that.” Why? I ask innocently, all Janet-like. “You just can’t.” But it’s the only cold-weather gear I have, so they rustle up a couple of extra sweaters belonging to the host of the party, a guy who is twice my size. I look like the Michelin Man, but I’m warm. When I get there, and I see the flying toast, and rice, and water, I finally understand about my leather jacket, and I’m grateful…
2) This song being played at the wedding reception for my friend’s first marriage. And that’s all I want to say about THAT right now…
Joanne–
I know the feeling. I saw it on cable years later and was horrified. My mother would never have let me go if she knew…
Danielle & Jenny,
Thanks!
Gail,
I can totally picture you there !!! 🙂
Kristina,
First marriage? Yikes.
(Although, who am I to judge? My husband and I danced our first song to A KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON, but the song when we invited the crowd to join us on the dance floor was the theme from THE LOVE BOAT. (We got married on a yacht).)
Lisa
Great comments all!!
Exeter Street Theatre Boston. Susan Sarandom at about 22. Great stuff.
Heh, Rocky Horror should go down as a major cultural movement in cinematic history, if you ask me!
Kim,
Amazing!
Devilish,
Ditto 🙂
Lisa