A ‘Rocky’ night with cult movie

Most of the women at the Women’s Interest Network meetingWednesday wore jeans. But Kate Brown showed up in a skimpy Frenchmaid costume, complete with fishnets and black high-heeledsandals.

Brown was wearing her costume for Saturday’s showing ofRocky Horror Picture Show, sponsored by WIN and Spectrum.The free event will begin at 7 p.m. in the Hughes-Trigg Theaterwith Rocky Horror 101, a program designed to acquaint Rocky Horror”virgins” with some of the terms used in the film.

“People who have no idea what Rocky is about can show upto this and find out,” WIN member Stevie Salas said.

A press release for the event explains that Rocky Horror 101will be “a workshop and open discussion about gender,sexuality and pop culture,” and that it will include “adiscussion of definitions, identities and why the heck this moviehas inspired such a huge cult following.”

A costume contest will follow at 8 p.m., with the film willstart shortly afterwards.

The official Rocky Horror Web site www.rockyhorror.comdescribes the film as “an outrageous assemblage of the moststereotyped science fiction movies, Marvel comics, Frankie Avalonand Anette Funicello outings and rock n’ roll of everyvintage.”

According to WIN President Amy Dominguez, every Rocky HorrorPicture Show production is different. She said many theatershave a floorshow, which means it shows the film on a screen while acast simultaneously performs.

The screening Saturday will not include a complete floorshow,but it will feature a cast that will perform certain segments ofthe film.

Dominguez also said that audience interaction is a big part ofthe experience, and that there are two ways in which viewers canparticipate. One way is talking back, she said.

“There are lots of lines [in the movie] that people havecreated their own responses to … some are spontaneous, someare classic.” Fans who are familiar with these lines shoutthem out at appropriate times.

Although this form of participation is more for the seasonedRocky viewer who knows exactly what to say and when, the secondform of participation is one that everyone can take part in:throwing things.

Audience members throw certain items that correspond to specificlines in the film. For example, “When they say ‘atoast,’ you throw your toast,” Dominguez said.”When they say ‘great Scott,’ you throw yourtoilet paper.”

The version of the film that will be shown Saturday featureson-screen cues that instruct the audience which objects to toss andwhen.

But where does someone get toilet paper and toast at a filmscreening? They buy a “participation goodie-bag,” ofcourse.

Two types of bags will be sold at the event: regular andsuper-deluxe. The regular bags will include rice, a newspaper,toilet paper, toast, a glow stick and playing cards. In addition toall of the items in the regular bags, super-deluxe bags willinclude a party hat, a squirt gun, a noisemaker, confetti and abell. Regular bags will be sold for $1 and super-deluxe bags willbe sold for $2.

It may not seem obvious how all this fits in with the interestsof WIN and Spectrum, but according to Spectrum President RandolphHubach, there is a correlation.

“[The film] has a great intro into transgender-ism,”he said. “It takes a look into how different aspects of lifefind their way into film … it’s an opening to lookingat different issues in the gay, lesbian and transgendercommunity.”

Dominguez agreed, adding that the movie offers a”completely alternate view on gender roles, sexuality andpersonal expression.” “Just by watching the movie,you’re exposed to a different view,” she said.

She also said that the audience participation “inspirespeople to not be threatened,” while still introducing them todifferent views. “This is a movie that just puts stuff outthere,” she said. “By putting it out there and havingfun, it allows people to be comfortable” while learning aboutalternate lifestyles.

Dominguez said that this fits perfectly with WIN’s missionof creating a better environment for women and other groups thathave typically been oppressed, through inspiring understandingthroughout the campus community.

After all, Dominguez said, “What’s more upliftingthan having fun?”