The Room is an authored film that is colloquially known as the worst movie ever made, so people now go to it and taken out of it’s context by the people. The audience has made up responses for actions that happen on scene. It hasn’t come from the filmmakers, but an experience created by people. At certain moments the audience yells things, repeats lines, or moves to a certain part of the theatre. It’s at the same theatre in Westwood every first Saturday of the month. I interviewed a friend who has been to several screenings and who brought me to one in February.
Me. “Please explain the experience of attending a screening of The Room.”
LD: “People go to a screening of The Room, which has turned into a cult film and you say certain things at certain times. You throw plastic spoons at the screen when the picture of the spoon appears on screen. You go to the screening at midnight and it’s in . . . what’s it called Brentwood? No Westwood, and you bring a ton of plastic spoons and um the movie starts and, there are certain things you yell at certain parts of the movie, it’s all super improvised by the people who go, every time you go it’s a different experience, the best part is when you throw spoons at the screen when the picture of the spoon comes on. Every time you see water, you yell water. Every time they leave the door open, you yell shut the door. It’s the worst movie ever made, so you are making fun of it the whole time. “
Me “How did you hear about it?
LD: “I had friends who had started going to it, then they invited me, then I went. I like it because it’s funny and it’s like a community experience and it’s just like um you and all your friends and it’s interactive and entertaining and different and super weird. It’s just like a fun niche film thing to do.
Analysis:
Laura took me to this event one Saturday and it was quite an experience. I came prepared with plastic spoons and zero expectations. I was pleasantly surprised. Our crowd of “hecklers” was apparently very creative, coming up with creative catcalls that aren’t a part of the usual experience. Throwing spoons at the screen felt like spoons were raining down upon you. You got the feeling that people were repeat goers and knew the ropes. I eventually got the hang of it, and was able to participate, but you pretty much had to know what was going on to participate. It is an indoctrinating thing, you automatically know who has done this before and who hasn’t. It isn’t the same experience every time, depending on the showing and the people, different catcalling goes on. So there is multiplicity and variation going on and it is something that originated from the fans. It is similar to the experience of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Annotation: If you desire to participate, there are screenings of The Room all over the country. In Los Angeles here is the link:
https://www.landmarktheatres.com/los-angeles/regent-theatre/film-info/the-room