What's Your Favorite Musical? The Movie Club Dissects The Rocky Horror Picture Show

It’s been a few hours since we all watched The Rocky Horror Picture, and since Halloween is creeping up on us, why wait any longer to discuss the movie? This was our first time using the CoverItLive live-blogging technology, and it went reasonably well. There are a few problems that need to be ironed out, including:

1. How to thwart the evil fake Dan Bergsteins who used my name and confused everyone during the live blog. There were several Dans, and even Dan Bergsteins, signed into the chat program. This felt like a very real nightmare and left me doubting my own existence. There must be a way to highlight my real name. I’ll see what I can do.

2. Moderating takes time. In order for your comments to be displayed in the chat, I have to pre-approve you beforehand. This took a good 15 minutes at the start of the live-blog as I clicked the name of each person in the chat to “un-moderate” them and let them talk freely. Next time, we all should meet fifteen minutes early and get this sorted before the movie starts.

3. Not enough coffee. This is my problem, but a very real problem nonetheless.
What else should we do to help make the live-blog process super terrific?

Technical issues aside, it was still fun. If you haven’t watched the movie yet, don’t worry about spoilers. There really are no spoilers for this movie. No plot, either.

Here are the discussion questions. My answers appear below each and you can offer your own answers in the comment section.

1. What happened in the movie?
No clue. I’ve seen the movie several times, but the story is still baffling. I understand that Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a super-sexed alien from the planet Transylvania, is having a party in honor of his new creation/zombie named Rocky. And then the prudish humans Brad and Janet show up. And then…I get lost in all the singing and dancing. There’s a professor. There’s something about a mission. Everyone swims. And the movie ends. But even without a strong story, or any story, I the movie is still fun.

2. Who are all the other guests at the party? Are they aliens? Why do they wear sunglasses? Where do they come from and how do they all know Frank? Can they speak? Explain the origin of the party guests.
I really wish these partygoers had their own movie. 700 Dan Points to anyone with a fun, awesome answer.

3. Favorite song?
The “Time Warp” is a classic, but my favorite is still the opening number, “Science Fiction/Double Feature.” It’s a slow, dreamy song that tells the audience, “Relax. Things are about to get trippy.”

4. Is the film still risqué?
It’s provocative at times, but you can find much more salacious and raunchy images and movies online without even trying. Just breathe into a Google search window and you’ll be greeted with naughty, nasty things. There’s nothing in this movie that you can’t see on an average episode of The Real Housewives of Whatever.

5. Favorite Character?
Columbia. She has the best hats.

6. Dan, you don’t like A Very Potter Musical, but you do enjoy the Rocky Horror Picture Show. Why?
Rocky Horror is completely bonkers. I respect originality. And it’s half as long as A Very Potter Musical. I’ve said it before, but if AVPM were 80 or maybe 90 minutes, I would have enjoyed it much more.

7. What are your favorite movie (or TV) musicals?
Jesus Christ Superstar, Fiddler on the Roof, and Dr. Horrible.
Honorable mentions: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Once, and The Nightmare Before Christmas.
Guilty Pleasures: Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Mary Poppins.

8. What do you think happened to Brad and Janet?
According to the fan-fiction I’m writing, Brad owns a nightclub and Janet is pregnant with Frank-N-Furter’s child, which she names Weenie. And then Weenie gets ahold of a magical ring that grants wishes and…well, you’ll just have to wait to find out. (Just kidding. I didn’t write this fan fiction story. Instead I expressed this story as a fan-fiction interpretive dance accompanied by wind-chime orchestration.)

9. Have you ever seen the movie at a midnight showing? What was it like?
I went once, back in high school. I remember that all newbies had to eat a Skittle off the body of someone else. And then there was loud talking and rice. It was very much like church.

10. What should we watch for in November?
New Moon? Did I hear someone say New Moon? That’s a Thanksgiving movie, right? Any other ideas?

Related post: Rocky Horror Liveblog with Dan