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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

The Rocky Horror Picture Show comes back to UC Davis!

Air out your craziest, wildest costumes of the ’80s. It’s time to go to the showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show this Friday, May 14 at 8 p.m. in the east quad.

This is UC Davis’s second annual showing of one of the most mysterious cult classics of our time.

Laura Kroeger, a junior film major and the Campus Cinema chair on the Entertainment Council, said the Entertainment Council realized they needed to make this an annual event after the success of last year’s screening.

“We got outdoor screening equipment, which is a great way to make it a bigger and better experience than before,” she said.

Kroeger said that even though the new equipment would be a lot of work and money, they decided it would be well worth their time to provide a higher quality showing for UC Davis students.

“We aim to please and everything we do is what we think will benefit the UC Davis campus the most through cinema,” Kroeger said.

The E.C. has little doubt that the new screen and the spring night will provide for an exciting night, but the film is an event in itself.

“It is actually more of an event than your average movie screening,” said Keith Denatale, a junior art studio and English major who is the Promotions Coordinator for the E.C.

Denatale said that even though the film did horribly in theaters when it was released, it’s a perfect kind of culture-inspiring midnight movie.

“It’s the only one that’s done everywhere and has the most rituals of any cult film,” Denatale said. “It’s just huge.”

This cult phenomenon, Denatale said, will be a big part of the showing on Friday.

“There will be no real professionals, but a lot of people knew all the rituals last year,” Denatale said. “It just happens – pretty soon you’re the only one sitting down and everyone else is up and dancing.”

Even though audience participation is highly encouraged and welcomed at the event, this will not be as intimidating as professional screenings of the film.

“There’s a lot of preconceived ideas about it – this will be a lot less hard core, a nice start for someone who hasn’t attended one before,” Denatale said.

Despite its softer approach, there will be a costume contest for those who want to dress up in their fan garb. The audience will choose a winner by cheering for their favorite outfit. According to Kroeger, the winner will receive an audience participation kit, which will include several mysterious items.

“There’s going to be a lot of sequined bustiers, lingerie and red lipstick,” Denatale said.

The E.C. expects an estimated 200 people to show up for the film screening, which is no problem considering their spacious venue.

“The great thing about the quad is you don’t see empty seats. No matter how many people show up we’re going to have fun,” Kroeger said.

Other UC Davis students commented on the appeal of the film screening.

“I think it will be really fun to see the movie on the quad with my friends and experience the weirdness with them,” said Rebecca Walker, a sophomore genetics major.

“I think the atmosphere of the show itself is really fun and bizarre, and crazy,” said Monica McCann, a sophomore animal science major. “It’s creepy in a horror movie type of way. Fascinating, but creepy.”

These students, along with many others, will join in the cult madness of the Rocky Horror Picture Show this Friday.

Kroeger said this student interaction is what makes this particular film sensation so special.

“Audience participation can be a powerful thing.”

BRITTANY PEARLMAN can be reached at arts@theaggie.org.

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