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The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It's a movie.

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As was previously stated, FAQ stands for Frequently Asked Questions. This is the RHPS FAQ, or the Rocky Horror Picture Show Frequently Asked Questions. They're the questions that are most frequently asked about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. If a question is asked frequently about The Rocky Horror Picture Show, it would be in here. Likewise, if The Rocky Horror Picture Show had questions frequently asked about it, they would be in here. As would frequently asked questions about The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Frequently asked questions about Chia Pets would not be in here, nor would questions asked frequently about J.R. "Bob" Dobbs. Questions that are frequently asked about gerbils would not be in here, and neither would questions frequently asked about the ramifications of the United States' intervention on the political, social, and economical structure of the Middle East. This is the RHPS FAQ.

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Richard O'Brien probably said it best: "It's a guaranteed party."

Rocky Horror is a place to go where you'll be accepted, whoever you are. The music is wonderful, the costumes are flashy and fun, and the film can be a wonderful vacation from reality. It's like a grown-up combination of dressing up and the Wizard of Oz, and we get to be among the players, cut loose, and be someone exciting and sexy for a couple of hours a week. If you remember the '70s, it's a nostalgia trip. For those of us who don't, it's still a nice place to visit.

In short, it's just a lot of fun.

If you're writing a college paper on the subject, please ask the kind folks at alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror for their opinions. I've answered that question a couple of dozen times now, and the answer is starting to sound rather pat.

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Well, there are seven main ways:

  1. Rent it from a video store, Netflix, etc.
  2. Buy it from a video store or order it on-line
  3. Steal it from a video store
  4. Borrow/Steal it from a library
  5. Rent/Buy/Steal/Borrow the film and get a projector
  6. Watch a badly cut version of it on television
  7. Go to a movie theatre, dammit.

Really, if you aren't seeing Rocky Horror with a group of people, you're sort of missing the point.

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Lots of 'em - usually the most trashy-looking ones in town.

Most major cities have shows on a regular basis, and others have special showings throughout the year. Most college campuses will have special showings throughout the year as well (usually during Halloween and at the end of a term).

A constantly updating theatre list - complete with reviews, phone numbers, etc. - is maintained by Jeff Baker and is available in HTML format at http://www.rockytheaters.com. Or you can go to the (currently more frequently updated) site at http://www.rockyhorror.com/participation/showingslist.php

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There're a few ways of doin' that, too:

  1. Become a member of the Fan Club and ask Sal Piro for a list
  2. Check the Internet theatre list or rockyhorror.com's list.
  3. Look in a newspaper for theatre listings
  4. Call a random theatre in your city and ask them if they know
  5. Post to alt.cult-movies.rocky-horror and have people tell you to try one of the above methods
  6. Just drive around aimlessly, periodically asking pedestrians if they know

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I told you that already. Pay attention.

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In the US...The Graceland Theatre in Columbus, Ohio, which had been showing RHPS regularly since 1976, has closed. The Austin Cast's run, with two weekly shows since May 12, 1976, was disrupted in 1997. The longest run left is probably the Oriental Theatre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, or the Clinton Street Theatre in Portland, OR, which have both been running since 1977, according to Fox. The theaters themselves claim their runs started in 1978 (January and April, respectively). The Naro Extended Cinema in Norfolk, VA has also been running the film since 1978 (September). It's gotten to the point of "how do you define a run?" (the Oriental scales back performances to once a month during the summer, for example).

In any case, the longest running Rocky theater in the world isn't even in the US: it's in Germany. The Museum Lichtspiele in Munich has been screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show daily, without interruption, since September 19, 1976. The theater has been decorated to match the film; it must be seen to be believed. Check out photos at http://www.riffzone.net/rhps/photos/munich/.

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For the rights to The Rocky Horror Picture Show movie, contact

Twentieth Century Fox Film / 12001 N. Central Expy. / Dallas, TX 75243 / (214) 392-0101
Twentieth Century Fox Film / 10201 W. Pico Blvd. / Los Angeles, CA 90064 / (310) 277-2211

Or ask your local theatre.

If you want to show the film for a special event, you can contact Criterion at 1-800-890-9494 (WARNING: it will probably cost several hundred dollars). 35 mm and 16 mm are available, and they handle the rights to show the video in public too. Call 800-565-1996 in Canada.
You can write Criterion at: Criterion Pictures 8238 Lehigh Ave Morton Grove, IL (847) 470-8164
They also apparently handle Shock Treatment. Expect to pay $300 or 30% of the gross, whichever is greater. If you are at a college, check--they may have a blanket agreement with Criterion which includes Rocky which could save you a lot of money.

Yes, just popping in the DVD and showing it to a large public gathering is probably just as illegal as it was on videotape.