Rocky Horror Picture Show: Oxford’s Newest Halloween Tradition

Rocky Horror Show: Aftermath

On Halloween night in Oxford, while little spidermans and princesses traveled up and down sidewalks in search of candy, The Oxford Film Festival was creating a different kind of magic and drawing an eclectic crowd to the Powerhouse for their screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a 1973 movie that initially flopped in theaters. Soon, by 1976, it was growing in popularity as a midnight movie. Theater-goers would dress up as characters, talk back to the movie and bring props. Forty years later, the film is still going strong with this crowd.

The audience at the Powerhouse was rowdy and energetic but stayed safe and respectful. They yelled at Janet and Brad, sang along to the songs and danced the Time Warp with Frank-N-Furter. The attire at the event ranged from casual clothing to lingerie in honor of much of the cast.

Tickets to the event at the Powerhouse were $10, prop bags were an additional $5 and bottomless beer cups were $10. The prop bags included rice to throw at the wedding scene, newspapers to cover with during the rain downpour, glow sticks for the “light at Frankenstein’s palace,” toilet paper to unroll when Rocky comes alive and much more.

“Rocky Horror was a huge success, and we are so lucky that the Powerhouse staff let us screen there,” said Melanie Addington, Oxford Film Festival executive director. “We hope to make this a Halloween tradition.”

The film screening at the Powerhouse drew a bigger crowd than was anticipated. Oxford Film Festival reached their initial goal of ticket sales, added more chairs to accommodate the increasing number of attendees and still had to turn guests away at the door due to limited capacity.

This large crowd was only the beginning of a new Halloween tradition. Next year, all of Oxford could be caught in a celluloid jam.

For more information on the Oxford Film Festival visit www.oxfordfilmfest.com.

Amy Goodin is a writer for HottyToddy.com. She can be reached at argoodin12@gmail.com.

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