From the archives of the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library:
What a drag at the Odeon…
In 1975, a motion picture was released that would one day change the movie-going experience for thousands of Sault residents. In 1980, The Rocky Horror Picture Show began showing at the Odeon Theatre on Gore Street. The cast included Susan Sarandon, Meatloaf and Tim Curry. The campy cult film brought with it a following that remains unmatched. The movie was not only well-received in the Sault, with approximately five hundred patrons in attendance at each showing but was also shown several times a week in theatres across Canada, with screenings generally beginning at midnight.
The plot is simple, written by Richard O’Brian, and tells the tale of a young, engaged couple, Brad, and Janet. The couple heads out in the dark of night to visit an old professor, “the man who began it,” to tell him of their plans to marry. On the way, the couple experiences a flat tire in the rain and is forced to venture out into the dark of night to knock on the closest door and ask to use the phone. The door, belonging to a foreboding mansion opens. The couple are invited to join a unique party that is taking place to celebrate the recent scientific breakthrough of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a “sweet transvestite” visiting Earth from his home planet, the “Transsexual, Transylvania.” Costumed partygoers celebrate the Dr.’s achievement with drinks, music, and dance, jumping to the left and stepping to the right. With much admiration from loyal supporters, Columbia, Magenta and Riff Raff, Dr. Furter succeeds in the creation of a man with “blonde hair and a tan”, called Rocky.
Despite its simple but exaggerated plotline, the movie was exciting and delightful with colourful costumes, unique characters, and the catchiest of songs. Two of the biggest fan favourite songs were, “The Time Warp” and “Science Fiction/Double Feature.”
Between musical numbers, movie-goers were able to participate in the film experience using various props including water pistols, folded newspapers, and pieces of toast. Attendees were most often avid fans of the film and, in addition to having memorized the most iconic lines and lyrics, dressed the part by sporting tight leather, fishnets and heavy make-up. Audience participation is a big part of what made the movie the experience it was. But audience participation is also what ended local screenings at the Odeon Theatre. The film was one that was either loved or hated. John Stever said his own experience with the movie was great, “it’s just one of those movies that really clicked with me – it’s well put together” (Sault Star, June 17, 1980).
As Odeon Theatre manager at the time, John Stever said that the film was just beginning to gain a following in the city when a handful of movie-goers forced the film’s screenings to be stopped. “There’s a heck of a market for it here...” (Sault Star, June 17, 1980). But he also said, unfortunately, the ever-growing audiences meant more toast, more water pistols, and more rice, in general just more mess. The mess was an unfortunate side effect of the screenings. Some audience members took to throwing water balloons around the theatre and just generally harassing other participants. Mr. Stever said, “…a couple of dozen Sault residents started to go too far, causing the show’s cancellation…the wear and tear on the theatre was just not worth it” (Sault Star, June 17, 1980).
One year prior, in the fall of 1979, theatre operators in the Sault had been accused of blasphemy by some locals and forced to halt showings of the Monty Python film, Life of Brian. However, in that case, the movie was cancelled in the local theatre due to public outcry and not from the behaviour of movie patrons (Sault Star, June 17, 1980).
Despite the experience at the Odeon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show retained its popularity in the city and has been screened throughout the years. The movie was presented with a shadow cast in 2018 as a fundraiser for Rainbow Camp, a local summer camp for LGBTQIA+ youth (Sault Star, October 25, 2018). The shadow cast show involved costumed actors singing and performing alongside the movie. Presenters assembled and distributed prop bags and encouraged audience participation, just as was done in 1980, this time to a more subdued crowd, but one that shivered with just as much antici……pation.
Each week, the Sault Ste. Marie Public Library and its Archives provide SooToday readers with a glimpse of the city’s past.
Find out more of what the Public Library has to offer at www.ssmpl.ca and look for more "Remember This?" columns here.
References
Adler, Lou, et al. The Rocky Horror picture show. Beverly Hills, Calif.: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 2002.
O'Brien, Richard, 1942- composer, lyricist, singer. The Rocky Horror Picture Show; the Original Soundtrack from the Original Movie. [Hollywood, CA]: Ode Records, 1975
Sault Star - June 17, 1980
Sault Star - October 25, 2018