Back in January, an obscure 2003 film called The Room arrived at That’s Rentertainment and was promptly buried in their American Independent Films section. Since then only four people have rented it (including your author). I imagine if we did a little cross-checking, we would have discovered that all four people have also rented Ishtar, Gigli, Showgirls, Plan 9 From Outer Space, and a few Uwe Boll films. Okay, maybe just me.
Like most people, I don’t deliberately seek out bad movies to watch. I ask for recommendations from friends, read movie reviews, even check web sites like Metacritic.com just to avoid the stinkers. What I’ve discovered is that it’s the mediocre films that are the most boring. Give me a bad film any day and I’ll watch it before I’ll watch the latest Hollywood formula sequel or remake. So it is in this spirit that I asked That’s Rentertainment owner Geoff Merritt to order The Room so that everyone in Champaign-Urbana can enjoy the current nomination for “worst film ever made.”
The Room is definitely not a good movie. It’s a stereotypical melodrama with a ridiculous plot, an inept script, insane dialog, lots of overacting, poor direction, and a title that doesn’t make any sense. So why are people lining up for sold-out midnight screenings in Los Angeles for over five years? My guess is probably for the same reason we can’t look away when we drive by a highway accident.
What’s far more interesting than the film itself is the media frenzy surrounding the movie. Self-distributed by the director, The Room has gained a cult following with fans dressing up as characters from the movie, throwing plastic spoons at the screen (don’t ask), and interacting with the movie as if it’s another Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s been reported that Hollywood celebrities like Paul Rudd, David Cross, Jonah Hill and Kristen Bell have attended these screenings. Director, producer and “star” Tommy Wiseau has been interviewed by NPR and Fox News. Articles have appeared in Entertainment Weekly as well as all over the blogosphere. When interviewed, Tommy Wiseau always plays the wise maestro who has deliberately made a cult classic by design. When asked about the symbolism in his film, he answers with a naïve earnestness that’s almost shocking. Is this guy the village idiot or the smartest guy in the room? I don’t think anyone really knows.
Add to all this media frenzy all the secrecy surrounding the director. No one seems to know where he came from or how he got the reported $6 million to make this film. And it seems Tommy wants it this way. It’s also been reported that Wiseau attends many of these midnight screening personally, often introducing the movie and then standing in the back taking in the spectacle of the audience insulting his creation. Makes one wonder how much damage his psyche can handle?
The best way to experience The Room is with a crowd. Screenings are have been scheduled for Cleveland, Atlanta and New York. If you can’t make it to a live screening, you can always rent the movie from That’s Rentertainment. But be warned: don’t see it by youself.