Yes, kids, your dreams can come true!
I've just returned from the 8pm screening of The Room at The Music Box Theatre on Southport, where I met my hero of two days, Tommy Wiseau!
The movie was a blast. It was my first experience with an audience participation event (no, I've never been to Rocky Horror; sheltered, suburban child that I was), and The Room's crowd didn't disappoint. From the countdown of seconds during numerous, interminable establishing shots, to the torrent of plastic spoons filling the air every time the camera caught a glimpse of the framed spoon picture in Johnny and Lisa's apartment, the place was a madhouse. By the time Wiseau liftend his shirt to show off his sculpted, oddly veiny body on stage, I thought for sure the rabble would start ripping up the seats.
I'm so glad I saw the movie a couple days ago; as I figured, a lot of the best lines were drowned out by mimics and random booing. Every time the character Denny entered a scene, he was greeted with "Hi, Denny" (and "Bye, Denny" when he exited). We all sang "Happy Birthday" to Johnny during his surprise party scene. Best of all, whenever a character would talk about hurting Johnny, the audience got riled beyond anything I've witnessed regarding a fictional character.
Wiseau did a couple of brief Q&A sessions--before and after the show--where he muscled through a thick accent, bad fan questions, and a host whose mic was busted for half the presentation (Capone from Aint it Cool News). Tommy Wiseau, it seems, is in on the joke of his own film, and proudly basks in both the ridicule and the accolades affored him by hipsters of all ages. The Music Box was sold out tonight, and he got a standing ovation; not bad for the creator of one of the worst movies ever committed to celluloid.
When the time came to meet the man, I'm only kind of ashamed to admit that I cut in line. I'd exited the theatre to say "goodbye" to my friends, Graham and Meghan, and when I tried to get back in and head for the back of the line, I got stuck--at the head of the line. Peering over peoples' heads, down to the last person, I figured I'd just stay put and get back home before midnight. The paranoia of the people around me noticing that I wasn't supposed to be there subsided gradually, and the guy in front of me was even nice enough to snap my picture--I returned the favor with his iPhone.
The only downside was that Capone and the management were trying to speed up the process, so they announced--one person ahead of me--that there would be no more individual photos and no more conversations. So I only got about twenty seconds with the icon--though he was very nice, and he signed my TALKING TOMMY WISEAU BOBBLE-HEAD DOLL! He said his signature on the base wasn't that good, so he insisted on personalizing the box to me. A "thank you" and a fist-bump later, and I was back out on Southport, headed to get some Valentine's Day chocolates for my girl.
Goodnight, everyone. May your dreams be full of footballs and tuxes.
Update, 2/13/10: For any die-hard Chicago fans who missed out on the fun, The Music Box has just added a midnight screening tonight. Check the Web site for details and tickets (yes, Tommy will be there, too!)