Crazed imaginations.

California

is well known for its crazies that are publicly accepted as normal. This can be attributed partially for its plethora of subcultures. One subculture being the groups that perform nationally recognized cult classic film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”. The Rocky Horror Picture show has been nationally documented as a cult classic and also documented as the longest running theatrical release. Every Saturday, or Friday (depending on the cast) at midnight, different theater groups gather at classic movie theaters to perform this 33 year old film. The performance is done on a stage while at the same time the movie itself is being played in the background. The uniqueness of this film comes from its interaction with audience members who shout “call backs” and use different props like squirt guns, newspaper, toast, balloons, playing cards, rice, confetti, and of course, toilet paper. Also, many people lured by their friends who have never seen the show are welcomed as “virgins”! The virgins get marked with red lipstick and are put through silly games as a right of passage before the show begins. In southern

California

alone, there are five casts that perform this movie weekly. The weekly performance attributes to the ever strong popularity among fans for classic cult movies. One of these theater groups is “Crazed imaginations”, who perform every Friday at midnight right here in Encinitas at the historic La Paloma movie theater. This kind of fandom of shear wackiness in

California

is a prime example of

California

’s strong tolerance to the simply outrageous figures that add colorful touches to its constantly changing image to the rest of the world. As Carey McWillams refers to the

California

scene as “a ringside seat to the circus” (23), a person can truly see the insanity that is constantly evident a much appreciated in

California

culture.

Comments

[Pacita]

First of all, I must say I'm amazed "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", which conveys the California dream of freedom of expression through Californians’ craziness. By browsing through the pictures, I realized individuals (the cast, for example) represent the voices of those who live under California’s expectations, those who dream of possessing such freedom to express themselves, without being labeled with a harsh stereotype.