By Rex Catubig

 

THEY were called midnight screenings. The showing after the regular screening hours of “oddball, unorthodox films at midnight”. In contrast to the matinee or morning to early afternoon shows which were usually priced cheaper and drew an older audience, the midnight movies, commonly noted for notoriety, commanded a cult following among the young.

The main reason for this was the audience participation, way before “interactive” became a media norm. The moviegoer dressed the part and became part of the cast. One became the living movie.

I had my initiation into the world of esoteric midnight shows during my vacation in New Orleans in the mid ’70’s. My godmother/sponsor was my cousin who took me to a screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. She was certain it’s something I would enjoy and should not miss, she asserted.

In the mid ‘70s, the music scene was transitioning from hard rock to disco. The Rocky Horror was a homage and parody of the Frankenstein legend as well as a pastiche of pop and glam rock. It was a tribute and manifesto of the spirit of celebration and liberation, of unfettered self-expression prevalent at the time.

Bring this bag of rice, she ordered me. Arriving at the theater, I saw that everyone had brought along his bag of tricks. I was unsure what all these were for. But as soon as the movie began, I realized they were props out of Pandora’s box..

The audience would shadow act what was being shown on the screen, react and talk back. In response to the action, or what was going on, or what was being said, the audience collectively would on cue: open umbrellas (it was raining); throw rice or beans (the wedding couple was coming out of the church); light matches or flick lighters at the mention of the word light; and fill the house with flying sheets and sheets of toilet paper, for reason that escaped me as I was overwhelmed and drowned in the moment, and just went with the flow.

This was déjà vu.  For we watched movies the same way during my boyhood. You did not go see a movie, you took part in the movie. The audience would get so excited that they would talk and shout back, and even recite the dialogue of the actors.  And during fight or action scenes, the audience erupted in frenzy as they coaxed the actors and shouted with urgency: “Sige, inan mo!” “Sock it to him!” Or in chase scenes: “Paspasan mo!” “Go, hurry up!”, accompanied by clapping of hands and stomping of feet. In lighter moments, they brought the house down with resounding guffaws.

It was cathartic, quite liberating and guaranteed to purge your system and excrete all the angst and ennui it’s clogged with. It draws out your uninhibited self, stripped of the usual artifice imposed by restrictive society.

As one emerged from the dark womb of the theater, one felt reborn, refreshed, reinvigorated–ready to take on and deflect whatever shenanigans the real world would bash you with, having learned the fighting and survival prowess of the movie heroes.

Movies empower you with the insight of possibilities, the courage to be yourself and conquer your innermost demons. In the movie of your life, you are the star ready to throw your rapid-fire punches ala FPJ. #

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments