The Room — a low-budget indie melodrama about a love triangle between a “successful banker,” his “beautiful blonde fiance” and his “independent best friend” written, directed and starring aspiring filmmaker Tommy Wiseau — has been called everything from the worst film ever made to the Citizen Kane of bad movies. I've yet to experience it, but the film’s trailer brings to mind an overripe episode of Guiding Light with the production values and acting prowess of a late-night Cinemax C movie. (Curious side note: On the film's poster, Wiseau looks strikingly similar to Gene Simmons. Coincidence, or kismet?) —-
Originally released (what little release it had, anyway) in 2003, The Room has slowly garnered a cult following, to the point where people have actually been turned away at what have now become semi-regular screenings in Los Angeles and other places.
Now the Esquire Theatre is jumping on the camp-infested bandwagon: Beginning this week, the local art house will screen The Room every other Saturday at 11:30 p.m., alternating with its other longtime cult staple, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
How long before “You're tearing me apart, Lisa!” moves alongside “Here's looking at you, kid” as an immortal movie quote?
For those in the dark, here's the trailer:
