Off the Beaten Rack

A Review of Noir, Indie, and Cult Classic Films

“THE ROOM”

By Kevin J Conroy, staff writer

Toward the end of The Room's two-week, two-theater premier, a sign in one of the box office windows proclaimed:

“No Refunds”

Enticed by that, 5-Second Film's Michael Rousselet screened it, to become enraptured. He watched The Room four times in three days, and contacted so many friends and acquaintances the theater was packed for its final showing.

Called the worst movie ever made, the “Citizen Kane” of awful film, The Room grossed $1,800 during the premier despite a six million dollar production cost. Yet with its inauspicious beginning in 2005 the Room has, for all the wrong reasons, become a worldwide phenomenon. Over time books have been written about it, major publications reported on it, New York’s WNYC Radio “Studio 360” aired a special about it. A movie about The Room is scheduled to be released in December of this year. 

Similar in spirit to The Rocky Horror Picture Show,The Room quickly entered the midnight circuit. Participants shout and throw spoons and footballs during the movie, a tradition begun by Rousselet and company during the premier. But an essential difference between Rocky Horror and The Room is this: Rocky Horror knows it’s a joke.

There is something magically wrong with this movie. Written, directed, produced by and starring Mr. Tommy Wiseau, The Room feels like a messy wreck on the highway: we know we should not look upon such misery, but who can resist? The watery plot cannot buoy the wooden acting, limp sex scenes, technical flaws, or dialogue written by someone who seems never to have had a conversation with another human being...