“A Minecraft Movie” has just celebrated its third weekend in theaters, continuing to bring the Big Bucks (Although it was dethroned this weekend by the “sinners” of Ryan Coogler “) and undoubtedly becoming one of the most memed films of the year. Unfortunately, the destructive and downright shameful practice of The theaters of stimulation in response to Steve by Jack Black presenting the chicken jockey continued. Theaters across the country are now starting to demand parental rides for projections of the film classified PG in order to repress the legitimate material damage that signed up in the name of “It is only a joke, my brother”.

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The projectionists of theaters from around the world have also started to issue pre-show warnings to try to repress carnage, black even making surprise appearances during projections to say with playful to the public to resist the launch of popcorn. A cinema worker posted Their schedule on Twitter (or x, if you are a chump), writing: “I have just been informed that I will be the emptyer of chicken jockey for today, please pray for me.” Several other theater employees in different states have appeared in the answers to corroborate, noting that things have really become uncontrollable that they must make checks when the scene arrives.

In recent weeks, cinema publications, culture commentators and content creators have discussed ridiculous behavior since the opening weekend, and a common defense that has been raised many times – including me, personally – is that “a film minecraft” is just “The Rocky Horror Picture” for a new generation. Comparison of the two films is, frankly, one of the most absurd things I have ever heard. It is also a fundamental misunderstanding of the function of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” Midnight Screenings, and what the film has been representing for 50 years.

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I made a short Tiktok Of my own rapid explanations for which “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” The midnight projections are not comparable to “a Minecraft film” and I immediately encountered comments from people affirming that the origins of the participation of the film of the film were similar to those of “Minecraft”, where there were no rules and chaotic demolition. But that’s just not true. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is the cinematic adaptation of the musical of the scene of Richard O’Brien “The Rocky Horror Show”, which encouraged the participation of the public two years before the film touches in theaters. There were leaflets and leaflets that contained instructions on how to do the dance “time warp”, and even during his original race in London, he was considered an interactive theatrical experience. The first “Rocky Horror” costume competition also took place in 1974, a full year before the film arrived.

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Public participation was almost instantaneous. Actually, Tim Curry credited Angie Bowie (Former wife of Rockstar David) as one of the first to “speak” to the series. The first documented suit of movie The public was Michael Wolfson, who designed his first outfit from Dr. Frank-N-Furter after seeing the film in 1975. In one year, he presented the first organized performance group, The Rocky Horror Revue. In the years that followed, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has become a must of the midnight cinematographic scene. Yes, It’s true That some crowds were significantly more refined than others, and thanks to accessories such as rice, toasted bread, toilet paper and confetti, post- “rocky” theaters were (and continue to be) a huge mess. But as a midnight projection listed in R, the projections of “Rhps” were the last of the night. Ushers knew what to expect and did not have to quickly return a theater to put the next audience in the door. This cannot happen for a film evaluated by PG without severely reduced the theater’s ability to make a profit.

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More importantly, there are rules for public participation in “RHPS” projections. From the 1980s, there were quite universally accepted directives that all the theaters followed, with slight changes according to what a specific location allowed. Of course, there were aberrant values ​​(like when the gentilly Orleans Theater in New Orleans and the Tiffany Theater in West Hollywood brought A real motorcycle For “Hot Patootie”), but these extreme moments are the exceptions that prove the rule.

In addition to being anhistoric by acting as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is nothing other than the disorganized chaos of people trying to surpass himself for influence on social networks, this comparison is entirely disrespectful with the fact that “Rhps” served as a cultural institution that goes beyond being a cinematographic experience. Given the exploration of gender and sexuality at the heart of the film (and extended to the costume), midnight projections “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” quickly became refuges for LGBTQIA + PEOPLE – In particular people who do not comply with gender – express themselves freely without judgment or risk of legal ramifications in the face of sectarian, conservative and hateful political administrations. For fear that we forget, There are no legal protection protection for LGBTQIA + persons in more than half of the country.

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Given the low cost of a cinema and the South ticket and because the shows are simply fun, it was also one of the most important outlets for heterosexual and cisgenres to voluntarily engage with communities and queer culture. I do not deny that “a Minecraft film” is very fun for the franchise fans and a generation that helped make it the most profitable video game of all time, but to ignore the story of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” and act like Rowdy adolescents and the same thing is absurd.

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Recently, the Regal cinemas have judiciously tried to contain chaos by offering special projections of 4DX “chicken jockey” in certain cities on April 20, but those Also had restrictions on what was and was not authorized. Public participation is not new and has continued beyond “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” through films like “The Room” by Tommy Wiseau ,,,,, The spontaneous dance of “RRR”, And the rowdy projections specified held in places like Alamo’s Drafthouse. But in all these examples, there are rules, regulations and opportunities designated to keep things funny without treating cinemas (and staff that maintain them) as garbage.

I will gladly eat my words if in 50 years, there are still coherent projections of “a minecraft film” around the world, with rules, costumes and designated calls. But until a line like “everything you can dream of here, you can do” holds the same cultural weight as “don’t dream, whether it is”, I do not retain my breath.