(NOTE: This is the most recent edition of Ask The Fan Club that I know of, and I believe they are updated every 2-3 years. If you know of a new one, please e-mail me at "jnorman@ccit.arizona.edu" and I'll send away for it.) ASK THE FAN CLUB.... REVISED EDITION: FALL 1994 Here are some answers to questions most frequently asked of the Fan Club: Q: ROCKY HORROR deosn't play in my town. How do I get a local theater to play it? A: A theater is a business. You must show them that there is a demand for the picture. Start a campaign; write letters, make phone calls, and most important, get a petition going (there is strength in numbers.) Do this in a mature way, show responsibility. Maybe you and your friends can meet with a theater owner or manager and discuss how you can help bring in business (form a cast, do local publicity, help with show and security). If you do get a sizeable petition, pass on a copy to us and we'll see what we can do. The Fan Club has a proposed outline for approaching theater owners. Q: The print of ROCKY HORROR at our theater is in terrible condition. What can be done? A: Speak with the owner or manager and if he can't or won't do anything about it, send a formal letter of complaint to us (stating problems, "skips", and condition) and we will pass it on to the appropriate people. We can't promise anything but we will try. Q: What is SHOCK TREATMENT? A: SHOCK TREATMENT was the unsuccessful 1981 follow-up to ROCKY HORROR, about the further adventures of Brad and Janet (now played by Cliff DeYoung and Jessica Harper). Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell and Charles Gray all returned in new roles. SHOCK TREATMENT was written by Richard O'Brien and directed by Jim Sharman and is beloved by many ROCKY HORROR fans. Q: How do I get the soundtrack or video to SHOCK TREATMENT? A: The soundtrack to SHOCK TREATMENT has just been re-released on CD only. Albums and cassettes are out of print and difficult to find. SHOCK TREATMENT has been re-released on video but is very hard to find. Try going to a video store to order it. Note: The Rocky Horror Movie Novel (A&W Books), The Rocky Horror Magazine 1979 (Blake) and Transylvanians 1,2, and 3 are all out of print and almost impossible to get except from another collector. The same can be said for all the international editions of the soundtrack (except the "London"). Try rare record stores. The Rocky Horror Picture Show Book by Bill Henkin (Dutton) is still in print -- order it from your bookstore. Q: What is "Superheroes?" A: "Superheroes" is a song at the end of the film that Brad and Janet sing after the castle takes off. This song has been cut out of most prints of the movie around the country. Q: Why was "Superheroes" eliminated from the video released in 1990? A: In completeing the stereo portion of the movie, certain deadlines were imposed and it wasn't possible from the production end to include "Superheroes." When the video was re-released at a lower price, it was decided not to include "Superheroes" because it wouldn't be fair to those who paid $89.95 for the original release. Q: The owner or manager of our theater doesn't treat out cast properly. Can the Fan Club do something about it? A: Unfortunately, the Fan Club's job is to promote the movie and get information out to the fans. We are not allowed to get involved in the business of a theater. If you are having probles with a manager, there may not be that much you can do. Try to be nice -- act repsonsibly and appeal to his good side (if there is one). Q: I have written to my favorite ROCKY HORROR star many times, but have never recieved a reply. What gives? A: We forward all mail that we receive, but many of these stars have a busy career and they made this movie 20 years ago and they cannot be expected to accommodate all the fans after all these years. The same can be said for all the requests we receive for the stars to appear at various conventions or theater anniversaries. They just do not have time to constantly promote this movie. Q: I joined the Fan Club and have not received anything since my first mailing. Why not? A: The Fan Club is free. There is no subscription fee, so if you wish to receive our free newsletter send a S.A.S.E. to us every 3 months (January, April, July, October) for News. Mark on envelope "New News." Q: My school or club would like to do the play The Rocky Horror Show. How can I get the rights? A: Unfortunately Richard O'Brien has not released the amateur rights to the show. It is only available for professional (Equity) groups. Q: Can the Fan Club find me a pen pal? A: Sorry, the Fan Club is not equipped to handle a pen pal service. The best idea is to write different fanzines listed on the back of News and submit your name for pen pals. Q: What are the plans for the 20th Anniversary? A: The plans for the 20th Anniversary will most likely not be planned until the summer of 1995. That is why it is important to send in for the Fan Club News on time every three months. Q: Is there a Tim Curry Fan Club? A: There was a Tim Curry Fan Club in the late 70's, but it disbanded. At present time there is no fan club, and it appears that Tim is not interested in having one. Q: We love ROCKY HORROR and we want to have our own chapter. How do we do this? Can we start our own? A: I have been running this Fan Club since 1977. That is an 18-year commitment. We don't charter chapters because we have no guarantee of your dedication and since our Fan Club is free, we have no money to fund your chapter. As for starting your own -- all we can recommend is BE CAREFUL. It is a business. It costs money to run a club and if you charge dues you are getting into legal business matters. Note: Every time you collect someone's dues for the year, you are extending your commitment by one year. My suggestion is: to have get togethers, throw ROCKY HORROR parties, produce a low-budget fanzine. Have fun, and keep the spirit of ROCKY alive. Q: I ordered something from Sal's Closet. The first time it took two weeks -- the second time, five weeks. What gives? A: Normal return for any mail order is 4-6 weeks. Sal's first priority is the Fan Club. So expect anywhere from one to five weeks, depending on his schedule.