The term “cult classic” gets thrown around a lot for movies these days. Originally, this title referred to movies that didn’t find great success initially, but were survived by their own cultish following.

However, it’s gotten to the point where now if a movie didn’t do well, any passionate fan will argue that it was just misunderstood, and is actually a cult classic for the few that can understand its brilliance.

Before it became so diluted, the term cult classic was brought forward by one film in particular, and that is “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” (1975), a film being shown locally here in Fresno.

Now, this isn’t to say that Rocky Horror is the first cult classic movie. Tons of movies like “Nosferatu” (1922) and “Freaks” (1932) were only survived by the film enthusiasts of the time, and certainly fit the description of what is now known as a cult classic. However, this term came long after these films, and really rose to prominence in order to describe the fanbase of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

When it was first commercially released in 1975, Rocky Horror did not find success. Between the eight cities it was initially released in, the film only did well in one location, drawing very small audiences infor all the others. This led to Rocky Horror getting pulled from theaters, and its would-be opening in New York City on Halloween night was cancelled.

However, in 1976, Fox executive Tim Deegan was able to convince distributors to dointo doing midnight screenings of Rocky Horror. Midnight screenings had become a popular option for theaters to draw in a niche of movie goers, without having to sacrifice a popular timeslot.

These midnight screenings are what allowed Rocky Horror to find its audience that would later become its cult following.

While the repeat showings of Rocky Horror were a great way for a community to come together for a shared pastime, watching any movie over and over again is bound to be less entertaining.

About five months into Rocky Horror’s midnight screenings, fans began to shout lines back at the screen, saying things like, “buy an umbrella you cheap b-tch” when a character uses a newspaper to cover up from the rain, or “describe your balls” when the narrator begins to describe dark storm clouds as “…heavy, black, and pendulous.”

This behaviour caught on, and what was once just a joke between friends, became part of the ritual of midnight Rocky Horror showings.

These dark rituals continue to go on, with hundreds of theaters across the country still hosting these midnight screenings, full of unique callouts and cultish hijinks born from the years of continued release of the movie.

Because of an old Fox rule where archival films are available to cinemas indefinitely, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is the longest- running movie release in history, still technically being released to this day.

Local Fresno moviegoers can try the Rocky Horror experience for themselves in Fresno’s Tower District. The next showing will be on Sept. 27, just a day after the 50th anniversary of the film’s release in America.

Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. to cartoons and shorts, with the show officially starting at 7:30 p.m. While the viewings are free to all, a donation of $10 is encouraged by the theater for the royalties to screening rights.

A photo booth, snacks and even prop bags will all be available. And not to worry, as instructions for how to join in the cultish festivities will all be discussed before the movie starts.

As the progenitor of cult classics, the midnight screenings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show are a film experience like no other. The only question is, will the people of Fresno be brave enough to attend?