When Tommy Wiseau's movie The Room was released six years ago, it was not well thought of to say the least.According to Variety magazine, at the time of its release audiences were requesting their money back within 30 minutes of the film's opening scene.
In fact such comments as "the epitome of wretchedness" and "the Citizen Kane of bad films" eventually led to the label "the worst movie ever made".
Some accolade, we think you'll agree. But Tommy Wiseau will be laughing all the way to the bank if the movie's new armies of fans are to be believed.
For The Room has become something of a cult sensation. Five thousand people have already signed up to its dedicated Facebook page and YouTube recreations are springing up all over the place.
Midnight screenings in Los Angeles enticed thousands to queue up, while a recent showing at the Barbican in London was sold out.
The film tells the story of Johnny, a San Francisco banker played by Wiseau himself, whose fiancée Lisa has an affair with his best friend, though much of the scenery is provided by less than convincing backdrops.
Pointless sub-plots, random and seemingly unnecessary characters, glaring continuity errors and out-of-focus camera work are the trademarks of Wiseau's film, which was originally promoted with the slogan "A film with the passion of Tennessee Williams".
And Wiseau, whose acting has to be seen to be believed, is now mobbed at screenings and insists that the 'errors' in the film are deliberate.
He told the Telegraph: "If you look at Tennessee Williams and others, we are on the same page but sometimes the critics are not on the same page. I wanted to make a movie and bring it to the people. They can be the ones who decide if it's good or not."
And decide they did. As one fan queuing outside a Los Angeles cinema put it: "I don't even know what the film's about but I just know I have to see it before I die."
One more for the list then.
shopping spree
