|
| The Room | |
|---|---|
| |
| Written by | Tommy Wiseau |
| Directed by | Tommy Wiseau |
| Produced by | Tommy Wiseau |
| Starring | Tommy Wiseau Greg Sestero Juliette Danielle Philip Haldiman Carolyn Minnott |
| Music by | Mladen Milicevic |
| Edited by | Eric Yalkut Chase |
| Production company | Wiseau-Films |
| Distributed by | Chloe Productions TPW Films Fathom Events (20th anniversary) |
| Country | United States |
| Genre | Drama |
| Release date | June 27, 2003 |
| Running time | 99 minutes |
| Rating | 5 stars |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $6 million |
| Box office | $1,916 (initial theatrical run) |
"This. This is my movie. This is my life. I hope you learn something and discover yourself. Be cool." ― Tommy Wiseau at the premiere of The Room
The Room is an award-winning 2003 American independent film written, produced, executive produced and directed by Tommy Wiseau in his theatrical directorial debut. Wiseau also stars alongside Greg Sestero, Juliette Danielle, Philip Haldiman and Carolyn Minnott. Though intended to be a drama, the film is widely viewed by its fanbase as an unintentional comedy.
The film follows banker Johnny (Wiseau) as he discovers that his future wife Lisa (Danielle) is pursuing an affair with Johnny's best friend Mark (Sestero).
Entirely funded by Wiseau himself, the film released on June 27, 2003, at the Laemmle Fairfax and Fallbrook cinemas in Los Angeles. During its initial two week run, the film was unanimously panned by critics and grossed just $1,916 on a budget of around $6 million. However, the film has since gained a cult following, with fans gaining ironic pleasure from the movie. Regular showings are held in many theaters worldwide, with many as a monthly event.
The film has gained the reputation of being one of the worst movies ever made and has been called "the Citizen Kane of bad movies."
Fathom Events re-released the film on June 27, 2023, for night only across the United States to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. Additionally, a remake of the film staring Bob Odenkirk as Johnny for the charity organisation Acting for a Cause is expected to release around the same time.
Cast[]
- Tommy Wiseau as Johnny, an all-American banker loved by everyone
- Juliette Danielle as Lisa, Johnny's evil future wife who seduces Johnny's best friend
- Greg Sestero as Mark, Johnny's best friend who is having an affair with Lisa
- Philip Haldiman as Denny, a young drug-taking college student who is financially and emotionally supported by Johnny
- Carolyn Minnott as Claudette, Lisa's opinionated mother
- Robyn Paris as Michelle, Lisa's best friend
- Scott Holmes as Mike, Michelle's boyfriend who gets good head
- Dan Janjigian as Chris-R, a prolific drug dealer who has sold to Denny
- Kyle Vogt as Peter, he always plays psychologist with Johnny and Mark
- Greg Ellery as Steven, he's like Peter but he's Steven
- Piper Gore as Party Member #1
- Kari McDermont as Party Member #2
- Jennifer Vanderbliek (credited as Jen Vanderbliek) as Party Member #3
- Bennett Dunn (credited as Bennet Dunn) as Party Member #4 ("Lisa looks hot tonight")
- Amy Von Brock (uncredited) as Party Member #5
- Padma Moyer as Susan ("How about something like cheesecake?")
- Daron Jennings as Barista #2
- Thomas E. Webster as Coffee Shop #1
- Nora DeMarcky as Coffee Shop #2
- Arelle Mitkowski as Coffee Shop #3
- Frank Willey as Coffee Shop #4
- Freddie (uncredited) as the doggy
- Flower shop owner as the florist
Plot[]
Note: if you have never watched The Room before, The Room Wiki recommends watching it with no prior knowledge of the film's plot. You know what they say, love is blind.
In San Francisco, successful banker Johnny returns home from work and gifts his future wife Lisa a red dress. She is grateful and immediately tries it on and Johnny says she looks so sexy in it and he'd do anything for his girl. Denny then arrives.
Johnny announces that he is going to go upstairs to take a nap and Denny asks if he can go upstairs too. Johnny laughs and Lisa announces that she will join Johnny, trying to hint to Denny that the two are going to have sex and that Denny should leave. Denny then eats an apple and walks upstairs anyway, joining Johnny and Lisa as they have a pillow fight. Johnny asks Denny if he has something else to do and Denny says "I just like to watch you guys." Lisa finds this cute but Johnny tells Denny that "two’s great but three’s a crowd." Denny finally gets the hint to leave them alone ("That's the idea!") and he leaves to do homework. Johnny then has sex with Lisa's belly button.
Later, Lisa's mother Claudette arrives and Lisa confides in her that she doesn't love Johnny anymore. Claudette tries to convince Lisa to stay with Johnny because of his wealth and his devotion to Lisa but Lisa thinks Johnny is boring. Claudette leaves and Lisa calls up Johnny's best friend Mark. He arrives later that afternoon when Johnny isn't home and Lisa seduces Mark into having sex with her on a staircase. Mark feels guilty because Johnny is his best friend but admits that he enjoyed it.
Johnny goes to Anniversary Flowers & Gifts For All Occasions to buy a dozen red roses for his princess. He returns home and tells Lisa that he didn't get the promotion he was promised at the bank. The two have a pizza and, despite Johnny's protests, drink. They then have sex again whilst drunk.
Claudette visits Lisa once again. Lisa tells her mother that Johnny got drunk last night and claims that he hit her. Claudette is confused because Johnny doesn't drink, but believes that he hit Lisa. Despite this, she is still adamant that Lisa should stay with Johnny for the financial security.
Mike and Michelle (who don't appear in the film at all before this point) later enter the apartment and Michelle gives Mike a blowjob. Lisa and Claudette walk in on the two and they leave, though Mike briefly returns to reclaim his underwear. Denny then shows up but leaves upon meeting Claudette. Lisa then reveals to her mother that Denny is a college student who Johnny wanted to adopt. When Denny turned eighteen, Johnny bought him an apartment in the same building as Johnny and her and intends to pay for it until Denny graduates.
Denny then plays basketball by himself on the rooftop when prolific gangster Chris-R approaches him. Denny says that he has been looking for him and Chris-R asks if Denny has his money. Denny tells Chris-R that he will have the money in five minutes, but Chris-R doesn't have five fucking minutes and pulls out a gun aimed at Denny's head. Chris-R begins repeatedly yelling "WHERE'S MY FUCKING MONEY, DENNY?!", though Denny keeps insisting that he does not have it. Johnny and Mark arrive in the nick of time to save Denny and take Chris-R to the police. Claudette and Lisa are also in this scene apparently and they begin ganging up on Denny. At first Denny tries to dismiss their worries by claiming that he just owes Chris-R money, but eventually admits that he bought some drugs from him but things got mixed up and he didn't mean for this to happen. Denny refuses to say how much money he owes or what drugs he bought, but claims he doesn't have the drugs anymore. Denny screams for the two to stop ganging up on him, but Claudette says that it's about time someone ganged up on him. Claudette threatens to call the police on Denny, but Mark returns to intervene and walks away with her. Johnny also returns and Denny apologizes to him. The three leave the rooftop too and this scene is never brought up again throughout the entire rest of the movie.
Johnny then takes a shower and Lisa uses this as an opportunity to call Mark. Mark tries to dismiss Lisa's feelings for him but Lisa keeps saying that she loves him.
Johnny then angrily storms onto the rooftop, throwing an empty water bottle on the floor as he claims that he did not hit Lisa and it's not true and it's bullshit and he did not hit her and he did not. He then says hi to Mark, who is on the rooftop just thinking you know. Mark tries to hint at Johnny that Lisa is being unfaithful to him. He tells Johnny about a girl who had a dozen guys, and when one of them found out, she was beaten so bad that she was sent to a hospital on Guerrero Street. Johnny laughs and remarks on what a story that is. Johnny becomes suspicious of Mark, leading him to leave the rooftop as Denny enters.
Denny asks Johnny about a movie the two had planned to watch that night, and Johnny nonchalantly tells Denny not to plan too much, because it may not come out right. The two play catch with a football. Denny then tells Johnny that he is in love with Lisa. Johnny does not judge Denny, telling him that Lisa loves Denny too, as a human being.
Lisa confesses to Michelle that she is cheating on Johnny with Mark. Michelle is taken aback by this and attempts to discourage Lisa, who refuses to listen. Johnny walks in tries to but in, but Lisa tells him that it's just "girl talk". Michelle leaves and Johnny tells Lisa the truth, that he did not hit her, and Lisa opens up the possibility of changing her mind about the marriage. Johnny and Lisa argue, culminating in Johnny pushing Lisa on the couch screaming that she is tearing him apart! The two shrug it off, telling each other not to worry about it.
The next day, Johnny meets Mike in the alley, and he tells Johnny about the tragedy of his lost underwear when he made out with Michelle. Johnny tells him that it is a part of life. Mark pushes Mike into a trashcan and Mike goes to the hospital.
Later, Johnny overhears a conversation between Lisa and Claudette where Lisa admits to having sex with another person. Johnny is obviously offended and taps the phone up to a tape recorder to record all of Lisa's conversations.
Johnny then chats with his psychologist friend Peter. Johnny tells Peter about his suspicions about Lisa's unfaithfulness. Peter was lost for words, telling Johnny that he did not want to interfere in the relationship. Johnny wants to give Lisa a second chance, but Peter suggests that he confront her. Mark enters and admits he has a girl, but he's married. He does not want to talk about it because it is an awkward situation. Peter tells Johnny to be honest with Lisa and talk about his own feelings. Johnny also makes chicken noises at Peter for not wanting to go to Bay to Breakers that year.
The next day, Johnny, Peter, Mark, and Denny play football in tuxes, ending in Peter getting injured. Peter is not seen for the rest of the movie. Denny also tells Lisa that he is worried about her relationship with Johnny, not knowing about her affair with Mark.
Johnny then gets a new client at the bank and has coffee with Mark. The two talk about relationships, and Mark asks about the client. Johnny tells Mark that this is confidential information, none of his business, averting the question by inquiring about Mark's sex life. Johnny leaves, agreeing to go for a jog with Mark that evening. Mark has sex with Lisa again and then goes for an awkward jog with Johnny where they pass a football while simultaneously running.
Johnny later returns home and is greeted by all his friends at a surprise birthday party. Johnny has a drink, despite the fact that he doesn't drink. Lisa sends everyone outside so she can make out with Mark, but Steven walks in on them and confronts the two.
In the middle of the party, Johnny announces to everyone that Lisa is pregnant, though Lisa reveals to Michelle and Johnny's friend Steven that she lied to Johnny about her pregnancy.
Later, Lisa gets in a fight with Mark because Mark thinks that Lisa is pregnant with his baby. Lisa slaps Mark, and Johnny gets involved, having a short fight with Mark. Eventually, Johnny fights with Mark again, finally catching on that Mark was having an affair with Lisa. Johnny said that he would kill Mark and break every bone in his body. Steven and the others interfere, and Johnny hides in the bathroom declaring he is fed up with this world.
After Lisa tells Johnny to come out, Johnny calls Lisa a bitch. Johnny hears a conversation between Mark and Lisa, because they have a suggestive conversation in front of Johnny. Johnny leaves the bathroom and plays the recording from when he tapped the phone. Johnny has a fight with Lisa and calls her a tramp for betraying him. After hearing Mark say "I want your body" to Johnny, he throws the recorder in a fit of rage, letting out a primal scream. Lisa leaves Johnny, and Johnny continues his fit of rage, destroying various things in the house while having flashbacks of his memories with Lisa. He goes upstairs and feels Lisa's dress, moaning, before shooting himself in the mouth with Chris-R's gun, which he kept all along. Shortly after Lisa, Mark and Denny discover his corpse, ambulances and helicopters are heard coming as the film ends.
Production[]
Development[]
Tommy Wiseau, inspired by the film The Talented Mr. Ripley, initially wrote The Room as a play in 2001. However, he faced difficulty in getting it published as a book after adapting it into a lengthy 540-page manuscript. Frustrated by the rejection, Wiseau took matters into his own hands and decided to turn the play into a film, allowing him to retain full creative control.
The funding for the project remains a mystery as Wiseau has kept it secretive. He did mention to Entertainment Weekly that he generated some funds by importing leather jackets from Korea. According to Greg Sestero's book, The Disaster Artist, which chronicles the making of The Room, Wiseau was already financially well-off when the production began. Wiseau claimed to have accumulated wealth over the years through entrepreneurship and real estate ventures in both Los Angeles and San Francisco. One of these ventures was Street Fashions USA, known for reselling Levi's jeans. While some involved in The Room suspected that the film might be a front for money laundering, Sestero considered this possibility unlikely.
Wiseau utilized the entire budget of $6 million for The Room on production and marketing. He explained that the film was relatively expensive due to the need to replace several cast and crew members. Sestero revealed that Wiseau made numerous questionable decisions during filming that unnecessarily increased the budget. These included constructing sets for scenes that could have been filmed on location, purchasing production equipment instead of renting, and shooting multiple versions of scenes using different sets. Wiseau's frequent forgetfulness of lines and camera positioning resulted in extended shooting times.
Wiseau rented a studio at the Birns & Sawyer film lot and purchased a package that included both 35 mm film and high-definition cameras. Despite his confusion about the technical differences, Wiseau aimed to be the first director to simultaneously film an entire movie using both formats. To achieve this, he employed a specially designed apparatus that housed the cameras side by side and required two separate crews to operate. Ultimately, only the footage captured on 35 mm film was used in the final version of the film.
Casting[]
Wiseau faced the task of selecting actors from thousands of headshots for The Room, with most of the cast having no prior experience in feature films. Greg Sestero, who had limited film background, agreed to work on the production crew as a favor to Wiseau, their friendship predating the start of filming. Wiseau had wrote the script with the intention of Sestero to play Mark, and kept insisting that Sestero step into the role even after he had already cast the part with another actor. Sestero finally agreed to play the role after Wiseau offered him a staggeringly large sum of money. Don, the original Mark, was consequently fired on the first day of filming, as well as Brianna Tate, Don's then-girlfriend who was originally cast as Michelle. Sestero felt uncomfortable filming his love scenes and was allowed to wear jeans during those scenes to ease his discomfort.
There are conflicting accounts regarding the sequence of events involving Juliette Danielle's involvement in the film. According to Greg Ellery, Danielle had recently arrived from Texas when the shooting began, and Wiseau immediately filmed their love scene, which shocked the rest of the cast. However, Sestero disputed this, stating that the love scenes were actually among the last scenes filmed. Wiseau claimed that Danielle was initially an understudy for the character Lisa and was chosen to replace the original actress who left the production. Sestero mentioned that the original actress was Latina and from an undisclosed South American country. Danielle, on the other hand, mentioned that the original actress was closer to Wiseau's age and had a "random" accent. Danielle was initially cast as Michelle but was given the role of Lisa when the original actress didn't fit the character's personality. Danielle confirms that multiple actors were dismissed from the production before filming began.
Kyle Vogt, who portrayed Peter, informed the production team that he had limited availability for the project. However, not all of Vogt's scenes were filmed before his schedule ran out. Despite Peter's pivotal role in the climax of the film, Vogt left the production, and his lines in the latter half of the movie were reassigned to Greg Ellery's character, who is introduced without explanation or addressed by name.
Writing[]
The original script for The Room was much longer than the final version and contained numerous lengthy monologues. However, on-set, the cast and script supervisor Sandy Schklair found many of the lines incomprehensible, leading to extensive editing. According to an anonymous cast member, the original script had content that was deemed unsayable and worse than what made it into the final film. Despite Tommy Wiseau's insistence on delivering the lines as written, some cast members managed to slip in ad libs that made it into the final cut.
A notable aspect of the dialogue in The Room is its repetitiveness, particularly with Johnny's character. He frequently starts conversations with phrases like "Oh, hi!" or "Oh, hi [name of character]!" Additionally, the phrase "Don't worry about it" is commonly used by characters to dismissively end conversations. Almost every male character tends to discuss Lisa's physical attractiveness, including a nameless character whose sole line is "Lisa looks hot tonight." Lisa often deflects discussions about Johnny by saying "I don't want to talk about it."
In Greg Sestero's account in The Disaster Artist, he reveals that Wiseau had originally planned a subplot where Johnny would be revealed as a vampire, reflecting Wiseau's fascination with these creatures. Sestero describes how Wiseau challenged the crew to devise a way for Johnny's Mercedes-Benz to fly across the San Francisco skyline, showcasing his vampiric nature.
Filming[]
Principal photography for The Room spanned a duration of four months. The majority of the shooting took place at the Birns & Sawyer soundstage in Los Angeles, while some additional footage was captured on location in San Francisco, California. The rooftop scenes, which feature prominently in the film, were filmed on the soundstage, with the San Francisco exteriors added later through greenscreen technology. Behind-the-scenes footage reveals that certain roof scenes were shot in August 2002.
The production of The Room involved a substantial crew of over 400 people. Tommy Wiseau, credited as an actor, writer, producer, director, and executive producer, played multiple roles in the film's creation. Chloe Lietzke and Drew Caffrey are also credited as executive producers, but according to Greg Sestero, Lietzke served as Wiseau's ESL tutor and had no actual involvement in the film. Additionally, Caffrey, who had been a mentor to Wiseau, passed away in 1999.
Wiseau encountered several challenges with his behind-the-camera team and claimed to have replaced the entire crew four times. He often assigned multiple and sometimes unrelated responsibilities to crew members, resulting in delays during shooting. For example, in addition to his role as Mark, Sestero also took on the role of line producer, assisted with casting, and provided support to Wiseau. Sandy Schklair, the script supervisor, effectively served as a de facto first assistant director. Peter Anway, a representative from Birns & Sawyer, also acted as an assistant to Wiseau. Wiseau frequently struggled with remembering his lines and cues, leading to numerous retakes and the need for direction from Schklair and a stagehand named Byron. Much of Wiseau's dialogue had to be dubbed during the post-production process.
Soundtrack[]
The musical score for The Room was composed by Mladen Milicevic, a music professor at Loyola Marymount University. Milicevic's collaboration with Tommy Wiseau extended beyond The Room, as he also provided the score for Wiseau's 2004 documentary Homeless in America and the 2016 documentary Room Full of Spoons, which explores The Room's cult following.
The film's soundtrack includes four R&B slow jams that accompany four of the five love scenes depicted in the movie. The scene featuring Michelle and Mike's oral sex is accompanied by instrumental music only. The songs featured in the soundtrack are I Will by Jarah Gibson, Crazy by Clint Gamboa, Baby You and Me by Gamboa featuring Bell Johnson, and You're My Rose by Kitra Williams & Reflection. You're My Rose is also reprised during the film's end credits. The soundtrack was released in 2003 by Wiseau's own TPW Records.
Directorial credit dispute[]
In a 2011 article published by Entertainment Weekly, Sandy Schklair expressed his desire for directorial credit on the film. Schklair claimed that Tommy Wiseau became too preoccupied with his acting responsibilities and entrusted Schklair with directing tasks such as guiding the actors, calling "Action" and "Cut," and providing instructions to the cameraman. According to Schklair, Wiseau asked him to essentially direct the movie but refused to relinquish the directorial title.
This account is supported by one of the film's anonymous actors and is also mentioned by Greg Sestero in The Disaster Artist. Sestero recounts instances where Schklair took charge of scenes in which Wiseau struggled to remember lines or effectively engage with the rest of the cast. However, Sestero adds a lighthearted remark, comparing claiming directorial credit to claiming to be the principal aeronautics engineer of the Hindenburg. He also notes that Schklair left the production before principal photography was completed to work on another project called Jumbo Girl, which was being shot by Janusz Kamiński.
Tommy Wiseau has dismissed Schklair's statements, considering them laughable and suggesting that such situations may only happen in America. He also insinuated that Schklair's departure from the film during production justified the denial of directorial credit.
On December 4, 2017, a memoir by Schklair, Yes, I Directed The Room: The Truth About Directing the "Citizen Kane of Bad Movies", was published. In the book Schklair reaffirms his desire to receive credit for directing the film. The book was released around the same time as The Disaster Artist movie (based on Sestero's own memoir), most likely so it could cash in on consumers discovering The Room through the movie.
Analysis[]
Interpretations, themes, and influences[]
The Room is often considered to have elements of Tommy Wiseau's own life woven into its narrative, making it somewhat autobiographical. The character of Johnny, for example, reflects Wiseau's personal experiences, such as the details of how Johnny came to San Francisco and met Lisa, as well as the close friendship between Johnny and Mark. Acoording to Sestero, Lisa is based on a former lover of Wiseau's, to whom he had intended to propose with an expensive diamond ring. However, due to multiple betrayals, their relationship ended in a painful breakup. Sestero describes the film as a cautionary tale about the complexities of friendship, exploring themes of trust, fear, and truth.
Sestero also suggests that Wiseau drew inspiration from the character Tom Ripley in The Talented Mr. Ripley, as he had a deep emotional response to the film after seeing it in theaters with Sestero. Sestero sees parallels between the three main characters in The Room and those in The Talented Mr. Ripley. Interestingly, the character of Mark was named after actor Matt Damon (Wiseau misheard his first name). Wiseau also drew influence from the intense emotional scenes found in the chamber plays of Tennessee Williams, which he had enjoyed performing during his drama school days. The film's promotional materials even make direct references to Williams' work with the tagline "A film with the passion of Tennessee [sic] Williams."
In his direction and performance, Wiseau aimed to emulate the styles of legendary figures like Orson Welles, Clint Eastwood, Marlon Brando, and James Dean, particularly Dean's role in the film Giant. He went so far as to incorporate quotes from their films, such as the iconic line "You are tearing me apart, Lisa!" which draws inspiration from a similar line delivered by Dean in Rebel Without a Cause.
Critics have noted that The Room defies traditional rules of coherent cinematic storytelling, creating a unique and enjoyable experience for audiences. Its flaws and idiosyncrasies have become part of its charm, and Wiseau's authorship and intentionality are crucial to the audience's appreciation of the film. The audience's participation, including shouting at the screen, can be likened to the reception of medieval works like Icelandic sagas, and it demonstrates the film's ability to engage viewers on a different level.
Inconsistencies[]
The script of The Room is characterized by inexplicable shifts in mood and personality among the characters. Sestero, in his analysis, points out two specific scenes that highlight these abrupt tone changes. In one scene, Johnny enters the rooftop angrily discussing false accusations of domestic abuse but quickly becomes cheerful upon seeing Mark. Moments later, he inappropriately laughs upon hearing about a severe beating suffered by one of Mark's friends. Sestero and script supervisor Sandy Schklair tried to convince Wiseau to play the scene seriously, but Wiseau insisted on laughing.
Another instance occurs later in the film when Mark tries to kill Peter by throwing him off a roof after Peter accuses Mark of having an affair with Lisa. However, seconds later, Mark pulls Peter back and apologizes, and they continue their conversation as if nothing happened.
The film is not only plagued by continuity errors but also features multiple plots, subplots, and character details that are inconsistent throughout. Critics and audiences have pointed out these inconsistencies. For example, Claudette casually mentions having breast cancer during a conversation, but this plot point is never revisited or resolved.
Mark's character lacks exposition beyond being Johnny's friend. He claims to be busy but never reveals his occupation or what he was doing. Sestero created a backstory for Mark in which he was an undercover vice detective, which he felt explained some of Mark's peculiar behavior. However, Wiseau dismissed the idea of adding Mark's past to the script.
The football scene in which the male characters play catch in tuxedos behind Johnny's apartment is another puzzling element. Mark's shaved beard is emphasized in a dramatic zoom-in shot, but the scene has no impact on the plot and is never referenced again. Wiseau addressed questions about the scene in a Q&A segment on the DVD release, but instead of providing an explanation, he simply stated that playing football without proper equipment is fun and challenging.
Sestero reveals that Wiseau insisted on him shaving his beard on set so that Johnny could call Mark "Babyface," Wiseau's nickname for Sestero. The significance of Mark's shaving was never explained to the cast or crew. The football scene was spontaneously concocted by Wiseau on set, without any explanation of its significance, and was prioritized over other relevant scenes.
Release[]
Marketing[]
After completing The Room, Wiseau had high hopes of securing Paramount Pictures as the film's distributor. Typically, it takes around two weeks to receive a response from a studio. However, Paramount rejected The Room within a mere 24 hours. As a result, Wiseau resorted to promoting the film primarily through a single billboard located on Highland Avenue in Hollywood, just north of Fountain Avenue. The billboard prominently featured what Wiseau dubbed "Evil Man": a close-up of his face with one eye in mid-blink.
Although conventional artwork showcasing the main characters' faces over the Golden Gate Bridge was also available, Wiseau deliberately chose the provocative "Evil Man" image. This choice led many passers-by to mistakenly believe that The Room was a horror film, adding to its mysterious allure. Wiseau supplemented the billboard with a small television and print campaign in and around Los Angeles. Additionally, he enlisted the services of publicist Edward Lozzi to assist in promoting and self-distributing the film after Paramount's rejection.
Despite the initial lack of success, Wiseau was determined to keep the billboard up for an extended period. He personally funded its presence for over five years, paying a monthly cost of $5,000. The billboard's peculiar imagery and longevity turned it into a minor tourist attraction, drawing attention from curious visitors. When questioned about the financial feasibility of maintaining the billboard in such a prominent location, Wiseau explained that he valued the location and the billboard itself, believing that people should see The Room. He also mentioned the DVD sales, which were performing reasonably well, as a source of income to support the billboard's expenses.
Reception[]
The Room had its premiere on June 27, 2003, at the Laemmle Fairfax and Fallbrook theaters in Los Angeles. Wiseau organized a special screening for the cast and the press, creating a spectacle with a searchlight positioned in front of the theater and arriving in a limousine. As a bonus, ticket buyers received a complimentary copy of the film's soundtrack on CD. The audience's reaction during the screening was one of laughter, with actress Robyn Paris recalling the crowd's amusement. However, Variety reporter Scott Foundas, who was present at the premiere, later stated that many viewers requested refunds within the first half-hour of the film. Wiseau's speaking voice in the film was described by IFC.com as resembling "Borat attempting to imitate Christopher Walken playing a mental patient." The Guardian characterized The Room as a blend of "Tennessee Williams, Ed Wood, and R. Kelly's Trapped in the Closet."
Critics unanimously lambasted The Room for its abysmal acting, particularly Wiseau's performance, as well as its screenplay, dialogue, production values, score, direction, and cinematography. It has been cited by multiple publications as one of the worst films ever made. On Rotten Tomatoes, which calculates the percentage of positive reviews a film has received from verified film critics, the film holds a 26% approval rating based on 31 reviews, with an average score of 3.60/10. Despite this, the site's critical consensus is positive, reading, "A bona-fide classic of midnight cinema, Tommy Wiseau's misguided masterpiece subverts the rules of filmmaking with a boundless enthusiasm that renders such mundanities as acting, screenwriting, and cinematography utterly irrelevant. You will never see a football the same way again." On Metacritic, the film received a weighted average score of 9 out of 100, indicating "overwhelming dislike" based on reviews from five critics. Despite the scathing critiques, The Room has gained a cult following for its perceived shortcomings, with audiences ironically embracing it as the "best worst movie ever."
In 2013, The Atlantic published an article by Adam Rosen titled "Should Gloriously Terrible Movies Like The Room Be Considered 'Outsider Art'?" Rosen argued that the label of outsider art, traditionally associated with painters and sculptors, could also be applied to Wiseau and other filmmakers who, despite being thwarted and lacking self-awareness, create unique and unconventional works.
Midnight screenings[]
The Room had a two-week run at the Laemmle Fairfax and Fallbrook theaters, during which it grossed a total of $1,900 (equivalent to $3,023 in 2022). Toward the end of its screening, the Laemmle Fallbrook theater displayed two signs inside the ticket window: one stating "NO REFUNDS" and another quoting an early review that described the film as "like getting stabbed in the head." In the second week, Michael Rousselet of 5-Second Films attended a showing and found unintentional humor in the film's poor dialogue and production values. He began inviting friends to join him in mocking the film, leading to about 100 people attending the final screening. These initial screenings birthed many of the traditions associated with The Room, such as throwing spoons and footballs during the film.
After its theater run, attendees of the final showing started emailing Wiseau to express their enjoyment of the film. Encouraged by the positive feedback, Wiseau organized a midnight screening in June 2004, followed by additional showings in July and August. These screenings grew increasingly successful, leading to monthly screenings on the last Saturday of each month. The popularity of these screenings continued until the theater was sold in 2012. Wiseau often made appearances at these screenings and interacted with fans afterward. On the fifth anniversary of the film's premiere, it sold out every screen at the Sunset 5 theater, with Q&A sessions featuring both Wiseau and Greg Sestero. The Room was also featured on the 2008 Range Life tour and expanded to midnight screenings in various cities.
The film gained a celebrity fanbase, including Paul Rudd, David Cross, Will Arnett, Patton Oswalt, Tim Heidecker, Eric Wareheim, Seth Rogen, and James and Dave Franco. Kristen Bell even acquired a film reel and hosted private viewing parties. References to The Room were slipped into episodes of the television series Veronica Mars by creator Rob Thomas. The film's cult status extended nationally and internationally, with Wiseau arranging screenings in multiple countries, including the United States, Canada, Scandinavia, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Audiences engage with The Room in a manner reminiscent of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Fans dress up as their favorite characters, throw plastic spoons (in reference to the framed photo of a spoon in Johnny's living room), toss footballs to each other, and shout insulting comments about the film's quality and recite lines from the movie. While Wiseau claims that he intended for the film to be humorous, some cast members generally perceive it as a poorly made drama. Regular monthly showings of The Room are popular event in theaters worldwide.
Home Media[]
The Room became available on DVD on November 4, 2003, and was later released on Blu-ray in December 2012. The DVD edition includes special features, such as an interview with Wiseau conducted by Greg Sestero, who remains off-screen. During the interview, Wiseau sits in front of a fireplace adorned with various props from the film, including a large framed theatrical poster. Some of Wiseau's responses in the interview are dubbed, although it is clear that the dubbed lines match his original dialogue. Wiseau often sidesteps questions, offering unrelated remarks instead.
The Blu-ray version includes outtakes, including an alternate version of the Chris-R scene set in a back alley. In this version, Denny engages in a basketball game with the drug dealer to distract him from a debt, rather than tossing a football. Another bonus feature on the Blu-ray is a fly-on-the-wall style documentary that provides a glimpse into the making of The Room. The documentary lacks narration, features minimal dialogue, and includes only one interview with cast member Carolyn Minnott. Instead, it primarily consists of behind-the-scenes clips showing the crew preparing for shoots.
In April 2011, Wiseau initially announced plans for a 3D version of The Room, which would be scanned from the 35mm negative. However, in 2018, he expressed his intention to reshoot the entire film in 3D, citing cost-effectiveness as the reason. On September 21, 2018, Wiseau uploaded The Room to YouTube, but it was taken down the following day.
Other media[]
Broadway adaptation[]
In 2011, Wiseau expressed his intentions to create a Broadway adaptation of the film. He mentioned that he would only appear on opening night: "It will be similar to what you see in the movie, except it will be musical. As well as you will see... like, for example, Johnny, we could have maybe 10 Johnnys at the same time singing or playing football. So, the decision have to be made at the time when we actually doing choreography, 'cause I'll be doing choreography, as well I'll be in it only one time, that's it, as Johnny." In a 2016 interview, he reiterated his plans for the Broadway adaptation, describing it as a combination of musical and comedy.
Charity remake[]
According to a report from /Film on March 9, 2023, a greenscreen-based remake of "The Room" had entered the post-production phase. The remake, titled The Room Tribute, features Bob Odenkirk in the role of Johnny, Bella Heathcote as Lisa, and Brando Crawford serving as the director, producer, and co-star through his company Acting for a Cause. The announcement also revealed the casting of Kate Siegel as Lisa's mother Claudette and Mike Flanagan as Peter. Greg Sestero was later announced to be playing Chris-R. Notably, Bob Odenkirk emphasized that the film was not intended as a joke or a mockery of The Room, but rather as a serious portrayal of the original material. The profits generated from the film were donated to amfAR, an organization dedicated to HIV/AIDS research.
The Disaster Artist[]
In June 2011, an announcement was made about Greg Sestero signing a deal with Simon & Schuster to write a book chronicling his experiences during the making of The Room. The Disaster Artist was published in October 2013. It later received an audiobook adaptation read by Sestero himself in May 2014. The Disaster Artist went on to win the Best Non-Fiction category at the National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards in November 2014.
Following the success of the book, a film adaptation of The Disaster Artist was announced in February 2014. The project was produced by Seth Rogen and directed by James Franco. Franco described the film as a blend of Boogie Nights and The Master. James Franco portrayed Wiseau, while his brother Dave Franco portrayed Sestero. The screenplay was written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, known for their work on The Fault in Our Stars. Rogen joined the cast as Sandy Schklair, and Brandon Trost served as the cinematographer. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema secured the distribution rights for The Disaster Artist on October 29, 2015. Filming commenced on December 7, 2015.
A work-in-progress version of the film was showcased at South by Southwest in March 2017, with the wide release scheduled for December 8, 2017. The Disaster Artist achieved notable success at the box office upon its opening and received a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay at the 2018 Academy Awards.
Documentary[]
A Canadian documentary about the film, titled Room Full of Spoons and directed by Rick Harper, was initially given a brief theatrical release in April 2016. Initially, the documentary had a limited theatrical release in April 2016. However, it was later pulled from theaters due to legal issues. The filmmakers had planned for a wider release to coincide with the release of The Disaster Artist movie, but faced legal proceedings initiated by Wiseau. He alleged copyright infringement and defamation. In 2020, Wiseau's lawsuit was dismissed by Ontario Superior Court of Justice judge Paul Schabas, who ruled in favor of the filmmakers. The judge ordered Wiseau to pay the filmmakers almost $1 million CAD in damages and lost revenue as a result of a countersuit.
Fan musicals[]
On July 27, 2017, a satirical fan-made musical titled "OH HAI!: The Rise of Chris-R" was released on SoundCloud. The musical, written by Tony Orozco and Peter Von Sholly, delves into the backstory of "The Room" and focuses on the character of Denny and his relationship with Chris-R. It offers a humorous take on the film's narrative.
In 2018, another musical parody called "Oh Hi, Johnny! The 'Room'sical Parody Musical" premiered at the Orlando Fringe Festival. This production, written by Bryan Jager and Alex Syiek, imagines what would happen if Tommy Wiseau actually created a stage adaptation of The Room. The musical went on to run at the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival in February 2019.
Play[]
A live play/reading based on the original script of the film took place at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center on June 10, 2010. Wiseau returned to portray his character Johnny, and Sestero joined him in the role of Mark.
Video game[]
In September 2010, Tom Fulp, the owner of Newgrounds, launched a Flash game as a tribute to The Room. The game, known as The Room Tribute, is a 16-bit styled adventure game, offering players the perspective of Johnny, the main character. The artwork for the game was created by Jeff "JohnnyUtah" Bandelin, a staff member at Newgrounds, while the music was transcribed by animator Chris O'Neill from the original Mladen Milicevic score and soundtrack.
Web series[]
On October 21, 2014, Robyn Paris, who played Michelle, initiated a Kickstarter campaign to gather funds for her comedy mockumentary web series titled "The Room Actors: Where Are They Now? A Mockumentary." The campaign successfully raised $31,556 from 385 backers (equivalent to $39,008 in 2022). While some original cast members participated in the series, notable individuals such as Wiseau, Sestero, and Holmes were not involved. The series premiered at the 24th Raindance Film Festival on September 30, 2016, and later made its debut on the website Funny or Die on November 30, 2017.
In popular culture[]
The Room and Tommy Wiseau have been referenced and parodied in various forms of media, showcasing the cult status and widespread recognition of the film. Here are some notable instances:
- The comedy show "Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!" on Adult Swim dedicated an episode titled "Tommy" to Wiseau. He appeared as a "guest director" in a mockumentary-style segment, along with the show's actors, during the production of a fake film called "The Pig Man." The episode features two scenes from The Room.
- Adult Swim aired The Room multiple times as part of their April Fools' Day programming. In 2012, they played the first 20 seconds before switching to Toonami for the remainder of the night, which became a popular prank and led to the return of the block.
- On June 18, 2009, a RiffTrax for The Room was released, featuring commentary by Michael J. Nelson, Bill Corbett and Kevin Murphy, formerly of Mystery Science Theater 3000. This was followed up with a live theater show by RiffTrax on May 6, 2015, screened in numerous theaters across the U.S. and Canada. The show was brought back for the "Best of RiffTrax Live" series in 2016.
- Comedian Patton Oswalt parodied The Room with a fake infomercial on his 2009 DVD "My Weakness Is Strong." The spoof includes a cameo from Jon Hamm.
- The Internet comedy series Nostalgia Critic mocked The Room in a 2010 episode, highlighting its bad acting and writing while still encouraging viewers to see the film. The episode was taken down due to unjust copyright claims and replaced with a short video titled "The Tommy Wi-Show", in which host Doug Walker, dressed as Wiseau, mocked the threatened legal actions. The original video was later reinstated. Both Greg Sestero and Juliette Danielle have praised the review and Sestero later made several cameo appearances on the show. Notably, Sestero reprises his role as Mark in the episode "Dawn of the Commercials". Doug Walker would also later separately interview Wiseau and Sestero on his show "Shut Up and Talk".
- In 2011, a video titled "The Room Rap" was directed and produced by Greg DeLiso and Peter Litvin. The video tells the story of The Room's production while parodying its green screen work and subpar acting.
- In one scene in an episode of Wiseau's sitcom The Neighbors, the character Troy watches The Room.
- In the 2016 Marvel comic book Spider-Man/Deadpool #12, Captain Marvel receives a DVD copy of The Room as a Christmas gift from Deadpool, but complains that she actually wanted the similarly-titled film Room (2015). She also goes on to state that Tommy Wiseau is actually an alien criminal wanted by the Guardians of the Galaxy.
- The Sunday, July 5, 2015, installment of Amy Dickinson's advice column, Ask Amy, unwittingly featured a hoax letter that derived its situational premise from The Room and, even after being edited for publication, retained phrases from the film's dialogue: "DEAR AMY: I have a serious problem with my future wife. She has not been faithful to me. [...] I just can’t believe she would do this to me. I love her so much, she is my everything, and I don’t know that I could go on without her. She is tearing me apart." Dickinson addressed the hoax in the following Saturday's edition of July 11 of the National Public Radio comedy and quiz show Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, where she appears as a regular panelist, and in her July 20, 2015 column.
- Comic #1400 of the online comic xkcd, which appeared July 28, 2014, presented a satirical equivalence between Wiseau and still-unidentified hijacker D. B. Cooper, with comparisons between the money, age, and speaking style of the two, and speculated on a connection between Wiseau's background and Cooper's fate.
Credits[]
Directed by[]
- Tommy Wiseau
Written by[]
- Tommy Wiseau
Produced by[]
- Drew Caffey - executive producer (credit only; Caffey died in 1999, years before production on the film begun)
- Chloe Lietzke - executive producer (credit only; Lietzke was alive but had no involvement with the movie)
- Greg Sestero - line producer
- Tommy Wiseau - producer, executive producer
Music by[]
- Mladen Milicevic
Cinematography by[]
- Todd Barron - director of photography
Editing by[]
- Eric Chase (credited as as Eric Yalkut Chase)
Casting by[]
- Chloe Lietzke (credit only)
Production Design by[]
- Mercedes Younger (credited under her production design company Merce Designs)
Art Direction by[]
- Kendra Hollaway (uncredited)
Costume design by[]
- Safowa Bright-Asare (credited as Safowa B. Asare)
Makeup Department[]
- Persia Matine (credited as as Persia Matine Coburn) - key hair stylist, key makeup artist
- Amy Von Brock - key makeup artist
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director[]
- Jacob Bick - first assistant director
- Marcus Metsala - assistant director
- Sandy Schklair - first assistant director (uncredited)
Art Department[]
- Kendra Hollaway (credited as Kendra Holloway)- art department
- Courtland Jindra - set constructor
- Randolph Pratt - set constructor
- Raffa Rodriguez - art department, set construction
- Kara Thiringer (credited as Kara Thringer) - art department, set constructor
- Matt Von Kroeker (credited as Matt Vonkroeker) - set constructor
- Mercedes Younger - art department
Sound Department[]
- Troy Allen - foley artist
- Charles D. Ballard - sound effects
- Eric Chase (credited as Eric Yalkut Chase) - sound designer
- Tim D. Lloyd (credited as Tim Lloyd) - boom operator
- Zsolt Magyar - sound
- Andy Potvin - Dolby consultant
- Richard Zimmerman - dialogue editor, foley engineer
- Stanley Kastner (uncredited) - re-recording mixer
- Donald Lyles (uncredited) - sound recordist
Visual Effects by[]
- Eric Bauer - digital artist
- Jason Fotter - digital artist
- Kurt McKeever (credited as Kurt Mckeever) - digital artist
- Bob Minshall - digital artist
- Sean Mullen - digital artist
- Matt von Brock (credited as Matthew Von Brock)- digital artist, visual effects supervisor
- Christopher Dusendschon (uncredited) - digital imaging supervisor: iO FILM
- Craig Kuehne (uncredited) - visual effects artist
Camera and Electrical Department[]
- Bill Bentkok - electrician
- Peter Calcaterra (credited as Pete Calcaterra) - dolly grip
- Andrew Clarke - dolly grip
- Sean Cohen - dolly grip / gaffer
- Justine Ariel Cook (credited as Justine Cook) - best boy electric
- Cicero De Moraes (credited as Cicero Moraes) - gaffer
- Michael Francisco - gaffer
- Chris Goe - electrician
- Keely Grigel - electrician
- John Habell - electrician
- Rudy Harbon (credited as Rude Harbon)- camera operator
- John Heydon - dolly grip
- Gayle Hilary - clapper / first assistant camera / loader / slate
- John Hoffma - electrician
- Dina S. Khouri (credited as Dina Khouri) - still photographer
- Jason Kinney - 2nd assistant camera
- David Ortkiese (credited as David Ortkiese)- electrician
- Sheri Ortkiese - electrician
- Joe Pacella - clapper, first assistant camera, loader, slate
- Don Presley - camera operator
- Kelly Price - dolly grip
- Tony Pulice - best boy electric
- Jeff Seebach - electrician
- Joseph M. Setele (credited as Joe Setele) - camera operator
- Stefan Tarzan - camera operator
- Remi Tournois - first assistant camera
- Wade Whitley - camera operator
- Matt Wilbur - dolly grip
- Jake Avignone (uncredited) - first assistant camera: "b" camera
- David F. Clark (uncredited) - first assistant camera: "a" camera
- Pauline Edwards (uncredited) - additional first assistant camera: "a" camera
- Jesse M. Feldman (uncredited) - second assistant camera
- Graham Futerfas (uncredited) - director of photography
- Ben Gamble (uncredited) - gaffer
- Joel Ides (uncredited) - grip
- Milan Janicin as dolly grip (uncredited)
- Robert Lowell as first assistant camera: "a" camera (uncredited)
- Gary Lowrance as set lighting technician (uncredited)
- Rod Reyes as grip (uncredited)
- Raphael Smadja as director of photography (uncredited)
- Tim Wattez as electrician (uncredited)
- Andy Yip as grip (uncredited)
Casting Department[]
- Drew Caffrey (credit only; again he was dead) - San Francisco casting, extras casting
Editorial Department[]
- Andrew Harwood - post-production assistant
Music Department[]
- Eric Chase (credited as Eric Yalkut Chase) - music supervisor
- Giovana Clayton (credited as Giovana) - musician: violin
- Wayman Davis - songs producer
- Carl 'Chick' Kizine - musician: guitar
- Kitra Williams - songs producer, vocal arrangements
Script and Continuity Department[]
- Sandy Schklair - script supervisor
Additional Crew[]
- Peter Anway - assistant to Mr. Wiseau, production coordinator
- Todd Barron - assistant to Mr. Wiseau
- Drew Caffrey (credit only, once again he was dead) - assistant to Mr. Wiseau
- John Caffrey - assistant to Mr. Wiseau
- Marcus Metsala - assistant to Mr. Wiseau
- Raffa Rodriguez - cleanup crew
- Raul Vega - cleanup crew
- Edward Lozzi (uncredited) - publicist
Thanks[]
- Barbara Marshall - special thanks
- Chip Potter - special thanks
- Paul Roman - special thanks
- Newt Wallen - grateful acknowledgment
- Andrew T Williams - thanks