On 27th June 2003, a relatively unknown filmmaker revealed his ‘masterpiece’ to the world. The film would go on to become one of the most popular cult classics of the 21st century. The filmmaker was the enigmatic Tommy Wiseau. The film was The Room, which Wiseau wrote, directed and starred in. The source of his funding has remained ambiguous, but rumours have circulated that he financed it by dealing arms and importing leather jackets from Korea. Thirty minutes into the film’s premiere at the Laemmle Fairfax and Fallbrook theatres in Los Angeles, most of the audience demanded their money back. The woeful acting, ridiculous script and bizarre cinematography were to blame for the panning the film received from its first audience, and critics alike. However, these are also the very reasons thousands of fans have obsessively re-watched the film, laughing at the stilted dialogue and revelling in every unintended gag.
The film tells a tale of Johnny (Tommy Wiseau) and his fiancée Lisa (Juliette Danielle) who live together in an apartment in central San Francisco. The intensity of their relationship is established from the beginning, through cringe-worthy dialogue and passionate, extremely uncomfortable sex scenes. Wiseau is thoroughly entertaining, completely overacting in his role, as if to compensate for all of the film’s flaws. Between his fervent energy, ominous laugh and loose grip on the English language, he manages to create a truly unforgettable performance. His character, which seems similar to his off-screen persona, can best be described as a combination of Forrest Gump and the child snatcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. There is something inherently creepy and inexplicably funny about his hyperbolic behaviour. For example, in his attempts to convey his love for Lisa, Tommy constantly leers over her with his long, greasy black hair, saying things like “I’d do anything for my girl.” The viewer’s knowledge that this mess was intended to be taken seriously as a drama only makes it even more enjoyable.
Once Johnny’s best friend Mark (Greg Sestero) is introduced, it becomes clear that the couple’s set-up is not as idyllic as it seems. The rest of the film documents Lisa’s affair with Greg and Johnny’s inevitable heartbreak. While this scenario unfolds, several subplots take centre stage for short intervals, never to be resolved. Totally irrelevant to the plot development, you have to question how on earth anyone thought they were a good idea in the first place. Some of the more bewildering examples include Lisa’s mother’s breast cancer diagnosis and Johnny’s friend Denny being held at gunpoint by a drug dealer.
One of the reasons for the universal appeal of The Room is that it is exceptionally quotable. During Johnny’s arguments with Lisa, he shouts some memorable lines such as “leave your stupid comments in your pocket.” Delivered with an accent that Greg Sestero describes as “half Transylvanian, half Martian”, these lines are guaranteed to crack up and bemuse viewers whether it’s their first viewing or their fifth.
To this day, regular screenings of The Room take place worldwide, even returning to the Laemmle theatres, where it was first labelled a disaster. These are cult film screenings like no other, as participants must follow a set of quirky rules inspired by the more unusual aspects of the film. Due to a lack of props, Wiseau placed a number of framed spoons around the film set in place of art. At the screenings, the crowd are given spoons and told to throw them at the screen whenever they spot them. One of these events happened recently in Filmbase, and drew a huge crowd. The night was hosted by John Carney, director of Once and Sing Street and featured an appearance by Greg Sestero, who played Mark in The Room. He chatted to the host primarily about his book, The Disaster Artist. Published in 2013, the autobiographical work is an account of life on set with Tommy Wiseau and the friendship that formed between the two men. A Hollywood adaptation of this book is currently in the works, entitled The Masterpiece, which will feature James and Dave Franco.
During his Q & A session, Sestero painted Tommy Wiseau in a wholly positive light. He shared the story of his enduring friendship with Wiseau, from meeting him in an L.A acting school to recent times, playing football in his backyard. While other cast members have been less than positive about the director’s eccentricities, Sestero referred to their endearing quality. At the event, there was a screening of the thirty minute documentary which coincides with his book. In it, Juliette Danielle (Lisa) confesses the humiliation she felt surrounding her starring role in The Room. With a hint of bitterness, she shares her disappointment at what the film did to her career. Initially, she believed it would be her big break in the acting world. It left her unemployable. Sestero seems to have reacted very differently to the flop. He brought along signed copies of the original film script and Tommy Wiseau t-shirts, still profiting all he can from its cult following.
At the end of the night, there was a sneak peak at Sestero’s latest project, a film starring himself and Wiseau. From what could be gathered from the trailer, this film is set to be far wackier than The Room, and have a much higher budget. The plot seems to have something to do with a mad scientist removing Wiseau’s face. Here’s hoping that the pair manage to re-assemble the madcap humour of The Room and create another classic for both their loyal fans and new audiences to enjoy.
