Tim Curry and I

Everyone loves Tim Curry. Some people more than others. I fall into the category of “super fan” when it comes to him. So on Friday night when I spotted him while waiting to see the latest Saw film, it was one of those moments that will go down in my history book of awkward magnificence. I’m turned into a fan-boy (which rarely happens to me).

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Like most people, I was introduced to “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” as a teenager. I have always been someone who gets obsessed about the things I like, but this film was special. It was like magic, someone had created a film that was not only kick ass, but came with a built in audience of similar freaks, weirdo’s and most importantly a crowd full of hot chicks! To my dismay my parents had forbidden to me go to Rocky because of its gay overtones. So I did what any teenager would do… I snuck out of my basement window every weekend (rain, snow or sleet didn’t matter). Rocky Horror was the land of scantily clad women, and was the farthest thing from gay in the world. Loads of people attended, but for my fragile 14 year old mind it was seriously the place to find chicks! There were girls who ran around in their underwear! That alone was the selling point for me. (To date I have seen it in the theater over 100 times).

There was a girl in the local Grand Rapids Michigan Rocky (shadow) cast named Steevigh and her (sometimes) boyfriend Raven who were more obsessed than anyone I had ever met. Raven was obsessed with Pete Burns from Dead or Alive, and Steevigh was obsessed with Tim Curry. She owned almost every possible Tim Curry item ever created. Steevigh and Raven really showed me what it took to be a super fan. It wasn’t enough to just LIKE something, it was beyond that…you needed to wear it on your sleeve, and tell everyone you know about your awesome obsession, buy everything available, and not to listen to anyone who tells you that you are crazy for going overboard when it comes to your obsession. I followed what they said, as if it were gospel. (As I write this, I realize just how much these two people influenced so much of who I am today.)

I became obsessed was this amazing actor named Tim Curry. I was already familiar with him from his other films, but now I was on a mission to become a “super fan”. I bought the VHS tapes of anything he was in, and anything Rocky Horror related, then the most important thing of all…his music. You may not know that Tim Curry put out 3 records (1978-1981) and even had a top 40 hit called “I Do The Rock”. But the one song that never left the soundtrack of my life is called Sloe Gin. It’s a bluesy ballad that isn’t like any other music that I listen to. He recorded the song with the film composer Michael Kamen, who at the time was known for his work with Pink Floyd on The Wall. Curry’s distinctive voice has since been used in thousands of cartoons and animated features. 

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When I was 14 or 15 (I don’t recall) I heard that Tim Curry was going to be performing in a play called Me and My Girl live on stage in Detroit Michigan. I begged and pleaded with my parents to drive me three hours away to see this play, they eventually agreed. I spent every penny that I had earned to get tickets to that show, and I was in heaven seeing that play. I was in the same room as Tim Curry! I distinctly recall at one point in the play when the cast came out into the audience and he walked right up to the goth girl in the second row wearing a Rocky Horror t-shirt and kissed her hand. He didn’t come over to my seat, but I remember thinking that he made eye contact with me and that it was awesome that he acknowledged the other “super fan” in the audience.

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While I was in college, Rocky Horror was released on VHS and I paid $100 for an original copy. Over the years the posters for Pass the Ammo, Ferngully, Oscar, Passed Away and Muppet Treasure Island, and Scary Movie 2 all ended up on my walls (I wonder what happened to them?) Years later I got to do some VFX on Addams Family Values and was so proud to have worked on one of his movies. His name was a keyword on my Tivo for years (even though it meant sifting though hours of Wild Thornberrys and Rugrats cartoons.) I happened across a DVD of Blood Moon (aka Wolf Girl) and bought it even though the cover was horrendous…but the movie is pretty kick ass because he actually sings in it! Blah blah blah… I could go on, but needless to say I continue to be a “super fan”.

In 2006 a movie called Dreamgirls came out, and my great friend Tim Sullivan invited me to a private early screening of the film. Paul Stanley of KISS, a whole whack of new horror directors were there. A strange film for a bunch of horror people to get invited to, but in the horror community we all try to support each other whenever a friend makes a film. In this case it was Bill Condon who directed Dreamgirls, he had also previously directed the film “God and Monsters”. After the film, Sullivan introduced me to his friend Jack Morrissey. He told Jack that I was obsessed with Tim Curry, knowing that he Jack is actually friends with Tim Curry. We got to talking about Tim Curry’s music and how I had just got a couple his rarity CD’s off of EBay. Jack and Tim assured me that someday I would get introduced to him, when the time was right.

On October 23rd, 2009 while having dinner in Hollywood before the screening of Saw VI, I noticed some people taking pictures with a random dude. Like anyone, I looked over to see who it was (in Hollywood celeb sightings happen all the time, so it’s really not a big deal). It was the back of an older guy with curly-ish hair, but before he turned around, I heard THAT VOICE say “Sure no problem” granting permission to a fans photo request. I knew that voice anywhere…It was him, actually HIM, TIM CURRY in the flesh, 10 feet away from me! I twittered, I stared, I started shaking, then for about 5 minutes I just sat there trying not to be obvious as I was freaking out. In that 5 minutes about a dozen (or so) people stopped and asked for photos and autographs. He looked at me a couple times and gave me a look that said “I know you know who I am”. I hate to be rude and approach people without a reason…but this was my idol since I was 13 years old…TIM CURRY! So I got up the courage and walked over to him. I’m not entirely sure of what I said, but it had something to do with Jack Morrissey, and that Sloe Gin had been on my ipod forever and was one of my all time favorite songs! He shook my hand and said that our mutual friend Jack was on his was to meet him for a movie. I told him it was awesome to meet him, and tried to look cool as I walked away as if it was no big deal.

I sat back down in my chair (freaking out). A few minutes later Jack walked up and stopped over to me to say hello, he asked what movie we were seeing, I told him Saw VI. He said that they were seeing Cirque Du Freak and it was starting in two minutes, and that they were going out for pizzas afterwards. I mentioned that I was going to see Repo the Genetic Opera after my film, and he said “well in that case I guess I will see you in cyberspace…Later.” *(Did I just blow a chance to hang out with Tim Curry? I hate to even imply that he would invite me, but …this is just occurring to me now…shit …did I miss a chance to hang out with him?…I guess only Jack would know the answer to that)

Most of my obsessions fade out, but never quite go away. However my Tim Curry obsession has never really subsided. Even when I was doing press for Repo I begged the filmmakers to consider Tim Curry in any capacity. Whenever I attempt to write a film there is always a part for him. A couple years ago I became friends with FX legend Rob Bottin, what did we talk about?…Tim Curry. To this day I have a Rocky Horror and (2) Legend posters proudly displayed in my home office (near my giant Darkness figure from Sideshow toys). My dog is named Frankie as in Frank n Furter.

I KNOW that someday I will get to work with Tim Curry on a professional level, and when that happens … I will be bugging (and begging him) to record another CD.

Top 10 SpookyDan obsessions:
1. HORROR CULTURE ( I have made a career out of this obsession)
2. Tim Curry (see above blog)
3. Repo the Genetic Opera (my current career)
4. Boobs (constant research)
5. Jim Henson and any kind of puppetry (just wait to see what I am up to next!)
6. Samantha Mathis (actress from Pump up The Volume and Ferngully)
7. Tenacious D (Comedy Perfection)
8. Nine Inch Nails/Marilyn Manson (musical perfection)
9. Disney’s Haunted Mansion (ride not film)
10. Nightmare Before Christmas (and all Tim Burton stuff – except Planet of the Apes)

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