Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Arts & Culture
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Arts & Culture

University Union to Host ‘The Room’ Screening and ‘Recess X The Disaster Artist Competition’

Friday, October 27, 2017, By News Staff
Share

University Union has announced that Syracuse University has been selected by Recess Digital Inc. in partnership with A24 Films to participate in the “Recess x The Disaster Artist Contest.” As part of that promotion, University Union will host a free screening of “The Room” on Monday, Oct. 30, in HBC Gifford Auditorium. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the screening will begin at 8 p.m.

"The Room" posterTwenty universities across the United States, including UCLA, Penn State and Duke, will be competing to win an advanced screening of “The Disaster Artist” between Dec. 1 and 8.

“The Room” is a 2003 drama starring Tommy Wiseau as Johnny. Wiseau took on multiple roles as the star, director, writer, producer and sole financer. The film follows Johnny and his fiancée Elizabeth’s less-­than-­perfect life, in which she is cheating on him with his best friend Mark. The film was budgeted at $6,000,000 and grossed $1,800 in 2003.

Today, “The Room” is acclaimed to be the worst movie ever produced and is often referred to as “The Citizen Kane of Bad Movies.” It is a cult classic. Every year, there are sold-­out midnight screenings in cities across the country. One user on IMDB writes, “‘The Room’ is one of those rare laugh-­riots that is so fantastically inept as to border on genius. While most bad movies offer a handful of terrible scenes divided by stretches of just plain dull, writer-­ director-­producer-­star Tommy Wiseau’s film offers one moment of disaster after another.”

The screening in HBC Gifford will be a place for fans of the film and newcomers to experience the ironically entertaining love triangle thriller. There will be footballs, in representation of the infamous tuxedo-­football scene, as well as spoons which fans are known to throw at the screen whenever photographs of spoons appear, which is quite often. There will also be a photo op, among many other activities.

“The Disaster Artist” tells the real-life story behind Wiseau and his making of “The Room.” It is based off the original film as well as the book “The Disaster Artist” in which author Greg Sestero, describes the making of “The Room,” his role starring as Mark, and his relationship with Wiseau. The film is produced and directed by James Franco, who also plays Johnny. Supporting cast includes Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Ari Graynor, Josh Hutcherson and Jacki Weaver. The film, distributed by A24, is set to have a limited release on Dec. 1 before opening widely on Dec. 8.

Students’ votes and participation at the screening of “The Room” will determine the chance of University Union hosting a free screening of “The Disaster Artist” for Syracuse University. Voting is now open until 11:59 p.m. on Nov. 5 and can be cast here. The winning participating university will be selected on Nov. 8.

Closed captions will not be provided. If you require any additional services, please do not hesitate to contact Samantha Sarno, University Union Vice President at uuvicepresident@gmail.com. For further questions or concerns, contact Keely Higgins, director of public relations for University Union, at uupublicrelations@gmail.com and follow University Union on Facebook at www.facebook.com/universityunion, Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/universityunion, and Instagram at www.instagram.com/universityunion.

  • Author

News Staff

  • Recent
  • Doctoral Candidate Wins Grant for Research on Infrastructure, Violence and Resistance in Pakistan
    Friday, August 1, 2025, By News Staff
  • Co-President of Disability Law Society Eyes Career in National Security Law in Washington
    Thursday, July 31, 2025, By Jordan Bruenger
  • Lender Center New York Event Gathers Wealth Gap Experts
    Wednesday, July 30, 2025, By Diane Stirling
  • After Tragedy, Newhouse Grad Rediscovers Her Voice Through Podcasting
    Wednesday, July 30, 2025, By Chris Velardi
  • Back-to-School Shopping: More Expensive and Less Variety of Back-to-School Items
    Tuesday, July 29, 2025, By Daryl Lovell

More In Arts & Culture

How New Words Enter Our Language: A Linguistics Expert Explains

From “yeet” to “social distancing,” new words and phrases constantly emerge and evolve in American English. But how do these neologisms—newly coined terms—gain acceptance and become part of mainstream dialect? We interviewed Christopher Green, associate professor of linguistics in the…

Art Museum Acquires Indian Scrolls Gifted by SUNY Professor

The University Art Museum has received a monumental gift of more than 80 traditional Indian patachitra scrolls, significantly expanding its collection of South Asian art and material culture. The scrolls were donated by Geraldine Forbes, Distinguished Teaching Professor Emerita at…

Architecture Students’ Project Selected for Royal Academy Exhibition

In a prestigious international honor, a project by three students from the School of Architecture has been selected for inclusion in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2025, currently on view in London. The work, titled “Evolving an Urban Ecology,” was…

Vintage Over Digital: Alumnus Dan Cohen’s Voyager CD Bag Merges Music and Fashion

Bucking the trend of streaming music platforms and contrary to what one might expect of a member of his generation, musician Dan Cohen ’25 prefers listening to his favorite artists on compact disc (CD) and record players. His research and…

VPA Announces New Drama Department Chair

The College of Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) has appointed Eleanor Holdridge as the new chair of the Department of Drama effective July 1. Holdridge comes to Syracuse University from the Catholic University of America, where she served as professor…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.