MovieChat Forums > The Room (2003) Discussion > I thought this was a hoax until I read G...

I thought this was a hoax until I read Greg Sestero's excellent book.

posted 7 years ago by joewhiteyipee
17 replies | jump to latest

Obviously THE ROOM flopped in theaters and was a laughing stock, but now it has almost an iconic notoriety and I’m guessing sales on DVD/Blu-ray formats, along with the midnight showings are recovering the losses of the expenses of the money he put into it. I doubt it will ever fall out of print.

I have always been on the fence on if maybe the movie was a clever hoax. The 6 year-old billboard he posted in Hollywood is, yes, beyond narcissistic; much in the vain of the freakish Angelyne, who became a part of pop culture in Los Angeles in the '80s, who must be at least 70 now, is apparently and still driving around Hollywood in her latest-model pink Corvette (I saw her a few years ago in her car.). How can she afford that car unless she had some kind of scam in place?

Didn't Liberace say once after successfully suing the #1 tabloid of the day over a libelous article, the Hollywood Confidential, in the ‘50s "I'm laughing all the way to the bank”?

My point is that if Tommy indeed failed at his intent to make a work of art, at least he’s getting royalties I assume. Then again, I’m not sure their worth the embarrassment the rest of my life, since apparently most consider it just about the worst film ever.

Then again, anyone who could finance a movie has to be bright enough to have some sense of reality. I'm sure, as vain as he was, he combed through those rushes thoroughly. How could he have not seen foolish he looked?

And maybe---just maybe---that book was included in the subversive plan by Tommy(though I admit I have not read the book) for extra publicity; but I’m expecting it today.

[–] porkchop4 7 years ago

He definitely made his money back and then some. Greg Sestero has said in interviews that this movie was the one he's made the most money on as well, as I think he was given a cut of the profits in order to get him to play Mark at the last minute. The midnight showings have played a huge part in making this movie a success along with other forms of publicity like Sestero's book and the upcoming James Franco movie.

[–] joewhiteyipee 7 years ago

...thanks for replying. I just realized how rambling my post was (a little evening drinking).

By the way, you MUST pick up Greg Sestero's book. It's great; I actually read it in one sitting as I could not put it down.

On the other hand, now Tommy seems such a pathetic figure---a lost soul--- and the movie has taken a completely different vibe for me, one of more tragedy; kind of, I guess, like some kind of "cinéma vérité." (I'm not sure if I used that term correctly.) The book was very funny and quite touching in many ways. However, the insight into Tommy's character now has completely given the movie a new spin for me personally, and it's just not nearly as funny anymore.

But don't get me wrong, prior to reading the book I just couldn't stop laughing when I viewed THE ROOM. Also, maybe I'm more sensitive than the next person and cannot split the book and the movie. Nevertheless, the movie and the book are now forever entwined for me.

Having said that, I'm happy for having experienced both the movie and the book.

[–] isbabo 7 years ago

I am surprised you saw him as such a pathetic figure. I think you may have missed a big part of Sestero's message.

Tommy is a kid who fled the eastern bloc during the Cold War, made his way to San Francisco, and by most accounts made several million dollars selling clothing. He then decided to spend that making a film. No experience, no idea what to do or desire to learn from anybody, but a passion to make a film to rival Citizen Kane or the Godfather, that people would watch and talk about 50 years later.

A weird, incredibly insecure, moderately arrogant man with a dream but without a clue. But he didn't care.

He spent $6 million on his dream, and has probably made money on that. His dream to make the next Citizen Kane obviously never happened, but his dream to make a film that people would talk about for the next 50 years..... well he did that didn't he?

I thought it was a sweet ending. There is an understanding that Wiseau will never really get it, but that almost makes it better. He still kinda thinks he made a masterpiece.

[–] jon_lajoie 7 years ago

What's your opinion of Greg after reading the book? There's no skirting around how horrible Tommy was and how bad the material is, but I never got the impression he cared for Tommy, it always felt forced IMO.

His acting career may have been largely compromised due to being in The Room, but for someone who claims a legitimate passion for acting, he mailed his performance rather hard.

I...drink...your...MILKSHAKE!

I DRINK IT UP!!!

[–] porkchop4 7 years ago

Oh believe me I have read and loved that book, and cannot wait to see the Masterpiece. Tommy is an interesting person in how he now handles The Room and its legacy. Before he was steadfast in saying that the movie was a drama and was always intended to be, but has now called it a black comedy. Sestero has said that Tommy wasn't the only one who paid for the movie, but he was receiving financial support from a woman who was his ESL teacher, who was pretty well off herself, hence the Chloe Productions credit at the start of the movie. It's been kind of implied that there may have been a bit more going on between the two outside of teacher/student, with it seeming that Tommy was using this woman as a sugar momma.

The unfortunate thing now is that Tommy is winking too much at the camera. Paul Scheer who hosts the podcast How Did This Get Made, where Greg was interviewed pretty in-depth on the film, has said that Tommy is now in on the joke and because of that his work is nowhere as sincere as The Room is. Just watch an episode of The Neighbors and you can see Tommy is upping the camp because he thinks that's what people want, artificial so bad its good, when they want people really trying but falling short.

[–] joewhiteyipee 7 years ago

I'm not good at psychoanalysis.

However the book alludes to Tommy as a very lonely and abused man---allegedly physically and mentally---who's seemingly fearful of growing old with a suit of armor that Greg obtusely was able to crack. Yes, he's eccentric; but I got the impression that all the bravado is a façade. A number of times Greg mentions that he felt Tommy had no friends, and was therefore possessive of Greg to the point of smothering him. I might be wrong, but I think that Tommy actually may've had an unrequited love for Greg. After all Tommy's true sexuality is conspicuously absent from the book.

Parts of that book are very dark, as a result of Tommy's apparent psychosis. Most of it was very funny, but the harrowing parts seemed to stick with me more.

I don't know. The beginning of the book was especially hilarious and is peppered with funny anecdotes throughout, and is NOT to be missed. However Greg gradually painted a portrait of a very, very, lonely and depressed man. Perhaps THE ROOM was the only way he could acquire human contact with young (most probably half his age) and attractive people, at the price of $6M, a tragic and desperate act. Tommy seemingly saw no other way.

I believe Greg sincerely cared for Tommy and was concerned about his welfare at the time.

I definitely recommend seeing the movie before reading the book.

[–] masterofallgoons 7 years ago

I agree entirely, except for the part about Wiseau's sexuality. I felt like it came through pretty clearly that he had been cheated on by a woman in a similar manner as presented in the movie. I think he had probably been genuinely hurt, and clearly paints this woman as a horrible vindictive person that is terrible to his ultimate great guy character. I think that came from his view on a personal experience, and that seemed to ruin his ability to trust relationships.

I also felt like the two separate serious car accidents that he mentioned are important. For one thing, I think it answers where some of the money came from. But I also believe that it might answer for some of his weirdness as well. I would guess some degree of brain damage could be a contributer, and that really made me feel for him as well.

[–] joewhiteyipee 7 years ago

I had assumed that the source of Tommy's wealth was somewhat shady. For instance, I thought yo-yos were a euphemism that Tommy used for drugs. If I remember correctly, Tommy made a surprising fortune selling them.. Of course there was also that questionable garment business, which appeared to be some kind of front for something crooked.

I had never thought about the insurance payouts. Maybe I missed that part. I did get the idea that his face was slightly disfigured, which might explain the bad plastic surgery.

[–] masterofallgoons 7 years ago

I don't think it was shady really. He sold yo yos (according to the story) and made enough to buy a stand to sell bird toys, then made enough to sell more things, then made enough to open a store, then enough to sell clothes, then to own the store, then own multiple stores, etc. It seemed like a reasonable success story. Plus he had those tow older mentors in his life, one who had recently died, and I assumed that a lot of money and opportunities came his way through them.

And considering the way he depicts Marijuana use in The Room and The Neighbors, I don't think he knows what drugs are.

[–] joewhiteyipee 7 years ago

You might be right. After all, he did seem sincerely patriotic and grateful to be living in this country. Also, I remember the ridiculous portrayal of the "drug life" too. As I had said, I read the book in one sitting----probably too fast!

[–] Moonlighty 7 years ago

It seems like a reasonable success story...hence the problem. There's nothing about Tommy that makes him seem like a good, charasmatic salesman and a man who's smart and calculating enough to take all that time to build a fortune doesn't seem like the kind who would then be so stupid and out of touch to spend all that money on an unrelated venture he knows nothing about and completely unwilling to listen and learn to succeed.

-
Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that I'll be over here looking through your stuff.

[–] masterofallgoons 7 years ago

I don't know about that. I think he could very well have been a good salesman. If nothing else, he's confident. One of the descriptions that stuck with me was when Greg Sestero recalled that long before anyone knew who he was that Wiseau always acted like he was important and famous. It's easy to laugh at that, but in the world of tacky business ventures that attitude could reasonably get you pretty far. That idea added to the inference that he had befriended these older wealthy people, and the fact that he was victim of a serious car accident could certainly account for his accruing a certain amount of opportunities and wealth.

It's been a while since I've read the book, but I remember thinking that there was an inference that the car accident may have left Wiseau with some brain damage. I
That may be just me reading into it, but regardless it could help to explain some of the oddities of his personal, and also the fact that he may have been significantly more 'normal' before he met Sestero and when he made his millions. Wiseau, via Sestero's memory, also explains that he saw the car accident as a wake up call or epiphany that he really needed to go follow his dream, as urged on by his older mentor guy, who one can assume would aid him in his businesses and finances.

It's an odd story, and his background is clearly murky and mysterious, but I did think that the purposefully non-specific outline of the life of this weird character in the book was plausible without having to read too much darkness into the missing details.

[–] FlyingSaucersAreReal 7 years ago

I also remember early in the book Wisseau manages to talk himself into getting a seat at a trendy restaurant without a reservation. He had a certain weird charm, according to Sestero. He might have been a good salesman.

-Sitting on a cornflake waiting for the van to come

[–] porkchop4 7 years ago

Yeah if you go to San Francisco near Pier 39 and Fisherman's Warf, you can see the building that Tommy I think still owns. The side has a statue of blue jeans hanging from it right in front of a large poster for The Room. If I remember right, that is just one of the businesses/buildings that he owns in the city.

[–] hugogonz-1 7 years ago

I'd highly recommend the audiobook, Greg does such a great job at it and his impressions (especially of Tommy W. ) are excellent.

BOB SAGEEETTTTT!!!!! - Tourettes Guy

[–] complicatedlysimple 7 years ago

this film always brings me joy

[–] joewhiteyipee 7 years ago

One reason I suspect that Tommy was using "yo-yo" as a euphemism for cocaine with Greg is because in many parts of the world, "yE-yo" is often code for the drug. Obviously, I have no idea how Tommy obtained is substantial wealth.