WORCESTER - “It's just a party, Janet,” says actor Barry Bostwick, onstage Oct. 28 at the Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester, following a 40th anniversary celebration screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

He's quoting his character in the movie, the clean-cut all-American “hero” Brad Majors, and the full house – an eclectic mix of die-hard fans, many costumed as the movie's characters, and a considerable number of theatergoers who had never seen the movie before, at least not in a theater with a shadow cast imitating the screen – cheered enthusiastically.

“This is what 40 years of giving your pleasure can do you,” he continued, further quoting the movie in a self-deprecating joke about his age. “Madness takes its toll!”

Bostwick has aged well in the past 40 years, sporting a gray beard and looking far more relaxed and wryly ribald than one can ever imagine his character Brad being, and as he waxed nostalgic and told off-color jokes, it was hard not to be struck by the seeming incongruity of doing “Rocky Horror” in a theater as nice as the Hanover. For many who've frequented midnight showings of the cult favorite movie, the screenings have been held in run-down art-house theaters – frequently beautiful buildings, to be sure – classic and rife with character, but also often fading and a bit shabby around the edges. For these theaters, “Rocky” screenings – unabated for more than 40 years now – have been a lifeline, a source of revenue in a time when audiences would rather stay home and watch a movie on Netflix.

But that's the thing about “Rocky”: Seeing it at home's not the same. It needs to be seen in a theater, with a cast imitating the action, with a house full of people shouting obscenities at the screen. The first part of that occasion – the shadow cast – was filled ably by the RKO Army, which performs regularly across New England in various theaters and at conventions. With spot-on costumes, great stage presence and hilarious asides, the cast added an extra dimension to the movie-going experience.

The audience participation was another matter entirely, and it became clear that shouting a string of invectives at a movie screen at the Hanover Theatre wasn't necessarily an easy fit: While there were many dotted across the theater willing to shout the movie's most famous comebacks, several attendees later confessed that they censored themselves on some of the most raunchy and ostensibly offensive jokes, as they didn't feel right in the setting, and there was a general concern for overly offending a novice audience.

It's a bit of conundrum for “Rocky” aficionados: Between years of MTV playing it on Halloween and Fox's new reboot, “Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp again,” starring Laverne Cox as Dr. Frank N. Further, there's a general understanding of “Rocky” and its outre nature. A little salaciousness and outrageous behavior is expected. But the setting seemed to put a slight chill on the otherwise anarchic audience behavior. It was wild, but punches were pulled. Which was fine, and one probably only cared if they noticed a particularly off-color joke was left unshouted.

Bostwick, for his part, seemed utterly unconcerned with public ribaldry, and indeed, seemed to be having a fine time in his role as “Rocky” fandom's loveable-but inappropriate uncle. After a brief introductory video that gave a survey of his career, including footage of his performing as the lead in “Grease” on Broadway, and as the mayor on “Spin City,” featuring a much-booed cameo by Republican Presidential nominee Donald J. Trump.

Bostwick, joined on stage by members of the RKO Army, launched a vigorous an energetic discussion of 40 years of “Rocky” history, at one point getting into a dialogue with an audience member who had been seeing the movie since 1978, when it was screened in Worcester at the Showcase Cinemas. He expressed a mock disdain for the expletive that's usually shouted at the screen when his character appears, and suggested it be replaced with “his (expletive) holiness” or “that cool guy.” He told tales about the filming of the movie, which he described as a short, cold shoot. (Susan Sarandon, who played Janet, has famously claimed to have gotten pneumonia during the shooting.) He says he didn't really get to know the cast well, because of the abbreviated shooting time, but has become friends with them since, seeing them regularly at conventions.

Most of all, he had nothing but praise for the community which has developed around the film.

“The whole community is so gracious,” he said. “It's so big, but I've never had a negative interchange with anyone from the 'Rocky' world. It's an island of acceptance in a world of … what's the word?”

When a swear word for excrement was offered from an audience member, he laughed.

“It's an island of acceptance.”

Email Victor D. Infnate at Victor.Infante@telegram.com and follow him on Twitter @ocvictor.