The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) 20th Century Fox/Musical-Comedy-Sci-Fi RT: 100 minutes Rated R (sexual content/references, brief nudity, language, some violence, drug references) Director: Jim Sharman Screenplay: Richard O’Brien and Jim Sharman Music: Richard Hartley (songs by Richard O’Brien) Cinematography: Peter Suschitzky Release date: August 15, 1975 (US) Cast: Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Little Nell (Campbell), Jonathan Adams, Peter Hinwood, Charles Gray, Meat Loaf, Jeremy Newson, Hilary Labow. Box Office: $112.8M (US)
Rating: ****
It’s the king of cult movies! It’s the mother and father of all midnight movies! It’s the ultimate interactive cinematic experience! It’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show and there is NO substitute! I can say this with complete authority because I was a member of the Denton Dead, the Philadelphia cast that performed Rocky Horror every Saturday night circa 1994.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show began life as The Rocky Horror Show in Britain, a hit musical play that premiered at the Royal Court Theater in London’s West End circa 1973. The movie adaptation came two years later and immediately bombed at the box office. HOWEVER, it had fans that would show up to watch it again and again. They started yelling comments at the screen, throwing objects like rice, toast and toilet paper at certain scenes and dressing up as the movie’s characters. Then somebody came up with the idea of showing it on Saturdays at midnight. From that, a phenomenon was born.
Although everybody with a pulse knows the plot of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, here it is in a nutshell for the benefit of the few that don’t. After their friends’ wedding, Brad Majors (Bostwick, Megaforce) proposes to his girlfriend Janet Weiss (Sarandon, The Witches of Eastwick) and she accepts. While driving to visit their friend and former science teacher Dr. Scott (stage actor Adams) one dark and stormy night, their car breaks down. They seek shelter at a dark castle inhabited by some very strange folks. They’re invited inside by the butler Riff Raff (writer O’Brien) and the maid Magenta (Quinn) where they find a party going on. After witnessing guests and castle residents perform “The Time Warp Dance”, they meet the master (or is it mistress?) of the castle Dr Frank-N-Furter (Curry, Clue), a cross-dressing alien from the planet Transylvania in the galaxy of Transsexual.
Brad (“A**HOLE!”) and Janet (“SLUT!”) have arrived on a rather special night. It’s the night that Frank will unveil his/her creation, a muscular, six-foot-tall man with blonde hair and a tan named Rocky (Hinwood). Frank intends to use Rocky as his/her sex slave. Of course, not all goes according to plan. Biker Eddie (glitter rock star Meat Loaf), ex-lover of Frank and current lover of domestic Columbia (Little Nell), appears and does a quick number (“Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul”) before Frank kills him with a pickaxe. Throughout the night, many sexual shenanigans occur including Frank’s trysts with both Brad and Janet. Wheelchair bound Dr. Scott shows up looking for his nephew Eddie. There’s a dinner party that erupts into chaos after Frank reveals what/who the mystery meat is. It all culminates in a floor show where it’s finally revealed that all the castle’s inhabitants are aliens. In the exciting finale, Riff Raff and Magenta kill Frank and Rocky and return to their home planet- the castle is their spaceship, how convenient is that?- leaving our two heroes and Dr Scott crawling around in bewilderment.
Narrated by “The Criminologist” (Gray, You Only Live Twice), a distinguished gentleman with “no f***ing neck”, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a good-natured goof on the old horror-sci-fi movies from Universal and RKO. The introductory song heard over the opening credits (“Science Fiction/Double Feature”) pays tribute to the likes of Flash Gordon, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Doctor X and Forbidden Planet. Sung by O’Brien, the title sequence shows a pair of disembodied lips belonging to co-star Quinn. It’s one of the coolest openings I’ve ever seen.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is also reflective of the sexual revolution of the 70s where all is out in the open and everybody (except Brad and Janet) is liberated from the repressive attitudes of past decades. Frank represents our id that we are simultaneously fearful of and attracted to. His seduction of our two heroes causes them feelings they can’t understand due to the squeaky clean values instilled in them by their square middle-class upbringing. That is to say, they’re still virgins. It’s the movie’s anything goes attitude that turned mainstream audiences off, but brought in the “unconventional conventionalists” who got it.
I’m not even going to attempt to review The Rocky Horror Picture Show like a normal movie. There’s absolutely nothing normal about it. It is the very definition of the term “campy”. That being said, there are a great many things I like about it. The songs are GREAT! I’m especially fond of “Sweet Transvestite” and “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch-a Touch Me”. Tim Curry’s unique take on the mad scientist character is the best thing about The Rocky Horror Picture Show. He is the true centerpiece in this menagerie of weirdos and freaks. He’s just awesome.
As you all surely know, people who regularly attend The Rocky Horror Picture Show also participate in the action. Usually, there is a cast that acts along with the on-screen events. Audience members yell out “call back lines” in response to certain events or the often goofy dialogue. When asked what she thinks of Rocky, Janet replies, “I don’t like men with too many muscles.” The common audience response to this line is “Just one BIG one!” Then there are the props I mentioned in the first paragraph. When one character says “A toast!”, everybody throws toast at the screen. When Brad exclaims “Great Scott!”, everybody throws toilet paper. Get the idea?
The most important thing to know about The Rocky Horror Picture Show is that EVERYBODY takes part in the Time Warp Dance. You have to; it’s a requirement! It should also be mentioned that first-time attendees are referred to as “virgins” and must endure a harmless “virgin sacrifice” in the pre-show.
Obviously, the best way to view The Rocky Horror Picture Show is in a theater with a boisterous crowd. It’s just not the same watching it at home on video. That is, unless you bring the show to your home which I don’t recommend. It can get messy.
It’s hard to believe The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been around for almost 50 years. It’s amazing how popular it still is after all these years. It’s still shown regularly, still Saturdays at midnight, at theaters around the country. I haven’t been since ’07, but I’m always willing to see the show. It’s great fun. As a performer, I’m a bit past my prime, but I can still cut it as an audience member. Besides, you never forget how to Time Warp (“It’s just a jump to the left, and then a step to the right.”) I have a feeling The Rocky Horror Picture Show will be around forever.
