(Written by Guest Reviewer, Ronnie (Dorian) Clements)
On 14 August, 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show opened at the Rialto Theatre in London. Rocky is still the longest running movie in theatrical history, and the biggest cult movie of all time; no doubt there will never be another film to usurp it. Forget the 2016 made-for-TV remake—a pale imitation, woefully flat and best left in the vault. Two of the most unforgettable Saturday afternoons of my life were spent watching live matinee performances of The Rocky Horror Show, years apart, yet equally electric. While the film adaptation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, has rightly earned its cult status, nothing compares to the raw energy of the stage. Still, the movie captures the essence and outrageous brilliance of the original, preserving it for eternity.
A delicious mash-up of horror and sci-fi tropes with a heavy nod to Frankenstein, the plot does not really make much sense. But what emerges is something wholly original: a campy, chaotic celebration of identity, desire, and rebellion. Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), two squeaky-clean newlyweds, find themselves stranded on a stormy night. Seeking help, they stumble into the gothic lair of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a self-proclaimed “sweet transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania”, and his bizarre entourage. What follows is a wild descent into seduction, science, and spectacle as Frank unveils his latest creation. Enter: Rocky (Peter Hinwood), the perfect man, built for pleasure. The whole affair celebrates pure fantasy, a glitter-drenched fever dream, powered by magnificent music and unapologetic theatricality.
Written by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Show premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre Upstairs on June 19, 1973. The original cast, including Tim Curry, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell, all reprise their roles in the film, bringing their eccentric brilliance to the screen. As a screen adaptation of musical theatre, Rocky stands alone. There’s truly nothing else like it. The score remains wildly eclectic, veering from tender ballads to glam rock anthems with not a single dud among them. Rocky Horror somehow became a sonic rollercoaster that defies genre and expectation. Curry was born to play Frank-N-Furter. His performance is iconic, seductive, menacing, and utterly magnetic. The rest of the cast delivers with equal flair. The film’s comic book aesthetic, punctuated by garish lighting, bold colors, and exaggerated performances, only heightens its surreal charms.
The stage show holds the record as the longest-running theatrical production in history, and remains on constant rotation worldwide. The film iteration, after flopping on its initial release, found new life through midnight screenings in the mid-70s. Word of mouth turned it into a phenomenon. Since 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been shown continuously in cinemas—the longest theatrical run ever. Every Friday or Saturday night, somewhere in the world, fans gather in costume, props in hand, ready to shout, sing and surrender to the madness. I’ve never attended a midnight screening myself, but I’m told it’s a surreal, unforgettable experience. At its heart, Rocky Horror is a battle between conservatism and counterculture. As in life, the establishment unfortunately wins! Frank-N-Furter and Rocky are killed but Brad and Janet return to their “normal”, mundane lives. However, the film leaves us questioning what normal really means, and whether conformity is truly a happy ending.
Reviewer Ronnie Clements runs a Facebook group called Screen Gems, with over 126k followers and growing. Don’t miss his valuable film knowledge and daily roulette of movie culture over at the site.