Guest Review: Screen Gems Reflects on The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Genre(s) – Musical, Comedy, Horror
Director – Jim Sharman
Writer(s) – Richard O’Brien, Jim Sharman
Cast – Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O’Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Meat Loaf, Jonathan Adams
Runtime – 100 Minutes
Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆

Where To Watch/StreamThe Rocky Horror Picture Show

This is a guest review from Ronnie Clements, a friend who runs a popular Facebook film related group called Screen Gems.

On 14 August, 1975 (50 years ago), The Rocky Horror Picture Show opened at the Rialto Theatre in London, and it is still the longest running movie in theatrical history and the biggest cult movie of all time, and I doubt if any other film will ever “usurp” it.

[And whatever you do, forget the 2016 made-for-TV remake. It’s a pale imitation, woefully flat and best left in the vault or preferably down the pooper!]

A Look Back at The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

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.

And while the film adaptation has rightly earned its cult status, I really don’t think anything compares to the raw energy of the stage, but yet the film still captures the essence and outrageous brilliance of the original, helping to preserve it for eternity.

As a screen adaptation of musical theatre, The Rocky Horror Pictue Show just stands alone, and there’s truly nothing else like it. The score is wildly eclectic, veering from tender ballads to glam rock anthems, and yet not a single dud among them. It’s a sonic rollercoaster that defies genre and expectation.

The plot is a delicious mash-up of horror and sci-fi tropes, with a heavy nod to Frankenstein. But what emerges is something wholly original – a campy, chaotic celebration of identity, desire and rebellion.

Written by Richard O’Brien, The Rocky Horror Show premiered at London’s Royal Court Theatre Upstairs on June 19, 1973. The original cast of Tim Curry (Frank-N-Furter), Richard O’Brien (Riff Raff), Patricia Quinn (Magenta), and Nell Campbell (Columbia), all reprised their roles in the film, bringing their eccentric brilliance to the screen.

The stage show holds the record as the longest-running theatrical production in history and it’s still performed around the world to this day. The film, after flopping on its initial release, found new life through midnight screenings in the mid-70s, and word of mouth turned it into a phenomenon.

And since 1975, it’s 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.

And while I’ve never personally attended a midnight screening, I’m told it’s a surreal, unforgettable experience.

And in case you are not familiar with the story and plot:

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, 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: the perfect man, built for pleasure.

Does the plot make sense? Not really, but that’s really beside the point. It’s pure fantasy, a glitter-drenched fever-dream, powered by a magnificent score and unapologetic theatricality.

And Tim Curry was just born to play Frank-N-Furter. His performance is iconic, seductive, menacing and utterly magnetic. The rest of the cast delivers with equal flair too, and the film’s comic book aesthetic (garish lighting, bold colors, exaggerated performances) only heightens its surreal charm.

Rocky Horror is a battle between conservatism and counterculture, and, as in life, the establishment unfortunately wins! Frank-N-Furter and Rocky are killed, but, Brad and Janet return to their “normal”, mundane lives.

But, the film leaves us questioning what “normal” really means and whether conformity is truly a happy ending!