The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jim Sharman

Writers:

Richard O'Brien (original musical play)
Jim Sharman (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

26 September 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

25 Years Of Absolute Pleasure! (2000 25th Anniversary Tagline)

Plot:

A newly engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Transvestite | Transylvania | Time Warp | Alien

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

US Showtimes:

(register to personalize)

Cast

Tim Curry	...	Dr. Frank-N-Furter - A Scientist
Susan Sarandon	...	Janet Weiss - A Heroine
Barry Bostwick	...	Brad Majors - A Hero
Richard O'Brien	...	Riff Raff - A Handyman
Patricia Quinn	...	Magenta - A Domestic
Nell Campbell	...	Columbia - A Groupie (as Little Nell)
Jonathan Adams	...	Dr. Everett V. Scott - A Rival Scientist
Peter Hinwood	...	Rocky Horror - A Creation
Meat Loaf	...	Eddie - Ex Delivery Boy (as Meatloaf)
Charles Gray	...	The Criminologist - An Expert
Jeremy Newson	...	Ralph Hapschatt
Hilary Labow	...	Betty Munroe Hapschatt
Perry Bedden	...	The Transylvanians
Christopher Biggins	...	The Transylvanians
Gaye Brown	...	The Transylvanians
Ishaq Bux	...	The Transylvanians
Stephen Calcutt	...	The Transylvanians
Hugh Cecil	...	The Transylvanians
Imogen Claire	...	The Transylvanians
Tony Cowan	...	The Transylvanians
Sadie Corre	...	The Transylvanians
Fran Fullenwider	...	The Transylvanians
Lindsay Ingram	...	The Transylvanians
Peggy Ledger	...	The Transylvanians
Annabel Leventon	...	The Transylvanians (as Annabelle Leventon)
Anthony Milner	...	The Transylvanians
Pamela Obermeyer	...	The Transylvanians
Tony Then	...	The Transylvanians
Kimi Wong	...	The Transylvanians
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gina Barrie	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Rufus Collins	...	The Transylvanians (uncredited)
Petra Leah	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Frank Lester	...	Wedding dad (uncredited)
John Marquand	...	Father (uncredited)
Richard Nixon	...	Himself (archive audio: resignation speech) (voice) (uncredited) (archive sound)
Koo Stark	...	Bridesmaid (uncredited)
Henry Woolf	...	The Transylvanians (uncredited)

Directed by
Jim Sharman

Writing credits
Richard O'Brien		(original musical play)
Jim Sharman		(screenplay) and
Richard O'Brien		(screenplay)

Produced by
Lou Adler	....	executive producer
John Goldstone	....	associate producer
Michael White	....	producer

Cinematography by
Peter Suschitzky		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Graeme Clifford

Art Direction by
Terry Ackland-Snow

Costume Design by
Sue Blane		(original costume design)

Makeup Department
Ramon Gow	....	hairdresser
Pierre La Roche	....	original makeup designs creator
Peter Robb-King	....	makeup artist
Graham Freeborn	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Ernest Gasser	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)
Helen Lennox	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Mike Lockey	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)
Jane Royle	....	assistant makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
John Comfort	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mike Gowans	....	first assistant director
Bob Howard	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Dick Frift	....	construction manager
Ian Whittaker	....	set dresser
Don Bradburn	....	dressing props (uncredited)
Norman Dorme	....	assistant art director (uncredited)
Bob Douglas	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
Bob Hedges	....	stand-by props (uncredited)
John Leuenberger	....	property master (uncredited)
Bryn Siddall	....	property buyer (uncredited)
John Siddall	....	draughtsman (uncredited)
Bob Spencer	....	scenic artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ron Barron	....	sound recordist
Ian Fuller	....	dubbing editor
Bill Rowe	....	dubbing mixer
Peter Glossop	....	boom operator (uncredited)
Doug Smith	....	sound maintenance (uncredited)
Len Tremble	....	assistant dubbing editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Colin Chilvers	....	special effects
Wally Veevers	....	special effects
Roy Spencer	....	standby special effects (uncredited)

Stunts
Ken Shepherd	....	stunt double: Eddie (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Dennis C. Lewiston	....	camera operator (as Denis Lewiston)
Mike Roberts	....	camera focus
Fred Anderson	....	electrician (uncredited)
John Jay	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Jack Roche	....	grip (uncredited)
Ronnie Fox Rogers	....	camera operator: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Celestia Fox	....	casting consultant: UK

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Gillian Dods	....	wardrobe
Richard Pointing	....	wardrobe

Editorial Department
Rodney Glenn	....	assistant editor
Nigel Galt	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Count Ian Blair	....	principal musician
John Bundrick	....	principal musician (as Rabbit)
Graeme Clifford	....	music editor
Mick Grabham	....	principal musician
Keith Grant	....	music recordist
Richard Hartley	....	composer: incidental music
Richard Hartley	....	music arranger
Richard Hartley	....	musical director
Richard Hartley	....	principal musician
Phil Kenzie	....	principal musician
Richard O'Brien	....	composer: original music and lyrics
B.J. Wilson	....	principal musician
Dave Wintour	....	principal musician (as David Wintour)
Helen Chapelle	....	background singer (uncredited)
Brian Engel	....	background singer (uncredited)
Barry St. John	....	background singer (uncredited)
Liza Strike	....	background singer (uncredited)
Clare Torry	....	background singer (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Charles Cox	....	unit driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Susanna Merry	....	continuity (as Sue Merry)
Ron Swinburne	....	production accountant
David Toguri	....	dances staged by
John Birkinshaw	....	stand-in: Barry Bostwick (uncredited)
Maureen Campbell	....	accounts secretary (uncredited)
Liz Coke	....	stand-in: Susan Sarandon (uncredited)
Sue Edwards	....	secretary to producer (uncredited)
Geoff Freeman	....	publicist (uncredited)
Gillian Gregory	....	assistant choreographer (uncredited)
Alan Harris	....	stand-in: Peter Hinwood (uncredited)
Eric Kent	....	stand-in: Meat Loaf (uncredited)
Dave Murphy	....	stand-in: Richard O'Brien (uncredited)
Gerry Paris	....	stand-in: Tim Curry (uncredited)
Erica Simmons	....	stand-in: Little Nell (uncredited)
Melita Smith	....	stand-in: Patricia Quinn (uncredited)
Richard Smith	....	stand-in: Richard O'Brien (uncredited)
Tuppence Smith	....	stand-in: Patricia Quinn (uncredited)
Maureen White	....	production secretary (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (presents) (as Twentieth Century Fox)

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1975) (USA) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment España S.A. (2001) (Spain) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (USA) (laserdisc)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (Czech Republic)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (USA) (laserdisc)
• Fox Network (1993) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Fox Video (USA) (VHS)
• Fox Video (USA) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Camera Effects  title sequences
• Nine Nine Cars Ltd.  action cars
• Olympic Studios  Music recorded at
• Otto and Windsor Casting Ltd.  casting consultants: USA (as Otto and Windsor)
• Ruby Service Company  production services
• Thorn EMI Elstree Studios  post-production

Runtime:

100 min | USA:98 min (edited version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Chace Surround (Remix for video release) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (1991) | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | New Zealand:M (re-rating) | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | India:A | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998)

Filming Locations:

Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

When we see the castle at the start, the camera zooms in onto a crystal dome on top of the castle. This would appear to be the same dome used in Richard O'Brien's series "The Crystal Maze" (1990).

Goofs:

Continuity: During and after the pool scene, the condition of Dr Frankenfurter's tattoo changes repeatedly between shots.

Quotes:

Dr. Everett Scott: This sonic transducer, it is I suppose some kind of audio-vibratory-physio-molecular transport device?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Halloween II (2009)

Soundtrack:

The Time Warp

The Mother of All Cult Films

Or I should say, the Sweet Transvestite of all cult films!

To those who haven't seen Rocky Horror, don't bother reading reviews about it. It won't mean anything. Don't rent it on DVD which it recently came out on. It also won't mean anything, because it's missing the thing that gave it and the stage play that preceded it life... the audience. By definition, a cult film is meant to be seen by a group. Preferably, a large one.

I saw Rocky Horror 20-something years ago, and wound up playing "Brad" with the players next to the stage. Something I would normally never do. Why? The show's energy sucked me in. More accurately, the audience's energy sucked me in.

The show, with a revved-up audience, is almost like a dialogue between the movie and the people watching it. It celebrates sex, hedonism, even while playing out the danger, violence, and tragedy it can result in. It allows the audience of mostly young kids to exude and rejoice in their sexuality, whatever it is. And without ever taking their clothes off. I think that is the real appeal of the show. There's a joyousness, and a strange innocence, in throwing raunchy comments at the screen, watching the live performers on-stage act out the scenes in racy costumes, and sharing the energy anonymously in the dark with strangers.

The live show with the original actors must have been electrifying. Plays always have more energy than films because of the immediacy of the live actors, and the energy must have been even more intense. I'll always regret not having the chance to have seen it.

The movie itself has been described too many times for me to give a synopsis. I will however say that it is really a collage of feelings, ranging from fear, trepidation, excitement, lust, joyous sexual fulfillment, more lust, tragedy, and a strange sadness at the end. Basically, all the emotions that make life worth living, in an hour and a half. However, the visceral enjoyment of this film, and the emotions it brings, will only be experienced with a large, highly energized audience. If you get a chance, and if you can get your reserved ego out of the way, go to a midnight showing in your area when you know there's going to be a big showing. Don't go expecting a logical, coherent storyline. Its about experience, not narrative. You'll get an experience that you've been missing your whole life. At the end, there is a message here, hidden under all the seemingly blissful hedonism. It takes a long time for it to become clear, however.

I wonder if O'Brian, its creator, was clever enough to have put it there all along?

By the way, there is no nudity or actual sex in the entire movie. For a movie with its reputation, that's pretty amazing. Compared to the slasher/gore fests passing themselves off as film these days, the movie is strangely quaint and innocent. But then, that's what true enjoyment of sensuality should be.

For a cult film, 10 out of 10 stars. It doesn't get any better than this as cult films go.