The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jim Sharman

Writers:

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

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

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

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:

At the end of "The Floor Show" scene when Riff Raff appears again, Susan Sarandon is backing up with Barry Bostwick and spikes his foot with her stiletto heel. His grimace and slight stumble can be seen in the film.

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: When Frank rises out of the pool to perform "Wild And Untamed Thing" he is sitting on the shoulders of Rocky, and not a mysterious bald crew member as some thought.

Quotes:

Riff Raff: Hello.
Brad: Hi! My name is Brad Majors, and this is my fiancee, Janet Weiss. I wonder if you'd mind helping us. You see, our car broke down a few miles up the road. Do you have a phone we might use?
Riff Raff: You're wet.
Janet: Yes, it's raining.
Brad: Yes.
Riff Raff: Yes... I think perhaps you better both come inside.
Janet: You're too kind. Oh, Brad, I'm frightened. What kind of a place is this?
Brad: Oh, it's probably some kind of hunting lodge for rich weirdos.
Janet: Oh.
Riff Raff: This way.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)

Soundtrack:

Eddie

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.