Silver Screen Resolution, Take Two: Rocky Horror Picture Show

For my 2018 Resolution Project, I decided to take a page out of Lane’s book and do my own Silver Screen Resolution (hence the Take Two part of the title). There are a lot of movies out there I haven’t seen but feel like I should have, or movies that I’ve simply wanted to see and have yet to get around to it. With a deadline of some kind, now I’ll have to finally make a point to find them, get them, and watch them. My rules for the resolution are slightly different in that:

1. They must be spec-fic (this has not changed).
2. The movie will not be one that is in theaters or that would be part of a Sound Off!
3. They don’t have to be popular – or even something folks have heard about.

But I’ve decided to take my resolution to the next level as well, since I had more than 12 movies on my list that I wanted to see. And since we’re in “Take Two” mode, I might as well up the ante: I will instead be seeing two spec fic movies per month rather than just one. Since we went ahead and ventured into the realm of “What the hell?” might as well top it off with the ultimate “What the hell?” movie, Rocky Horror Picture Show.

This has been on my list for a long time, ever since I’d heard of it. I love Tim Curry and I’d seen several images from the movie with him in full makeup, sequined clothing, and those fishnet tights. It’s a damned interesting sight made all the more strange by the inclusion of Susan Sarandon in the film. Just what was happening here? I needed to know, and now I finally do.

Prepare for all the spoilers below

In a nutshell, Tim Curry plays the scientist Frank-N-Furter, who has gathered people together for a party celebrating his brand new (sexual) creation, Rocky. Quite a fine specimen. Meanwhile Janet (Sarandon) and her newlywed husband Brad (Barry Bostwick) stumble upon the mansion and discover a whole load of bizarreness. Strange things occur, including both Brad and Janet getting seduced by Frank-N-Furter, the reveal that Frank-N-Furter is actually from a different planet, a bit of mind control, and the Handyman Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien) taking over and eventually killing Frank-N-Furter with a ray gun. Janet and Brad escape and the entire mansion blasts off into space.

I did not expect any of that.

Because of all the snippets I’d ever caught — primarily Curry in his fishnets singing about being a “sweet transvestite from Transsexual Transylvania” and Janet and Brad lingering about in their underwear — I’d always assumed the movie was, yes, strange, but also primarily about sexual awakening. Brad and Janet have never experienced much at all, and suddenly they’re thrust into this world of risqué clothing, dancing, and everyone all about the pleasures of the flesh. Except the movie is not any of that. It’s got it’s own weird story with strange asides and oddly serious moments — all of it meant to be wacky as hell and, as I’ve learned, a bit of a love letter to science fiction and B-horror movies from the writer, Richard O’Brien (yes, the same person who plays Riff Raff. I really liked that guy, by the way). I went on to learn that it was a stage show first before being produced into a movie.

That it bombed was not something I didn’t already know. But that’s how cult followings for movies usually start. After all, you can’t call it a cult following if the movie is popular. I thoroughly enjoyed what I watched, although it did take some getting used to the first time around. Mostly because of how the movie completely obliterated my expectations. Especially when Riff Raff and his sister Magenta kill Rocky and Frank-N-Furter in the end. I had a really big, “Wait…what?” moment there. There’s a whole slew of weirdness happening in this movie, but I like weirdness. And the music really is excellent. It’s wild and upbeat and will get your feet tapping in no time. The talk of the town is always “The Time Warp,” but I have to say my favorites are “Sweet Transvestite” and “Hot Patootie — Bless My Soul.”

The DVD I borrowed from the library was also interactive in some areas. At certain points in the movie I could hit a button on my remote to access live action moments — that is, experience the film the way a lot of people do at midnight showings. I’d heard of these, having heard of Rocky Horror for a long time, but the extent of my knowledge was that the crowd dressed up and was actively involved with the movie somehow. But that was it. So the scenes showed me that folks shouted the lines, sang along with the songs, had people dressed as the characters acting out the entire film on the stage even as the movie was playing, among all sorts of other things. Plenty more strangeness, for sure, but undoubtedly plenty more fun. Would I attend one of these showings? Sure! Why not? Heck, I’d want to go as Columbia if I could get my hands on a sweet multicolor bustier that looks like it’s encrusted with jewels rather than sequins, complete with gold sequined jacket and hat. That outfit was awesome.

So give this film a go if you want to sample a cult classic, listen to some catchy music, or just hear the dulcet tones of Tim Curry’s singing. Or Meat Loaf, because he’s the one that rocked “Hot Patootie.” Or if you simply feel like watching a movie that makes you say, “What the hell did I just witness?” once it’s over.

Join us, won’t you?