Rocky Horror Picture Show

Movie, 1975, R

Premise - Brad and Janet are a young, mainstream, and innocent couple who have become recently engaged. When their tire blows out in the middle of a rainstorm, they end up stranded at a haunted castle owned by Frank N. Furter, a transvestite from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania. Inducted into the sexually charged world of Frank N. Furter and the other Transylvanians, the two find their sexual awakening, though perhaps not with each other.


Review - My Halloween movie-watching experience continues with the ultimate cult classic! Honestly, if anyone were to google the term "cult cinema" this is probably the first film that will be suggested, and it's 100% deserving of that reputation. This film a timeless, uniquely multi-genre and entertaining experience. The songs are iconic.

Overall, this is a film about sensations - visually and audibly, of course, but it also evokes the other senses as well. The film is almost tactile from the very beginning, when we see a giant close-up shot of a talking mouth. The characters also do a heavy amount of touching ("Toucha toucha toucha touch me" is one of the film's great songs). There is little to no plotline, so this is not a film that has any lasting emotion or sentiment, but very immediate sensations. This is a film watched for the experience of watching and feeling, though not in the traditional sense.

This is a film that also plays with reality and social norms, presenting a commentary on mainstream vs. social deviance that is still applicable today. It's a Halloween film, filled with monsters and aliens and frightening things, but for Brad and Janet, perhaps what is most frightening of all (at least before their inhibitions are released) is the overt sexuality of the characters. Sexually deviant behavior, such as cross-dressing or homosexuality, are seen as monstrous and horrific. But in this film, we have a mansion full of people embracing who they are and loving it. They're breaking out in song and dance while wearing androgynous lingerie and it's purely joyous. (93/100)

Quote - "Let's do the time warp AGAINNNNNNN!!!!"
"Dammit, Janet, I LOVE YOUUUU"
"Creature... of the night? CREATURE OF THE NIGHT!"

What to watch for - Costumes??? I'd love to wear that red/black lingerie someday during the closing scenes.

If you liked this movie, I'd recommend watching the Glee episode dedication! Also, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a similarly darkly weird musical, minus the sexuality.

Directed by Jim Sharman
Distributed by 20th Century Fox