It’s time. It’s time to do the time warp again.
And this year, we all need to put a little extra pizzazz into our moves because “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” celebrates 50 years of social influence and cultural significance.
Though the film was initially considered a box office flop, it has become a cult classic, and it sits in my personal pantheon of must-watch movies.
Released on Sept. 29, 1975, the film was based on “The Rocky Horror Show,” a 1973 musical that premiered on stage in London. The music, lyrics and book were all created by Richard O’Brien, who played Riff Raff in the silver screen adaptation.
Riff Raff served as the butler for Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite mad scientist played by the iconic Tim Curry as he made his filmic debut in the role.
According to Peter Bradshaw writing for The Guardian, Curry’s character was “a vampirically queer alien sex god, proselytising here on Earth for borderless pleasure” who “toys with the affections of the many followers and servants at his giant castle in middle America” as he “focused on his Frankensteinian project of creating Rocky Horror (played by Peter Hinwood), the ideal hunky blond male to service his needs.”
O’Brien, Hindwood, and Curry were joined by the likes of Susan Sarandon playing Janet Weiss, Barry Bostwick playing Brad Majors, and the late Meat Loaf playing ex-delivery boy Eddie.
Though most undoubtedly are at least somewhat familiar with the story, Rotten Tomatoes describes the movie as a “cult classic” in which “sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named ‘Rocky.’”
As Bradshaw pointed out, the film’s goal was “to spoof the classic movie chillers of yesteryear.”
It accomplished this and more.
For many, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” created a community. As NPR reporter Alice Woelfe explained, the film “offers a home for anyone who has ever felt like an outsider.”
Part of this entails dressing up in costume and participating in the interactive call-and-response elements, such as shouting a certain expletive when Brad appears on screen or “answering” lyrics while singing along to the songs.
It’s a riotous time. If you’ve never experienced it, I highly recommend it.
Of course, the work has also faced condemnation, especially for how it depicted the LGBTQ+ community. As Woelfe pointed out, “the film has drawn criticism for its use of dated and offensive terms like transvestite and transsexual, and for its depiction of sexual coercion, misogyny and disrespectful portrayal of disability.”
However, some members of the LGBTQ+ community dismiss these critiques.
Margot Atwell edited a book of essays discussing some of the film’s redeeming qualities.
Writing on Medium, Rebecca Deedigan agreed: “I loved the story and the characters and just the overall energy of this film enough to be able to look past all of its issues and continue to view it as the gem that it is. It may not have aged very well, but does that really matter? It’s still a fantastic piece of art in my opinion, and I will continue to love it forevermore.”
So whether you’ve never seen “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” before or not, watch it this year in celebration of the film’s anniversary.
And remember, the movie is still relevant today because it encourages people to be themselves and pursue their passions in life.
In short, it’s OK to be yourself, so just remember what Dr. Frank-N-Furter said: “Don’t dream it, be it.”
Todd R. Vogts, Ph.D., is a native of Canton, a resident of McPherson County, and a media researcher and educator. He can be contacted with questions or comments via his website at www.toddvogts.com.
