The Rocky Horror Picture Show
'I would like - if I may - to take you on a strange journey.' How strange was it? You may ask. Well, to be perfectly honest. 'It's astounding!' So begins the most well known song from the musical film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show which has made audience participation an institution.
The musical follows the story of the newly engaged and all-American couple, Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, and their unforgettable night in the castl of Dr Frank'n'Furter, a mad transvestite scientist from the planet of Transexual, in the galaxy of Transylvania.
Also in the castle, they meet Riff-Raff, the Hunchback Butler/handyman, and Magenta, his incestuous sister who is also the maid/cleaner. Then there's Columbia, the tap dancing groupie, Rocky, Frank's creation, and Eddie, the Rocking'n'Rolling ex-delivery boy with half a brain.
Susan Sarandon, as Janet, captures brilliantly the characters mixture of innocence and naivety, and Tim Curry as Frank demands attention whenever he appears on the screen. Barry Bostwick plays Brad, the typical hero of Sci-Fi B movies, combining brains, high morals, braun and virility.
Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn as Riff and Magenta never cease to amaze me with their marvellous portrayal of the siblings telepatic communication, and Little Nell splits everybodies eardrums with her high pitched Columbia. Meatloaf as the Motorbiking wild-child Eddie has everyone bopping with his song Hot Patootie, and Peter Hinwood as Rocky carries a suitably stupid expression for the whole film. Johnathan Adams and Charles Gray also credit themselves well as Dr Everett Scott and the Criminologist/Narrator respectively. The former for being able to go up stairs in his wheelchair and the latter for his dancing during the Time Warp.
The host of songs in the score is great. From the boastful Sweet Transvestite and I can Make you a Man to the wistful I'm Going Home and the reflective Superheroes. To the exuberant Damn it, Janet to the erotic Touch-a-touch-a-touch-a-touch Me, and that well known song The Time Warp.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, and its musical play relation The Rocky Horror Show, take off various aspects of Horror and Sci-Fi films. Unfortunately, there won't be a prize for figuring out how many movie titles are mentioned in the opening song Science Fiction - Double Feature.
Nowadays, if you go to see the film or the play. It's very likely that you'll meet members of the audience dressed up in basques, stockings, suspenders and maids outfits. There's enough audience dialogue to produce a script book with it in. The film has built up a cult following, with an international fan club, and regular midnight screenings in cinema's.
In this, it's 21st anniversary year. The picture is still going as strongly as ever and I think it's highly probable that at any one time. There is a production of the play in rehearsal or being performed somewhere in the world. So why not join the phenomenon?