As of the time of writing this, October is thoroughly underway. Finally the temperatures have dropped into something akin to the Florida winters I am used to. We have finally passed the halfway mark until Halloween, and by the time this is published, there will likely be around ten days and nine nights left to prepare for the big day. We are now halfway through this year’s Halloween movie marathon canon. Personally, I recommend reading the past three reviews in order to get a sense of this year’s canon’s trends and picks. These last two are some of my favorite Halloween films of all time, and I’m excited to share them with you. This particular pick is quite the spectacle. At times, the characters are out of this world, and the music is terrifyingly terrific…
Number Two – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
How do I begin with this? I think the easiest way to explain why this ranks so high on my list is to chronicle it from its humble origins. The earliest incarnation of this film is The Rocky Horror Show, written by Richard O’Brien, who fully embraced the growing trend of glam rock in England. This trend, in combination with common tropes from B horror movies and science fiction, led to the stage production from which the movie takes its name and storyline from. The stage show premiered in the Royal Court Theatre in London in 1973 before premiering on Broadway at the Belasco Theatre in 1975.
The musical was not nearly as much of a sensation as the film later became, and it lasted only 45 showings on Broadway. Turning back time to two years prior, I should like to point out the cast of the original production. Tim Curry originated the role of Frank-N-Furter, Richard O'Brien originated the role of Riff Raff, Patricia Quinn originated the roles of Magenta and the Usherette, and Nell Campbell originated the role of Columbia. In addition, Jonathan Adams originated the role of the Criminologist. Christopher Malcom played Brad Majors, and Julie Covington and Belinda Sinclair both were Janet Weiss. Besides this, an actor of particular note is Meat Loaf, who played both Eddie and Dr. Everett V. Scott in the originally Broadway production. Remember this for later.
Although it is important to note the film’s origin, the musical itself was not particularly spectacular. At the very least, it needed the influence of the film’s future cult following to be regarded as a worthy spectacle. Predating the show’s Broadway opening, filming for the movie version – appropriately titled The Rocky Horror Picture Show – began in 1974 at Oakley Court. Now, Oakley Court is a hotel you can stay in, but from what I’ve read, the reviews are mixed. The majority of the original London cast reprised their roles, although Janet was now played by Susan Sarandon and Brad was played by Barry Bostwick. Meat Loaf played Eddie only, whereby Jonathan Adams played Dr. Everett V. Scott instead of reprising his role as the Criminologist. Richard O’Brien voiced the Usherette for the film. A model named Peter Hinwood was selected to play the titular Rocky Horror, although his singing voice was provided by Trevor White.
The costumes and makeup were all inspired by rock icons such as David Bowie and Mick Jagger, but certain aspects of the costumes, such as ripped fishnets, are considered to be the source of inspiration for the later “punk” trend. Just like the cast, some of the costume pieces were recreations of what was used from the original production or pieces used by other shows. The clichés and stereotypes present were part of what made this film so iconic. Brad and Janet’s outfits were based off of the stereotypes of what Americans wore, and the science fiction themed costumes are comically over-the-top. Even some of the props were sourced from earlier science-fiction and horror movies, such as the legendary Hammer Horror movies. These references to the past continue even into the movie itself, being present in the opening number of the show: “Science Fiction Double Feature.” Some of the most famous movies referenced include The Invisible Man, King Kong, Forbidden Planet, and It Came from Outer Space.
The cramming of all sorts of references and perceptions into the film helped create the campy atmosphere that later let it gain such an iconic status; however, this film was not well received when it originally released in 1975. It was a box office bomb for both its first release and its second, smaller release. It wasn’t until approximately a year later, in 1976, that the film started drawing larger audiences through midnight screenings, and, as the longest-running film release in history, it is still drawing enormous audiences.
Besides the nature of its now-successful release, fans began hosting shadow casts. This is what truly drives the cult-like phenomenon seen today. Now, I must note: many people have told me I haven’t truly experienced "Rocky" until I’ve attended a shadow cast. It is high on my list of NYC goals, but I strongly recommend against this if you have never seen the film before. Shadow casts of the film quite literally have a live cast of actors echoing, or shadowing, what the on-screen performers are doing and saying. This originated after audiences started verbally reacting to the midnight screenings in 1976, becoming a nation-wide phenomenon. In fact, the cult phenomenon has become so prevalent in American society that The Rocky Horror Picture Show was added to the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry in 2005.
It’s time to discuss the film’s happenings. Directed by Jim Sharman, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is narrated by an unnamed criminologist. He follows Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, who have recently proclaimed their unending love for each other and become engaged. On their way to announce their engagement to the high school teacher who arranged their meeting, Dr. Everett V. Scott, their car gets a flat tire. The only outpost of civilization nearby is an old castle, which Brad and Janet soon find is hosting the Annual Transylvanian Convention. They meet Columbia, Riff-Raff, Magenta, and Frank-N Furter, who grants them the honor of visiting his lab for the birth of Rocky Horror. Their lives have inevitably been changed for good from the moment they enter the castle, but it is the arrival of Rocky that turns both the new couple and the Transylvanians’ lives upside down.
One of the things I love the most about this film is how the B-movie aesthetic is fully embraced, whether purposeful or not. Similarly to my praise of Burton’s choices in Beetlejuice, it makes it lovably cheap at times as opposed to tacky and cheap. It is rather kitschy but in the best way possible, with the stereotypical science fiction elements making a fun addition. The music is catchy and, dare-I-say, truly good. At the very least, it is extremely meme-able. I know very few people who haven’t heard some iteration of “The Time Warp” or “Sweet Transvestite.” Songs and scenes flow beautifully from one moment to the next, and even with some of the darker subject matter, the overall tone of the film is kept lighthearted.
Tim Curry’s Frank-N-Furter is a fantastic antagonist, combining flamboyancy and power and something else I simply cannot put my finger on. Sarandon and Bostwick make equally interesting, mostly confused, and definitely all-American protagonists. The way their morals and principals are tested against the eccentricities of the Transylvanians, especially when contrasted with human groupie Columbia and her feelings towards her situation, provides the heart of the film and the catalyst for the action. Hinwood’s performance is more questionable, but to be fair, he was mostly known for his modelling career. The humor isn’t for everyone, but for those that appreciate it, the film is a hit. It is short, sassy, memorable, and currently unmatched.
There were many attempted sequels, including Rocky Horror Shows His Heels, Revenge of the Old Queen, and Rocky Horror: The Second Coming. An actual sequel of sorts has been produced, called Shock Treatment, which centers around Brad and Janet. This film was largely considered to be a failure, but in 2015 it was adapted for stage; ironically, it reversed the process of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the manner of its release. In 2016, a modern reimagining of the film entitled Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again was released on television. This version starred Laverne Cox as Frank-N-Furter, with other popular actors of today and some of the original actors being featured as well. This, unfortunately, was also not as well received, although this was perhaps understandable. Very rarely does anything rebooted truly match the original without a fresh spin, and the addition of references and invitations for audience participation – from what I’ve heard, I have only listened to the new edition’s soundtrack – must not have been enough to cement its place in history. Thankfully, we don’t need a sequel to experience the joy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. We just need to Google where the nearest showing is and call an Uber.
Indira Ramgolam is a freshman in Columbia College.