Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum - I'll be back when its finished!
Yo, ho, ho and a bottle of rum - I'll be back when its finished!
Member since:24.08.2003
Reviews:93
Members who trust:73
It was a dark and stormy night, newly engaged virgins Brad and Janet were travelling to visit their old friend Dr Everett Scott. Their car gets a flat tyre, there is no spare, they both decide to go to an old castle up the road for help and a telephone. The door is opened by a very strange looking butler (Richard O Brien) and things then take a change to the very bizarre….
It is almost 30 years ago in 1975 when the Rocky Horror picture show first hit the big screen and last Saturday it came no 16 in a Channel 4 poll of the most sexy on screen moments. When it first came out it was voted the worst film ever in a poll so why, 30 years on is it still such a phenomina? Because it is simple, harmless transsexual fun!
The plot continues with Brad and Janet (B&J Hmmm?) arriving at the castle on a very special night, Dr Frank N Furter a transvestite from the planet transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania is conducting an experiment, to make him a man (with blonde hair and a tan) called Rocky and that night, the experiment was to reach its climax. What follows is a complete sexual farce with the main characters bed hopping and discovering some newly created libidos and some very catchy music and some great throw away lines.
The casting of the film is inspired. Tim Curry makes his big screen debut as Frank n Furter and plays it brilliantly, there are scenes that are very reminiscent of the late, great Freddy Mercury and Curry makes the transition from serious drama school Shakespearian actor to transvestite really well. Susan Sarandon plays Janet and whilst her singing would certainly not stand up to the scrutiny of pop idols Simon Cowell her main song touch a, touch a, touch a, touch me is the one that made the channel 4 poll and Rocky (Peter Hinwood who now runs an antique shop in the uk) – gets to do just that, but as Janet does spend almost the entire movie wandering around in bra and petticoat the scenes are very mild. Richard O Brien created the show and plays Riff Raff the butler, he gives the film its most well known song – go on sing along you know you want to ….. Lets do the time warp again. (A word of advise don’t do the timewarp stood next to someone wearing stilettos who is too drunk to know left from right as when they jump on your foot – it hurts!) Brad is played by Barry Bostock who was also the mayor in Spin City. Meatloaf makes an appearance and sings a song and there is even a cameo roll for Christopher Biggins.
So whilst this film is quite watchable with a couple of friends and a bottle of wine, the plot is not that strong, but the soundtrack is good, in some ways, but why is it strong enough to maintain cult status for 30 years? The cult status has come about solely as a result of the stage show, you know when Rocky Horror is in town because people walk the streets dressed in fishnet stockings and Basques with bright red lipstick on, the official website has a list of props required for the show such as rice to throw at the wedding scene and a newspaper and water pistol to recreate the storm. There is also a tradition of shouting at the screen, according to the website one of the earliest shouts was during the storm scene where a die hard fan shouted ‘buy and umbrella you cheap b**ch’ and the tradition has gone from there. As yet I have not been to an official show but we did have quite a few Rocky Horror nights at school.
The film is rated 15, but the DVD box seems to suggest it’s a borderline 12 which is probably more reasonable these days. I was watching it the other day while my kids ( aged 6&4) were playing upstairs and they were drawn to the music which is understandable but I sent them back up as I am not quite ready to take my eldest, who picks up lyrics really quickly, to school singing I’m just a sweet transvestite!
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
Production Year: 1999 - Music / Performing Arts - Original Language: English - Classification: Exempt - Starring: Donny Osmond, Joan Collins, Richard Attenborough
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is an erotic nightmare beyond any measure. Relive Richard ... more
O'Brien's sinfully twisted salute to horror, sci-fi, B-movies and rock music starring Tim Curry (in his classic gender-bending performance), Barry Bostwick and Osca...
Advantages: MeatLoaf, the Time Warp, and as close to being at the theatre as you can be at home Disadvantages: It's Rocky, What disadvantages could there be??
![The Rocky Horror Picture Show (2 Disc Special Edition) [1975] [DVD]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/78241655.jpg "The Rocky Horror Picture Show (2 Disc Special Edition) [1975] [DVD]")
![The Rocky Horror Picture Show [Special Edition]](http://picnicb.ciao.com/uk/103214183.jpg "The Rocky Horror Picture Show [Special Edition]")
Dec 1st, 2003
very helpful by (100%):
