The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Jim Sharman

Writers:

Richard O'Brien (original musical play)
Jim Sharman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

26 September 1975 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

25 Years Of Absolute Pleasure! (2000 25th Anniversary Tagline)

Plot:

A newly engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

Plot Keywords:

Castle | Transvestite | Transylvania | Time Warp | Alien

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Tim Curry	...	Dr. Frank-N-Furter - A Scientist
Susan Sarandon	...	Janet Weiss - A Heroine
Barry Bostwick	...	Brad Majors - A Hero
Richard O'Brien	...	Riff Raff - A Handyman
Patricia Quinn	...	Magenta - A Domestic
Nell Campbell	...	Columbia - A Groupie (as Little Nell)
Jonathan Adams	...	Dr. Everett V. Scott - A Rival Scientist
Peter Hinwood	...	Rocky Horror - A Creation
Meat Loaf	...	Eddie - Ex Delivery Boy (as Meatloaf)
Charles Gray	...	The Criminologist - An Expert
Jeremy Newson	...	Ralph Hapschatt
Hilary Labow	...	Betty Munroe Hapschatt
Perry Bedden	...	The Transylvanians
Christopher Biggins	...	The Transylvanians
Gaye Brown	...	The Transylvanians

Runtime:

100 min | USA:98 min (edited version)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Chace Surround (Remix for video release) | Mono (35 mm optical prints) | 4-Track Stereo (35 mm magnetic prints)

Certification:

UK:12 (re-rating) (1991) | UK:15 (video rating) (1987) | Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Argentina:X (original rating) | Netherlands:16 | Argentina:16 (re-rating) | New Zealand:M (re-rating) | Australia:M | Canada:AA (Ontario) | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | India:A | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:(Banned) (original rating) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (re-rating) | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:12 | Canada:R (Nova Scotia) (original rating) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) (re-rating) (1998)

Filming Locations:

Berkshire, England, UK

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The opening number, "Science Fiction Double Feature", contains references to many classic science fiction films. In the script, the credits were to be shown between clips of the films. Production designer Brian Thomson disliked the idea, and suggested using a pair of disembodied lips to mouth the words, inspired by a Man Ray painting.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: During "Hot Patootie," when Frank-N-Furter is supposed to be violently upset with Eddie, he is seen dancing to the song in certain distant shots.

Quotes:

Riff Raff: Master, Rocky has broken his chain and vanished. Your new playmate is loose and somewhere in the castle grounds. Magenta has just released the dogs.
Frank: Hmmm? Coming.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück (1991)

Soundtrack:

The Floor Show

Better To Watch At Home!

A squeaky-clean young couple, Brad & Janet (Barry Bostwick & Susan Sarandon), get a flat tire on a late rainy night, and decide to stop off at a nearby castle to use the residents' phone and call for help. What they don't realise is that these are no ordinary residents: Dr. Frank N Furter (Tim Curry), with assistance from his servants Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien), Magenta (Patricia Quinn), and their ragtag bunch of fellow Transylvanians, has his own diabolical plans for the evening, set against a kick-butt rock 'n' roll music score....

Call me a twisted "Rocky Horror" fan, but I actually prefer to watch this cult classic movie-musical in the comfort of my own home, rather than going out to one of those midnight theatrical screenings that have made this 1975 film so popular. Oh, I'm sure there's great fun to be had at a midnight showing, but the fact is, you're not going to see or hear very much of the movie itself, what with the audience shouting & throwing stuff at the screen literally every two seconds (think of "Mystery Science Theater 3000" on speed), as well as the live cast performing in front of the movie screen! If you want to really *see and hear* "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as you would any other film, watch it on video first. Then, when you've got the movie firmly etched in your head, head out to the theater. But NOT before!

Having said that, this movie version of the hit stage musical written by Richard O'Brien (Riff Raff himself), is a ton of great, naughty fun. It wonderfully sends up B-movie sci-fi/horror flicks, with a playful, healthy dose of blatant sexual innuendo thrown in for good measure. Classic, memorable rock 'n' roll tunes written by O'Brien throughout, including "The Time Warp," "Sweet Transvestite," "Hot Patootie"....the list goes on and on. And, of course, you have a spectacular cast, led by Tim Curry, who IS the larger-than-life Dr. Frank N Furter, and a young, attractive Susan Sarandon, who simply lights up the screen as Janet. But everyone else, including Barry Bostwick, Meatloaf, Little Nell, Patricia Quinn, and Charles Gray all make excellent contributons, too.

I love "The Rocky Horror Picture Show": it's very funny, sexy, and brilliantly performed, with great rock 'n' roll music t'boot. But I, personally, still prefer to watch it at home, where I can see the film in peace & quiet without being yelled in my ear, getting soaked, or having rice & toast tossed all around me!