The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Directed by: Jim Sharman
Premise: A newly engaged couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick) find themselves stranded at the home of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a mad scientist about to reveal his newest creation.
What Works: The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been a staple of the culture for over half a century and the content of the movie has been shrouded by its intense cult adoration and the rituals that Rocky Horror devotes have enshrined around it. Peeling away that cultural scaffolding reveals an uneven film that is colorful, anarchic, and fun. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is highly stylized and plays like a fairytale. Brad and Janet are a young and wholesome couple and much like Hansel and Gretel, Brad and Janet get lost in the wilderness and stumble upon the castle of Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Once inside they are transported into a world that is rooted in the Universal monster pictures of the 1930s and 40s and the drive-in science fiction movies and Hammer horror films of the 1950s and 60s. But it’s also an overtly sexualized place; conservative naivete collides with the sexual liberation of the 1970s. The film is simultaneously nostalgic and rebellious. The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s influences are specific to its era and yet the fairytale qualities place it out of time and in its own self-contained world. The production design is key to the film’s success. The sets and costumes deliberately recall Rocky Horror’s influences but also create a hyperreality. This was a low budget film and the seams of the illusion are sometime evident but in a way that gives the movie character and texture. The organic visual style complements Rocky Horror’s sexual atmosphere. The film is unkempt, giving Rocky Horror a hint of sexual danger and an anarchic tone, especially in its first half. The retro influences and sexual vibe are evident in the music and The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s success is largely due to its soundtrack which includes “Science Fiction Double Feature” and “The Time Warp” and “Sweet Transvestite.” These musical numbers are well performed by a unique cast of characters. They are permutations of stock characters from Rocky Horror’s inspirations such as the hunchbacked assistant played by Richard O’Brien and the wide-eyed couple played by Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick. The key performance of Rocky Horror is Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Curry largely carries the movie (in some respects he saves it, especially in the second half) and he embodies its decadent and anarchic spirit. Curry as Frank-N-Furter is the queen of cinematic queens and his strut and swagger exude an unapologetic sexual charisma that defines the movie. The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a film by, about, and for outcasts and weirdos. There is an earnestness to its oddness and the film’s independence appeals to a specific audience in a powerful way.
What Doesn’t: The Rocky Horror Picture Show became a cult film precisely because its appeal is specific. General audiences may be perplexed by it especially if the film is viewed outside of cult spaces. (There is a case to be made that Rocky Horror ought to only be watched in those circumstances.) It’s also a flawed movie. The Rocky Horror Picture Show declines in its second half. Some of that has to do with the music—many of the best songs are frontloaded into the first half—but it’s also a matter of pacing and storytelling. After the “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” set piece, the storytelling stalls with little sense of direction or momentum. Brad and Janet are reduced to passive characters who don’t actually do much. Dr. Frank-N-Furter is revealed to be a murderer but the sense of danger subsides. The very end of the picture is almost incoherent and makes some radical tonal shifts that ultimately feel anticlimactic. However, the flaws of Rocky Horror are also part of what has endeared this movie to so many people. A tidier ending might not have the same appeal. There are two versions of The Rocky Horror Picture Show: the USA cut and the longer UK version which includes the song “Super Heroes.” The UK version is the superior cut.
DVD extras: The 4K Blu-Ray edition includes a sing along option, trivia track, callback track, a commentary track, song selection, an alternate version with a black and white opening, a deleted song, alternate takes, featurette, and a music video.
Bottom Line: The Rocky Horror Picture Show may not be to everyone’s taste but that is why it is a cult film. Rocky Horror has a certain cheeky genius, great songs, and memorable characters. It’s an uneven film but Rocky Horror’s gleeful weirdness, subversive energy, and sense of fun leave a lasting impression that papers over its flaws.
Episode: #310 (October 17, 2010); Revised #1067 (October 5, 2025)