Countdown to Halloween: “Rocky Horror Picture Show” Celebrates Its 50th Anniversary

For the past five decades, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has been one of the most popular cult classics ever released. Especially during the spooky month, many people check this film out annually. So, since the film will be showing at the Dietrich Theater during Spooky Fest (10/25 - 10 pm) for its 50th anniversary and also since I’ve actually never seen it before, it was finally time to check out the ultimate cult classic.

In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad and Janet, stuck with a flat tire during a storm, discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, which is filled with several eccentric characters.

As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker and a creepy butler. Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation: a muscular man named “Rocky.”

The overall audience response to the 1975 film transformed the film from a commercial flop into a legendary cult classic, driven by decades of enthusiastic, participatory midnight screenings.

Like I mentioned before, this was actually the first time I have seen this film. Once I found it available to stream on Hulu, I figured it was time to check this cult favorite out for the theater’s Spooky Fest. And, if you haven’t seen this film yet and plan on doing so, definitely make sure to keep an open mind while watching the film.

The 1975 cult classic features several iconic songs and musical numbers that the film’s audience have grown to love over the years. The “Time Warp” is probably the most famous song from the film, which is actually a catchy tune that’s also accompanied by a dance that’s infamous for the audience participation. And, while watching the film, I had no idea that Meat Loaf appeared in the film, performing the song “Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul.”

The entire film’s soundtrack, which also includes the songs “I’m Going Home,” “Don’t Dream It,” “Sweet Transvestite” among others, carries messages of self-empowerment and the courage to be one’s self. The songs themselves are deeply intertwined with the film’s enduring legacy as a cult phenomenon.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” also delivers some memorable moments (just like the musical numbers) that also includes the musical number of “I’m Going Home,” which is Frank-N-Furter’s desperate and emotional plea for acceptance towards the end. The “Time Warp” sequence also gives the characters of Brad and Janet (and the viewer) a taste of the unconventional moves of the Transylvanians.

There’s also some other memorable moments scattered throughout such as the dinner party which can be a morbidly comedic scene which reaches its climax once the guests learn what they’ve been eating (no spoilers). The finale also came out of nowhere as we learned about a couple characters' true intentions. The finale also serves as a satire of sorts of sci-fi films.

This cult classic also has a rather distinct campy vibe, which is characterized by its over the top presentation, its homage to classic B-horror/sci-fi films and drive-in cinema and so much more. The film’s campiness is also shown in the film’s very outrageous costumes, the musical numbers and the many eccentric characters.

The communal nature of the midnight screenings transformed “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” from a forgotten film into a long running social phenomenon. The unique form of audience participation is the core of its longevity and cult status, making it less of a passive viewing experience and more of an active event that fosters community.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4plqh6obZW4

• According to interviews, Patricia Quinn only took a role in the play because she loved the opening song "Science Fiction - Double Feature". She was upset when she didn't get to sing the song in this movie, but agreed to lip-sync the words as the pair of red lips in the beginning, with vocals by Richard O'Brien.

• Theatrical movie debut of Tim Curry (Dr. Frank-N-Furter - A Scientist).

• When this movie first opened, it had a traditional release, with afternoon and early evening screenings. It bombed. Meat Loaf said he attended an opening week performance with writer and director Jim Sharman in the Midwest, and the theater was empty except for them. Midnight screenings became popular in the mid-1970s, and word of mouth began to spread that the midnight audience might enjoy this movie. It began showing at midnight in a few cities, and became so popular that it has been shown continuously in movie theaters since 1975, making it the longest theatrical run in history. The Museum Lichtspiele cinema in Munich, Germany has screened the movie every week since June 24, 1977, offering special "RHPS-Kits" to enable celebrations during the show. The kits contain a biscuit (for the toast), rice, a whistle, a candle (for "There's a Light"), and a sheet of paper with instructions for the Time Warp.

• Tim Curry was very reluctant to talk about this movie for years due to some bad memories about overzealous fans. He told VH1 that he grew "chubby and plain" to try escaping the role of Frank. These days, he's more open to talk about this movie, and even sees it as a "rite of passage" for teenagers.

• Richard O'Brien was concerned that Meat Loaf might not be able to handle "Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul". O'Brien brought out the music and handed it to him, saying "It's okay to flub a few lines. No one in the London cast has ever sung the whole thing correctly anyway." He looked at it, replied "What's the problem?", then sang the whole thing without skipping a beat.

• The order in which Frank turns on the colored spigots while creating Rocky Horror was not random. Each color was being rapidly shouted at Tim Curry by someone off-screen. During the second close-up, a brief look of confusion can be seen on Curry's face as he scrambled to find the right color.

• Dr. Everett V. Scott crashes through the wall for his entrance because the set builders forgot to put an extra door in the lab set.

• Tim Curry, Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell reprised the same roles here that they played in the original stage production. Curry and O'Brien also played the same roles on Broadway.

• "The Time Warp" was originally written for the stage version to fill space. The original production was only 40 minutes long.

• Richard O'Brien created "The Rocky Horror Show" from his love of classic science fiction and horror movies. The play premiered at the Royal Court Theatre Upstairs in London on June 19, 1973, starring Tim Curry, Julie Covington, Christopher Malcolm, Richard O'Brien, Patricia Quinn, Nell Campbell, Jonathan Adams, Paddy O'Hagan, and Rayner Bourton.

• Richard O'Brien stated that when writing the stage play, he actually envisioned himself playing Eddie, but the director hired for the play felt he would be a better fit for Riff Raff.

• While many of the costumes are exact replicas from the stage productions, other costumes were new to filming, such as Columbia's gold sequined swallow-tail coat and top hat and Magenta's maid's uniform.

• Ranked number two in Entertainment Weekly's "Top 50 Cult Films of All-Time."