The Rocky Horror Picture Show

1975

SF elements

Review

The Rocky Horror Picture Show was shown as part of a 1970s retrospective, which the BBC is running for some reason. Since the 70s was a horrible time to be a teenage nerd (as is presumably every other decade), I'm not quite sure why I'm watching the retrospective. But since I didn't discover Rocky until the early 80s, when being a college student nerd was actually quite fun, I can rewatch it without the unpleasant baggage.

Richard O'Brien's masterpiece is a bizarre and glorious spoof of all those mainly 1950s science fiction and horror B-movies. Newly engaged all-American Brad [Barry Bostwick] and Janet [Susan Sarandon] stumble upon a mad scientist, the transvestite Transsexual Transylvanian Frank N Furter [a transcendental Tim Curry], as he is about to create his "beautiful creature", Rocky. But the plot isn't important (or even all that existent) -- from the initial giant red lips to the finale, it's all the SFnal movie references, the bizarre songs ("Let's Do the Time Warp Again"), Meat Loaf , the grotesque characters, and the sheer kinkiness that makes this unique and splendid -- and very weird.

Rating: 2.5