“So, come up to the lab, and see what’s on the slab.”
Narrator and criminal investigator (Charles Gray) relates the story of Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon). After the wedding of friends, the young and naïve newly engaged couple are on their way to visit their old science teacher and friend Dr. Scott (Jonathan Adams). When a rain storm comes up and their car breaks down the two are stranded on a deserted road. They seek shelter at the first place they find.
The home they stumble on is a castle owned by Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). Frank-N-Furter is a mad scientist, transvestite, alien from outer space who hails from the planet Transsexual in the galaxy Transylvania. Frank lives there with his servants, who are also brother and sister, Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn).
The young couple has arrived at the castle on a special night. A party is planned for the unveiling of the doctor’s latest creation, a muscled blonde Adonis named Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood). A creature designed to give pleasure. A menagerie of guests is on hand for the festivities. The party gets interrupted when the freezer malfunctions and motorcycle riding Eddie (Meatloaf) comes out of deep freeze. Frank is upset that Eddie’s appearance has taken away some of the doctor’s spotlight. Eddie is quickly dispatched. With a dismembered Eddie lying around the party starts to wind down.
Amidst song and dance and fishnet stockings, Frank seduces both Brad and Janet, and Rocky shows Janet what he is made for.
Frank, jealous of the attention Rocky pays to Janet uses, on his guests, his Sonic Transducer, an audio-vibratory physiomolecular transport device" capable of "breaking down solid matter and then projecting it through space and, who knows, perhaps even time itself." This is when things start to get ominous.
“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was released in 1975 and was directed by Jim Sharman. The movie is a musical comedy horror film written by Richard O’Brien and Jim Sharman. It is based on the stage play “The Rocky Horror Show” also by Richard O’Brien. It is a parody of, or actually pays homage to, the science fiction/horror genre films of the 30’s through the early 60’s. It is a slurry of incest, bisexuality, homosexuality, pansexuality and androgyny. The cult following of this spectacular extravaganza spans all communities from the LGBTQ to the straight and narrow. It has been embraced by all. As far as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is concerned, a fan is a fan, all are welcome.
The movie was filmed at Bray Studios in the UK. This is the studio where Hammer filmed many of its iconic movies. Many of the sets and props used were from Hammer’s horror films.
Peter Hinwood's belly button was covered by make-up. Since Rocky was created and not born he would not have an umbilical cord and therefore no belly button.
I remember many movie houses having midnight showings of the film. Audience members would stand in front of the screen, in costume, and act out the film as it was being shown. Audience participation was standard fare. I never attended any of the showings but I know people who regularly did. One never brought up the film in their presence unless you were willing to expose yourself to them spontaneously acting out a few scenes for you. Suffice it to say, the fans were enthusiastic.
It was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2005.