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