The Rocky Horror Picture Show experience elicits a strong reaction from most audience members. If you love it, you will always love it, transported for a few hours to an alternate universe where any and all kinks, quirks, and jerks are not only welcome, they’re celebrated. Thirty plus years after its initial and disappointing release, theaters across the country still play this film at midnight. Fans still don their best Brad, Janet, or Dr. Frank n Furter, toast and rice in tow to sing and shout along with the film. New generations of teenagers and college students discover Rocky every year, with live simultaneous stage/film productions being put on all over the world. If you hate it, you probably won’t ever come to appreciate it, confused why anyone would go so bat shit crazy over this bizarre movie.
I was bitten by the Rocky bug when I was thirteen years old. It was playing on VH1 at midnight on Halloween, and so began a holiday tradition that continued for many Halloweens after. Now, if you break this film down into plot points it sounds absolutely ridiculous. A young Midwestern couple get engaged and go in search of their science teacher, Dr. Scott, to tell him the good news. Their car breaks down en route, and they are forced to knock on the door of a scary castle to ask to use their phone (I know castles don’t have phones, asshole!). They happen to stumble on a kind of party, where the “master” of this household is entertaining a large variety of oddball guests. This sets into motion a bizarre sequence of events including the young couple being undressed, taken to separate rooms, and sexually enlightened, as it were. Throw in the creation of a blonde Adonis-type in gold underpants, the murder of a Rock and Roll singing biker, the all around fabulousness of a pleasure crazed transvestite in seven inch platforms, and the eventual victory of two sibling aliens looking to return home to their planet Transexual and we’ve got us one hell of a movie.
What it is about Rocky that resonates with people so many decades later is this idea of personal freedom. It advocates for the freedom to explore and express oneself with total abandon. No matter how you’ve been characterized, judged, or limited, Rocky is the place for “misfits” to fit, no matter what form your difference may take. That’s a powerful message. There is also this idea of universalism, that no matter how straight-laced you seem on the outside (like Brad, or Dr. Scott, for example) everyone has a little bit of Frank in them, simply evidenced by Dr. Scott raising his black stockinged leg out from under his blanket at the end of the film. Rocky urges us to explore new parts of ourselves, not be afraid to take risks, express ourselves, and in the end, “Don’t Dream It, Be It.”
Blu-ray Bonus Features
This 35th anniversary Blu-ray edition is chock full of extra features. First off, the DVD case itself is actually a book of press and candid photos from the film. The disc includes both the US and UK versions of the film, an option to play it with the “The Midnight Experience,” call back track included which is very entertaining, either for the virgins who are seeing it for the first time, or long time fans who want to brush up on their call backs and hear them all on tape. There are deleted musical scenes, a Time Warp music video which was a real treat because I believe it used to run on VH1 and only once a year. Rocky-oke gives the audience the chance to sing songs karaoke style, and alternate endings which I believe were also included on the DVD set. There is a message to fans from Executive Producer Lou Adler, who talks about when he saw the original stage production he knew that the film could and should be made. Lastly, there is an invitation to Don’t Dream It, Join It!, A message from Sal Piro, President of the RHPS fanclub, who further reiterates the sense of family and kinship that exists in the theatres and performances of Rocky all over the world.
"The Rocky Horror Picture Show (35th Anniversary Edition)" is on sale October 19, 2010 and is rated R. Comedy, Musical. Directed by Jim Sharman . Written by Richard O'Brien (original musical play), Jim Sharman . Starring Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell , Patricia Quinn , Richard OBrien , Susan Sarandon, Tim Curry.
