The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

Every year around Halloween, you are bound to see at least a few men dressed in drag, fishnets and all. Undoubtedly, some of you are still asking yourselves, "What's with that?" This yearly phenomenon began back in 1975 with a little movie called The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Rocky Horror is a darkly humorous tale of the dangers of seeking help from Transylvanians in drag. The movie begins on a stormy night in November with lovebirds Brad Majors, "A Hero," and Janet Weiss, "A Heroine," finding themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken down car. In their search for help, they stumble upon a castle inhabited by a number of outrageous characters. The most wild of these individuals is Dr. Frank N Furter, a selfdescribed "sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania." If the tongue twisting names aren't enough, Brad and Janet also find themselves dealing with real life Frankenstein creations in the form of blond-haired, blue-eyed Rocky Horror. Also throw into the mix a fully integrated musical, not seen since the likes of Singin' in the Rain.

What makes Rocky Horror truly worthy of its cult status is its brilliant casting choices. Before he was the mayor of New York, Barry Bostwick was the naive and timid Brad Majors, with a young Susan Sarandon as his fiancée Janet. Of course one of the things that Brad and Janet have in common is their experiences with the indescribable Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N Furter. Frank N Furter is unlike anything the North American film industries have seen. Hedonistic and sadistic, he seduces people left and right, unbiased or unaffected by gender. Peter Hinwood brings to life Rocky Horror, and Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn serve as his tormentors, sibling pair Riff Raff and Magenta. Of course, one cannot talk about The Rocky Horror Picture Show without mentioning the must-see death of Eddie, played by the ever-talented Meatloaf.

It's not the acting, or the basic plot, that captivates the audience of Rocky Horror and compels straight men to wear fishnets annually. It is instead the pure joy of the experience that makes viewers come back for more each and every Halloween. This flick is fun from beginning to end, and is something that has never been explored in a cinematic outlet before Rocky Horror. Kudos must be given to director Jim Sharman who brought the original Rocky Horror Show, a British stage play, to life on the screen. The musical numbers, surprise turning of events, and a good balance between sex and violence makes The Rocky Horror Picture Show an excellent late October tradition.

A few words of advice to new Rocky Horror viewers, don't take any aspect of it seriously. It's funny. You can laugh of the outrageousness. And don't make the mistake of watching it alone, you will feel awkward and creepy. Hopefully you were able to grab a group of friends to check out the annual midnight screenings at your local theatre!

Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5 stars