Halloween is not Halloween without themed movies. For slasher enjoyers, you have your tried-and-true nail-biters like “Scream” or “Halloween.” If you enjoy family friendly Halloween-themed movies, “Hocus Pocus” and “Halloweentown” are popular favorites. But it seems like you have to sacrifice comedy for horror when it comes to these types of films. If you are looking to break out of these two molds, I would look no further than one underappreciated classic: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
“Rocky Horror” came out in 1975, and in the 50 years since its release, it has made a name for itself and transformed into more than a movie. In a nutshell, the movie is a spoof on “Frankenstein” with a crazier and far more flamboyant Victor Frankenstein. When the newly engaged Janet and Brad get stranded at the Frank N Furter mansion during a storm, they stumble upon the world of his new creation and his friends with interesting personalities. The progression of the musical movie sees Brad and Janet accepting that they are stuck in this mansion and learning more about a reality that is nothing like their quiet everyday lives.
I rarely have movies that I watch like clockwork with each season or holiday, but “Rocky Horror” is one of them. It is one of those movies where you see something new every time you watch it, and there are different ways to immerse yourself each time. The movie itself is generationally funny, incorporating puns, ironic jokes and dark humor. The songs in the musical are still enjoyable without the context of the movie, which is a place where many musicals fall short. During Halloween season, various community theaters put on the production or stage version of the musical. Even when the original movie is played in theatres, it is a unique interactive watching experience. At certain moments there are audience callouts and props that get thrown on stage. It truly is something you have to be there to witness. In addition, there are in-depth rules for attending “Rocky Horror”; some of these restrictions include when you can dance along and what you can wear to a showing.
For a movie that precedes the invention of the internet, “Queer Eye” and “Ru Paul’s Drag Race,” “Rocky Horror” was extremely ahead of its time in terms of shaping queer communities. At the end of the movie-musical (omitting spoilers), all the male characters had been in drag at some point. The actor who plays Frank N Furter, Tim Curry, is mostly known for his roles in “Home Alone 2” and as the original Pennywise, but he said that he takes the most pride in his portrayal of this character. This easily could have been a role he turned down, but he played it passionately and is one of the reasons why it is such a good film. All of the actors in this movie should be proud of their contribution to the project, because it highlighted the beauty of transgender and queer people. The movie created a scenario where people were open-minded to seeing a land different from their own, which is hard to come by in general, but especially at that time. Since the movie created this escape, whenever it is shown or performed, that safe space is created again. Therefore, yearly traditions are made that people come back to.
“Rocky Horror” has transcended communities through its appearance in other media. The movie appeared on Glee along with the likes of musicals like “Grease” and “West Side Story.” It has also appeared in cartoons like “Phineas and Ferb” and “The Simpsons” that created parodies of popular songs. For a work this progressive to be connected to media for general audiences, reveals the bridge that this movie creates for others. It is powerful for one movie to do this and speaks to the influence it has.
If you are looking for a new movie to add to your spooky season rotation, I suggest sitting down with Frank N Furter and the gang and enjoying “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”