Tuesday, December 6, 2011

The Rocky Horror Picture Show(1975)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
-1975 film adaptation of the British rock music stageplay the Rocky Horror Show
-Parody of B-movie, sci-fi, horror films of the 1940s-1970s

Plot
-The story is narrated by a criminologist. He tells the story of a newlywed couple, Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, who find themselves at the mercy of a scientist when they get lost and their car blows a tire on a cold and rainy November evening. They seek shelter at a nearby castle, where they encounter strange and outlandish people holding an Annual Transylvanian Convention. They watch as the Transylvanians, servants and a tap dancing groupie dance the film's signature song, Time Warp








-They soon meet Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transvestite scientist. The crew also includes the likes of Riff Raff, his sister/lover Magenta, a groupie named Columbia. Frank claims to have found the "secret to life itself". His creation, Rocky Horror, is brought to life. The party is interrupted by the arrival of Eddie, an ex-delivery boy, partial brain donor to Rocky and Columbia's lover who rides in on a motorcycle. In a jealous rage, Frank corners him and kills him with an ice axe before taking Rocky to a bridal suite off the lab




-Brad and Janet are shown to separate suites where each is visited and seduced by Frank, who poses as Brad and then Janet to trick the real Brad and Janet into sex. Janet, upset, wanders off to look for Brad, who she finds with Frank via television. She finds Rocky, cowering in his birth tank, hiding from Riff Raff. While tending to his wounds, Janet seduces him while Magenta and Columbia watch from their bedroom TV.




-After finding that his creature is missing, Frank, Brad, and Riff Raff return to the lab, where he learns an intruder is in the building. Dr. Everett Scott, Brad and Janet's old high school science teacher, has come lokoing for Eddie, his nephew. Learning Brad and Janet's connection to Scott, Franks is suspicious of them. Frank, Dr. Scott, Riff Raff, Brad then find Janet and Rocky together under the sheets in Rocky's birth chamber



-Rocky and the guests are served dinner, which they realize has been made from Eddie's body. Janet runs screaming into Rocky's arms and is slapped and chased throughout the halls of the castle by a jealous Frank. Janet, Brad, Dr. Scott, Rocky and Columbia all meet in the lab where Frank captures them with the Medusa Transducer, transforming them into statues. They are forced to perform a live cabaret show and have a short makeout session in the pool with Frank as leader




-The performance is interrupted by Riff Raff and Magenta, who stage a setup and announce their plan to return to the planet of Transsexual in the galaxy of Transylvania. In the process, they kill Columbia, Rocky and Frank. They release Brad, Janet, Dr. Scott and depart by lifting off in the castle itself.


Cast
Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter: A scientist.
Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss: A heroine.
Barry Bostwick as Brad Majors: A hero.
Richard O'Brien as Riff Raff: A handyman.
Patricia Quinn as Magenta: A domestic.
Nell Campbell (credited as Little Nell) as Columbia: A groupie.
Jonathan Adams as Dr. Everett V. Scott: A rival scientist.
Peter Hinwood as Rocky Horror: A creation.
Charles Gray as The Criminologist: An expert.
Meat Loaf (credited as Meatloaf) as Eddie: An ex-delivery boy.
Did You Know
-In the opening scene at the church, the minister is Tim curry(Frank-N-Furter), the old man to his left is Richard O'Brien(Riff Raff), the wife to his right is Patricia Quinn(Magenta). The person who joins them in church is Nell Campbell(Little Nell, aka Columbia)

-Mick Jagger wanted to play the role of Frank-N-Furter in the movie version and he was actually considered for the role, but had to drop out, due to The Rolling Stones embarking on their 1978 North American tour.
IDK why, but that would be kind of cute trying to picture Mick Jagger in 1975 wearing the same clothes as the figure below. Actually, screw kind of cute, that would be down right, out and out SEXY! Heck, I'd watch it just to see him wearing black spandex!!

-At the midnight showings, not only do patrons dress up, they bring props. There are no hard-and-fast rules on props, but the following is a list of some of the most common: Rice (to be thrown at Ralph and Betty's wedding) Water pistols (back row squirts them during rain scene)
  • Newspapers (for front and middle rows to shield themselves from rain)
  • Flashlights or cigarette lighters ("There's a Light" verse of "Over at Frankenstein Place")
  • Rubber gloves (during and after the creation speech, Frank snaps his gloves three times)
  • Noisemakers (the Transylvanians applaud Frank's creation - so should you)
  • Toilet paper preferably "Scott's" brand (when Brad yells "Great scott!", throw a roll)
  • Confetti (at the end of the "Charles Atlas" reprise, the Transylvanians throw confetti)
  • Toast (when Frank proposes a toast at dinner)
  • Party hat (when Frank puts on his hat to wish Rocky happy birthday, so does the audience)
  • Bell ("When we made it/did you hear a bell ring?")
  • Cards ("Cards for sorrow/cards for pain")
  • The props tend to vary somewhat from city to city, especially as some localities (and theaters) impose restrictions. For example, the "There's a light" prop was almost always lighters during the original 1970s shows, but open flames are now banned in most movie theaters (either by theater policy or by law - and considering that another common prop is newspapers, this is generally a good idea). Another example is that some fans insist that the toast should be buttered. However, many theaters frown on this, due to the mess (and the possibility of someone slipping).
-Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick were the only 2 American actors in the entire movie

-The dress that Frank-N-Furter wears has a pink triangle on it over his heart. In the time of Nazi Germany, this was used as a sign to signify a gay man, but it was pointed down. In the movie, the triangle points up, signaling gay pride.

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