Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Rocky Horror Picture Show (Review)

I absolutely could not stick this classic science fiction film with the three in my other post. Rocky is one of those classics that gets better with age. I say this as someone who has never seen it in a theater in all its participatory glory. I've only seen in on a TV screen, albeit in the company of my dear husband who is a fanatic and who sings along and shouts all the right answers at all the right moments. And now that younger son has seen it in participatory fashion, he can join in the fun.

Rocky is, at its heart, a musical tribute to all the classic science fiction movies of the 1950s and 1960s with a few horror and detective movies thrown in. It is not for the faint of heart or the prudish. The story is recounted matter-of-factly by a criminologist, with the action starting as he begins to recount his tale. After watching the wedding of two of their friends, our hero (Brad, played by Barry Bostwick) and heroine (Janet, played by Susan Sarandon) depart to visit the professor in whose class they first met. Their car breaks down on a deserted road and, to get out of the rain, they end up in the castle of Dr. Frankenfurter (played by Tim Curry) who appears to be having a party of some sort. After that, as my sons would say, hilarity ensues. Strange hilarity. Bizarre hilarity ... with get-up-and-dance-or-at-least-sing-along music. To describe it in detail would not do it justice.

One day, I may just have to see this in its cinematic, participatory goodness, but until then I'll continue to enjoy it on DVD, seeing something new or having a new bizarre thought each time I watch it.

3 comments:

Debi said...

Can you believe I have never seen this movie? Well, yeah, I'm sure you can...you've probably got a pretty good feel for how uncultured I am by now.

Jean said...

Debi,

Has Rich seen it? If not, you two should watch it together. Just don't let the kids watch it with you! I have both the DVD and VHS versions if you want me to send one up to you.

Running Amok With An Ax said...

Oooh, yes, one day you should see it in all it's cinematic glory - the audience participation alone is worth the effort!