The Rocky Horror Picture Show

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Movie
Original title The Rocky Horror Picture Show
The rocky horror picture show.svg
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1975
length 100 minutes
Age rating FSK 12
Rod
Director Jim Sharman
script Richard O'Brien ,
Jim Sharman
production Michael White
music Richard O'Brien
camera Peter Suschitzky
cut Graeme Clifford
occupation
chronology

Successor  →
Shock Treatment

The Rocky Horror Picture Show from 1975 is the theatrical version of the musical The Rocky Horror Show by Richard O'Brien , which had been successful for more than a year in various locations in the United Kingdom and the United States before filming began on October 21, 1974 was running. The film premiered on August 14, 1975 in London . The film was released in Germany in June 1977 and in Austria in November of the same year.

action

The film begins with the song Science Fiction / Double Feature , in which only the red painted lips of the figure Magenta can be seen on the screen.

The action begins with the end of a wedding attended by Brad Majors and his girlfriend, Janet Weiss. Brad proposes marriage to his girlfriend with the song Dammit Janet . They then want their old teacher Dr. Everett Scott visit. At night in the thunderstorm they have a flat tire and in search of help they reach a castle (song: Over at the Frankenstein Place ). The butler Riff Raff opens the door and leads the two of them, accompanied by the maid Magenta, into the ballroom, where a party is having fun and dancing to the sounds of Time Warp .

Landlord Dr. Frank N. Furter, dressed in bodices , suspenders and high-heeled shoes (song: Sweet Transvestite ), invites the couple to visit his laboratory. There he introduces them to his creation Rocky (Song: The Sword of Damocles ), a muscular blond man (Song: I Can Make You a Man ). Eddie, the former lover of the landlord, who was locked in a freezer, comes to the laboratory on a motorcycle (Song: Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul ). Frank N. Furter is upset and kills him.

Janet and Brad are taken to separate guest rooms. Frank N. Furter seduces both of them one after the other. Janet wanders around the castle and spots the terrified Rocky in the lab. At first she feels sorry for him, but they quickly get closer (Song: Touch-A, Touch-A, Touch Me ).

Dr. Scott arrives at the castle in search of his nephew Eddie. In the dining room, the divided Eddie is served to those present without their knowledge (Song: Eddie's Teddy ). A chase ensues (Song: Wise up, Janet Weiss ) that ends in the laboratory. Janet, Brad, Dr. Scott and Columbia turned into nude marble statues and put on a stage. Bred back to life, they no longer have a will of their own and sing to the music of Rose Tint My World as part of a re-enacted radio show .

A curtain rises behind them and Frank sings Don't Dream It - Be It. Later, Dr. Scott brought back to life and everyone danced to Wild and Untamed Things . Suddenly Riff Raff and Magenta appear in futuristic clothes and declare Frank to be deposed (Song: I'm Going Home ) because he missed the purpose of his mission on earth and instead devoted himself to worldly pleasures.

Riff Raff kills Columbia, Frank and Rocky with a laser beam and explains to Dr. Scott, Brad and Janet that they will soon be beaming the entire building back to the Transsexual planet in the Transylvania galaxy and that they should leave the location. They flee from the castle that flies away (Song: Super Heroes ). At the end of the credits a modified version of Science Fiction / Double Feature followed by The Time Warp is played.

background

Museum Lichtspiele in Munich

In 20th Century Fox's film production by Lou Adler and Michael White , directed by Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien , who also contributed the script, music and lyrics, most of the roles were taken on by the original London cast: Tim Curry as Frank N. Furter, Richard O'Brien himself as Riff Raff, Nell Campbell alias "Little Nell" as Columbia, Patricia Quinn as Magenta and Jonathan Adams as Dr. Everett Scott (on stage he played the narrator).

The role of Eddie was cast with Meat Loaf from the stage version of the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles. The roles of Brad Major with Barry Bostwick and Janet Weiss with Susan Sarandon , two relatively unknown American actors at the time , were newly cast for the film . Peter Hinwood appears in a silent role as Rocky, his vocal parts were recorded in Trevor White's studio. Charles Gray also appears as the narrator.

After the film got off to a bad start and was threatened with cancellation, the phenomenon of a stubborn fan base emerged relatively soon, watching the film over and over and making the producers believe in a success. It was cut and brought back to the cinemas after six months with a new ending and a changed marketing concept as Midnight Movie (a relatively new idea at the time). The concept worked; word of mouth gave the film a steadily growing fan base, many of whom sang along with texts and acted and danced scenes from the film.

They continued to grow, so that the film today cult status has and even after more than 40 years ago in many cinemas is shown regularly. The Museum Lichtspiele in Munich holds a worldwide record , because here the film has been on the program regularly since June 24, 1977 and has therefore been in the program for more than 40 years (as of March 2018). A special hall was set up in the cinema based on the backdrop of the film. Disguises are welcome and at the cash desk there is an original do -it-yourself package for guests who have not already stocked up beforehand .

Locations

The studio recordings of the film were shot in the English Bray Studios (Down Place, Oakley Green, Berkshire). Until 1970 the Bray Studios were owned by Hammer Films , known for their horror films , which shot many of their classics there. In the immediate vicinity of the studios is the Oakley Court mansion , where the exterior and some interior shots of the castle were taken. A fan meeting was held here in August 2006, at which Richard O'Brien was also present.

cult

The cult that has developed around the film over the years includes, above all, the active participation of the audience in certain scenes of the film and dressing up as a transvestite . The audience can actively participate in the following scenes:

  • The narrator: The cut to the narrator is acknowledged by the audience with loud "boring" calls.
  • When Janet appears, “slut” is called out, with Brad “asshole”.
  • Mentioning Ralph Hapshatt is commented with "Hap-Shit".
  • Every time the name Janet is mentioned, “Weissss” is shouted.
  • The wedding scene: rice is thrown here. Before the song, Brad says "I really love the ..." here the audience stutters with "Skil, skil, skil" before he says "skilful way"
  • Dr. Scott: Every time his name is mentioned, a rumble of thunder is simulated by the audience in unison with a loud "Who!"
  • Eddie: Every time his name is mentioned, the audience responds with shouts of "Shht!".
  • The thunderstorm scene: In this scene, the audience covers their heads with a newspaper as soon as Janet does so to protect against the rain when she gets out of the car. The rain itself in this case comes from water pistols. In addition, a lighter or sparklers are lit at the line of text “there's a light…” . When Brad bends a twig aside, then lets it snap back and it hits Janet, the audience yells "Attention, Janet! The branch! "
  • Arrival at the castle: When Riff-Raff opens the door, after the performance by Brad, the audience calls "Hey Riff-Raff, look between her legs", whereupon he answers "you're wet"
  • The Time Warp: When the song is played, the audience will dance too.
  • Sweet Transvestite: When Frank takes the art break on the word "anticipation", "Say it!" Is shouted.
  • Brad and Janet take the elevator to Furter's laboratory: just before the elevator appears in the laboratory, the audience shouts “show me something green and sexy”. Shortly afterwards you can see Furter appear in a green lab coat.
  • Furter's speech in the laboratory: Furter pulls out his rubber glove three times and lets go of it again. The resulting snap noise is amplified by the audience at the same time with their own rubber gloves.
  • The “birth” of Rocky: The audience supports the scene with “horns” and - when Rocky is unwound from his bandages - by throwing toilet paper rolls.
  • The "Charles Atlas Song": At the end of the Charles Atlas Song, Furter and Rocky walk towards the bedroom, while the audience throws confetti.
  • When Eddie appears, flour is thrown to mimic the fog of the movie scene.
  • In one scene Frank says "It's not easy having a good time". The audience replies "Try Disney World".
  • The "dinner scene" with dead Eddie at the table:
    • When Frank N. Furter raises his glass and says “A toast!”, Everyone throws slices of toast.
    • As soon as Furter puts on a party hat, the audience follows suit.
  • The song Wise Up, Janet Weiss : On the lyrics Furters Did you hear a bell ring? the audience answers with the ringing of little bells or a bunch of keys.
  • Scene I'm Going Home: At the lines of text "... cards for sorrow, cards for pain" , the audience throws playing cards.

Film bug

  • The heart that Brad paints on the chapel door is different from the one that is wiped away.
  • With time warp the red carpet disappears and appears from shot to shot. It can then be found unfolded behind the music box.
  • Before the time warp, the bell strikes seven times, but the clock shows 12 o'clock.

Others

The figure of Dr. Everett Scott aka Dr. Everett von Scott, which suggests a German origin (he also speaks with a German accent in the film), is a parody of the character of Dr. Strangelove (in German translation: Dr. Seltsam ) from the film Dr. Strange or: How I Learned to Love the Bomb by Stanley Kubrick .

Immediately after the wedding, a short shot of a rural couple (the church servants) with a pitchfork in front of the church door. This scene is an allusion to the painting American Gothic by Grant Wood , which in turn can be seen quite prominently in one of the first scenes in the castle next to the grandfather clock in the entrance hall. The couple is played by Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn, who later appear in the Transylvanian Castle as Riff Raff and Magenta. In the scene shortly before the end of the film, when Riff Raff and Magenta appear in futuristic clothes to "depose" Frank'n'Furter, there is also a parody of American Gothic : Riff Raff wears a laser emitter in the form of a trident or one Pitchfork. This threefold juxtaposition of the Transylvanian crooked gallows with American Gothic, which is considered to be one of the classic depictions of 19th century American Pietist Protestantism , is a joke of the same.

The most important Transylvanian figures with the church servants (Riff Raff, Magenta, Columbia) and the pastor (Frank'n'Furter) are already present in the entrance scenery at and in the church of Denton. The narrator marked them on his projection before inviting the audience on a “strange journey”. With numerous allusions to Frankenstein (for example Frank'n'Furter, the artificial creature Rocky) and Transylvania / Dracula , the Rocky Horror Picture Show takes motifs from the two most famous narrative strands of the horror film and parodies them.

In the film Fame - The Road to Fame by Alan Parker , a complete scene is dedicated to the Rocky Horror Picture Show, in which Maureen Teefy and Barry Miller recite the time warp sequence in appropriate disguise during a cinema screening.

Soundtracks

In addition to the soundtrack, with the subtitle Audience Par-Tic-I-Pation Album , an "Original Soundtrack to the Original Soundtrack from the Original Movie" was also released on two LPs, which included a complete US performance of the film including spoken scenes with the typical soundscape from the Auditorium of a movie theater at the time of the climax of the "hands-on performances". The recording begins with a greeting from Sal Piro .

The DVD also contains the most important songs as a karaoke version. On the double DVD there are some extras such as recordings from the set and the practice of the actors' dances.

Songs

  • Science Fiction / Double Feature (sung by Richard O'Brien)
  • Damn It, Janet (sung by Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon)
  • There's a Light (Over at the Frankenstein Place) (sung by Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and Richard O'Brien)
  • Time Warp (sung by Richard O'Brien, Little Nell, Patricia Quinn and Charles Gray)
  • Sweet Transvestite (sung by Tim Curry)
  • I Can Make You a Man (sung by Tim Curry)
  • Sword of Damocles (sung by Peter Hinwood)
  • Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul (sung by Meat Loaf)
  • I Can Make You a Man (Reprise) (sung by Tim Curry)
  • Once in a While (scene cut out)
  • Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me (sung by Susan Sarandon)
  • Eddie's Teddy (sung by Jonathan Adams and Little Nell)
  • Planet Schmanet Janet / Wise up, Janet Weiss (sung by Tim Curry)
  • Floorshow (sung by Little Nell, Peter Hinwood, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Richard O'Brien and Tim Curry)
  • I'm Going Home (sung by Tim Curry)
  • Superheroes (sung by Barry Bostwick and Susan Sarandon)

Reviews

“As a musical, the show is rather lame, the parody of cinema horror does not go beyond a few common basic patterns, and every film that is remembered is more likely to be seen a second time than the experiences of an inexperienced couple in one To pursue the haunted castle. "

- Die Zeit , July 22, 1977

“At every 'Rocky Horror' performance, the mail went off in the cinema. Made up like Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien, also the composer!) Or Eddie (Meatloaf), the songs from 'Science fiction double feature' to 'Don't dream it, be it ! ' and threw rice into the hall at the wedding scene. The wild mixture of travesty show and horror film parody was originally an insider tip of the New York theater scene. As a film, the grusical took two years to start up. Then the spell was broken and the 'Rocky Horror' cult flourished in arthouse cinemas well into the eighties. No reason to stop now. After all, the musical has a lot to offer: catchy hits, a sexy Tim Curry as 'Sweet Transvestite' and the sweet Susan Sarandon as Janet. - Get makeup, rice and toilet paper - let's go! "

- TV movie

“The greatest cult film of all time! The shrill grusical - horror and sci-fi film parody - came to our cinemas two years after its US premiere and became a long-running hit. Tim Curry made his debut as Dr. Frank-N-Furter. - Frivolous mix of show, kitsch and decadence. "

- TV guide

“Bizarre-grotesque pop parody of horror, monster, science fiction and music films; fully conscious attacks on moral and taste conventions. A classic of the 70s pop. "

- Lexicon of International Films

Awards

Golden Scroll 1976
  • nominated:
    • Best horror film
  • In 2005 the film was included in the National Film Registry as a major work in film history.

continuation

After the success of the film, Jim Sharman and Richard O'Brien planned a sequel. This was published in 1981 under the title Shock Treatment .

In it, Brad and Janet, now married, unintentionally fall into the clutches of television and are manipulated by it. Janet is persuaded that she is a star, while Brad, pumped full of drugs, is admitted to the insane asylum for sedation. The entire film is set in a huge television studio now dominated by Denton and includes media criticism over and over again.

The film again offers a lot of songs and Richard O'Brien's humor, but it never achieved the cult status of its predecessor. In Germany the film flopped in cinemas; In 2007 it was released on DVD.

Remake

In August 2008 it was announced that Sky Movies and MTV were working on a remake of the Rocky Horror Picture Show for television. Richard O'Brien was named as a co-producer, but denied any involvement. However, the project already failed in the development phase.

In October 2015, Fox TV announced that it was working on a remake. The transsexual actress Laverne Cox was hired as the leading actress . Kenny Ortega will direct and co-produce it with Lou Adler , who was a producer on the 1975 original. The musical The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again , produced as a two-hour TV special, was broadcast on October 20, 2016.

literature

  • Klaus Schmeh: The cult factor. From marketing to myth: 42 success stories from Rolex to Jägermeister. Redline Wirtschaftsverlag, Frankfurt August 2004, ISBN 3-636-01082-4 (contains a detailed chapter on Rocky Horror Picture Show and the cult that goes with it).
  • Mick Rock: Rocky Horror. Schwarzkopf & Schwarzkopf, October 2005, ISBN 3-89602-666-6 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Rockyhorror.com: Rocky Horror Timeline .
  2. ↑ Petra Paterno: "Your theater was like a magnet." The Wiener Schauspielhaus under Hans Gratzer from 1978 to 2001 . Dissertation for a doctorate in philosophy in theater, film and media studies. Vienna 2013, p. 55 ( othes.univie.ac.at [PDF; accessed on March 28, 2016]).
  3. ↑ Trevor White. In: IMDb. Retrieved September 6, 2016 .
  4. ↑ Open Culture . Interview with Tim Curry in the first week after the premiere.
  5. ↑ ROCKY HORROR (OV) , Museum Lichtspiele München , accessed on March 12, 2018.
  6. ↑ Rocky Horror Picture Show: For 40 years in Munich - A Munich world record: The transvestite show to mob , Laura Kaufmann, SZ , February 16, 2017, accessed March 4, 2017
  7. ↑ rockyhorror.com prop list .
  8. ↑ Film tips . In: Die Zeit , No. 30/1977.
  9. ↑ criticism. In: tvspielfilm.de. Retrieved July 13, 2015 .
  10. ↑ TV Guide , issue 15/2009.
  11. ↑ The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 3, 2016 .Template: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used 
  12. ↑ Rocky remake leaves O'Brien cold. In: BBC news message. August 14, 2008, accessed July 13, 2015 .
  13. ^ Studios 'court Glee creator' for Rocky Horror Picture Show remake. In: The Guardian. October 19, 2010, accessed January 18, 2016 .
  14. ↑ Laverne Cox to Star in 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' on Fox. In: The New York Times. October 22, 2015, accessed January 18, 2016 .