I would like... if I may...
to take you... on a strange journey...
Audience
Participation Lines
Prop List
Audience Partici-SAY IT!-pation
night
Plot info:
The story, narrated by a criminologist (Charles Gray), is that of a young newly engaged couple, Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), who find themselves lost on a cold and rainy late November evening. Seeking a phone to call for help, the two find shelter at a nearby castle inhabited by strange and outlandish characters that are holding an Annual Transylvanian Convention. They watch, still wet from the rain as the Transylvanians dance The Time Warp, the film's signature song.
They are soon swept into the world of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a self proclaimed "Sweet Transvestite from Transexual, Transylvania" and his servants, Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien) and his sister Magenta (Patricia Quinn), groupie Columbia (Nell Campbell), and an ensemble of convention attendees.
It is the Doctor's intention to unveil his "secret to life itself". In a scene inspired by Frankenstein movies, "Rocky Horror" (Peter Hinwood) is brought to life. After Rocky is chased down by Frank, the party is interrupted by Eddie (Meat Loaf), an ex-delivery boy, who rides out of a deep freeze on a motorcycle. The scene ends with his bloody death at the hands of Furter.
Brad and Janet are shown to separate rooms where their host has his way with both. Janet, overcome with emotion, wanders off looking for Brad. She discovers a cowering Rocky, hiding in his birth tank from Riff Raff, who torments the creature much as Igor tormented Frankenstein's monster.
Janet, having just discovered Brad's infidelity, chooses to take advantage of the situation with Rocky.
After discovering the "creature" is missing, Frank, Brad and Riff Raff return to the lab where they learn that an intruder has entered the building. Dr. Scott (Jonathan Adams), Brad and Janet's old high school science teacher, has come looking for his nephew Eddie. It is at this point that Rocky and Janet are discovered hiding together.
In a scene added specifically for the film version, the new guests are prepared a dinner consisting of the remains of Dr. Scott's nephew. After they see what they have consumed, horror and disgust lead to a chase after Janet who runs screaming from the room.
Frank captures all and electronically commands them to participate in cabaret-style floor show. The show is disrupted by Riff Raff and with his sister, Magenta, who take command, killing Columbia, Frank and Rocky. They release the earthlings, Brad, Janet and Dr. Scott as the castle takes off into space to return to the planet of Transexual, in the galaxy of Transylvania.
Lasting impact:
The film is considered a cult classic and a midnight movie — although it is widely known by mainstream audiences. It has a large national and international following. While it can be said that the popularity is high, critics point to the lack of plot and cartoonish style as well as the overly sexual nature of the film as some of its major drawbacks. Regardless of these facts the movie has gone on to become one of the most well known and financially successful midnight movies of all time. It is the longest running theatrical release in film history. More than 30 years later it is still in limited release in theaters around the world. In December 2005, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington added The Rocky Horror Picture Show to the National Film Registry, a list that contains only 450 films.
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