Movie Review by EDF
Starring: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick
Director: Jim Sharman
Re-released on video with extra features such as outtakes and a making of feature, why should you go out and buy this cult musical in the first place? Do you mean you are one of the few that have never seen this gem before? What is it all about?
The story starts off with a wedding that Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) and Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) have been invited to. As Janet catches the thrown bouquet, the groom tells Brad to make his move on Janet. Brad promptly gets engaged to Janet. That night they head off to visit ex-tutor and friend Dr. Everett Scott. But the weather that night is stormy and after taking a wrong turn and their car suffering a flat tyre, they walk back to where they saw a castle. Arriving at the castle soaked to the bone, they are greeted by Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien) who lets them in. He informs them that they have arrived in the middle of one of his master’s affairs. Riff Raff leads Brad and Janet into the main area where they find the guests doing the Timewarp. Trying to make their exit, Brad and Janet come across the outrageous “Sweet Transvestite” Frank N Furter (Tim Curry). He invites them up “to the lab to see what’s on the slab”. For this invitation, Brad and Janet are stripped down to the bare minimum and are then sent up to the lab.
Frank N Furter reveals that his experiment on life, his creation, will be unveiled in the shape of the muscle popping Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood), a sort of playmate for Frank N Furter. Brad and Janet are invited to stay the night and are shown to separate bedrooms. The reason for the separate bedrooms becomes clear as Frank N Furter, disguised as Brad, seduces Janet. Once his deceit is revealed, Janet gives into him. In the meantime, showing contempt for Rocky Horror, Riff Raff chases him away. While all this is happening, Janet goes into Brad’s room. Just as things are starting to hot up, Janet turns out to be Frank N Furter in disguise. Repulsed by this, Frank N Furter convinces Brad that as he was not complaining about it beforehand, they should continue. And they do.
Janet goes to the lab looking for Brad and on the view screen finds Brad and Frank N Furter together. Upset, Janet finds Rocky Horror and seduces him in revenge for what has just happened. Then Dr. Everett Scott appears at the castle. Is he looking for Brad and Janet or is there on another agenda? Will Brad and Janet escape? Who really is Frank N Furter and will they ever stop belting out Rock n Roll tunes?
One thing is certain, the success of this cult musical will still run on for a long time to come. Everyone is just right for his or her respective roles, including Tim Curry who steals the show. There is also a cameo by a pre Bat Out Of Hell Meat Loaf starring as Eddie. The songs are both funny and great. In all it really is a load of nonsense, but that does not really matter when the cast and the viewer are having a ball of a time. Best night out you can have without going out.
