This is a blog that between 2011-2021 dealt with reviews, and from here on it is the home of all my projects. Posts are going to be more random, but the comment section is always open. Check out the links for how it begun, and see how I ended my ten year run on the right panel. Look around, leave a comment, and enjoy my content: I made it with all my heart!
What's Next On My List? The Rocky Horror Picture Show
I have been meaning to write a series of reviews on musical movies. I have decided to take up this opportunity to start with a very particular one, in regards to the start of the holiday seasons: Halloween! The last review will be Christmas related, and that having been said, let us now dig in:
A young couple gets lost in the woods and end up in an old castle where they seek help, and instead find a mad scientist from outer-space who tries to create a new man by using components of living humans. Being drawn to what is happening inside the castle, they stay for the night and horror ensues... Very funny horror, that is, with great music.
I already started talking about this movie in my previous entry where I admitted my undying love towards Tim Curry (click here to read!), and I decided to write about this movie because it is celebrating a very unique anniversary: the 40th!
Besides the 'horror' part you might wonder why I decided to write about this movie now. Well, you might be right in saying that there is nothing Halloweenie about it... however, because of the 'horror' part my sister and I watched it the day before Halloween a couple of years ago. And I'll be honest with you, it wasn't my favorite after we saw it... the reason for that is I think I was too little. This movie is very deep and there are a lot of layers to it. When it comes to the comedic part, it hit all the right notes with me and I adored it. With the serious stuff instead, well... I should re-watch it. But what got me hooked was...
That's right, the music. You know you have famous songs from this movie and they are great, but my favorites are actually the ones that you don't hear over and over in every movie. Although I can't resist a singing Tim Curry, still, my favorite song must be "Hot Patottie Bless My Soul", followed by "Planet Schmanet Janet", which in musical versions actually is a lot longer than in the movie. Then "Dammit Janet" was love at first hearing :D and since then I have been listening to the soundtrack CD over and over again and slowly every song has become dear to me in a way or another. Still, I mostly enjoy the fun parts of the movie, so the actual 'rocky' songs are the ones that draw me closer to the story. Since then "Eddie" as well as "Toucha Toucha Touch Me" have become favorites of mine, but upon hearing the songs for the first time, I gotta say that I was super jealous of Tim Curry's body... I mean come on... he's the model I strive to be, I think he wears those heels more gracefully than any woman I know!
And the other element of the movie that made me fall for it were - of course - the actors. I knew these actors from the 90's, and well, this movie was not set then... have you ever had that experience? That you knew an actor and really liked them and then found out they were child actors as well, or simply had more movies before you discovered them in the role of a mom or a dad, or a grandparent? That happens to me often, and I always love it, because it is quite fun. It was the same here for me. Most adults do know Susan Sarandon as Janet, for me she's Mrs. March from Little Women; and they know Barry Bostwick as Brad, but for me he'll always be the stupid mayor from Spin City; and Tim Curry will always be Dr. Poole from Oscar to me, no matter what he does!
I think that overall this movie became such a success in the end because there is something in it for everyone. The shy ones, the sexually overheated ones, the artists and the mad scientists of our generation and other three generations before that all have someone to relate to.
The movie was a flop when it first appeared in the theatre and to be honest I wasn't surprised because America has a history of over looking musical movies... it's like they don't understand them... my favorite comment I always come across is "There were too many songs"... YOU'RE WATCHING A MUSICAL, for God's sake... but I talked about this in detail in my entry entitled "What The F*ck Is This Sh*t? Glee" (click here to read it!). However, to show what a cult following this movie has now I do recommend watching Glee! Why? Well, there is an episode in it where they are preparing to showcase the musical, but they switch the order of the songs. This shows you that for people who really know the source material this is a great homage and it is - in my humble opinion - very entertaining to use the same songs to tell a different story! (The Glee episode in question was in season 2, episode 5! Check it out!)
Having said all that, you should see the movie, trust me. And yes, being a cult classic, you are very lame to not have seen it yet! You'll want to dress or sing like Dr. Frank-N-Furter for a while, and that's OK. You'll laugh a lot and even if you won't like it at first, there will still be at least one song that will get stuck in your ears and that beat is gonna make you crazy - in a really good way!
It is unique, it has its magical moments and the 'horror' part is equally good as the 'rocky', so I just know you won't be disappointed!
Until the next item on my list!
PS: Have you heard? Los Angeles declared October 30th national Rocky Horror Day! Read about here!
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