The Rocky Horror Picture Show was on TV tonight. It’d been over 20 years since I’ve seen it in a theatre. I remember watching with the Iceback several years ago, and he just didn’t get it.

That’s the thing with The Rocky Horror Picture Show, either you “get it” or you don’t. It is indeed an acquired taste, to say the least. Probably more than anything, it is a cult icon of a generation.

Tonight, I watched it with Z-Man, who I think had always heard of it and so was curious to see “what the fuss” is all about. I explained to him that back in my day, you were either drunk or, most likely, stoned when you watched it. But still, it’s something that is from my “youth” and will always be a cult favorite for me.

As we watched the different previews leading up to the showing tonight, I couldn’t help but bust out to “Let’s Do the Time Warp Again,” (yes, complete with dance moves) to which Z-Man insisted that he would only watch it with me if I promised not to sing—or dance.

It was tough, folks, I have to tell you.

People who have subscribed to the Over 40 Newsletter know that Miss Netta listed The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a good movie to watch on Halloween night with a bowl of popcorn and your most favorite loved one snuggle up tight next to you (or maybe you've caught our YouTube wars in which we've featured a few of The Rocky Horror Picture Show songs.)

So on the eve before Halloween, after watching the movie, I thought I’d share some (yes of course) history and memories with you.

The movie is from the British stage production. Many of the original stage cast are in the movie. The movie came out in 1975 and “starred” as yet undiscovered Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick and Tim Curry. Not to mention, Meatloaf, one of the many voices of my generation (Love By the Dashboard Lights…are you kidding me? Bat Out of Hell, baby!)

The musical is meant to parody science fiction and horror films, with a decidedly 70’s rock opera twist. Still in limited release 30 years after its premiere, it is the longest running theatrical release in film history. That’s right, folks!

It of course was not a hit upon immediate release but has since become a classic of the “Midnight Movie” phase, gaining popularity in 1977. It has a large international following and is one of the best known and most financially successful midnight movies of all time!

Rocky Horror Film Facts:

Richard O'Brien plays Riff-Raff in the movie and wrote both the musical and the screenplay. (as a side note, I LOVE his voice)

Patricia Quinn plays the maid-servant and Riff-Raff’s twin sister, Magenta. Her lips are used for the opening number and movie poster.

The filming of Rocky's birth happened on October 30, 1974, the 81st anniversary of the birth of Charles Atlas.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show was the second movie of Susan Sarandon’s career. Later that year she was cast in The Great Waldo Pepper with Robert Redford.

In 2005, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."

Tim Curry met Richard O’Brien while doing the London stage production of Hair.

Tim Curry played Dr. Frank N. Furter in the original London stage show. The role originally started out as a peroxide, German character but later developed into a middle class English mad scientist.

Besides Dr. Frank N. Furter, Curry is probably best known to American audiences as the butler in Clue.

However, Tim Curry played Pennywise the Dancing Clown in 1990 in the miniseries It, based loosely on Stephen King's novel.

In 1972, Barry Bostwick originated the role of Danny Zuko in the stage production of Grease.

My Personal Rocky Horror Memories:

I believe, if memory serves me, my first viewing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show was in my junior year in High School—1978-1979. One of my best buds from Drama Club, Dan LaForce, and I went to see it. Oddly enough, for some reason, it wasn’t a midnight movie. I know this because I remember it being still light outside when we entered the theater though I know it was dark when leaving. Dan was the darling of Drama Club, the one voted “Most Likely to Have a Career as an Actor.” He didn’t and last I heard, two years ago, he is living a quiet life in Oregon and doing local productions.

Dan owned one of the original Volkswagon Beetles. He was one of four gay friends I had in High School (my other best bud would later become my beloved hair dresser, first doing my hair for Drama Club productions and then after school, whenever I could track him down…my other best bud would tour with Up With People and then die of AIDS back before we really knew what AIDS was and the other…well, I just don’t know.) Dan and I were bundled up, it being winter and his Bug had no heat. We procured ourselves a nice little bottle of Slow Gin that we snuck it into the theater. We found ourselves a spot in the very back, proceeded to get drunk and laughed ourselves silly. The theater, because of the earlyish hour, was practically empty so we had a good time and I’m glad that my “first time” was with him. I have fond memories of that.

The next time I went to see it was with my friend, Shannon. By then I was 21 or almost 22. I talked her into a Midnight Showing. In the five or so years since I’d first seen it, the movie was becoming quite the Midnight rage. Mind you, my town was kind of small, and so we were always a few years behind either coasts.

However, it had showed in my town as a Midnight movie before, and because of the fanatical fans, those who brought toast, toilet paper and other odds and ends to throw at the screen during showings…apparently one time they went too far. The theater’s screen, that are very expensive, was torn.

So for a few years the movie was banned, yes banned from out town.

When they finally decided to allow it to be shown again in one of three local theaters, I begged Shannon to go with me. We both got high as a kite! And I remember the line being sooooooooo long. We waited in line outside for probably 30 minutes to an hour.

We were weaving through the line and as we got up to the specific theater door, there was a squatty young man, wearing Dockers and an oversized shirt with (I can only assume) a clip on tie and he was frisking everyone! The little perv, with no badge and no authority (other than what the theater owners had bestowed upon him) put his hands in places no stranger’s hands should be. I’ve been arrested and was never subjected to that! EVER!

Me being me, asked him “Did you get off on that, ya little perv?”

To which he looked at the ground before once again returning to his duty and repeating his frisk on my friend, Shannon. Uh, I believe she had a word or two to say to him also (sisters of sarcasm, UNITE!)

Surprisingly enough, plenty of people still managed to smuggle in their Rocky Horror Picture Show paraphernalia. I don’t know how they did it, but bless their souls. At last, I got to experience the The Rocky Horror Picture Show as the cult film was meant to be experienced, as it had been experienced on both coasts of this great country of ours: stoned out of my mind with crazily dressed, toast throwing, toilet paper tossing, aisle dancing people all around.

So yes indeedy…I love The Rocky Horror Picture Show and always will.

Happy Halloween, y’all!

I can't close out this entry without a couple of tunes.

While not the original lips, this is the opening song with lyrics.