The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Author: Jim Sharman

When you think of Rocky Horror, you think of shouting back at the screen and throwing toast ("To absent friends…") but beyond all of that, at the heart of the experience, is an incredibly smart homage/parody to the Golden Ages of science fiction, horror, burlesque, and queer culture. Brad and Janet find themselves stuck in a house where a strange gathering is happening. There lives Dr. Frank-n-Furter, the sweet transvestite from the planet Transexual in the Transylvania galaxy. There's a whole lot more to it, but that's the basics. The high camp of the songs and setting are balanced by some incredible talent, and even some genuinely touching moments, such as Tim Curry's masterful performance of I'm Going Home. The staging is pretty simple at times, but the actors carve paths through and hit every note perfectly. Throughout, there are bits and pieces of Hammer Horror, Universal Monsters, and Pop Art-laced surrealism. A strange, and wonderful musical, that is incredibly rewarding to those of us who watched a lot of Creature Features as kids. Why it's on the list Four generations of high schoolers have fallen in love with it, and when have they ever been wrong?