The Rocky Horror Picture Show redefined the movie musical in 1975. The cult film confused straight audiences, many of whom found the indulgent film to be odd and over-the-top. Yet, The Rocky Horror Picture Show metamorphosed into the longest-running film in history, with dedicated fans performing shadow casts and creating their own unique culture surrounding the film.
Aside from the film's unique songs, set design and performances there is another reason why The Rocky Horror Picture Show became such a longstanding hit with audiences: its queerness. From Rocky Horror's portrayal of androgyny and transness to people living on the literal fringes of society and its exploration of sexuality and its fluidity, it's really no wonder that queer people have turned the iconic movie musical into a Halloween staple.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show's Exploration of Sexuality
From The Rocky Horror Picture Show's character design to songs ("Sweet Transvestite" and "Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me," for example) it's obvious that the film is an ode to queerness. The film's plot is dedicated to the discovery of one's sexuality, regardless of its label. When Janet (Susan Sarandon) and Brad (Barry Bostwick) stumble onto Dr. Frank-N-Furter's (Tim Curry) castle-like mansion they both undergo an upheaval of what they thought the "norm" was in terms of their sexuality. Janet, who was rather prudish, learns that it's okay to have carnal desires, and Brad discovers his bisexuality.
Every aspect of The Rocky Horror Picture Show is dedicated to queerness and the special way that queerness has existed on the edges of a heteronormative society. A pink triangle on Dr. Frank-N-Furter's lab coat, his uncanny ability to shapeshift and an obsession with a muscled Rocky prove that Rocky Horror is drenched in the little things that make up the queer experience. The Rocky Horror Picture Show also shows the influence of classic Hollywood monster horror, reinventing those classic tropes into something a little more modern (and less codified) for the modern queer viewer. After all, the film is an extremely queer adaptation of Frankenstein! And while straight people can, and do, enjoy The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the film intended to give society's "outsiders" a campy, horrific and sexual movie musical to rock on to.
Rocky Horror Is Unabashedly Camp
Cementing The Rocky Horror Picture Show's status as a cult classic is largely the way that audiences have melded the film with audience interaction. From midnight viewings to amateur shadow casts, the act of seeing Rocky Horror in theaters has become its own cult following in the decades since its initial release. While the film has been readapted (think Glee's Rocky Horror-themed episode) nothing has surpassed the original in terms of its campy look and premise. This is largely due to the film's underground beginnings and overtly queer subtext, but also responsible is The Rocky Horror Picture Show's blending of sci-fi and horror themes.
As mentioned previously, Rocky Horror places its otherworldly plot in the vein of film and horror history. The film begins with a pair of red-painted lips singing a song filled with references to science fiction and horror pop culture. "Science Fiction/Double Feature" starts out by name-dropping old classics like The Day the Earth Stood Still, King Kong and The Invisible Man. By leaning so heavily on films that came before it, The Rocky Horror Picture Show can reinvent the genre for queer audiences, turning queer subtext from the early days of horror into outright queer text onscreen. Rocky Horror gives queer audiences a place to express their love of sci-fi and horror while still catering to their identities as queer individuals.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show grew throughout the decades since its release, becoming a major part of queer cinematic history and horror alike. The film's transformation from just a movie musical to an entire viewing experience with unique rules and artistry demonstrates the power of queer art to transcend the screen, making The Rocky Horror Picture Show the perfect viewing experience for Halloween (or honestly, any time of the year).