Saturday 4th July

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Director: Jim Sharman
Year: 1975
Stars: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien, Jonathan Adams, Meatloaf, Peter Hinwood, Charles Gray

OK, I admit it. This is another incredibly famous, genre-defining (or perhaps genre-subverting) film that I've never seen. I've always intended to, but just somehow never got around to it. Perhaps part of the reason for that seemed to be that it was never on TV. Well, a few months back it was, and after recording it, I finally got around to watching it on a Saturday morning.

First off, this isn't really a morning film. It seemed to me to be more a middle of the night film, to be watched most probably after one too many beers (or bottles of wine). Which probably has something to do with why it was aired at about midnight. The plot, such as it is, revolves around two high school kids who stumble on Frankenstein's place - a house that turns out to be full of (mostly) sex-hungry aliens. Yes, if you haven't seen it either, it is that odd.

This film really is all about spectacle. There isn't really a great deal of plot to speak of. As a theatre show, I can see that it could be amazing (no, I've not seen it at the theatre either). As a film, I can see how it's gained cult status - it's simply too odd not to have done so. But as a movie I enjoyed, well, there are much better. But then, I do still have the "Time Warp" song running round in my head...

Rating: 2.5 out of 5