The Rocky Horror Picture Show

I first encountered the Rocky Horror phenomenon at a convention in Minnesota back in the late 70s. I was at lunch with half a dozen fans, who all fell to talking about this great movie. They then proceeded to describe it in great and enthusiastic detail. The business of water pistols and newspaper hats, shouting at the characters, and enacting scenes in costume in front of the screen was still in its infancy. These people really, really liked the movie itself.

I never went to a midnight showing, but I knew a lot of people who did, in various costumes. It didn’t sound like my kind of scene at all. It finally came out on video much, much later (1990, at a price of $89, according to Wiki!), the reasoning being that if people could see it at home, why would they pay to see it on Saturday night at the movies? Once again, they underestimated the Rocky fandom. Midnight showings continued, and as far as I know, they still happen from time to time to this day.

Someone bought a copy, and a few of my friends watched it with me one night. I have to say I was underwhelmed. I thought it was about half of an okay movie. That is the first half. I liked some of the stuff, but bottom line, there is only one really good musical number and that is “Time Warp.” And the less said about the second half, the better. It just sort of peters out into nothing much. Upon my second viewing, I have to say that my opinion hasn’t changed, except that I was even less impressed.