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“The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” produced in 1975 and starring Tim Curry has become a staple of not only the horror genre, but the Sci-fi genre as well. The musical film is the longest running theatrical release in history, with the movie still in theaters since its release. This often includes participation from the audience following gags from the film.

Curry plays Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a cross-dressing alien scientist attempting to create a Frankenstein style creature. Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick) and Jenet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), a newly engaged couple get stuck in the rain after their car gets a flat tire, leading them to meet Furter at their castle, creating many comedic antics and musical numbers.

After Furter introduces them to the creature who is called Rocky Horror (Peter Hinwood). Eddie (Michael Lee Aday, better known as Meat Loaf) then storms into the lab from an ice cellar. Prompting him and Furter to get in a fight leading to Eddie’s death, creating tension between the characters for the rest of the film.

The film kicks off almost immediately, and there’s a lot of information thrown around, like, why there is a bunch of people throwing a party in an old castle, or why there are laser guns and UFOs. Most of the film’s information is built into the songs, while expected, the information went by so quickly it often required multiple listens to understand what was happening. This may feel like a very detailed plot, but that isn’t the only thing that makes it confusing.

Surprisingly, this didn’t affect the enjoyment of the film, as it plays on so many cultural taboos that it’s a constant joy to watch. Things like Furter being a hyper sexualized cross-dresser, who is also the leader of an alien species, is so unexpected it was hard not to smile. It was unexpected and very unusual but made the film fun even before the songs started.

The movie’s most popular song is most likely “Time Warp,” for it’s often used as a Halloween classic song. “Time Warp” plays on the film’s most musical aspects, with many dancing Transylvanian aliens in the background. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” also played on strong rock elements that were utilized repeatedly in the film, making the movie a glam-rock musical.

With its rock elements and quirky characters, the movie has gained a large fan base and a fan club of roughly 50,000 people. When the film is in theaters today, many times there are interactive experiences. These are frequently played at midnight, following a tradition of the film being played only at night.

Attendees generally come to the show wearing costumes based on characters or bringing props to mimic gags from the film. Audiences also commonly sing along to the film and repeat lines, creating an atmosphere of connection and excitement. Added by the already silly personalities of characters in the movie, the theater experience is exciting and comedic.

“The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is a movie in an entirely different world of production, due to its strong originality. Curry played a legendary personality that would be hard to replicate. All things considered, I found the film very enjoyable and throughout it couldn’t stop smiling. I would rate the film a 3.9📼 out of 5.0📼 and I expect you’ll smile just as much as I did.