Released in 1975, The
Rocky Horror Picture Show has never left theaters and continues to be the
longest-running movie of all time. Rocky
Horror didn’t draw much attention on its initial release, but found a home
in the Midnight Movie timeslot. There night owls, loners, and children of the
freaking night discovered it and made it their own through spontaneous bursts
of audience participation. It quickly gelled into an orchestrated script
including audience props, costumes, and the occasional call to the Fire
Marshall. Your Rocky Horror cred is
based on your knowledge and skills of interaction. For each generation that
discovers it, Rocky Horror becomes a
rite of passage of movie culture. I loved it when my friends took me to my
first show. And I love it now as it’s not something you can stream, download,
or fully appreciate on DVD. The full, unvarnished joy of The Rocky Horror Picture Show can only be experienced in a
sticky-floored theater—with
a bag full of props and a collection of your wild-ass friends.
