Doing “The Time Warp” Since 1975

Rocky Horror Anniversary On September 26, 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released in the United States, following its August 14 release in the U.K. Despite doing well in Los Angeles, the film initially did not do well elsewhere, resulting in the cancellation of a planned Halloween night opening in New York City.

Executives at 20th Century Fox, however, noted that some films were doing well at midnight showings, so the following April, the movie began running at midnight in New York, soon spreading to other locations. The rest is history, as the studio has never ended the 1975 distribution, making the movie the longest-running release ever and Meat Loaf’s greatest big-screen appearance.

It was a long road, but the counterculture movie written by director Jim Sharman and actor Richard O’Brien (Riff Raff) stuck around long enough to become mainstream. Brad Majors, played by Barry Bostwick, spoke for the movie when he sang to Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon), “The future is ours/ So let’s plan it.”

So, to celebrate the anniversary of the film’s release, get out your toast, spray guns, and toilet paper. Below is the original trailer for the film that became a cult phenomenon.

For more on The Rocky Horror Picture Show, check out this rare Tim Curry interview from the time of the movie’s release. Also, for the fortieth anniversary of the film, Fox News interviewed cast members Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn, and Nell Campbell.

What is your favorite song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Tim Curry on “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” in 1975

    Back in 1975 as “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was opening, Tim Curry discussed his role in the movie on a student TV station.

    Tim Curry Rocky Horror Interview

    I remember seeing The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) for the first time when I was in college. It was in the days before the Internet and videos, so the only way to experience it was at a late-night showing with people throwing water and toast. I had just moved to a city from my small town, and the movie was unlike anything I had ever seen. I was not sure what to make of the movie and Tim Curry’s portrayal of Frank-n-Furter, but it was fun, and I would recapture the experience several times through the years, introducing other friends and family to the unusual moviegoing experience.

    For decades, actor Tim Curry avoided discussing his iconic role in the movie. But back in August of 1975 when the movie opened, Curry appeared on STOIC, the Student Television Of Imperial College to discuss the newly released film.

    In the video, interviewer Mark Caldwell got Curry to open up about his role as Frank-n-Furter, and Curry discussed how he came up with the accent he uses in the film and whether he would be interested in acting in a sequel. As noted on Open Culture, the young Caldwell does an excellent job and we are lucky to have this video still around.

    The video interview, unfortunately, is no longer available for embedding here but you can check it out by going to YouTube.  Check it out there.

    In 2005, Curry would once again discuss The Rocky Horror Picture Show during an interview on NPR’s Fresh Air. That interview focused on his role as King Arthur in Spamalot on Broadway.

    Did you know that the first midnight showing of Rocky Horror began at the Waverly Theater in New York City on April 1, 1976? For more trivia, check out “38 Freaky Facts About The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”

    What is your favorite memory of “Rocky Horror”? Leave your two cents in the comments.

  • Doing “The Time Warp” Since 1975