THE STORY – A London theater play evolves into a groundbreaking cult phenomenon, featuring iconic songs and performances that celebrate individuality. The legacy lives on through midnight screenings and a devoted following that spans generations.
THE CAST – Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Trixie Mattel & Jack Black
THE TEAM – Linus O’Brien (Director) & Avner Shiloah (Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 89 Minutes
This year, the ultimate cult film, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” turns 50. It really is astounding how time is fleeting, as the song goes. It’s practically a cinematic rite of passage for certain subsets of the population to throw on a shake-and-go wig, slather on makeup with their fingers, grab a pen, and head to a midnight screening at the local rep theater. What makes “Rocky Horror” so truly special is that, unlike most other cult films, the audience is neither reacting to a temporary trend when they go to the movie, nor are they watching it with a sense of irony. “Rocky Horror” has become a cultural mainstay that’s built and strengthened communities, and, most importantly, helped people discover truths about themselves. Amazingly, it has even yielded revelations for those involved in its creation, as the new documentary, “Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror,” reveals. It’s a rousing, loving feature-length exploration of the creation and legacy of the world’s greatest cult film and record holder for longest-running theatrical release in film history.
Director Linus O’Brien starts his film not at the beginning, but in the present day. His camera follows “Rocky Horror’s” creator, writer, and original Riff Raff, Richard O’Brien (who also happens to be Linus’ father), around his New Zealand hometown. The 80-something Richard struts around his old (literal) stomping grounds in an all-black outfit, including skintight jeans and heels, proudly showing off his childhood home and a statue of himself that was erected in his honor, to his own surprise and amusement. It’s made evidently clear from the way that Richard presents and speaks that the characters and ideals he wrote into “Rocky Horror” come from a place of truth within himself; he was never a tourist in the underground scene of his younger years, rather, he helped solidify some of its most iconic imagery.
From there, the film goes way, way back and takes the audience, as the title refers to and “Rocky Horror’s” criminologist invites, on the strange journey that led to the birth of the film, using Richard as a guiding light. The documentary charts his childhood, youth, and eventual journey to London, where he pursued an acting career, forging connections that would help him take “Rocky Horror” from just an idea to an actual stage show. This is more than just a behind-the-scenes look at the movie; it explores the entire lifespan thus far of “Rocky Horror,” from its underground theater infancy to its current cinematic ubiquity. The documentary excavates incredible footage from the original stage production, showing that “Rocky Horror” has always been completely and unapologetically true to the essence of what it is.
To help lend their perspective, Linus manages to interview basically every living person who was there to watch “Rocky Horror” ascend to the heights of success, including Susan Sarandon and Tim Curry, not to mention names that are sacred to any “Rocky Horror” devotee, like cast members Barry Bostwick, Nell Campbell, and Patricia Quinn. Linus even manages to get celebrities like Jack Black and Trixie Mattel on camera, sharing their experiences with the film, which helped shape them into the stars that they are today. Curry, in particular, is a welcome sight; since a major stroke in 2012, he’s largely stepped back from the spotlight and on-screen roles in general. But here, he gives numerous testimonials about both the creation of “Rocky Horror” (he was involved since the very first stage production in London) and his perspective on what the film means socially and culturally. It’s genuinely heartwarming to see him so lively and appreciative of the movie and its many fans.
As the documentary explores “Rocky Horror’s” stage success in London, its less triumphant reception in America, the unlikely studio film adaptation, and initial flop release, it eventually lands on what has really cemented “Rocky Horror’s” legacy: the midnight screenings. “Strange Journey” illustrates how these late-night showings began almost immediately after the film’s unsuccessful initial run, quickly snowballing into a countercultural phenomenon. Amazingly, Linus spotlights experts who can pinpoint exactly when and where certain traditions originated, such as the audience callbacks and the shadow casts that perform the film in front of the screen. The documentary skillfully shows how, in the days before the Internet and social media, word spread about these practices, eventually becoming essential parts of any “Rocky Horror” viewing experience. Linus also talks to fans who have been personally affected by the film in ways that helped them discover their true identity, which often differed from what the world deemed “normal.” “Rocky Horror” even had such an effect on Richard O’Brien himself, who, through creating the show, came to conclusions about his own gender expression which is decidedly outside of what large parts of society might call typical, not only today but especially 50 years ago. Linus and Richard talk about this on-camera, leading to some truly lovely discussions and frank revelations. As one of the interviewed experts explains, it demonstrates how art can often reflect truths about the creator, even before they are fully aware of themselves.
Linus O’Brien doesn’t take any big filmmaking swings to tell his story, making “Strange Journey” feel like an extra-long, lovingly-made DVD special feature. To be clear, this is far from a damning categorization, as any film lover will tell you, they miss the days when such in-depth examinations were commonplace for films of any level. And for fans of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” this is essential viewing. Whether you’ve seen the iconic musical one time or one thousand times, be sure to take a “Strange Journey.”
