DO THE TIME WARP AGAIN

 With Halloween upon us, people of all ages get to indulge in seasonal favorites, including haunted houses, limitless candy, costume parties, and of course, pumpkin spice everything. A slightly less popular, but nonetheless beloved Halloween favorite is the 1975 cult film, The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

(Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation.)

Based on the stage show, which premiered two years earlier as The Rocky Horror Show, the film was originally a box office flop. Now, almost 40 years later, the film maintains quite the following, not only around Halloween but year round. 

Rocky Horror is a unique experience that can only be fully understood by those who have seen it. Described as a tribute to classic horror and sci-fi films, B-movies, and rock music, ‘Rocky’ features aliens, transsexuals, and memorable musical numbers. In my experience, those who have seen the movie either love it or hate it, (with no slight interest in between) but most fans of the film would agree that everyone should see it at least once, if for no other reason than just to say you’ve seen it.

Those who aren’t familiar with Rocky Horror itself may have been introduced to the broad concept through the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower, or the movie of the same title. In ‘Perks’, the characters attend and participate in weekly midnight showings and performances of Rocky Horror. Along with showing the film in a theater, a live cast acts it out in front of the screen in full costume. The audience joins in on the fun as well, shouting responses back during the movie’s dialogue, bringing props, and dressing up in costumes. 

Midnight showings can be enjoyed by real-life moviegoers as well, and surprisingly my irrelevant, uneventful small town has an annual showing at a local theater every year around Halloween. After years of watching the movie from home, last year was the first time I got to experience it in a theater. Although there wasn’t a live cast, the audience was lively, and at times their callbacks were louder and more entertaining than the film itself. The audience members ranged from enthusiastic groups of teenagers to adults who had come alone, and had clearly been fans of the movie since its very beginnings. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to attend again this year, but for those interested in finding a local showing, you can check rockyhorror.com or any local participating venues for a list of show times. 

Having debuted in 1975, The Rocky Horror Picture Show will soon be kicking off its 40th anniversary year, and after all this time, the movie is still celebrated today. To commemorate the occasion, MAC Cosmetics have released a Rocky Horror themed line of products. Dramatic colors of eye shadow, lip pencils, false lashes, and more can be used to recreate the iconic signature looks of the movie’s characters. For Halloween costumes, unique everyday looks, or just for fun, fans of ‘Rocky’ will love using MAC’s new products.

This year, I will be attending a live performance of a stage show adaptation at midnight on Halloween, and I could not be more excited to experience one of my favorite films in a new way. I encourage everyone to celebrate this Halloween Rocky style, whether it’s your first time seeing it, or your 100th! 

Written by: Maddy Kratz