The rocky horror picture show and gay pride movement

Please visit response. With its outlandish characters, satirical plot, and unapologetic queerness, The Rocky Horror Picture Show became a cult classic after its release in The film stars Tim Curry in his breakout role as Frank N. Furter, a cross-dressing mad scientist who lives in a Victorian Gothic-style castle.

The plot itself is reminiscent of Frankenstein; Frank N. Furter succeeds in creating a sentient yet incredibly airheaded man named Rocky, who is used mostly as a boy toy. Brad and Janet represent everything that Frank N. Furter does not: repression, chastity, and social conformity.

The American sexual revolution occurred between the s and s, so Rocky Horror was released during a dramatic shift in how society views sex and sexuality. Further, the American gay rights movement officially began in with the Stonewall riots, so Rocky Horror was released during a time when queer rights were at the forefront of political conversations.

From its inception, Rocky Horror has been magnificently queer — and so have its fans. But by making these quirky characters lovable and attaching a certain positivity to being a weirdo, Rocky Horror uplifted queer people, and those who just generally fell outside the norm, instead of putting them down.

Representation matters and this made the film revolutionary. For instance, Frank N. Furter and the other flamboyant personalities in his castle, and all the castle residents are quite literally from another planet. But by leaning all the way into these stereotypes, they take on a consciousness that creates an element of subversion.

The result of this is a massive queer following that feels seen and heard in a real way despite the outlandish nature of the film. Despite being released nearly half a century ago, Rocky Horror still has a strong fanbase. A tradition unique to Rocky Horror is shadow casting, which is when performers lip-sync to and act out the film on stage as it's happening with generous amounts of audience participation that includes shouting at specific times, singing along, and special props.

Why 'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Remains A Queer Cinematic Milestone

Shadow casting evolved out of an organic phenomenon first observed when audience members began to shout back to the screen and audibly react to the film shortly after its release. The heavy audience participation involved with showing Rocky Horror is a major factor in its long-term success and cultural significance.

Rocky Horror was also recently remade in in which trans icon and professional actress Laverne Cox played Frank N. Tim Curry even made an appearance as the criminologist. Few films reach the level of acclaim and longevity of Rocky Horror, and its impact on the queer community both then and now is extraordinary.

Writer: Kendall Cooper. Artist: Alyssa Giaccone. Report Website Feedback. Rocky Horror.