Just when you thought the movie remake mania couldn't get any worse,someone pops up with another brilliantly bad idea. Plans are underway for a new version of The Rocky Horror Picture Show,thanks to MTV(in the U.S.)and Sky Movies(in Britain).
"Aw,come on,Lady T-lighten up! It's Rocky Horror,not Shakespeare and they have new Shakespeare movies all the time! Don't you think that there are others who can sing and dance the Time Warp just as well,maybe even better,as the original cast?"
Yes, a new cast might definitely have a new spin on things,but it's damn near impossible to recapture lightening in a bottle. The producers should know that very well,especially since their first attempt at doing so,with a 1981 sequel called Shock Treatment,did so poorly.
Granted,that movie does have some fans(plus,I dig Jessica Harper in anything musical)but it's known to very few folks who are not extremely die hard RHPS devotees. I haven't seen Shock Treatment for myself but am pretty confident that I'm not really missing out on much:
Part of the appeal of Rocky Horror is the audience participation,which sprouted up all on it's own,and has lead to karaoke performances which the fans love to embody their favorite characters. VH1 televised a 25th anniversary special with the likes of Anthony Stewart Head and Amber Benson lending their pipes(and in Head's case,slipping on some fishnet stockings)to the show. It was great,but I don't know they would be even considered to do a new film version:
WISING UP JANET WEISS
BECOMING A CREATURE OF THE NIGHT
A new Rocky Horror movie wouldn't be truly able to have that bizarre,spur of the moment weirdness that still resonates with the original film. Plus, anyone who takes the part of Dr. Frank N. Furter is going to have to put up with the inevitable comparisons to Tim Curry and to tell the truth and shame the devil,this is the role that is and will be the cornerstone of Curry's legacy as an actor:
Well,there's nothing we can do about this,except to wait for the film to come out and the brave few among us to check it out,for better and most likely,worse. All I can say to the new cast and crew of Rocky Horror is this;you are about to scale the heights of a cult movie icon,which will make climbing Mt. Everest look like a stroll in the park. Be prepared and remember,there will be much that is expected of you:
I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH YOU!!! This is not going to end well but unfortunatley it will probably attract the younger crowd/generation but not in the right way. just re-release the original film instead!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the clips!
I graduated high school in 1992 and participated in the theatre program there. Every spring, closing night of the musical, the senior boys would don make-up and after all teachers and parents where escorted out of the theatre, the lights would go out and all the "unsuspecting" girls (freshman year I got the surprise of my life to that point) waited on the stage in the dark. All of a sudden Sweet Transvestite would start to balst out of all the speakers and the boys would come down and start making out with all the girls. Then we would dance the Time Warp. That first night after the close of Funny Girl in 1989 I went home with black and red make-up all over my mouth and neck. My mom wasn't sure what had happened and I wasn't letting up on any details.
Ahh the memories.
XO-K
You're welcome for the clips and thanks for sharing your RHPS memories! I was never a school dance/theater type of girl(did participate in a couple of plays in grade school)but that sounds like it was beyond awesome:)
ReplyDelete