I rewatched The Rocky Horror Picture Show the other night. Do you remember the scene where Tim Curry exits the elevator? Takeover right away. He owns every frame, from the opening strut to the last note. What about Susan Sarandon? Unadulterated gold.
This cult favorite is a crazy rollercoaster through rock ‘n’ roll, sex, and sci-fi, whether you’re seeing it for the first time or as part of a Halloween ritual.
These are the most bizarre, hilarious, and astounding facts about The Rocky Horror Picture Show that you most likely were unaware of.
Why Tim Curry was chosen for the position
Do you want to discuss The Rocky Horror Picture Show without bringing up Tim Curry? Not possible! The part of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a transsexual alien scientist who steals the show from the first scene, was played by Tim Curry, who was making his theatrical debut.
Curry accepted the movie part since he had previously portrayed the same character in Richard O’Brien’s 1973 stage adaptation.
It was a no-brainer to cast Tim Curry in the film adaptation of The Rocky Horror Picture Show because of his outstanding performance, which became the show’s beating heart and garnered an astounding 2,960 performances in London.
A singer-muscleman
The tale of how Curry got the part in the first place is actually rather amusing, and it speaks volumes about his confidence as a young, aspiring actor.
Because I lived on Paddington Street, which is off Baker Street, and because there was an old gym a few doors away, I had heard about the performance. Richard O’Brien told me that he had just gone to the gym to see if he could locate a muscleman who could sing when I saw him on the street. “Why do you need him to sing?” I asked. [laughs] He also advised me to speak with Jim Sharman because his musical was about to be finished. I thought, “Boy, if this works, it’s going to be a smash,” when he handed me the script, Curry remarked.
Curry put on weight following the film in order to conceal
Curry gained widespread fame and a loyal cult following thanks to The Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, because of certain challenging encounters with excessively passionate fans, Curry was reluctant to talk about the film for many years.
He claimed to have put on weight and to appear “chubby and plain” on VH1. He was trying to disassociate himself from the part of Frank.
He feels more at ease discussing the movie these days and even views it as a “rite of passage” for youngsters.
“A guaranteed weekend party to which you can go with or without a date and probably find one if you don’t have one,” Curry said in 2015. “It’s also a chance for people to try on a few roles for size, you know?” Determine, perhaps assist them in discovering their own sexuality.
No picnic
For everyone involved, filming The Rocky Horror Picture Show wasn’t easy. The movie set was all business, in contrast to the stage show’s raucous after-hours atmosphere. The cast and crew, particularly Tim Curry, whose intricate makeup required four hours to apply, had to arrive at the studio early every day with only five weeks to shoot. Curry eventually discovered that he could save time by doing it himself.
Meat Loaf’s songwriting prowess
When I rewatch The Rocky Horror Picture Show, I always find it amusing to see Meat Loaf in the role of Eddie. There are many fascinating behind-the-scenes tales about him, but which is my personal favorite?
The fast-paced song “Hot Patootie – Bless My Soul” concerns Richard O’Brien that Meat Loaf could find it difficult to follow. “It’s acceptable to make a few mistakes,” he remarked, passing him the sheet music. In any case, none of the London cast members have ever performed the entire song accurately.After reviewing it, Meat Loaf said nonchalantly, “What’s the problem?”And then sang the song flawlessly on the first attempt.
There was no strategy for a dramatic entrance.
When Dr. Everett V. Scott crashes through a wall to enter the scene, it’s one of the most unforgettable scenes in the movie. Remarkably, the set crew neglected to incorporate an additional door in the lab, which is why the dramatic entrance wasn’t originally planned.
Curry was stunned by the royal admission.
There are Rocky Horror Picture Show fans all around the world, but Princess Diana was one of the most surprising and well-known fans. Tim Curry learned that the Princess wanted to meet him while he was performing in Austria. When they were ultimately acquainted, Diana told him that Rocky Horror had “quite completed my education” and gave him what Curry called a “wicked smile.”
In an interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air, Curry related the story of how, following a performance of Love for Love, he met Princess Diana and King Charles III. It was at the end of the receiving line, he recalled. Diana’s response was memorable, even though Prince Charles acknowledged Curry with a kind but evasive remark that he had seen him “on television.” Her frank assessment of the cult movie’s impact on her only served to highlight how powerfully it struck a chord, even among royalty.
When the method acting became a bit too realistic
In the famous dinner scene, Barry Bostwick got very into it and accidentally smashed his fist on the table, right on Susan Sarandon’s hand. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed this, especially if you’re a diehard Rocky Horror fan. How did she respond?
It’s a real pain. Later in the Floor Show, however, she got her (unintentional) retribution when she used her spike heel to step on his foot. Was his grimace captured on film? And it’s completely real. Talk about unintentional retaliation with a hint of glitz.
Susan Sarandon’s perseverance
The movie was filmed in the UK in the fall and winter of 1974, mostly at Bray Studios and on location at Oakley Court, an old rural estate.
The set apparently lacked restrooms and was quite cold. The actor who played Brad Majors, Barry Bostwick, claims that because the castle was leaking, he was essentially soaked the entire time. To warm up, the actors had a single “warm room” with space heaters, but guess what? In fact, that room caught fire.
Studio officials dismissed Susan Sarandon’s concerns when she raised them. She got pneumonia after filming the pool scene while wearing a provocative costume. No moviegoer ever noticed her beaten physique and health, and Richard O’Brien recalled that she was “shaking with fever” and “should have been under medical supervision,” but she refused to quit working.
Speaking of Barry Bostwick, during the filming process, he was in a romantic relationship with Susan Sarandon. This fact was casually disclosed by Richard O’Brien in 2013.
The scene that nearly turned naked
Sarandon was already in various degrees of undress throughout the film while portraying the seductive lead, Janet Weiss. Janet’s sexual awakening during the performance of the song “Touch-A-Touch-A-Touch Me,” which she did with Peter Hinwood’s then-model character Rocky, is among her most memorable moments.
Naturally, Peter was the quietest and most reserved. I believe that having to perform that sequence with me was traumatic for him,” Sarandon says.
Despite having previously performed naked in earlier films, Susan Sarandon refused to go completely nude for the sequence, even though the filmmakers wanted her to.
Nevertheless, they had hoped that she would truly undress for that classic song and Peter Hinwood’s Rocky Horror. Sarandon refused to take off her clothes completely.
But Playboy was impressed with her bold performance, and for years later, they persisted in attempting to get her to undertake a nude photo shoot. “They have been after me since The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” she stated in an interview from 1991.
Susan Sarandon is unwilling to discuss the film.
According to Susan Sarandon, she had no intention of trying out for the Janet role. She was only visiting her friend Tim Curry on the set.
The producers asked her whether she would try it after noticing her there. Although they had heard talented vocalists, they had not discovered somebody who could provide Janet with the comedy she required. At first, Sarandon refused, claiming she’s not very good at singing and even gets a little nervous when she does.
She consented when they asked if she could at least sing “Happy Birthday,” and that was plenty to persuade them. Sarandon acknowledges it was a fortunate coincidence, but they cast her because they thought her performance was excellent. She has also voiced her displeasure that none of the actors received royalties from the DVD sales, which occasionally makes her hesitant to discuss the film.
Does it rain?
The item was specifically coated with plastic to withstand being saturated on several takes during the scene in “Over at the Frankenstein Place” where Janet shields her head from the rain with a newspaper.
To maintain a natural appearance, the plastic was not applied to the entire paper; instead, it was left uncovered in the area where Susan Sarandon held it. The piece of the newspaper in her hand remains dry even though water is clearly dripping from the majority of it, indicating that the prop wasn’t getting wet in the first place.
In “Over at the Frankenstein Place,” Janet’s cardigan is initially blue, but it miraculously turns white when she meets Riff Raff.
The next time you see the film, keep an eye out for another amusing detail about Janet’s attire. Her shoes are initially black, but they inexplicably change to white by the time she and Brad get to the lab.
Unexpected twist in a wheelchair
Brad and Janet carry Dr. Scott out of the scene at the film’s climax, just as Magenta and Riff Raff are getting ready to take the castle away. The three are seen lying strewn about the grounds after the castle blows up and takes off.
It’s interesting to note that, despite having never used a wheelchair just seconds before, Dr. Scott is currently lying on the shattered remnants of one.
Mistook for a fraudster
Tim Curry observed audiences dressing up for midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show while he was residing in New York. He called the theater out of curiosity to see if he might attend a screening. The theater staff didn’t think he was Tim Curry, so they called him a “impostor” and even threw him out, despite the fans’ excitement to see him.
The staff apologized after Curry showed who he was, but he had already decided not to come back. Consider how ashamed those staff members must have been to having misjudged the star.
Okay, now tell me about your favorite moments from this timeless movie. Do you believe I missed any bloopers or behind-the-scenes tales that ought to be on the list? Please feel free to leave a remark with your opinions!