The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again (2016) *
When I first saw Rocky Horror I was eighteen years old and I was put off by the musical numbers and homoeroticism. I dismissed it as a freak show for social outcasts and that was the end of that. I didn’t revisit it until many years later when Crystal brought me to a midnight showing in El Cerrito. It was still a freak show for social outcasts except I realized that it was a glorious freak show that should be celebrated. My favorite things about California* have always been the progressive mindset and the celebration of cultural diversity and whatever sexual preferences one might have. As you can imagine seeing Rocky Horror in the Bay Area was quite the spectacle and it gave me a whole new appreciation for it. If I'm not mistaken it was the very first "cult classic". I love the infinite possibilities of hilarious shout-outs that can be made by the audience, many of which Crystal had already explored.
I also grew to appreciate the campiness, the low budget 70’s grittiness and the constant sexual innuendos. And what’s not to love about Meat Loaf on a motorcycle? It’s no coincidence that RHPS has developed such a strong following over the years because I cannot think of any other film of its time even remotely like it.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let’s Do the Time Warp Again removes all traces of everything that was fun, clever, scary and sexually deviant about the original and replaces it with a soulless sanitized American Idol inspired musical shit show. Where’s the sleaze? I don’t need to describe it because it is exactly what you would expect from the High School Musical director. It fails on every level except maybe the costumes.
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| No, this is not Zoolander you stupid idiot. |
The decision to present it as a movie within a movie was particularly insulting and irritating. I can’t even.
In conclusion, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that RHPS: LDTWA might one day become a midnight movie of its own but if it does it will be for all the wrong reasons.
*Aside from the weather, wine, food, beaches and wilderness
5 comments:
I'm glad that this social outcast helped guide you to the divine light that is Tim Curry's package in a corset ;-)
Glad you reviewed it! Now we can go back to pretending the remake never existed, haha!
Nope, I'm not sold - I hate musicals almost more than I hate people shouting things out while I'm trying to watch a movie! You kids get off my lawn!
JPX I can assure you that you would hate both versions.
This review is similar to my own experience - saw it on video in high school, was bored by it. Saw it at an audience participation, midnight screening - saw the appeal. I'm still not a fan of musicals, but I definitely respect RHPS.
Even worse than this remake - they made a sequel to RHPS. Something called Shock Treatment. Yeah, never seen it. Never will.
As I said before - I'll stick with the original!
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