Curry and Horror

An interesting thought . . .

Tim Curry as Darkness

Legend, 1985

and probably a generational indicator . . .

Tim Curry as Pennywise

It, 1985

My generation having the full benefit of the midnight screening, participation madness.

Tim Curry as Dr Frank-N-Furter

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, 1975

Christopher Lloyd as Judge Doom

Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, 1988

Tim Curry auditioned for the role of Judge Doom in Who Framed Roger Rabbit but Robert Zemeckis, Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and Michael Eisner all considered his performance too terrifying.

Jack Nicholson as The Joker

Batman, 1989

Tim Curry was the second choice to play The Joker.

Guy Pearce as Felicia Jollygoodfellow

The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, 1994

The part of Felicia Jollygoodfellow in The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert, was initially offered to Curry but he declined.

It is the 40 year anniversary of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Rocky Horror Show started as a London stage production in 1973, gained a large following and moved to Los Angeles.

Mick Jagger was interested in playing the lead in the movie but the director stuck with Curry.

Steve Martin auditioned to play Brad.

Meatloaf took the part without reading the script. When Curry showed up to rehearsal as a transvestite Meatloaf said he was so shocked that he walked out of the theater.

Dr Frank-N-Furter's green surgical gown has a pink triangle over his heart. The triangle, pointing down, was used by the Nazis to identify homosexuality. The pink triangle pointing upward is a symbol of gay pride

The Rocky Horror Picture Show, released in 1975, bombed in the theaters. Lou Adler, the film’s executive producer, noticed small groups of dedicated groups of fans attended the slate night screening on a regular basis. He organized a midnight screening in New York City with virtually no advertising and the movie became a cult classic.

It is tradition for patrons to yell remarks back to the screen and to bring props to the theater.

Some of the common props:

Rice - thrown during Ralph and Betty's wedding.
Water Pistols - squirted during the rain scene.
Newspapers - used as a covering during the rain scene.

Rubber Gloves - snapped at the same time Dr Frank-N-Furter snaps his gloves.
Noisemakers - used to celebrate the creation of Rocky

Party Hat - worn Dr Frank-N-Furter to wish Rocky a happy birthday.
Toilet Paper (preferably "Scott's" brand) - thrown at the screen when Brad yells "Great Scott!"
Toast - thrown at the screen when Dr Frank-N-Furter proposes a toast.

I've only been to one screening. My high school was in a small, relatively conservative area but I had heard reference to the show and parts of the Time Warp. The only theater in the area that ran The Rocky Horror Picture Show also ran movies that ended in an X so it wasn't until the end of my senior year that I finally went with a friend. It was campy and weird and a little shocking AND it was great to finally be in on the joke.