Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) | Film Review

A London theatre play evolves into a groundbreaking cult phenomenon, featuring iconic songs and performances that celebrate individuality. The legacy lives on through midnight screenings and a devoted following that spans generations.

We came here to discuss Eddie--I mean, a brand new documentary.

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) is the very definition of a warm-hearted passion project, by the original creator's - Richard O'Brien - son, Linus O'Brien. Spurred on by the outpouring of personal stories from all over the world, O'Brien explores the conception, release and impact of the cultural phenomenon, The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975, Sharman).

For those that have been living under a considerably deep rock for the last 50 years, The Rocky Horror Picture Show follows a young, engaged conservative couple, Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) as they enter a world of awoken sexual identity, expression and realisation... oh, and aliens from Transexual, Transylvania uh huh. Not to mention, it's a musical like none other before its time.

With an incredibly liberating sexual expression in musical cinema and the impact of audience engagement, The Rocky Horror Picture Show could be regarded as as influential a musical film, as Show Boat (1927, Ziegfeld); integrating music into the main story as opposed to isolated entertainment, Oklahoma! (1943) (1955, Zinnemann); integrating rhythm / dance choreography into musical cinema and Cabaret (1966) (1972, Fosse); incorporating musical numbers to convey dark / real life metaphors.

With the utmost seriousness, if you haven't watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the last 50 years - "the fuck have you been doing?"

The documentary, rather than spend the entirety looking at the film in isolation, instead traverses - chronologically - several important periods as well as the sociological and political contexts at those times.

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror (2025) | Film Review

Commencing with an exploration into Richard O'Brien, himself, his upbringing and introduction into theatre. The film shows the admiration for O'Brien in his hometown, including a statue of himself as the iconic role, Riff-Raff, standing in a place of pride, where a hairdressers had previously stood.

Transitioning into O'Brien's break into British theatre - institutions such as, Royal Court Theatre and Chelsea Classic Cinema - and the network of contacts established, before the migration to the big screen. The educational journey is complimented by intimate interviews with those immortalised by both show and film, such as Jim Sherman (director), Richard Hartley (composer), Sue Blane (costume), Patricia Quinn (Magenta), 'Little' Nell Campbell (Columbia) and - of course - the great, Tim Curry (Dr Frank-N-Furter - a scientist).

The documentary discusses the eventual translation into film, as well as the changing fidelity to the original stage show, to specifically introduction of US names for Brad & Janet, Meatloaf as Eddie (who had starred as the same character in the LA production) and the change of song order to build antici.... pation.

Patricia Quinn | Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror

It's here that the documentary takes a predictable emotional turn. Upon release, The Rocky Horror Picture Show was considered a flop and a difficult challenge to find and sell to specific audiences. However, as history would tell - and as mentioned by Lou Adler - the audience found The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show became a cult classic and made a positive impact of the lives of so many that would catch a showing - at times, these would vary from midnight, 2am and 4am - in select theatres. The documentary has testimonies from those that have - and still do - engaged with Rocky Horror Shadow Casts (dressing and performing whilst the film is being screened), as well as providing a safe inclusive space for those discovering; or those supporting the discovery of, their sexual identity.

The film explores the changing landscape of identity in the 70s-80s, with inclusion of the period of fear surrounding AIDs and social inequality. O'Brien, himself, unapologetically shares his thoughts on identity and the joy it brings that The Rocky Horror Show - an extension of his own identity - was a protective and comfortable awakening for so many previously struggling, unsure, lost, or denied their ability to express themselves safely.

Richard O'Brien | Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror

Although this isn't intended to be a deepdive, merely a review, here are just a few things learned from the documentary:

• Meatloaf was in the LA stage play prior to starring in the film.

• The Rocky Horror Picture Show was filmed at Bray Studios (home of Hammer Horror) - giving new meaning to the lyrics; "Over at the Frankenstein place".

• The special effects were intentionally made to look worse, in homage to b-movie special effects (considering the film is technically a b-movie).

• The Transylvanians during the Time Warp were cast to be intentionally uncoordinated, rather than being a perfect choreographed theatre chorus.

• Barry Bostwick was tricked into bringing Susan Sarandon into 'his' audition, so that Sarandon could be secretly auditioned without her agent's consent.

• Mick Jagger offered to buy the film rights from Richard O'Brien after seeing the play.

• David Bowie wanted to play Frank-N-Furter.

Although the documentary breaks no new ground in the genre - it certainly doesn't need to. The presentation of new interviews and the love & admiration to The Rocky Horror Picture Show - as well as highlighting the pioneers of pushing sexual expression in cinema and those that were positively impacted by the film - is funny, informative and charged with emotion, that will leave you with a smile and a lump in your throat.

Without further ado, I'm off to pop on The Rocky Picture Show and sing-a-long.

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror will be in UK & Irish Cinemas from 3rd October, and on DVD, Blu-Ray and Digital 20th October.