Despite being five decades old, this cult film has become a huge hit with musical and film fans around the world and stars an epic cast including Tim Curry and Susan Sarandon
08:00, 19 Dec 2025
The film is now a cult classic(Image: Getty Images)
An iconic cult film described as the ‘ultimate classic’ by musical and film fans is on BBC tonight.
This musical film, released in 1975, stars an epic cast including Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Patricia Quinn, Richard O’Brien and rockstar Meat Loaf. The Rocky Horror Picture Show might be five decades old but it’s still a treasured favourite by film fans around the world.
In this cult classic, sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), stuck with a flat tire during a storm discover the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a transvestite scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf) and a creepy butler (Richard O’Brien). Through elaborate dances and rock songs, Frank-N-Furter unveils his latest creation, a muscular man named “Rocky.”
The Rocky Horror Picture Show shows Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick(Image: Rex)
The film, based on Richard O’Brien’s stage play, is known for its B-movie horror humour, sexual liberation and iconic musical numbers like “Time Warp”, “Dammit Janet” & “Hot Patootie” which have since become huge hits. The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes are also testament to how much fans adore this film, as one gave it five stars and wrote: “Tim Curry’s acting and vocal performance in this is one of the greatest performances by any actor and singer of all time.”
Another posted: “As fun and freaky as it was the first time I saw it decades ago!! Timeless tunes and a crazy audience helped make this a classic musical theater experience!!” “One of my favorite classic movies. I would go back for encore again and again,” said a third one.
Another posted: “I understand that this is not going to be everyones cup of tea But if you are reading this you are either interested or have seen it already It’s a classic It’s so good and has so many great songs I watch it every year around Halloween Tim Curry is excellent and has you glued to the screen the second he steps off the elevator.” “Loved it growing up and still love it now, my go to for every Halloween. Tim is the best,” said another.
The film is also considered one of actor Tim Curry’s most iconic roles(Image: Everett/REX Shutterstock)
Another five star review wrote: “Few words to describe this, you just have to see it. It’s a real movie. Explosively creative. Pure human expression. Bold, confident, unflinching blah blah.” Whilst the rave reviews speak for themselves, initially the film was perceived to be a box office flop. Instead its popularity exploded a year later when it was re-released as a “midnight movie” at the Waverly Theatre in New York City, leading to the legendary audience participation phenomenon where fans dress up, use props, and talk back to the screen.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show airs on BBC2 on Friday 19 December at 11.05pm.
