The Rocky Horror Picture Show

by Jeffrey Andrew Weinstock

Within just a few years, The Rocky Horror Picture Show grew from an oddball musical to a celebrated cinematic experience of midnight features and outrageous audience participation. This study tells the extraordinary story of the film from initial reception to eventual cult status. Uncovering the film's non-conformist sexual politics and glam-rock attitude, this volume explores its emphasis on the theatrical body (tattooed, cross-gendered, flamboyant), and its defiant queering of cinema history.

Genres: Nonfiction, Plays, Film, Queer, Media Tie In

131 pages, Paperback

First published November 15, 2007

Reviews

[Michelle Llewellyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yay! I get to be the first one to review this book. Excuse me a minute while I go do the time warp!
As an English major I was very impressed by this critical analysis of a classic cult film. The author uses lots of big words and points out many references I missed as a "virgin". I love intelligent writing and, like Janet's "awakening" this book opened my eyes to the film's subtle deconstructionism of subtext. Jeffery Weinstock knows his Critical Theorists (Lacan, Saussure) and I wish I went to CMU so I could take a class from him.
This book is like the Cliff's Notes to the movie. Weinstock lovingly examines the use of tattoos, pink triangles, queer cinema and explains the revolutionary 1970's social/sexual politics of the film which has now become today's norm. I especially enjoyed the chapter on how the film rebels against traditional heterosexual marriage views, not that I'm for gay marriage but after viewing the movie in both public and home DVD settings, I understand the sociology of why this movie speaks to so many people on so many different levels. It's a well written commentary to an important film.
If you're one of those followers who just wants to "be it" and can't stand the thought of anyone picking apart your beloved cult characters and their actions, then this book isn't for you.
If, on the other hand, you're fascinated by learning more about what makes this movie tick, then I can guarantee you won't be able to put this book down. So go ahead and "give yourself over to absolute pleasure!"

[Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember going to see this as a teen several times in the decrepit downtown theatre in Union NJ. I have no idea how many times we saw it, but it was enough that we could sing the soundtrack and knew when to yell at the screen. But the first time, I really didn't know what I was getting into. But the feeling in the crowd was infectious enthusiasm and when the lips hit the screen, I was in. We got pelted by toast, and water, and yelled things at the screen. I saw my cousin hiding in the back row with a hoodie on having a ball.

This book delves into so many themes which make the movie great: The anti-nazi sentiments, the queering of cinema, Busby Berkeley, old B-movie homage, women's rights, sexual liberation, cult movies, sexual repression, the sameness found in countercultures, glam rock.

They say you bond with film and music more as a teenager than at any other time. "Our brains bind us to the music we heard as teenagers more tightly than anything we’ll hear as adults." (https://slate.com/technology/2014/08/...).

That must be why I have such good feelings about this movie and musicals in general all these years later. This book was a lovely walk down memory lane.

[Stephen Chase · Rating 5 out of 5]

The greatest uncensored book ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Ella Cozzolino · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favourite musicals so i definitely needed to buy a physical copy

[Francisco · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting shortish book on the Rocky Horror Picture Show phenomenon and cult. It focuses not only on the film itself and the meanings that can be extracted from it, but also on the cult which grew around with and the performances associated with the showing of the film.

Weinstock shows how the film manages to be many different things for different people, walking the line between progressive and conservative values, comedy, eroticism and horror and a mish-mash of all different filmic styles. Sometimes it's a good thing to go beyond your own ideas about a film and read a cultural studies perspective on the movie. It gives you a renewed appreciation of the film, and even if nothing here is particularly new, it's good to have it all systematized in a neat book form instead of just your own scattered ideas. Recommended not only for Rocky Horror fans but anyone into film and their cultural impact!

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I appreciate the critical analysis of my favorite movie, as well as the explanation of how it earned its status as a cult classic. I also love the analogy of the film itself being Frankensteined from parts of classic Hollywood film in both reverence and adulteration of the industry. Very on point for the theme.

But I would have liked to have read more about the film’s impact on the queer community over time. Instead it focuses on the “queering” of film. Also, the author suggests that future generations will only appreciate viewing Rocky Horror as a “rite of passage;” I heartily disagree. For those of us younger queer people, both the movie and surrounding culture can provide significant meaning to our identities.

I also would have liked to have read perspectives by female and non-binary critics. The overwhelming majority of works cited are from male authors.

This work could possibly be expanded AND we need more like it.

[Vanessa (V.C.) · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it's so cool that The Rocky Horror Picture Show is given an academic analysis through this short-ish book, this didn't quite work for me in that, not only was the writing style just OK, but everything here stated mostly the obvious that most Rocky Horror fans already know (or could easily gather) about Rocky Horror anyway. There was nothing new, interesting, or profound about the author's take on it. For the kind of book it was, I wanted way more from it, aside from the general going over the movie and its cultural significance and meaning. It's neat that it exists though, but this book for me was overall just boring and average.

[Ray Savarda · Rating 3 out of 5]

in-depth discussion of the movie and its following.
Not many behind-the-scenes anecdotes, but a thorough (somewhat academic, but still interesting) analysis of the societal impact, following, sexual politics, and throwback references to all the films it drew from (paid homage to).
A short, interesting read, as I've only seen it twice, and only once in the theater; and my "crowd" seemed to miss a lot of the callouts mentioned in the book.

[Javier Fernandez · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Rocky Horror Show is hands down my favorite alien transvestite musical and Frank-N-Furter is no doubt my favorite alien transvestite. Frank-N-Furter has been unjustly labeled a cannibal for serving Meatloaf as an entree. I insist that an alien that eats humans is not a cannibal and vice versa!

[Lavinia Tomlinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A M A Z I N G
The movie is absolutely fantastic and the book is also very cool. A good read for fans of this cult classic

[Daisy]

I can't explain it but the movie is like edible lipstick.

[Mackenzie O]

My description. Queer fever dream orgy.

[Saffron · Rating 4 out of 5]

single-handedly saving my growing list of resources for the rocky horror chapters of my dissertation huh? SO glad this exists

[dejah_thoris · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I picked this book up my spouse, who I met at RHPS 15 years ago, asked me what exactly this book was. It is another fan tribute? One of the scripts? An analysis of the history of the live Rocky experience? No, it's none of those things. It's actually an academic analysis of the Rocky Horror Show (theatrical version) and how its translation to film spawned the new phenomenon of a cult film. Weinstein does an EXCELLENT job of deconstructing the film's text as well as audience lines and the impact of the shadow cast and props. From a film studies perspective, this is an AMAZING book because Weinstock works hard to avoid falling back on the easy interpretations he cites from previous critiques.

I would NOT recommend this book to anyone who isn't extremely well-versed in RHPS culture. Although there are tidbits of history and lots of quotes throughout the text, if you're not fluent with the plot, lines, or the standard audience participation you probably won't be able to follow Weinstein's arguments. So, if this sounds like you, start by seeing RHPS live and read up on Sal Piro's experience before trying to fully understand what RHPS used to be.

[Alexis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book read like a scholarly paper, albeit an entertaining one. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I did find some of the connections that the author made interesting, but I also thought that a number of them seemed to be self-evident.

[Maddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book reflected well on the movie. Of course the movie came first. I thought that this was written exquisitely. This is one of my favorites by far.