'Rocky Horror Picture Show' Creator's Son Looks Back at Cult Classic's History in First Look at 'Strange Journey '(Exclusive)

Yahoo

05-03-2025

No film has ever captivated audiences of the screen and stage quite like The Rocky Horror Picture Show.
Director Linus O'Brien, son of creator Richard O'Brien, examines how his father's creative brainchild became a worldwide phenomenon in the new documentary, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror.
In a clip shared with PEOPLE exclusively, Richard talks about bringing Dr. Frank-N-Furter to life and the significance of the character and his candor.
"Frank-N-Furter coming on stage and throwing off that cape and going, 'I'm just a sweet transvestite,' without any apology is wonderful. It's so out there and so in your face. It's such a liberating role, and I think it liberated other people," Richard explains.
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Related: What Made Rocky Horror Picture Show So Epic? Original Star Barry Bostwick, a.k.a. Brad, Says It Was All Tim Curry (Exclusive)
Richard then picks up a guitar and plays a little bit of the song, singing, "Don't get strung out by the way that I look / Don't judge a book by its cover / I'm not much of a man by the light of day / But by night I'm one hell of a lover / I'm just a sweet transvestite / From Transexual, Transylvania, ha ha."
The documentary was created with a team that included Avner Shiloah, Adam Gibbs and Garret Price. The director tells PEOPLE that seeing how many people the film has touched inspired him to dive into its history. It features appearances from Tim Curry, Lou Adler, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard Hartley and Jim Sharman.
"Several years ago, I stumbled upon the YouTube page for the song I'm Going Home, one of the highlights from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As I read through the comments, I was overcome with emotion — each person shared their personal story and the deep place the song held in their heart," Linus tells PEOPLE exclusively.
Linus was born just over a year before The Rocky Horror Picture Show made its stage premiere in London's Royal Court Theatre in June 1973.
"While Rocky Horror had always been a major part of my life, and I was well aware of its societal impact, this was the first time I truly grasped the enormity of its influence on individual lives," he notes.
"That realization became the genesis of this film — Rocky Horror is unique in the way it created communities and spaces for people to express themselves without judgment — to feel liberated in every way they choose and to find a home among others like them. This documentary is as much a celebration of them as it is of Rocky Horror itself."
Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror premieres at SXSW on Sunday, Mar. 9 at 11:00 a.m.
Read the original article on People