Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror Picture Show (2025)

The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been on a strange journey since it debuted fifty years ago. Linus O'Brien, son of musical creator Richard O'Brien, traces back the phenomenal musical to its heyday when his father first started working out the idea of transvestite scientist Frank-N-Furter with his cohorts and their run-in with straight-laced couple Brad and Janet. 

When experiencing in person, or merely observing, the underground yet global reception of Rocky Horror Picture Show today, it's tough to believe that the theatrical production originally began with such humble beginnings - O'Brien putting his own feelings of gender and belonging to the page, assembling a ragtag group cast and crew who eventually hopped the pond over to the Roxy Theatre in L.A., and then becoming cemented as a film classic. And yet, as the LGBTQ+ community faces more and more challenges, the show never goes out of style, kept continually revived by midnight theatrical runs, fan clubs, and shadow casts. 

But what happened that made it go from a theater production without props or stage, to earning a documentary in its own right, is the stuff interviews are made of. Sitting down with his father, and the cast/crew who made the production possible - director Richard Hartley, actors Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Patricia Quinn, Susan Surandon costumer Sue Blane, and more - the film provides a heartfelt overview of how the show came to be and continues to live on. As much as Rocky Horror Picture Show defines how much Richard O'Brien gave of themselves to make the musical, it also shows how much the fans give back to it - with an insightful opening from Trixie Mattell, who found their drag identity through a shadow cast production, and a sweet tribute to Sal Piro, one of the first and most influential superfans, who passed away in 2023. 

Linus O'Brien's documentary is a mostly tidy chronological depiction that is a fun introduction to new fans and might make some hardcore fans want it to dig a little deeper. Some questions about how Richard O'Brien created the music or how the musical workshopped its way in theater between kitsch and commentary is left more towards reminiscing than exploring the process. Its heart beats strongest reflecting how its characters and message unlocks a certain kind of freedom within. Much like the musical itself, Strange Journey is a snapshot into a world where acceptance is celebrated and grows more prevalent with each decade.

Rating: ★★★1/2☆☆