The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) is my favorite movie of all time. I’ve seen it at least 30 times. I’ve gloried to dress as Frank’n’Furter in a corset and fishnet stockings more than once.

When the new glass elevators were revealed at the 14th Street subway station, the iconic elevator scene from the Rocky Horror Picture Show was the first thing that popped into my mind!

A cult classic musical, I first learned of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (RHPS) as a teenager. When I was 12, I read about the movie in a novel about a teenaged girl who lived in New York. She was transformed when she saw the film in a packed movie theater. She felt the urge to join in with other audience members who were dancing and singing and shouting at the actors on the screen. She struggled with her inhibitions, even though she really wanted to be free like the others seemed to be. She finally overcame her shyness and stripped down to her camisole and stood up and danced. Wow! (Warning! Danger! This is the what the movie might do to you!)

This seemed so daring, it made a strong impression on me. I was also very shy at that age! I really wanted to go see the movie that Halloween, but my parents wouldn’t allow me to see the film until I was 17. I resented the fact that our parents prevented my sister and me from seeing shows and reading books that they deemed inappropriate for our age. But looking back, I’m grateful that they tried to protect our innocence and gave us the chance to mature gradually.

The theme of the movie is spelled out in the song “Don’t Dream It, Be It”: Give yourself over to absolute pleasure. When I finally saw RHPS, at a classic Halloween midnight showing, it affirmed my teenage ideals of hedonism and sexual freedom. Hooray! I watched in amazement. There was too much to take in all at once, with people in costumes acting out scenes from the movie in the aisles of the Ridge Theatre in Vancouver. I also fell in love with the fantastic soundtrack, and soon owned it in on vinyl. The songs are embedded in my brain, and and I’ve used the lyrics to illustrate the photos for this column, which were all taken at the subway station. It’s interesting to see how most jaded New Yorkers completely ignored this strange creature who was cavorting on the subway platform!

This year is the 49th anniversary of the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and it’s having a resurgence this Halloween, with some of the original cast members touring North America. Movie attendance dropped to almost nil during the first few years of the pandemic. Sadly, New York’s home for the RHPS, Cinépolis on West 23rd Street, closed in January 2023.

I feel a tug of sadness in my heart every time I walk past the boarded-up Cinépolis, where I first saw RHPS in New York, pre-pandemic, with my friend Lew (a virgin). We were among a dozen filmgoers, almost outnumbered by the NYC RHPS Shadow Cast and Crew, who acted and ran lights and put on special effects. They sold a little packet of props in the lobby for a dollar: a page from the Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper, some playing cards… Back in the eighties, we threw rice and squirted water pistols, but this is no longer encouraged by movie theaters.

I was delighted to discover that the movie has a new home in Manhattan, at the Village East Cinema, which shows the film with the NYC RHPS Shadow Cast at 10 PM on the first and third Saturday of every month.

If you have never seen the movie, you are deemed a virgin the first time you go. Your status will be celebrated by the rest of the audience, so don’t be shy! This is what they call an “audience participation” movie!

RHPS was first produced as a play in 1973 in London, The Rocky Horror Show, with music, lyrics, and book by the talented Richard O’Brien, who we all know and love as Frank’nFurter’s handyman, Riff Raff. He also co-wrote the screenplay, with director Jim Sharman, for the film adaptation. With a devoted cult following and midnight showings around the world, the RHPS is the longest-running release in film history. Many major cities have a “shadow cast” that acts out the full movie with costumed characters. And many members of the audience also dress up.

So dress in black, put on a pair of fishnets (rips are ok) and get to a showing this Halloween! And watch out for the elevator scene!

Halloween 2024 Showtimes in NYC and Region

All shows feature the NYC RHPS Shadow Cast.

* Manhattan: RHPS New York Home—Village East Cinema, Saturday, November 2, 10 PM.

* Manhattan: City Winery, Thursday, October 31, 7 PM and 10 PM.

* Brooklyn: Kings Theatre, Thursday, October 31, 8 PM. With Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors).

* Manhattan: Hard Rock Café Times Square, Tuesday, October 29, 7 PM and 10 PM.

* Patchogue, Long Island: Patchogue Theatre, Sunday, October 27, 6:30 PM. With Little Nell Campbell (Columbia).

* Staten Island: St. George Theatre, Friday, October 25, 10 PM. Pre-show concert by The Flesh Junkies, 9 PM.

This article first appeared in Chelsea News and other papers in the Straus News group.

Style Notes

• Black satin, silver lamé-lined cloak with silver lamé stand-up collar. Andrea T New York. 147 West 35th Street (by appointment only).

• Purple sequin-spangled corset, gloves, and briefs. Funtober.com.
• Large pearl necklace and black fishnet stockings. Reminiscence, 74 Fifth Avenue.
• Curly black Frank’n’Furter wig. Official Rocky Horror Show merch by Richard O’Brien, HalloweenCostumes.com.
• Dagger-through-heart “Boss” tattoo. Deadly Sting Tattoos (founded by NYC Shadow Cast member Jen D.)
• Jessica Simpson “Irbella” black suede 40s-style strappy platform sandals. Embellished with glitter and rhinestones by the author. DSW, 40 E. 14th St.