There are great tensions across the nation and a variety of different opinions being spewed unapologetically, and it's all about to calm down. And no, I'm not talking about this election.
As many fans of Fox's live remakes and diehard fans of The Rocky Horror Picture Show know, the revamped tribute premiered on Fox this past Friday. There was initially a buzz of excitement to see such a classic come back to life (and to have yet another good excuse to get out your Magenta outfit and celebrate), but Fox's announcement was also met with a lot of backlash and doubt. People worried that Fox was going to do a disservice to the original, watering down the raunch and the quirkiness that made the first one so intriguing. And, of course, as the premier came and went, fans voiced much praise and concern with the new version. Here's what I thought.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Much of the acting and portrayals were charming, and the singing was spot on. Purists who loved the original were appalled that the iconic costumes had been changed, but the new interpretations were very nice and colorful in my mind. I absolutely loved the change in set to an abandoned theater, and the vibrant colors brought a fresh spin on the tale of the aliens from Transexual Transylvania. Laverne Cox did her best to live up to the camp and creepy seductiveness of Frank n Furter and made the character her own. Adam Lambert and Victoria Justice were other stand-outs, and who could not feel sentimental seeing Tim Curry, the original Frank himself, take us on this new adventure as the narrator?! The show was definitely different from the original, but I still found myself enjoying the classic songs matched with this new vision of it.
Let's face it - nothing is ever going to "beat" the original Rocky Horror Picture Show. The film was a trailblazer that helped many people embrace being weird and being themselves. It is this bizarre escape that encourages you to be outrageous and go out in costume to meet other fans. And honestly, you shouldn't go into this thinking it will be a "better" or "improved" version. That is not what this show provided, nor what it wanted to provide. It pays respect to that unique ingenuity and quirkiness that keeps many of us fans captured in the fantasy. You still find intrigue in the oddball characters; you still find relatable aspects in their diversity. Fox's version pays tribute to the original, and I think it is worth the watch to see Ortega's astounding interpretation in action and have another chance to do the time warp again with all of the other tuned-in fans. Celebrate the weird and the misunderstood, and belt your heart out to the songs you know and love.
The best part of the story of TRHPS is not some great plot or astounding cinematic qualities, it is what we take away from it and what it gives us. You love it because of the inspirational message, the charmingly quirky characters, and because of the cult following. You love it for the nights you watch it with your friends. You love it for the nights you go out to a local showing, dressing up in your costume and reciting the words to the second script. This film is much more than a film; it is an experience, and I think that this tribute acknowledges this. The actors even mention that they grew up with the film, and that their performances are out of pure respect for the original. Isn't that what this is all about?
You can have your opinions and concerns about the performance, but I would implore you to at least give this new vision a chance. Don't think of this as Fox trying to make a replacement for the cult classic; think of it as fans putting on a charming new performance of it, full of love and fun. Give yourself over to absolute pleasure, and celebrate the show we all know and love.
