"Still, after all these years, Rocky Horror is deliciously decadent in an
innocently sexual sort of way; this is pure eff ewe enn: F U N. Science fiction has never
looked so camp, never have musicals looked so science fictional, and never has
Transylvania seemed more appealing. But you know all that, you time warped jumpers to the
right. Here, then, is the Rocky Horror fan’s ultimate present – the DVD, a two
disc set superbly packaged in sinful satin black - and red lips.
Inside the pack is a pop-out card and picture discs; the gate-fold packaging is
attractive enough to be its own gift wrapping. Much fun went into designing the menus on
the discs, featuring giant, sensuous lips that respond to your navigation choices, and a
pair of stockinged legs that work hard at adding a sense of fun to the whole experience.
The contents are great, but with just one enormous hole – where Tim Curry should
have been. His absence is lamentable, but Richard O’Brien makes the most of a musical
tour of the old mansion where the film was shot, resplendent in a white shirt with a small
leopard on it. (That’s on disc 2)
The outtakes are strictly fan-worthy, and the sing-alongs require you to know the songs
pretty well, as there is no guide vocal track.
The interviews (recently recorded) with the cast are splendid and Sarandon is
especially entertaining, revealing and likeable -–and the least ravaged by time since
those days! O’Brien, on his musical tour of the mansion, is in sparkling,
Rocky-Horror-updated-camp sort of way, and Patricia Quinn has retained her bubbly charm.
The one deeply frustrating aspect of the release is the fact that some of the key
features on disc 2 are not in working order: despite several attempts, we could not access
the audience participation /theatrical experience versions. Suggest you insist on checking
the disc in the store before taking it home. After all, you do want to give yourself over
to pleasure – completely!"
Andrew L. Urban
Published February 15, 2001
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