Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror  (15) |Close-Up Film Review

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is a glimpse into the genesis of the much-loved stage show, the movie it became, and the devoted fans. 

The film delves into how the show came about with the show’s creators cutting their teeth on 60s and 70s stalwarts Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair, before Richard O’Brien started writing a loving musical homage to the cheap horror films.

For musical theatre fans, this is a fascinating insight into how a show gets written, how the alchemy of writing, direction, casting and design all come together.  Many of the original cast and creatives, including beloved Tim Curry, offer their insights. After a stunning London run, the show transfers to LA equally successfully, but dies a death in the face of Broadway snobbery. True to its schlocky inspiration, it’s born again as a movie. Which flops. But again, it’s not quite dead, finding a small, but devoted audience at late night screenings in random cities across the US. And so that audience grows, and grows until it becomes the behemoth it is today. 

This is all wonderful. 

But woven throughout this narrative, are myriad quiet, personal stories of self-discovery. Not everyone who loves Rocky Horror is queer, but for many, it showed them a glimpse of how you can live your life authentically, and unapologetically; even if that lesson comes from a gender-queer, chaos-goblin alien.   Including Richard O’Brien. It’s these stories, that elevate this documentary from interesting to fascinating. 

The film is directed by Linus O’Brien, whose father wrote the show. The film could have become a mawkish puff piece, but another stand-out moment is when father and son discuss the showstopping song Home, and how deeply that song has touched people.  It’s a beautifully, intimate moment, one of several between the pair.   And that’s the beauty of this film. Despite the sequins and glossy lipstick of the subject matter, it’s a quiet film, thoughtful and respectful.  And it shows how although Richard O’Brien may have been the show’s creator, it’s become something so much greater than he, or anyone could have imagined. 

Currently in UK and Irish cinemas.  Available on DVD, Blu-ray & Digital from 20th October