In a world where narcissistic politicians spout hate, people are encouraged to blame each other for social failures, and inclusion feels like it’s being chipped away by ostracisation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show continues to encourage us to break the chains of repression and oppression, embrace our freaky side, and follow Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s advice: “Don’t dream it, be it.”
I would like, if I may… to take you… on a strange journey.
There’s a light over at the Frankenstein place, and it’s beckoning you into the wicked, wonderful and always wild world of Richard O’Brien’s The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a stage show and movie that, fifty years on, continues to thrill. So come along. The Master doesn’t like to be kept waiting.
Everyone who hasn’t spent their life under a rock has a favourite moment, line and song from The Rocky Horror Picture Show, whether it be Janet embracing her long-repressed desires as she sings, “Touch-a touch-a touch-a touch me. I wanna be dirty! Or Dr. Frank-N-Furter throwing off his cloak and belting out “I’m just a sweet transvestite, from Transsexual Transylvania.” Every minute, every tune and every character sears a place in the memory, but how did The Rocky Horror Picture Show become the ultimate immersive theatrical experience? Damn it, Janet! We need answers! Thankfully, Linus O’Brien, the son of Rocky Horror creator Richard O’Brien, is here to answer those questions with his deeply personal, loving, fascinating, and emotional documentary: Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror.
Speaking about Strange Journey ahead of its international premiere, Linus O’Brien said, “Several years ago, I stumbled upon the YouTube page for the song I’m Going Home, one of the highlights from The Rocky Horror Picture Show. As I read through the comments, I was overcome with emotion—each person shared their personal story and the deep place the song held in their heart. While Rocky Horror had always been a major part of my life, and I was well aware of its societal impact, this was the first time I truly grasped the enormity of its influence on individual lives. That realisation became the genesis of this film. I understood what a meaningful and layered story this was—Rocky’s rise, fall, and rise again; its influence on music, cinema, and pop culture; the unique cult phenomenon it fostered and the safe space it created for all kinds of people; and the unfortunate reality that, in today’s political climate, Rocky is as relevant as ever”. O’Brien is, of course, right; in our current world, The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains a beacon of light in the darkness, a free-spirited B-movie science fiction and horror-inspired joyride set to a host of unforgettable songs.
Through deeply personal interviews with his dad, Richard, now 82 and still able to knock out a tune, and the remaining Rocky Horror gang, from director Jim Sharman to Tim Curry, Lou Adler, Belinda Sinclair, Nell Campbell, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Peter Hinwood and Patricia Quinn, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror takes us from the earliest performance at The Royal Court, London in front of just 60 people, to the King’s Road Theatre, its premiere in Los Angeles under the guidance of Lou Adler, a disastrous New York run and of course, the 20th Century Fox backed movie with a tiny one million dollar production budget. But Strange Journey isn’t just about looking back to a time of unbridled creativity and risk-taking in theatre and film; it’s about celebrating the fans and the dedicated Rocky Horror family who keep the show and the film alive today. As Richard O’Brien says, “It took me a while to realise that Rocky Horror hasn’t truly belonged to me for years. It belongs to the fans.”
In exploring the relationship between theatre, fans and the film, which initially tanked at the box office and was disliked by a majority of 20th Century Fox executives, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is, in many ways, two documentaries rolled into one. The first is a loving tribute to creativity, bravery, and risk-taking as we explore the roots of Richard O’Brien’s creation and its journey to the stage and screen. The second is the tale of what happened after the film flopped, the midnight screenings that slowly morphed into a movement, and the shadow cast that brought Rocky Horror to life in cinemas, creating a truly immersive theatrical experience that cemented the film and the show’s status as an eternal cult classic.
In attempting to balance all of this within a single feature, Linus O’Brien’s documentary occasionally feels constrained by its own runtime, as it attempts to offer a comprehensive examination of the social, individual and cultural impact of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. However, while you may leave this Strange Journey with a feeling that there are many more stories still to tell, nothing can dampen O’Brien’s interstellar, vibratory-physio-molecular transit beam of happiness, togetherness and joy.
In a world where narcissistic politicians spout hate, people are encouraged to blame each other for social failures, and inclusion feels like it’s being chipped away by ostracisation, The Rocky Horror Picture Show continues to encourage us to break the chains of repression and oppression, embrace our freaky side, and follow Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s advice: “Don’t dream it, be it.” For those who are new to Rocky Horror, or those, like me, who have proudly been a part of Frank-N-Furter’s freaky found family for years, Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror invites you to give yourself over to the absolute pleasure of one of the greatest musicals ever made.
Linus O’Brien’s Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror had its international premiere at Sheffield DocFest and will be released in cinemas nationwide on October 3, 2025.
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