Rocky Horror is a classic, with a massive cult following, but there’s something on the horizon. Some of you will love it, others will hate it, and some will hate it without a single viewing.
That’s just the nature of anything branded as a remake, but let’s be fair here. Remakes do serve a purpose.
There is an entire generation of movie lovers that have never seen the original, and they are very unlikely to even give it a chance. That’s where Fox comes in, and where my expectations of remakes will be proven accurate yet again…
What do I expect of Fox’s take on Rocky Horror? Let’s start with music.
Rocky Horror’s original soundtrack is iconic. It’s enjoyed both during the movie, and as a standalone. It also serves as the glue that made the original film work, and is likely to be close to the original. Don’t fix it, if it’s not broken…
Next up, I expect some visual updates. No matter how much you love the original film, it is very dated. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with it. It’s just got a vintage appearance. Everything from the costumes, to some of the dialogue, is fully representative of the time period it came from. 1975 was over 40 years ago. Times change.
Lastly, cultural differences. Cultural diversity is a thing, and Rocky Horror isn’t safe. Tim Curry is back, but not as Frank-N-Furter. That role has been given to Laverne Cox, a transgender actor known mostly for the character Sophia Burset on the Netflix series Orange Is the New Black. This is a direct reflection of our current cultural environment in the United States, and it makes sense for the casting. Did I mention, she is also a person of color? Yes, this Frank-N-Furter is both a minority, and transgender. It’s a perfect fit for the character.
Overall, I expect the remake will meet or even exceed the quality of the original film. Technology has come a long way in 40 years, as have optics and color evaluation on cameras. Still, some older fans will likely pass judgement on the new adaptation without even giving it a chance. That is to be expected for any remake.
It should also bring a new generation into the Rocky fandom, and hopefully spike some interest in the original film for new viewers. My advice, just give it a chance. If you like it, great. If not, that’s fine too. You can always return to the original.
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