16 March 2011

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Dir. Jim Sharman
1975

Opening Image:


Closing Image:


What does it all mean? What does anything mean? Sharman depicts the underlying existential futility of Rocky Horror by starting the film on a black screen. We're introduced first to a singular body part. And then those lips start to sing. He uses this image to foreshadow the utter ridiculousness of the plot while at the same time pointing out that it's actually quite a disturbing visage. Those red lips, white teeth, pink tongue surrounded by nothing but blackness. The film is a comedy, for sure; over-the-top in almost every way. But when he ends the film on a similarly dark screen, with only a glowing representation of our Earth in frame, you wonder what he wants the audience to take away. That life is both funny and disturbing? That life is both over-the-top and meaningless? Maybe that's the real horror.

1 comment:

  1. Ooooooh commentary! Very existential today. But i think Rocky Horror is actually about gold hot pants. So you're wrong about this one.

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