‘Everybody was fondling underwater!’: an oral history of the Rocky Horror Picture Show at 50
The GuardianThursday, July 31, 2025 at 4:00:38 AM
PositiveWorld Affairs
The Rocky Horror Picture Show turns 50, and the cast spills the wild, behind-the-scenes tales—think Mick Jagger almost starring, Susan Sarandon battling pneumonia, and a perpetually soggy, half-dressed ensemble. This oral history dives into how a raunchy, rebellious B-movie parody became the ultimate midnight movie cult phenomenon, defying its rocky start to charm audiences for decades.
Editor’s Note: Rocky Horror isn’t just a movie—it’s a cultural rebellion that refused to fade. Its legacy (fishnets, time warps, and all) reshaped how audiences interact with film, turning screenings into rowdy, participatory rituals. This peek behind the curtain reminds us why it still feels thrillingly alive half a century later.
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