10.19.16 It's RHPS Eve!
Oct 18, 2016 23:42:48 GMT -5
Post by tinafea on Oct 18, 2016 23:42:48 GMT -5
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RHPS Reviews
Rocky Horror Review: Fox's Remake Is Great, Ghoulish Fun, Except For…
By Dave Nemetz / October 18 2016, 6:00 AM PDT
The recent trend of TV musical events has been squeaky clean so far — The Sound of Music, Grease Live! — but now Fox is getting filthy with a remake of the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show. It’s lewd, crude, and still shocking forty years later, and Fox’s new version (airing Thursday, 8/7c) is a vibrant adaptation that faithfully captures the spirit of the original. But… there’s also a fatal flaw here that threatens to spoil the whole party.
For the first twenty minutes or so, this new Rocky Horror (subtitled Let’s Do the Time Warp Again) is firing on all cylinders. The story, if you don’t know: Innocent young lovers Brad (Ryan McCartan) and Janet (Victoria Justice) enter a spooky castle on a dark and stormy night and are corrupted by the hedonistic, S&M revelry going on inside. The Gothed-out ghouls they meet include droll butler Riff Raff (Reeve Carney), cackling maid Magenta (Christina Milian) and flamboyant ringleader Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Laverne Cox), who’s created her own Frankenstein’s monster: Rocky Horror (Staz Nair), a bronzed god in golden underwear.
Die-hard fans will notice a few updates here and there. In a nod to the film’s famous midnight screenings, a rowdy audience of theatergoers occasionally chimes in on the action with shouts and props. (When Janet covers her head with a newspaper to avoid the rain, they do, too.) But mostly, the remake plays it straight, letting the original’s glam-rock soundtrack and weirdo characters work their strange magic. One definite highlight: the show-stopping number “Time Warp,” which gets an all-out, rock-star makeover with Riff Raff strumming a neon-blue electric guitar.
But then Laverne Cox makes her entrance as Frank-N-Furter… and the film’s momentum is stopped cold. This isn’t meant as a slam on Cox’s acting talents; she’s fantastic on Orange Is the New Black, especially this past season. But she’s glaringly miscast here. She doesn’t stand out from her misfit horde like Frank should. Her singing isn’t up to snuff with the rest of the cast. Her accent varies wildly from “Tim Curry impression” to “Southern belle” to something in between. And more generally, the idea of Dr. Frank-N-Furter loses some of its shock value when the role is made female, as it is here. (Is she even a “Sweet Transvestite” anymore?)
Perhaps it’s unfair to expect anyone to live up to the iconic original performance by Tim Curry, who thankfully appears here as the Narrator to give the remake his blessing. But Adam Lambert makes a cameo as rock-‘n’-roll biker Eddie… and I found myself wishing he had played Frank instead. (Lambert was actually offered the role, but passed.) The unfortunate truth is, Cox’s ill-conceived portrayal drags down what should be a fun, raunchy romp. And it’s all the more frustrating because the rest of this Rocky‘s cast is terrific.
The Rocky Horror Picture ShowIt’s a rock-solid ensemble, top to bottom, but I’ll mention a few standouts. As Riff Raff, Carney (Penny Dreadful) also has huge shoes to fill, but he steals every scene he’s in with deadpan jokes and a killer singing voice. McCartan (Disney’s Liv and Maddie) and Justice (Nickelodeon’s Victorious) both come from kids’ TV, but they confidently step into (very) adult roles here with admirable abandon. And Masters of Sex‘s Annaleigh Ashford has an infectious spark as blue-tongued groupie Columbia. They’re all so good that I wanted to spend more time with them — and less with Frank.
As I’ve said, this remake is devotedly faithful to the original film… maybe too faithful. The film’s plot goes off the rails quite a bit in the final act, devolving into out-of-left-field musical numbers and sci-fi gobbledygook. And the remake unfortunately follows suit, with the high energy of the first hour petering out near the end. I wouldn’t expect director Kenny Ortega and his crew to build a new third act from scratch, but the weak way it all wraps up is still a letdown.
As a Rocky Horror fan, I have to say I enjoyed much of Fox’s remake: The songs are still toe-tappingly catchy; the story is still delightfully subversive. (Like pizza, even a mediocre Rocky Horror is still pretty good.) But the Cox casting was an epic miscalculation that the production can’t fully recover from. Which is a shame, because this really could’ve been a home run — a new Halloween classic, even. As is, it’s simply a missed opportunity.
THE TVLINE BOTTOM LINE: Fox’s Rocky Horror is mostly an energetic Halloween treat… but Laverne Cox’s Dr. Frank-N-Furter hits a sour note.
tvline.com/2016/10/18/the-rocky-horror-picture-show-review-fox-remake-laverne-cox/
THE ROCKY HORROR REBOOT RECEIVES RAVE REVIEWS FROM ITS MOST DIE HARD FAN BASE
For those that are unaware, when I’m not out running around at horror conventions or writing about the awesome collectible items I come across for Terror Time, I generally spend my Saturday nights at the Nuart Theater in Los Angeles performing the role of Brad Majors in the local Rocky Horror Picture Show shadow cast Sins O The Flesh and have been doing this for the better part of a decade, attending hundreds of screenings. I can easily say this film is responsible for shaping the life I live now and to refer to me as a fan would be a gross understatement. Same goes for any of the other people I share the stage with weekend after weekend and those who are doing the same in movie theaters all around the world. These midnight screenings are more then just a trip to the movies for us. Most of us feel strong connection to both the film and the community that we’ve built around it, so naturally when FOX announced a made for TV re boot of the film that means so much to us, defenses we’re on the rise.
Now as time went on and more news, previews, and teasers were released, these defenses began to turn to excitement. The film, while looking very different from the original, reminded me alot of the many stage play renditions of The Rocky Horror Show that I had seen and enjoyed. The cast all seemed to be very passionate about the project, and of course the news of Tim Curry being cast as the Criminologist had me more then intrigued. That being said I was still skeptical. I’m not one of those people who will be out there screaming that re-making a film will somehow ruin the original ( That claim is beyond ridiculous and I can’t believe how many times I see it made regularly) nor was I going to be unwilling to watch it with an open mind. I guess my reservations lay with how much the original film means to me and for me to be able to enjoy it, it would really have to capture that feeling and spirit that Rocky is so famous for. So with mixed feelings I began my wait for October 20th.
Well, shortly after the last preview aired an opportunity presented itself that I could not turn down. FOX had decided to take a risky move and invite the most critical crowd it could find to the premiere screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show : Lets Do The Time Warp Again on October 13th at the Roxy Theatre and extended an invite to local shadow casts who get on stage and shadow cast the original movie every weekend. The location of this premiere was extra exciting as The Roxy is owned by producer Lou Adler and is also where the first U.S. run of The Rocky Horror Show took place in 1974. Naturally, myself, the majority of my cast members, and members of Rocky shadwcasts from all over the US jumped at this opportunity. Not only were we going to get to see the re boot a week early, but we were going to get to watch it at The Roxy Theatre with the cast and crew in attendance including Tim Curry.
When I arrived at the Roxy I knew I was in for a treat right from the get go. The outside of the building was decorated with a very familiar set of lips, a red carpet walk, old movie posters from the films that are referenced in the opening song Science Fiction, Double Feature, and a large banner which said It Was Great Where It All Began.
Once we got inside it was similar in feeling. The room was decorated top to bottom in Rocky decorations, Rocky Horror themed drinks were being served, and decorated popcorn and prop bags sat on our seats waiting for us to arrive.
After mingling for a bit ( many of us only see each other at annual Rocky Horror conventions or similar events) we took our seats. There was a brief introduction from Lou Adler who then turned the mic over to Rocky Horror Fan Club president Sal Piro. Sal spoke for a bit more then led us into our very famous Rocky count down where the entire crowded erupted as he yelled “Give me an RRRR”. Whether we had a skeptical or excited outlook, we were all ready to see the remake we’d been hearing about for so long now.
I have to say I was absolutely blown away with what I saw. I loved every second of it. It was clear from the get go that every single person involved in making it saw this as a passion project and what they delivered was a perfect tribute to the original film. While I enjoyed the way everyone portrayed their characters the stand outs for me had to be Ryan McCartan(Brad Majors), Victoria Justice( Janet Weiss), Annaleigh Ashford(Columbia) and Adam Lambert (Eddie). Ryan McCartan specifically I thought captured the conservative quirkiness of Brad that could only be topped by Barry Bostwick himself. Annaleigh Ashford added comedic side to Columbia and it fit the characters personality spot on. Overall I feel like all of the characters in this version really gave a nod to the different ways these characters have been portrayed both on film and screen while throwing a little bit of a personalized twist which worked for all of them.
Another thing that really drew me into this version was the constant nod to the shadow casts and stage play that have kept the original alive for so long. From the opening scene, which starts you off in a movie theater featuring an usherette singing Science Fiction Double Feature, just like in the stage play, to giving you an overwhelming urge to shout audience participation lines, this movie really embraced the feeling of the original. It at no point tried to be better then or top the original film, rather the whole thing felt like one big love letter to it and that is exactly why I was able to enjoy this movie so much.
The night ended with a huge Rocky Horror party in the Roxy. There was music playing, drinks served, and no one in the building could stop talking about how impressed we were. Cast from the film were in the crowd singing Rocky Horror songs on the stage side by side with the rest of us, and we ended the night with a bang.
The next morning there was an overwhelming response from the Rocky community all over social media, so if you don’t want to take my word for it here’s what a few others from different shadow cast’s around the country had to say:
“so i had been skeptical of the Rocky Horror reboot from the beginning. i didnt understand a lot of the casting choices and i more importantly didnt understand who it was for. it felt out of place.
tonight, after seeing it in full with the cast there watching with me and many many other rocky horror die hard fans, it was very clear that the movie was made specifically to be a delicately crafted, fully thought out love letter to the fanbase. it had so many high moments that the few lows were intensely overshadowed. I’ve never had this much fun with a rocky audience before. a lot of the cast was very charming and you could see that a lot of them really genuinely cared about this. I was wary of Laverne Cox in the beginning, even knowing full well she would deliver, but seeing her actually do it was magical. she fully made it her own. it’s hard to fill that role considering the act you are following, but i think she was absolutely fantastic. a lot of what i thought was going to be weak points ended up being incredibly strong. Like Annaleigh Ashfords Columbia, i expected her lack of femininity to remove a lot from the character, but she played it entirely new and with such great comedic timing. the movie wasn’t made to re invent anything really, in fact it plays off a lot of the exact same jokes and timing of the original. it was like giving a shadow cast the ability to go into the movie, people who really cared and enjoyed the content were just acting it out in the way they’ve always loved it.
I really do recommend watching it. tonight washed away all of the fears i had about it, it really is spectacular.”-Chad Jones, Sins o the Flesh
“I will have to say even though I’m a loyalist to the original the remake truly was great”-Amanda Proctor, Frankies Fishnets
“The TV special was really enjoyable. The music was well produced and the choreography was cool. Some songs were more forgettable than others and a few of the cast members didn’t leave much of an impact but overall it was a really fun experience to sit in an audience filled with Rocky Horror vets and watch what was clearly just a fun tribute. The cast definitely look like they had a good time making it and I think that went along way in making it an enjoyable experience. The MVP was the guy who played Brad, he was funny as fuck.” David Hayes, Sins o The Flesh
“ I really liked it. It didn’t try to out do the original and the respectful nods to shadow casts were sincere. It was clever, most of the costumes rocked and the choreography-Wow!“-Ray Thompson, K.A.O.S
“I met a Rocky!!! Had a super great time at the new RHPS premier 👄 Definitely recommend everyone to see it #dontdreamitbeit”- Jacey Tomlinson, Sins o The Flesh
“Here is my mini Rocky Horror Picture Show revision review Ryan McCartan kicks all the ass at Brad Majors and spoiler alert Frank Furter still dies.”-Justin Reed, BBNG
“I cannot speak for everyone but I enjoyed the Rocky Horror Picture Show reboot. It’s not the same movie and it shouldn’t be but it was certainly very fun and enjoyable. I love my Rocky family and I love my cast Sins O’ The Flesh” -Alex Malo
“Okay watch the RHPS Fox Special. It was actually really fun. Take it as a fun TV tribute movie. Do it.” Taylor Ann Marzullo, Sins o The Flesh
“I actually really enjoyed the remake! There were so many clever nods to the fans, that somehow never seemed forced. For me the stand out performances were Ryan McCartan as Brad and Annaliegh Ashford as Columbia.” – Renee Jeske, Sins o The Flesh
These were just a few of the post’s that were flooding my feed Friday morning, all praising the film.
So overall, if you are a die hard Rocky fan, then this re boot was made for you. When it airs October 20th, I recommend getting a screening together, watching it as a group, singing along with songs, shouting out your favorite lines and having fun with it in the true Rocky Horror spirit. Personally I can’t wait to see it again and am already looking forward to attending a screening party myself.
www.thterrortime.com/the-rocky-horror-reboot-receives-rave-reviews-from-its-most-die-hard-fan-base/
The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again
David Gordon • New York City • Oct 18, 2016
Nine months ago, Fox changed the musicals-on-TV game with its live broadcast of Grease. Content-wise, Grease Live didn't reinvent the wheel beyond padding the story a bit. What it did do was remarkable. While NBC broadcasts like Peter Pan Live and The Sound of Music Live did credible jobs of putting what amounted to live theater on television, Grease Live upped the ante of the fledgling genre's potential, figuring out how to retain a theatrical feel (and live audience) while opening the show up for the small-screen medium.
Of course, with every step forward, there's the potential for a journey in the opposite direction. Even so, it's bewildering how much of a step backward the network takes with The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again, a pre-taped movie airing October 20 that has had the benefits of editing and other traditional cinematic procedures. Featuring a surprisingly ordinary ensemble headed by Orange Is the New Black standout Laverne Cox, this unfortunate reboot fails to capture the spirit of the 1975 original, while taking pains to stay as close to it as possible.
For the uninitiated, Rocky Horror began life as a stage musical written by Richard O'Brien as a loving homage to the B movies of his youth. The strange plot follows the newly affianced Brad (here played by Ryan McCartan) and Janet (Victoria Justice), a pair of all-American virgins who stumble upon a haunted castle where trans-alien Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Cox) is celebrating the birth of her latest creation, a muscleman sex toy named Rocky (Staz Nair). Brad and Janet gradually lose their innocence as they become indoctrinated into the strange goings-on.
Besides the excellent Richard O'Brien score (and his less involving plot), a lot of The Rocky Horror Picture Show's charm came from its griminess, created with a knowing wink that made it easy to love and even easier to poke fun at. To this day, it remains the quintessential cult midnight movie, inspiring dress-up screenings complete with audience interaction and callbacks.
Those elements are built into this new version, insipidly directed for the screen by Kenny Ortega. Rather than using the iconic red lips to open the feature, Ortega takes us into an old movie palace where an usherette (Ivy Levan) welcomes a crowd of punk youths to a movie screening. As Rocky Horror comes to life, there are occasional flashes into the cinema, where toilet paper gets tossed around, and viewers carefully fill in the blank with phrases like "Say it!" during Frank's drawn-out "anticipation."
Missing, though, are the bluer references, like shouting naughty nicknames at Janet and Brad when they introduce themselves. It's a small qualm but a telling one, indicative of this remake's larger problem, its sanitization. Rocky Horror was racy for its time, a textbook definition of 1970s counterculture. Ortega and company scrub the material clean of any sort of defining character and '70s grit. By no means is this Rocky Horror for children, but it's the product of a director whose previous credits include bubblegum films like High School Musical.
With the exception of casting Cox, a trans woman, as the "sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania," Ortega doesn't make any contributions to the material itself, and mostly sticks to the 1975 screenplay verbatim. Even the imagery has you yearning for the original as Ortega and director of photography Luc Montpellier redo sequences like "Over at the Frankenstein Place," rather than crafting their own take.
The actors are doing similar imitations. McCartan captures Barry Bostwick's average nerdiness, while Justice has Susan Sarandon's breathiness down pat. As no-longer hunched servant Riff Raff, Broadway Spider-Man veteran Reeve Carney does a near-perfect impression of O'Brien himself, who took on that role 40 years ago. All of them are auto-tuned to distraction, which further adds to the loss of grit.
Cox doesn't quite have the vocal prowess to hit all the notes, but she is nonetheless delicious as Frank-N-Furter, reimagined in salacious skin-tight costumes by William Ivey Long that strangely make her look like a flame. Other standouts who do manage to make unique marks include Adam Lambert as the motorcycle-riding Eddie and Tony-winning veteran Broadway scene-stealer Annaleigh Ashford as Columbia. And it's truly lovely to see Tim Curry, the defining Frank himself who was felled by a stroke several years ago, make an appearance as the narrator.
In the end, The Rocky Horror Picture Show: Let's Do the Time Warp Again is a major missed opportunity, one that keeps newness at arm's length in favor of safety. If you want the true Rocky Horror experience, watch the original risk-taking, boundary-breaking movie. It will have you shivering with antici…pation.
www.theatermania.com/new-york-city-theater/reviews/the-rocky-horror-picture-show_78831.html
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Adamtopia CalendarNote: events are in local time and on local time days. Australia is a half-day ahead of the Americas, so sometimes it is "tomorrow" there.
October 20, 2016 Rocky Horror Picture Show premieres on Fox TV
October 23, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation (AU) Live Show on Channel 7
October 24, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Results Show
October 30, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Live Show
October 31, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Results Show
November 6, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Live Show
November 7, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Results Show
November 13, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Live Show
November 14, 2016 X Factor: Next Generation Results Show
Mid-late November, 2016 Rocky Horror Picture Show DVD released
On the distant horizon: Chapter 4
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