Cue the rumble of angry Rocky Horror fans…
The trailer for the FOX Rocky Horror Picture Show remake debuted last night, and we got to see Laverne Cox in action as Doctor Frank-N-Furter. There’s also a candy-colored Annaleigh Ashford as Columbia and a nearly nude (and vulnerable) Brad and Janet. FOX is probably banking on this version of the beloved cult classic to generate Grease Live! ratings.
Here’s the quandary I face any time I see anything for this remake. I feel like the Rocky Horror-heads are being a bit sensitive when it comes to this production. Yes, Rocky Horror Picture Show is iconic–the the phrase cult classic was born with the original 1975 movie–but fans of the original are vicious in their opinions of any type of re-imagining. Any kind of retelling is going to be met with vitriol, so expect the noise to get louder as more material about the remake becomes public.
On the other hand, RHPS is famous for its honest viewpoints of sexuality and dreaming big. Can FOX’s version do those themes justice? Does anyone remember when Glee performed a Rocky Horror episode? It was squeaky clean and, dare I say it, pretty. So far it appears that this remake is missing something grungy, something dirty. Frank’s duds look too coiffed and fit for a fashion magazine cover. Something sloppy and messy has been edited down.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=outmDIi29Bo