Forget tossing Milk Duds and Diet Cokes during “Minecraft: The Movie” multiplex viewings, the original audience participation flick “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is back in the news, celebrating its milestone 50th anniversary this year with a sparkling 4K UHD Blu-ray release en route for fans and special birthday screenings sometime later this year.
Directed by Jim Sherman, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” has become a cinematic cult classic that began life in London as a campy 1973 sci-fi horror stage musical written by eccentric actor Richard O’Brien.
After a successful UK run it was adapted into a 1975 Hollywood feature film from 20th Century Fox that starred most of the cast from the original West End theater production, including O’Brien as Riff Raff, Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, Patricia Quinn as Magenta, Little Nell as Columbia, and Jonathan Adams as Dr. Scott. American actors Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick were added to the movie’s crazy cast, portraying Janet Weiss and Brad Majors. It’s one of the weirdest and best sci-fi movies of the 1970s.
“When The Rocky Horror Picture Show was first released, no one thought it would be around very long, let alone 50 years,” producer Lou Adler said in a statement. “What began as a small, rebellious project has become a global celebration of individuality, community, and creative freedom. This anniversary is a tribute to the fans who kept it alive and kicking all these years.”
To make sure the iconic film was dressed in its birthday finest, Walt Disney Studios Restoration crew gave the beloved movie a full 10-month restoration and remaster for a 4K UHD home video debut and theatrical revival. Disney’s careful restoration process of “Rocky Horror” employed a precise digital scan and preservation regimen by inspecting each frame’s clarity.
This polished-up edition also includes a freshly mixed Dolby Atmos audio track, with the movie’s original mono audio being restored to sing along to the catchy soundtrack just like it originally premiered during its UK release starting on August 14, 1975, and the U.S. release on Sept. 26, 1975.
“It’s a privilege to help preserve the legacy of a film that has meant so much to so many,” says Walt Disney Studios director of restoration and library management Kevin Schaeffer. “Bringing ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ to life in 4K allows us to honor its bold, genre-defying spirit and ensure that audiences — both longtime fans and first-time viewers — can experience it as it was originally intended, with stunning picture and sound.”