Daily Dialogue — October 17, 2015

Brad: I’m glad we caught you at home. Could we use your phone? We’re both in a bit of a hurry. We’ll just say where were are and go back to the car. We don’t want to be any worry.
Frank: [singing] Well, you got caught with a flat/well, how about that? Well babies, don’t you panic. By the light of the night/it’ll all seem all right. I’ll get you a satanic mechanic! I’m just a sweet transvestite/from Transexual, Transylvania. Why don’t you stay for the night? Or maybe a bite? I could show you my favorite obsession. I’ve been making a man/with blond hair and a tan. And he’s good for relieving my tension. I’m just a sweet transvestite from Transexual, Trasylvania.

— The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), screenplay by Jim Sharman and Richard O’Brien

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Cross Dressing.

Trivia: When the film first opened, it had a traditional release, playing afternoon and early evening screenings. It bombed. Meat Loaf said he attended an opening week performance with director Jim Sharman in the Midwest where the theater was empty except for them. In the mid-1970s, midnight screenings became popular and word of mouth began to spread that the midnight audience might enjoy this film. It began showing at midnight in a few cities and it became popular, to the point that it has been shown continually in movie theaters since 1975, making it the longest theatrical run in history. The Museum Lichtspiele cinema in Muenchen, Germany has screened the movie every week since 24 June 1977, offering special “RHPS-Kits” to enable celebrations during the show. The kits contain a biscuit (for the toast), rice, a whistle, a candle (for “There’s a Light”), and a sheet of paper with instructions for the Time Warp.

Dialogue On Dialogue: A classic cross-dressing movie with an unforgettable performance by Tim Curry.