And stay, oh, smile, and that will mean I'm a-ay-ay-ay. So hi everyone and welcome to the Naughty at North Podcast. Isn't Naughty at North Podcasts and it's hosted by another nerds I am when you're wholesome. And I am the other horse Paul and normally I would be taking the piss out of my guest but tonight is a very special guest.
We have a very special guest, someone that I did just come out of the blue and we've got the amazing Linus or Brian. Who is directing a new documentary, Strange Journey, The Story of Rocky Horror. So thank you for joining us and thank you for making us spend time with us. And all the time differences, I hope you're having a nice day and I hope the weather's nice.
Yeah, it's called here in the UK right now. Sorry about that. Yeah, so we've got a little bit of a disclaimer that some of you always read so we'll get that there. It's kind of about a little mission statement.
So everything discussed in today's episode is our opinions and our opinions alone. If you'd like to see anything from today's episode please come and join us on the Facebook page. You can join the Naughty at North Discord or the comments section where we can have an open discussion. But what we won't have is anyone coming for us in town and our opinions are wrong because we can all agree to disagree and find them.
So let's keep it fun, keep it kind and keep the toxic behaviour out of nerdism. Thank you. I've had really work in a shop, couldn't I? Oh, they got a 10-hour announcement.
I feel like I've got that kind of voice. Sorry. So this year's a big year. 50th anniversary of Rocky Horror as well.
It's madness that it's been going for so long. Especially when you think about all the anniversaries we've had this year, we've had the Jaws 50th anniversary, we've had one of the Amirs in Goonies 40th anniversary show as well. And I think what was the other one? American Werewolf in London?
Yeah, it was a 5-4th anniversary. So with Rocky Horror now being 50-year-old, you've decided to make a little documentary about that with the experiences and everything. Now we got a little sneak peek of the trailer that came out this week. And it did everything that we wanted to.
It got us excited because it's given us behind the scenes and with everything that's going on now, we love behind the scenes stuff. So just to ask you a question to start off as well, with you growing up around the same time as the show on the movie taken off, were you aware of the buzz and the community that was that was green? I mean, we always knew over the last 50 years how important Rocky was to fans. But it was probably only in the last four to five.
And specifically, and this is in the movie as well, I came across the clip from I'm Going Home on YouTube. And when I started to read the comments underneath the clips, they were quite incredible in the love and empathy that they had for Rocky and that song in particular. There was a comment from our Souljana Rock saying he used to play it all the time, hoping he could go home. There was a daughter who watched it with her mother religiously and then a mother passed away, so she played a funeral.
And it was just comment after comment like that that just brought home the extreme relevance of Rocky as a safe place for people who felt kind of on the fringes of society to be free to express themselves. And it's incredibly important in this day and age. And always we're all looking for community and connection and Rocky provides that, which is something to be celebrated. And I think we did that in this movie.
No, I totally agree. I couldn't agree with you more. Rocky Horror has been in my life for as long as I can remember. I am that way a child.
I've known Rocky younger than what I probably should have and to say, it's probably younger than what I should have been. But it was, and I was thinking about this today, Rocky's home for me. It is my safe place. It is a place where I'm going to stop crying.
It is a place where I don't feel different. I am just part of the norm because everyone is exactly like me. And yeah, this movie and everything about it, the whole, I mean, I've been to see the show so many times. And some of the greatest leading actors playing like Frank and Ferta.
But this is this is home. It really is so home. Lovely to hear. And I think that's what we try to celebrate in the movie.
And we've been taking it to film festivals over the course of the summer. It started at South by Southwest. And the reaction has been incredible better than we could have ever hoped for. That was a gentleman who came up to us, came up to me at the end of the screening at South by Southwest after the Q&A.
And he said, oh, me and my wife met at Rocky 32 years ago. And she wanted to me to let you and your dad know that if it wasn't for Rocky, she wouldn't be alive today. And those stories just keep on coming all the time. So I can't think of another work of art, really, another stage play, movie, or music, or songs or albums that have saved lives the way that Rocky has.
And I think it puts it into some kind of very unique category. So yeah, it's wonderful to celebrate and be a part of it. No, 100%. And as somebody said, we are alternative.
We are weird kids. And I had a very mischievous auntie when I was a kid who went to the baby, sent me, she was going to watch all the films. Because it was the eighties. It wasn't really a big thing back then.
So it was kind of like, you can watch this. It's fine. It's got fun songs. And I didn't really get like, say, like most of the connotations.
It was just like, this is a really good song. And I remember two things. One, after watching, I was like, oh, can you can you do my makeup? Like, like, Fackenfurter.
So there is a photo out there. I think my mom and dad still got it of me in full. Fackenfurter, I make up and everything. I don't think he dabbers too, please, back then.
Because he's a taxi in Northern Boxer. It wasn't really, seriously. But it was quite brilliant. And my mom was so embarrassed.
Because the next year on the day, we at school, I was singing, I was sweet, transvestite. Not really understanding what I meant. I was just like, because that's one thing about this movie as well. The songs are so like, eutthoric.
Like, everything, kind of like, lift you or you can't help with either tap your hand or even start getting like, moving, winks, any other songs, clear. Like, I know, like, like, my favorite is like, opportunity, like the meatloaf version. Right, right. Like, now it's just, and again, every time the shore comes around in the northeast.
Because with me and Sammy being like, who in Northern is from, like, some and we don't get really many stuff up North, I think always goes down South. So we get excited when we get Robbie Horro. Because literally it'll show for a week and it'll do two performances a day and literally the streets are just covered with people just in all the drag outfits, all the, like, say, fishnets, and no one batonized it. Everyone just knows what's happening.
Everyone kind of gets in with the phone. But I think that's kind of like the heart and soul that Robbie Horro brings. I mean, it's amazing. I think the fact that it has normalized, you know, being free to be yourself, express yourself the way that you would like to be your essentially authentic self, it's, yeah, it's quite startling how it's helped people in that regard, especially to my dad, you know, in the movie as well.
He's, yeah, and he said it for many years now, but it took him about 30 years to feel comfortable expressing who he was. I mean, he identifies as 30% female and 70% male. You know, but it took him 30 years to kind of be comfortable admitting that and saying it out loud. So, yeah, Rocky has helped people tremendously in that regard.
Not just not just people who lean LGBTQ. It's just it's for people who, you know, society tells us what sexy should look like, right? And what sexuality should be. And but that's not true for all of us.
We all have a bit of shame about our bodies and all that stuff and feeling comfortable. And so, you know, one of the greatest gifts is being able to express your sexuality while you're on planet Earth. And so to give that opportunity for people who've struggled in that regard, including myself, it's a real it's amazing how helpful it's been. Just with you mentioning your dad as well, because like in our discord, we mentioned that we will eat tonight.
So a few people did ask us if we could ask you a question on their behalf. What? One of the lads Chris, he mentioned, did you learn anything new about your dad while making this documentary from the people that you talked to? Well, actually, it's funny because we included my dad's, one of my dad's oldest friends, Chrissy Shrimpton.
She was the she is the sister of Jean Shrimpton, who was like, essentially first supermodel, I think, or considered that. And she used to date Mick Jagger. And I really wanted her to be involved because in many ways, she knows my dad probably maybe even better than my brother and sister and I. Because obviously, you're different around your friends as people, right?
Than you are around your children. Not consciously, but you just kind of are. And so getting her perspective and to talk about his struggle in the early days was really crucial for me and for the movie. It allowed us a window into his life early on.
And it's supported by super 8 footage by my take and by my mother. And so it really is a nice opportunity to delve into how he was struggling earlier on whilst he was in all of his childhood, but especially during the time of Rocky as well. Not that way. How was his reaction to you doing this?
Yeah, I mean, at first, I think he was a little bit, he was like, just wanted to make sure that the stage production was given as much time as the movie. And couldn't tell the whole story. Of course, that was going to be the case because it's one of the best parts of the story, that it was only meant to run for three weeks in a day to tell 60 people. And from that, it's grown into this phenomenon.
So yeah, of course, we were going to visit that. And I think he was really happy with the result and the response. And that's incredibly gratifying for me because it was a gift to him and a gift to the fans at the end of the day. It does feel like a love letter when you watch in the trailer.
It's actually... I'm actually sad that you didn't get a link before we did the interview. We would have sent you a link to the whole movie. Oh my gosh!
We'll do that right afterwards. Yay! Oh, no, that would be perfect. Because it's getting the talk you're about and then getting to go and see it.
And then you don't have to see me historically crying. So, look at you. I would have enjoyed that. Thank you for your motion.
Yeah, it happens quite a lot. Don't worry. That's one of the things. We're never like kind of like being cheeky.
It's like, we're going to say the movie at the cinema as well. Yeah, sure. We've already found that spot. Right after this, I'll send it along to you.
Oh, thank you very much. Thank you. That was appreciate it. So, like I mentioned about the YouTube video, because that was something I was doing when I was doing my research.
I read that you found the song going home, which is a very emotional song. Like, anyway, when you're watching it as a kid. That was always the song that people went quiet to. That was like, you sat back on your list and listened to it.
So, when you read the, like, as you say, the comments, I mean, that's been the starting point to the project. How did you go about like, did the idea kind of go off? Just like with the, like, kind of. There was two things.
There was basically that video. And I came across the VH1 special that they did behind the music on Rocky. And so I was like, oh, this is good. It tells into it.
But, you know, that was 30 years ago now. So, with the 50th anniversary coming up, all those things, it just coalesced in my mind. And then I took it to an old friend of mine, Avner Shiloh, who's a very well regarded editor. He edited the dissident and would start 99.
On HBO and this new documentary called Yacht Rock. There's also an HBO. So, he was very talented. And he said, oh, I'll take the idea to my producers I've been working with, Adam Gibbs and Garrett Price.
I had like one drink with them. And they were like, yep, you should direct it. And I was like, okay, that sounds good. That's quite scary though as well.
It's like, put that kind of pressure on you a little bit. I just, I don't know. I just welcomed the challenge because, you know, when I did think about it, I was like, yeah, I'm probably the best person to direct it really. So, it makes the most sense.
And around, I used to work for a film company up in Vancouver, Canada called Network Entertainment. And in around the business, it's a huge part of my life. So, it just made perfect sense. And three and a bit years later, we're here.
So, yeah, creatively, it's all worked out. Like, perfect. I couldn't be happier with it, really. No, so, that's something that's something that's said.
This must have been like a labor of love as well. Like going back reminiscent, but seeing all the different cast members or like the people that you're talking to, well, like the traveling you must have done to get those interviews. Cause not all of them are close by now. I guess they used to.
Yeah, I mean, we went to New Zealand twice to interview my dad once by himself. And then once with Richard Hartley, they sit down and went through the songs and went to the five of the songs like Acoustically. So, we have those in to spur within the movie, which is very nice. So, when the city's coming up?
I know, right. I'd be honest, what I'd like to do is get my dad to go to the studio and do all the songs acoustically just with his guitar. Better need a bit of convincing, I think. But yeah, so I went to New Zealand twice, went to London to shoot Nell, Pat, Peter Hinwards, Sue Blaine, Chrissy, my dad's childhood friend, Blintison Claire, who is the main Janet in the original production, by Julie Covington.
And so, we did those in London. And then we went to New York to interview Susan and Barry. And shoot some of the shadow cast. We interviewed Sal Piero's sister, Lilius, which is a very, very, Lilius Piero, who was one of the original eight three playhouse shadow cast members.
And yeah, so it's, and then some interviews here in LA, Lou Adlet and Currie and Jack Black and Trixie Mattel. So, yeah, traveling, but yeah, it was just one of the best experiences of my entire life of doing it. So, yeah, it was great. No, because it's like you're doing this big project, but like the memories that must have been like unlocking as well.
Because you grew up with this, as everything was kind of starting off our going thing. This is your childhood, as everything was kind of blown up. You would have been going through the ups and the downs. So, reliving that.
It's almost like you'd gone back in time. Yeah, I think so. It is for me. And then there's a scene where my dad is talking about going to the first like big convention in like 1980 or something, 81 maybe and seeing it with a crowd for the first time.
And I think, and we found that archival footage of him at the convention. And I think so when he's watching it, it's almost like if someone else is life, you know, as our childhoods usually become. When you see old photographs, you're like, Oh, really? That was me?
It's like, you know, somewhat, somewhat could be someone else. So, yeah. So meeting up with a lot of the cast members who grew up around my childhood, early childhood, it was, it was, it was fantastic, you know, getting to connect. I think a large part of the reason everyone's so willing is obviously because of my connection to them and, and that so, yeah, it all works out very, very nicely.
We got to interview everyone we wanted to. Everyone's great. And the Pat kills it. She likes to clips of her, like her stories and they just bring the house down every time.
So yeah, it was a really great experience. I adore that woman. I had the opportunity in my hometown as well. I was working at a convention.
She was there too. Her table was near mine. She was very, she was on her own and I could not bring myself to go over and just see it. I feel like I feel like everything that I would have said would have just been covered in tears and snorched.
Like I just would have been crying because there was my childhood hero standing right in front of me and I couldn't bring myself to go talk to her. She was surprised. I'd be surprised about how, how, how, how responsive they are, receptor they are to the fans. I mean, they're doing a tour currently, Barry Nell and, and Pat are doing a tour of America doing where they show the film and then they do Q&A off the fans.
So yeah, they have a lot of experience like talking to people, you know, who love the movie. Yeah, you're talking to two people who's more social anxiety people you ever made. We go to conventions like we go to horror and we just go, oh yeah, there's, there's. There they are.
I think they're all putting some really good. I think everyone struggles with it. I just don't think that they're open about it. I think a lot of us what they would call neurodivergent these days.
Yes. And I think so, you know, we all think that, you know, the other people are normal or normal. Yeah, that's just not the case. Yeah, I'm just worried when I'm going to see it.
That's my problem is what's going to come out of here? That's the issue. Is it going to make any sense or am I just going to be an absolute mess? I mean, yeah, I couldn't do it with Pat.
I really couldn't. And she was staring at us for ages and I'm like, she probably couldn't say hello to me. That's the irony of it. She probably wants to come and eat.
I just asked her, I was walking. Are you fine? You know, are you meant to be here? Right.
So I know you're talking about the community as well. Like I said, we've already mentioned your father being the creator of this massive community. It's, and there must be a huge sense of pride with that that goes along and it keeps on. No, but there isn't.
I think he doesn't like the use of the word pride for one thing. And I think at the end of the movie, I'll spoil it. I guess I'll spoil it for you. He goes, I asked him, you know, what does Rocky mean to you now?
And he goes, actually, I met someone, the other fan, and he said, you know, the truth is, Richard, it doesn't belong to you. It belongs to us. And my dad acknowledged it. He goes, you know, you're absolutely right.
That is the case. It's not his anymore. He's very happy that it's brought people together and provides a place where people can feel connected and feel part of a community. But yeah, he doesn't take any pride in it.
And he's just very, very happy for everyone. Yeah, that's a nice way of looking at it as well. Again, because we've also been our age range as well. I almost feel like we grew up with your father as well, because not with just Rocky Horror, that was the Crystal Mears and that was, like I said, a big phenomenon as well.
One of the other Discord members wanted to ask this as well. Did you ever get to go on the Crystal Mears? You're not going to go on. Well, I'm not officially like I went round the sets and went into all the rooms and all like I said, I didn't end up playing the games.
Right. I mean, it's freezing that place. They did it in this old warehouse and I get to date with lights and everything. They made it seem like it was warm and inviting, but it was absolutely freezing.
So it was super fun to, the funny thing for me was because I was away at school. And then when I would come back on the holidays, it used to be like, you know, Rocky fans coming up to him, but then little kids kept coming up to him because they were just such fans of the Crystal Maze. They didn't know anything about Rocky Horror, but they're like five, six-year-old kids coming up to my dad wanting his autograph on the street for Crystal Maze. And it was really surprising how much it caught on and how much he connected with everyone.
They didn't know actually when he was presenting the show and he was doing, you know, how he used to do those aside to the camera as they were trying to get the game, he turned to the camera and he'd go, oh my God, why are they taking so long? Or whatever he was doing. I don't think the directors will produce this new that he was going to be doing that stuff, but there's downtime there and then that became the funny thing in the show. Because he was being the viewer for all of us, letting us in there and getting frustrated with them and not being shy about it.
It was very funny. His passion in that for sure was just a maze and he was a passionate icon. The jackets and the leopard print, he looked amazing. Yeah, well, that's all from his own wardrobe.
You know what, they never gave anybody. Ah, that's brilliant. So, come on. No, that's fine.
I was going to ask as well, so, like, talk about the show itself. If you had a chance to be, like, it's a dreamy at it now. I know it's one of those things, I've tried to do it a million times in the past. Some good, some thing, but the spirit's always there.
If you were going to be cast in the Royal Picture Show, who would you love to play? Is that the play in it? Well, if I'm recasting the whole show. You're yourself as well.
Like, who would you like to play? You then? Yeah. Well, I'd love to play the narrator.
Right. I would get a real kick out of that. It's something that I think I'd be quite good at. So, I'd love to get the opportunity to do that at some point.
As for being a character in the show, I don't know. I'm probably, you know, in public, I'm quite conservative. So, but in private, I'm not that way. I think that's like a lot of us maybe.
But yeah, so I think the narrator is probably the person who I'd like to play the most if I was going to cast myself, I guess. Oh, yeah, good one. So, like, if you were the near it, I'm surprised that hasn't come up. Because it seems that would be like an interesting casting as well.
And again, it's a moment point as well. It's like, if this makes sense. Well, then talk to the producers because it's coming back to Broadway in April, at Studio 54. So, talk to them.
I'll be happy to go and do that. No. I know we had one of the ones I saw on a tour. We had Christopher Higgins as an narrator in the North East, which was...
Right. Yeah. Which was just going to be as an experience for me. He is such a champion for this movie.
Obviously with the main innit, we use such a champion for it. I do feel like it's... I had a photo of me and him eating chocolates on a couch when I was too big off the chocolates. Oh, bless me.
It's so cool. It's a bit sad that I say when it comes to the rocky horror now, like I know a lot of the theaters, like I go to now, they try and stop certain aspects like the throwing the force, the squirty guns aren't allowed anymore. I mean, I don't blame them really. It's just, if you sit on the bottom.
I mean, yeah, but they just have to... They listen, they have to... If they want a full house, which they'll probably have, then they have to... You know, they have to put that cost into it.
But yeah, I mean, I can understand getting frustrated if there's only like 20 people there and they make a complete mess of the place. Yeah, sure. That could be frustrating. Yeah, I've been to some...
About my earlier shows that I used to go to, that was very immersive. Like everyone was in it. The newspapers, like you were giving newspapers as you walk through the door. People at the top had...
Well, it was just fantastic. But the last one I went to see, like two years ago, there was a couple of older ladies standing in front of us and blessed their hearts very much in the show and stood up halfway through and started singing in Danson. And it was like, oh, we're just not there anymore ladies. We're gonna have to bring it down a bit.
Well, it's funny though, but there's someplace... I went to this convention called RKO in Rhode Island in Providence. And I took the documentary there and showed it to them and they loved it. And then I went that evening, we went to a...
Because all the shadow casts were in town for the convention. So they had a big screening of Rocky, not only without the people there. And the place was on fire. Like, the roar from the crowd at when the floor show started was quite unbelievable.
Yeah. Like, and they basically had like an all-star shadow cast. And so they get a frank to do like the operating room thing. And then they have a frank to do the floor show.
And so it was all this like mishmash of shadow casts from all over the country. So it was just... It was quite something to witness after all these years. It gave me another level of appreciation for it.
No, I mean, one thing I love about the stage though as well. Not one performance is ever going to be the same as the last one you see. Because I love... And they're professional, I say the thing, but I love when the cast members flow from make a mistake.
And you know, because it's not the type of performance where people like, like, chastise them and stuff. They actually get on board and actually love it when the like, like the corpse or start laughing along. Because I've been one where a frank and fair to work, kind of it was Blinham. It was doing the bed scene with Janet, where they got the bed open, the chair and the bed.
And he couldn't stop laughing himself. It was one of the most brilliant things I've seen. Well, I'm glad you enjoyed that. I think that bugs me and my dad quite a lot when they break, to be honest.
I like it. But my dad's always said, you've got to play it as serious as like the serious Shakespeare. And then the jokes come along. I do understand it is funny seeing the crowd, but I think for us, it's like, keep it straight.
Keep it tight. Yeah, I have witnessed a certain Australian actor who played Frank and Furturder. And he had just come back after his rehab trip. And he stumbled on stage.
When he picked it, he picked himself up straight. He literally did stumble. He's healed and went over each other. And somebody in the crowd shouted, are you back on the sauce again?
And the look, he just turned the look he gave to the crowd. And then he kind of smiled and just continued on. Right, right, right. Yeah, you just get it.
It's hard because it's essentially pantomime now, you know, the English tradition of pantomime, which Americans are not. You could be looking at it. That familiar of it. And with that.
But yeah, so it's nice how it's got that element to it. Yeah, so with this, like, with this Indian American response to it, because I know like the British public, we get pantomime and we get that type of humour. It's interesting that like, did the American audience take to a different name over there or to what the WU care? Well, the stage play really kind of dominates.
And it's all about the movie part. But you know, they responded to it to instagram. When the midnight screening started, it started in Austin, New York. You kind of felt like those were two towns, which were especially New York, is that it would embrace it quickly, the midnight screenings.
But it was incredible how in the Midwest, which is much more conservative, almost like the North of England, to be honest. That's where it really started to explode, because there was no other outlet for this kind of entertainment and that kind of, you know, the vibe of Rocky. There was nothing like it there. So that's what was so incredible about it.
And it's still so strong. I mean, it plays in like 150 theatres all across America every Saturday night, you know. Really? And then in the month of October, it can be on two, 300 screens for the whole month of October, because of Halloween.
So yeah, it will outlive us all, basically. Definitely. Definitely. And I know with the 50-year anniversary, there is a lot of different things.
I was just getting released with Robbie Ira. There's a beautiful steel book that I need to get my hands on. And all of the things we have about Disney Plus doing is special about it as well, I think as well. I mean, I'm not sure I haven't heard about that, but I'm producing two books for Insight Editions, who probably have made some of the things in your room.
And yeah, so one is an original script book with annotated notes, and then the other one is an oral history of Rocky. But taken from all the transcripts in the documentary, so we shot hours and hours of footage, but obviously people only get two, three minutes of their soundbit here. We're able to get all the transcripts and then edit it out. So it tells all the cast and crew tell the story of Rocky from beginning to end.
It's coming out in November. I'll send you guys a copy once it comes out. Oh, I'm not that big nerd. I'm the one who gets them.
Yeah. Yeah. No, that's such a special moment. Just begun the documentary as well, because I know, like, being through this amazing journey, you've went across the world in Donies.
So what did you take from the experience of me? The documentary as well, like, what did you learn? I mean, the big takeaway for me, and I think, you know, as much as I love the documentary and I love watching it with an audience, what's going to remain with me is the relationships I made with the crew and the production company, and they've all become friends. And those are the things I'm going to remember most of all, and cherish really, because it was such a wonderful collaborative experience.
And, you know, very few people get the opportunity to make a movie. And so to be able to do it with my friend, Avner, who was my creative partner in it, it was just such a treat. That two months we spent editing it were just a dream. And yeah, so those are the things I'm really going to appreciate and take away from it, the relationships you make.
That's everything. Yeah. And I completely agree with that, because I was doing the things that we do. We do a YouTube channel, we've got a Fierce Book Instagram.
It's not just me and Sammy, we've got a whole community that people are kind of helping with me and friends and bonds through doing those kinds of things. Yeah. Us too as well. We've known each other for 25 years.
Two long now. Two long now, but it's only been, like, we've obviously stayed as friends, friends, but not friends, friends. Now, I can't live without them. Yeah, of course.
Yeah, that's going to be the enduring legacy of all of our lives, is the relationships that we make with the people close to us. You know, we get one life, you know, and some people, if you believe in reincarnation, right, even if you believe in that, this is the only life you get with these friends, these family this time. Yeah, this moment. And so, yeah, that's what everyone needs to remember.
Yeah. And I think that's a quite a good point you mentioned as well. Like, with roughly being all about love, acceptance, and I think we need more that in the world and I know we talked about like, we're very much about positivity. We're not about, we would never come on like, say, the Watcher film and say, right, we're going to do an episode and slide that off.
And because people's work, people put the heart and souls in there and stuff as well. So I think that's where like the social media side things as well can be a detriment where this is like a beacon of light when it comes to roughly horror. It gives like everything I've talked about with people, as soon as I mentioned it, people smile. It's like in the discord, I mentioned that I was getting a chance to speak to you.
And one of the members is Sarah Peach literally just blew up like she started sending us pictures of her dressing up as Franklin Furta in the lab court and everything. It was a most adorable thing. And like, say, Becca, who was just like screaming for us as well. So it's nice to have that kind of like beaten heart community and stuff.
And again, the rocky horror found out that you've found it again by doing this documentary as well. Yeah. Yeah. It's lovely to be a part of a community of people who are really open minded and friendly and loving and happy to be there.
It's just such a treat. Well, me and my best friend were talking before I came on. We are being here very much the opposite. I am the raven to her peacock kind of thing.
And with our interests, a kind of opposite is within some ways we do have a comment. But the one thing we really do have a comment is Rocky Horror. We do go and see it with each other. But she told us today that her mother went to go and see it on stage open in week in London.
And she has seen it every year since. She has now taken our own grandchildren to see it. And my god son, he is only three years old. But the minute he is able to, he will not rock he will be in his life forever.
Yeah. Three generations of fans now. And it's no signs of slowing down. No.
Are you seeing any new fans coming out of it? Not just the older fans. Yeah. Of course at the convention I went to, there was a girl who had only discovered Rocky a year and a half ago who broke down his ears after the documentary about how much it meant to her.
Someone in the message to a 16 year old girl messes me on Instagram wanting to me to let my dad know that Rocky gave her a reason to go on living. And you're like, really? Wow, this is crazy. The fact that it's had, it's unbelievable.
Because it's no one somebody else out there is the same as you are. Because sometimes you can really, a social media aside, in your own little bubble, you can very much isolate yourself to where it's only me. And then you get the likes of Rocky Horror. And it's like, oh, crazy, no, it's not only me.
Yeah, I was very fortunate that my parents are incredibly brilliant. And they let me watch this from a young age. But it was my aunt Ian Ungal who won his ex-mortarhead, Roddy. And the other one, I never ever not saw her in leather and a red lip.
So I've always been able to visually have that. But there's something else that's kind of like, I felt a little bit different. And then you get Robbie in here. Yeah, like I said earlier, it's just cool.
You need to go down those negative spirals when you spend too much time by yourself. And that's the importance. That's why Rocky's so great. It gets everyone out of the house.
It gets every, the party starts before they even get to the theater. Yeah. You know, so, yeah. His songs are just absolutely fantastic.
Listening to your favorite. That's people ask me, you know, what are the reasons why Rocky has endured like this. And first of all, it's the music, right? I think it's one of the greatest soundtracks, you know, ever made, basically.
And so to be able to celebrate my dad's music is incredible. There's Tim Perry's performance. And the fact that we are all free to be sexual beings. So, sort of things are really a make Rocky endure.
He mentions at the beginning of the trailer about working with Jesus Christ Superstar. Does that have any influence? Because I'm like my musical theater and I, Jesus Christ Superstar is probably one of my other favorites. And seeing it many times.
And did that influence him in writing this already? It's probably influenced him the other way. Because he's funnily enough, he doesn't really like musicals. I mean, so he wanted to see, he wanted to write something that he would like to see, a musical he would like to see.
And Richard Hartley says, you know, there were quite a lot of rock musicals going around. Everyone seemed to have one in their back pocket. And so Richard Hartley was like, oh my God, not another one. You know, rock and roll musical.
And when he took it to Jim Sharman, he said, Jim said to him, I hope it's not religious. And then it's the only one that ended up with its own cult. You know, so. Yeah.
It is very Andy Jesus Christ Superstar really when you think about it. So I mean, I enjoy those two, but I think it's kind of ironic that he's not a big fan. But you know, absolutely brilliant. If I take anything away from this, is he doesn't like musicals?
I don't know, he doesn't like musicals, but he's just not a huge fan. I think he loves Oliver. It's a good friend of mine, Lionel Blart. Lionel Blart was around all my childhood.
So it was just wonderful. He's such a sweet man. So yeah, so it's not like he doesn't like all musicals, but it was. I guess.
It's like the. Oh, what is your favorite song though? My favorite song? I mean, I'm going home and superheroes.
Those are the least bombastic tunes. It's funny how they come at the end of a whole musical where it's all been super rock and roll. And you have these kind of very tragic ballads at the end. But I think that adds to it the poignancy of the whole thing and kind of elevates it.
And the last two lines of superheroes are just, you know, I said at the convention, I said, you know, they're so dope. And they are. I mean, what is it? Crawling on the planet's face of insects called the human race.
I'm lost in space and meaning. I mean, that's so cool. All I can hear is just the superheroes bit and superheroes used to maybe sound as a child. Yeah, they both did.
Yeah, I like the rock and roll ones more when I was younger. And now as I'm older, those are like. They're a bit differently when you're older as well. But yeah, I mean, behind it as well.
That's so true because the likelihood is I didn't understand a lot of what was going on. I'm looking at shapes, colors, you know, great makeup. I've been obsessed with makeup since I was a child, even though I kind of do it at all. And but yeah, not really paying attention to the hidden minas, what does hit harder as an adult when you listen to I'm going home.
And Tim Curry's performance in the movie is it's probably some of the best one of the best thing you ever did. I mean, I think that, you know, there's an argument could be made that if Tim was not the original Frank and Vernon did not perform it in the movies and all the productions that Rocky might not be as big as it is today. Every case could be made for that being true. Yeah, it's just it's one of the most iconic performances of all time.
I think iconic looks as well. Like everything that comes from like I said, when the elevator drops and you kind of the anticipation, I know what it's calling to say. Yeah, it's like the build up like the Meregle, the lipstick. Like I'm caught in myself to say that was one of the sexiest scenes I've seen, like, in a movie.
And it just takes a breath away. Yeah, he and my dad says it. The audience was surprised that they were so attracted to this essentially creature, basically. And I think Sue Blaine's costumes were right on the money.
Like, I mean, Rocky came at the perfect time. It was like, you know, middle of glam rock just before punk. An argument could be made again that Rocky had a huge influence on punk. Vivian Westwood and Malcolm McLaren used to come and see the stage production all the time and then open their shop on the King's Road.
So yeah, I think, you know, Blaine's costumes were very influential and spoke to those times perfectly. Yeah, the elevator scene, when Rocky Fett, when you first see him, the first shot of his face with it, how shadowy it is, but all you can see is that predominant red glossy lip. And it's like, wash out in for here now. Yeah, the thing with Tim Corrillo, I got a lot of answer for my childhood, like I said, with that scene.
And then with any wise, the clown, it was a very confusing time going up with Tim Corrillo. Right. And then you put legend on top of that. Oh, I only watched legend this year as well.
So that was a round. Yeah, I only had a handful of movies as a child. So, well, hopefully we're getting you up to speed. I mean, that seems tragic.
Oh, I've been doing the best. Like, I think there's one one. Yeah. Have you seen the Warriors?
Have you seen the Warriors? Yes, just in the Warriors. Surprisingly, I've seen the Warriors because of my dad's favourite film of all time. Yeah, but what am I to?
And rollable? Have you seen Rollable? Rollable is good one. Not too fun of the remakes.
I think I've seen the remake? No, I wouldn't watch the remake. No, they've got to watch the original. Do you know what's the re...
Didn't they say that Rollable as well? The trying to make an argument that was in the same universe as Blade Runner at one point, I think. People try to make those, I see that all the time, they're trying to make those same universes theory. Well, today I was going to come on with my, because I do, I do, Horopod cast monsters at North, and we started initially with Universal Monsters, and I, like, creature from the Black Lagoon is one of my favourite Universal Monsters of all time.
But I found this infinitive love for the Invisible Man, especially Claude Rianz. I'm kind of obsessed with them. And I was going to wear my Claude Rianz t-shirt at today, all of the puzzles in the open and lyrics too. Yeah, of course.
That was what I was going to do. And then I was like, it's too cold. I'm absolutely freezing. I'm not taking my job off.
But it's just, as I said, a celebration of a movie. And again, as you said, there's so many things that, when you watch that, you think, this can't work, this can't work, but when you put them all together, it's like lightning in the bottle, like everything that does go right. And I know if you look back for the history, which you'll probably demonstrate in the documentary, there was ups, downs, like the stage show did well, the film flop when it first came out and then found it's audience. That shocked me.
I didn't know that. I mean, there's two really key things to this. So Lou Adler's agent at the time was Gordon Schulberg, and Gordon Schulberg went on, and maybe he was his lawyer. Anyway, Gordon Schulberg went on to become head of 20th Century Fox.
So without him that happening, there's no one was looking to make a movie out of Rocky Horror. It was Lou Adler who had the idea and took it to Gordon's Stulberg. And Gordon Stulberg went, he said, I want you to come and see the show at The Roxy, but you can't come unless you bring your kids. And that's such a wise move because Gordon Stulberg turned up and was like, what the heck is going on here?
Like, I have no idea what's happening. And then I think the audience crowd, when he saw it, plus his kids talking to him in the car right home, was the reason Lou Adler got the deal made. And the second thing is, is that there was a Fox executive called Tim Deagon, who was in charge of helping Lou kind of market it, and they previewed it in Santa Barbara. Half the people walked out during the screening, and the other half the college age kids said, oh no, this is a really cool movie.
And that gave Tim the idea to start screening it at midnight. So those two things happening. We don't know if Rocky is going to be here like it is today. So you just never know the sequence of events that's going to lead to something.
I can't live in a universe where it happened also. Yeah, I know. Of course, yeah. It would be a very sad time.
But yeah, again, it's a lot of the times the power of the movie is a power of yes. And you get that from the movie when you're watching it, is in yes to opportunity, yes to situations. Fair enough if you watch Rocky Horror, not all the situations are the best. That's what it's exciting though.
Funny enough, Susan says that in the movie, she thinks Rocky is about saying yes to everything. Right. That's what she says. So you and Susan are right there.
I'd love to meet her to tell her that as well. No, sorry, my cat has decided to come and join us. And he was. Please.
Welcome to the camera. I have to. Otherwise, I will lose a door. Yeah.
So you've directed this. So have you got the bug now? Is there going to be another project that you think could be? Yeah, I've got a very interesting.
It was going to be a documentary. Now it's going to be a mockumentary. Don't want to give the subject matter. When you know it, you'll know exactly what it is.
And then I've got an idea for a science fiction movie that I want to make with that. It requires a big budget. So I've just got to make, I think, one more smaller movie that's successful and critically acclaimed. And then maybe I'll get the budget to make the third one.
No, it's great. It's crazy. You kind of work out how these movies and what gets me. And all some of these recently talked to people about a horror slasher movie called Sleece.
Just basically the stuff they had to go through to try and just get the movie news. Oh, that's never the game. It was there. It was there.
It was there. Everyone says, oh, you're going to do so well with that. It's got a built-in fan base. It's just going to happen.
It has not been the case. Like, you know, it's been crazy. Because obviously the movie industry is in turmoil now anyway. But I think people are just like, oh, Rocky Horror is this oddity.
I'm just trying to think. They don't realize the scope of it. You know, and we've had to battle that the whole time. And so now that it's getting released, the theatrical release in the US and the UK.
That's just a testament to our producers, like just not wanting to drop the ball. Because it's been really difficult, really difficult. Wow. Yeah.
I'm excited to see this on the big screen as well. Because that's where Rocky comes alive. It's on the big screen. And I've never seen, I mean, I know, I venture to guess there's not many documentaries where you're getting this much kind of a crowd response to it.
I mean, people are cheering, they're crying. You know, it's all over the place. And so yeah, it's been really gratifying to watch it with an audience. Like, it's just been unbelievable.
Yeah. I think Paul's right. You have to experience it on the big screen. So I think it's released in the UK on the third of October.
Yeah. I'm coming over to London on the 29th because we have a screening on the 29th at the BFI on the South Bank in London with Richard Hartley's Attending Sublane, some other people from the movie. So it's going to be very, it's going to be a lot of family and friends coming. So it's going to be really a real moment for me to pretend it in my hometown.
Yeah. So I'm very excited about it. No, great. And then it comes out on October 3rd, a kaleidoscope, releasing it.
I think they're doing a minimum of 15 screens, but it might have increased. So hopefully it's playing someone near you up there. If not, we'll go on a road trip. We'll find somewhere.
We've got to leave. Lee likes to drive. So it's fine. Right.
Right. Yeah. It's just funny because with you being from the UK, you know, like the distances, we've got friends who asked us to do some projects in London before and we're like, OK, can you get down tomorrow? It's like, it's not that easy in the noise.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean, you have to fly these days probably to make it make sense because it's not the distance. It's just the roads, right?
Yeah. I mean, you know, I can go to LA to San Francisco, it takes me about six hours to drive. But it's, you know, the freeways are pretty much empty. You don't get stuck in traffic.
So it doesn't seem painful. But driving from London to Edinburgh these days is just just a nightmare. Yeah. Unless you go in the middle of the night or something.
It's terrible. You guys don't have roundabouts. We do. That's the problem.
And single lane freeways maybe in someplace. Oh, yeah. Like people lanes over here. The idea of driving from here to London would make me absolutely ill.
Yeah. You'll really have to leave it like two in the morning to have it make sense. Yeah. Yeah.