''Shock Treatment'' is a 1981 American
musical
Musical is the adjective of music.
Musical may also refer to:
* Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance
* Musical film and television, a genre of film and television that incorporates into the narr ...
comedy film
A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by
Jim Sharman
James David Sharman (born 12 March 1945) is an Australian director and writer for film and stage with more than 70 productions to his credit. He is renowned in Australia for his work as a theatre director from the 1960s to the present, and is b ...
, and co-written by Sharman and
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...
. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
''.
While not an outright
sequel
A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
, the film does feature several characters from the previous film, most portrayed by different actors, as well as several ''Rocky Horror'' actors in new roles. The film stars
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), ''My Favorite Year'' (1982), as well as a role in ''Insert ...
as Janet and
Cliff DeYoung
Clifford Tobin DeYoung (born February 12, 1945)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905-1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Ame ...
in a dual role as Brad and the film's main antagonist Farley Flavors, with O'Brien and
Patricia Quinn playing sibling
character actor
A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...
s.
Given a
limited release
__FORCETOC__
Limited theatrical release is a film distribution strategy of releasing a new film in a few theaters across a country, typically art house theaters in major metropolitan markets. Since 1994, a limited theatrical release in the Unite ...
on the
midnight movie
The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming, often with a host delivering ironic asides. As a cinematic ...
circuit beginning on October 30, 1981, ''Shock Treatment'' was a critical and commercial failure, not earning the same level of
cult film
A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage ...
status its predecessor received. In 2015, the film was adapted as a stage production in London.
Plot
Continuing from ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
'' are the characters of Brad and Janet Majors (now portrayed by
Cliff DeYoung
Clifford Tobin DeYoung (born February 12, 1945)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905-1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Ame ...
and
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), ''My Favorite Year'' (1982), as well as a role in ''Insert ...
), now married. The film takes place in the town of Denton, USA, which has been taken over by fast food magnate Farley Flavors (also DeYoung). The town of Denton is entirely encased within a television studio for the DTV (Denton Television) network. Residents are either stars and regulars on a show, cast and crew, or audience members. Brad and Janet, seated in the audience, are chosen to participate in the
game show
A game show is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment (radio, television, internet, stage or other) where contestants compete for a reward. These programs can either be participatory or Let's Play, demonstrative and are typically directed b ...
''Marriage Maze'' by the kooky, supposedly blind host Bert Schnick (
Barry Humphries
John Barry Humphries (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film prod ...
). As a "prize", Brad is imprisoned on ''Dentonvale'', a
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
that centers upon the local
mental hospital
Psychiatric hospitals, also known as mental health hospitals, behavioral health hospitals, are hospitals or wards specializing in the treatment of severe mental disorders, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, dissociati ...
run by brother and sister Cosmo and Nation McKinley (
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...
and
Patricia Quinn).
Janet is given a taste of showbiz as Farley molds her into a singing diva superstar in an attempt to take her away from Brad. Her compliance is assured through the use of drugs supplied by the McKinleys. Betty Hapschatt (
Ruby Wax
Ruby Wax (; born 19 April 1953) is an American-British actress, comedian, writer, television personality, and mental health campaigner. A classically-trained actress, Wax was with the Royal Shakespeare Company for five years and co-starred on t ...
) and Judge Oliver Wright (
Charles Gray) investigate Farley and other people involved in DTV and eventually discover that Cosmo and Nation are not doctors, but merely
character actor
A character actor is a supporting actor who plays unusual, interesting, or eccentric characters.28 April 2013, The New York Acting SchoolTen Best Character Actors of All Time Retrieved 7 August 2014, "..a breed of actor who has the ability to b ...
s, and Farley Flavors is Brad's jealous, long-lost twin brother, seeking to destroy Brad and take Janet for himself. The pair rescue Brad from ''Dentonvale'' and have him confront his twin on his show ''Faith Factory''. Farley imprisons the three and Janet, but they manage to escape in a car along with a local band while the remainder of Denton's citizens follow Farley and commit themselves to ''Dentonvale''.
Cast
*
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), ''My Favorite Year'' (1982), as well as a role in ''Insert ...
as Janet Majors (née Weiss)
*
Cliff DeYoung
Clifford Tobin DeYoung (born February 12, 1945)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905-1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Ame ...
as Brad Majors / Farley Flavors
*
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...
as Dr. Cosmo McKinley
*
Patricia Quinn as Dr. Nation McKinley
*
Little Nell as Nurse Ansalong
*
Charles Gray as Judge Oliver Wright
*
Barry Humphries
John Barry Humphries (born 17 February 1934) is an Australian comedian, actor, author and satirist. He is best known for writing and playing his on-stage and television alter egos Dame Edna Everage and Sir Les Patterson. He is also a film prod ...
as Bert Schnick
*
Ruby Wax
Ruby Wax (; born 19 April 1953) is an American-British actress, comedian, writer, television personality, and mental health campaigner. A classically-trained actress, Wax was with the Royal Shakespeare Company for five years and co-starred on t ...
as Betty Hapschatt (née Munroe)
*
Jeremy Newson as Ralph Hapschatt
* Wendy Raebeck as Macy Struthers
*
Rik Mayall
Richard Michael Mayall (7 March 1958 – 9 June 2014) was an English actor, stand-up comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Ade Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University and was a pioneer of alternative ...
as "Rest Home" Ricky
* Darlene Johnson as Emily Weiss
* Manning Redwood as Harry Weiss
*
Barry Dennen
Barry Dennen (February 22, 1938 – September 26, 2017) was an American actor, singer, and writer. He played Pontius Pilate on the original recording and later in the film of ''Jesus Christ Superstar''.
Life and career
Dennen was born in Chicag ...
as Irwin Lapsey
*
Betsy Brantley
Betsy Brantley is an American actress. She has appeared in numerous films, plays, and television shows since the early 1980s. Her breakout role was in the 1982 film '' Five Days One Summer'' with Sean Connery.
Early years
Betsy Brantley was ...
as Neely Pritt
*
Chris Malcolm as Officer Vance Parker
*
Eugene Lipinski
Eugene Lipinski (born 5 November 1956) is a British-Canadian character actor and screenwriter. He was born in Wansford Camp, Soke of Peterborough, England, and raised in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada. He began acting at the age of twelve in amateu ...
as Kirk
*
Gary Shail
Gary Shail (born 10 November 1959) is an English actor, director, producer and musician.
Career
Gary Shail began work in TV and film in 1977 and is best known for his roles as Spider in the 1979 film ''Quadrophenia'' and as Steve, the punky teen ...
as Oscar Drill
* Claire Toeman as Brenda Drill
* Donald Waugh as Glish Davidson
* David John as 'Bit' Drummer
*
Gary Martin as 'Bit' Guitarist
*
Sinitta Renet as Frankie
*
Sal Piro
Salvatore Francis Martin Piro (June 29, 1950 – January 22, 2023) was an American actor who was the president of ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' Fan Club, a position he held from 1977 until his death.
Piro was a part of the original Waverly ...
(''uncredited'') as Guy on Pay Phone
Soundtrack
Coinciding with the release of the film, Ode Records issued the soundtrack album on
vinyl
Vinyl may refer to:
Chemistry
* Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a particular vinyl polymer
* Vinyl cation, a type of carbocation
* Vinyl group, a broad class of organic molecules in chemistry
* Vinyl polymer, a group of polymers derived from vinyl m ...
and
cassette
Cassette may refer to:
Technology
* Cassette tape (or ''musicassette'', ''audio cassette'', ''cassette tape'', or ''tape''), a worldwide standard for analog audio recording and playback
** Cassette single (or "Cassingle"), a music single in the ...
in 1981, and later reissued it on
CD in 1994. The album includes longer versions of "Thank God I'm a Man" and "Carte Blanche", as well as two unlisted bits taken directly from the film, the Farley Flavors "commercial break" (after "Denton U.S.A.") and the rhyming dialogue, which directly precedes "Duel Duet" (after "Breaking Out").
All editions are missing Richard O'Brien's solo version of the title song (which plays during the end credits and features backing vocals by
Nell Campbell
Laura Elizabeth Campbell (born 24 May 1953), better known as Nell Campbell or by her stage name Little Nell, is an Australian actress, singer, and former club owner. She is best known for her role as Columbia in the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror ...
), though it was released as a 7" vinyl single, and included on the CD ''Songs from the Vaults: A Collection of Rocky Horror Rarities'', which was exclusive to the ''Rocky Horror Picture Show 15th Anniversary'' boxed set.
Charts
Production
Development
Following the unexpected and overwhelming success of ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
'' on the midnight circuit,
Richard O'Brien
Richard Timothy Smith. known professionally as Richard O'Brien, is a British-New Zealand actor, writer, musician, composer, and television presenter. He wrote the musical stage show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' in 1973, which has remained in conti ...
approached producer
Michael White with the idea of making a sequel.
In 1978, he began work on a script titled ''Rocky Horror Shows His Heels'', which found Frank and Rocky resurrected, Brad and Dr. Scott turned gay, and Janet on the verge of giving birth to Frank's baby. Director
Jim Sharman
James David Sharman (born 12 March 1945) is an Australian director and writer for film and stage with more than 70 productions to his credit. He is renowned in Australia for his work as a theatre director from the 1960s to the present, and is b ...
was resistant to revisit the material and
Tim Curry
Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
had no desire to reprise the role of Frank,
but O'Brien had put some work into the songs, so he decided to retain them and simply revise the story.
The new script was titled ''The Brad and Janet Show''. This version is closer to what ultimately became ''Shock Treatment'' and was planned to be produced, but the filmmakers were plagued with a variety of problems. Dr. Scott had been included in the script, but
Jonathan Adams was not interested in reprising his role.
The filmmakers intended to shoot on location in
Denton, Texas
Denton is a city in and the county seat of Denton County, Texas, United States. With a population of 139,869 as of 2020, it is the 27th-most populous city in Texas, the 197th-most populous city in the United States, and the 12th-most populous ...
,
but production screeched to a halt in 1980 when the
Screen Actors Guild
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) was an American labor union which represented over 100,000 film and television principal and background performers worldwide. On March 30, 2012, the union leadership announced that the SAG membership voted to m ...
went on strike.
With only a small window when cast and crew were available, the filmmakers had to get creative. Television had been a heavy motif in the script, so production designer
Brian Thomson came up with the notion to rework the story and set it in a giant TV studio, utilizing a film studio in England,
which shaved $1 million from the budget and gave them the luxury of working in a controlled environment. The script endured a final draft in which all of the locations were changed to television shows, and the role of Dr. Scott morphed into game show host Bert Schnick. "I was frightened the strike was going to finish too soon and we'd have to go back to our original conception," commented O'Brien.
Casting
Many ''Rocky Horror'' cast members returned for the film, but only Jeremy Newson reprised his role as Ralph Hapschatt. Many of the original film's Transylvanians appeared as audience members, while Imogen Claire was given the slightly-larger part of the Wardrobe Mistress. Raynor Bourton, who originated the role of Rocky in the stage production, portrayed one of the singing soldiers in "Thank God I'm a Man", and
Chris Malcolm, who originated the role of Brad Majors, was cast as Vance Parker, a local police officer. Founder and long-time president of ''Rocky Horror''
fan club
A fans club is an organized group of fans, generally of a celebrity. Most fans clubs are run by fans who devote considerable time and resources to support them. There are also "official" fan clubs that are run by someone associated with the per ...
,
Sal Piro
Salvatore Francis Martin Piro (June 29, 1950 – January 22, 2023) was an American actor who was the president of ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' Fan Club, a position he held from 1977 until his death.
Piro was a part of the original Waverly ...
, also has a silent
cameo appearance
A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly eit ...
as the man using the payphone during the opening sequence.
With her career on the rise,
Susan Sarandon
Susan Abigail Sarandon (; née Tomalin; born October 4, 1946) is an American actorMcCabe, Bruce"Susan Sarandon, the 'actor'" ''Boston Globe''. April 17, 1981. Retrieved January 21, 2021. and activist. She is the recipient of various accolades, ...
demanded more money than the budget allowed. Auditions were held at
The Roxy
Roxy, Roxey, and Roxie may refer to:
People
* Roxy (given name), including a list of people and characters with the name
Places in the United States
* Roxie, Mississippi, a town
* Roxie, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Music
* Roxy ...
theater to find a suitable replacement, and
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), ''My Favorite Year'' (1982), as well as a role in ''Insert ...
, previously of
Brian De Palma
Brian Russell De Palma (born September 11, 1940) is an American film director and screenwriter. With a career spanning over 50 years, he is best known for his work in the suspense, crime and psychological thriller genres. De Palma was a leading ...
's cult musical ''
Phantom of the Paradise
''Phantom of the Paradise'' is a 1974 American rock musical comedy horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma and scored by and starring Paul Williams. In the film, a naïve young singer-songwriter (played by William Finley) is tricked ...
'', impressed the filmmakers with her singing skills.
Cliff DeYoung
Clifford Tobin DeYoung (born February 12, 1945)According to the State of California. ''California Birth Index, 1905-1995''. Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento, California. At Ancestry.com is an Ame ...
had been Sharman's original choice for Brad in ''
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' is a 1975 musical comedy horror film by 20th Century Fox, produced by Lou Adler and Michael White and directed by Jim Sharman. The screenplay was written by Sharman and actor Richard O'Brien, who is also ...
'' after they worked together on the 1972 off-Broadway play ''Trials of Oz'',
but DeYoung was starring on the television series ''
Sunshine
Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is scattered and filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when th ...
'' in California and was unable to appear. Upon learning that Bostwick was unable to participate in ''Shock Treatment'', Sharman tracked down DeYoung and gave him the role.
This afforded DeYoung the opportunity to reunite with Harper, with whom he had co-starred in a stage production of ''
Hair
Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and f ...
''.
Filming
As is standard with musicals, music and vocals were recorded prior to
principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as actor ...
at the renowned
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music c ...
.
The first scene shot was the Farley Flavors commercial break with Macy Struthers and a group of children. Wendy Raebeck was ill and collapsed after one of her takes.
DeYoung modeled his performance of Brad after
David Eisenhower
Dwight David Eisenhower II (born March 31, 1948) is an American author, public policy fellow, professor at the University of Pennsylvania, and eponym of the U.S. presidential retreat Camp David. He is the grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhow ...
and based Farley on
Jack Nicholson
John Joseph Nicholson (born April 22, 1937) is an American retired actor and filmmaker. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest actors of all time. In many of his films, he played rebels against the social structure. He received numerous ...
. The elaborate opening shot begins on Farley in the overhead video booth, and the camera slowly does a 360° pan around the room as the crew prepares for the show and Brad and Janet enter the studio. For this scene, DeYoung had to do a quick change and quickly run downstairs to hit his second mark.
"Duel Duet" was shot over the course of a day, with DeYoung spending the morning shooting his scenes as one character and the remainder of the day costumed as the other.
He began with a very restrained performance of the song but was encouraged to go broader and was pleased with the final result.
Reception
In spite of pre-release hype (including a promotional TV special called ''The Rocky Horror Treatment''), the film was both a critical and commercial failure when it was released only as a
midnight movie
The term midnight movie is rooted in the practice that emerged in the 1950s of local television stations around the United States airing low-budget genre films as late-night programming, often with a host delivering ironic asides. As a cinematic ...
on Halloween 1981. It never received a full general theatrical
first-run release. Due to its increased budget and box office failure, ''Shock Treatment'' was an even bigger
flop
In computing, floating point operations per second (FLOPS, flops or flop/s) is a measure of computer performance, useful in fields of scientific computations that require floating-point calculations. For such cases, it is a more accurate meas ...
than ''Rocky Horror''s original general release in 1975.
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
, a
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
, reports that 50% of 6 (3 of 6) surveyed critics gave the film a positive review; the average rating is 6.0/10.
In one of his television reviews,
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert (; June 18, 1942 – April 4, 2013) was an American film critic, film historian, journalist, screenwriter, and author. He was a film critic for the ''Chicago Sun-Times'' from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, Ebert beca ...
said that he felt ''Rocky Horror'' fans would reject a movie that was specifically targeted at them, remarking that "cult film audiences want to feel that they have seen the genius of something that everybody else hates. They discovered this film, they know it's good, everyone else thinks it's garbage." ''Shock Treatment'' was quickly dismissed by most ''Rocky Horror'' enthusiasts who were confused by the re-casting of the leads, put off by the fact that
Tim Curry
Timothy James Curry (born 19 April 1946) is an English actor and singer. He rose to prominence for his portrayal of Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show'' (1975), reprising the role he had originated in the 1973 London ...
did not participate, and resented Richard O'Brien's infamous tagline, "It's not a sequel... it's not a prequel... it's an equal"
(O'Brien later recanted, frequently criticizing the film by going so far as to refer to it as "an abortion").
Gradually, however, ''Shock Treatment'' did build up a cult following all its own and, as Ebert wrote, many contemporary reviewers remark that it was initially condemned in part because it was too ahead of its time, being a prescient satire of
reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...
.
A rough script written by O'Brien emerged for a direct sequel to ''Rocky Horror'' called ''Return of the Old Queen''. In the story, Brad's brother Steve seeks revenge on the aliens in the first film after Brad becomes a Las Vegas go-go dancer and falls to his death from a trapeze wearing only six-inch heels and a rhinestone choker. Also revealed is Sonny, the illegitimate son of Janet and Frank and heir to the throne of Transexual. The script never made it past early draft stages but has been shared on many fan sites.
Home media
The film first surfaced on
VHS in Australia in 1982,
and this was quickly followed by other releases around the world on VHS,
Betamax
Betamax (also known as Beta, as in its logo) is a consumer-level analog recording and cassette format of magnetic tape for video, commonly known as a video cassette recorder. It was developed by Sony and was released in Japan on May 10, 1975, ...
and
LaserDisc
The LaserDisc (LD) is a home video format and the first commercial optical disc storage medium, initially licensed, sold and marketed as DiscoVision, MCA DiscoVision (also known simply as "DiscoVision") in the United States in 1978. Its diam ...
.
A special edition
DVD
The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kin ...
, labeled as the ''25th Anniversary Edition'', was issued in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
on September 5, 2006, both as a stand-alone release and packaged with the 2-disc ''Rocky Horror'' special edition. Special features include an
audio commentary
An audio commentary is an additional audio track, usually digital, consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, that plays in real time with a video. Commentaries can be serious or entertaining in nature, and can add informatio ...
with fan club presidents Mad Man Mike and Bill Brennan, a making-of featurette, a music retrospective featurette, and domestic and international
trailers
Trailer may refer to: a
Transportation
* Trailer (vehicle), an unpowered vehicle pulled by a powered vehicle
** Bicycle trailer, a wheeled frame for hitching to a bicycle to tow cargo or passengers
** Full-trailer
** Semi-trailer
**Horse trailer ...
.
Virtually every home video edition has suffered from audio flaws. VHS and Beta editions included warbling anomalies
during the Overture and Farley's Song, which briefly knocked the sound out of sync. All DVD releases include a brief sound dropout before the last chorus of Denton U.S.A., and a chunk of the end credit Overture has been lopped off to prematurely fade into the single version of Shock Treatment. The original version features the complete Overture playing over the credits, with Shock Treatment continuing over a black screen as exit music. This edit shortens the film's running time from 94 to 92 minutes.
In 2017, the British label
Arrow Video
An arrow is a fin-stabilized projectile launched by a bow. A typical arrow usually consists of a long, stiff, straight shaft with a weighty (and usually sharp and pointed) arrowhead attached to the front end, multiple fin-like stabilizers ca ...
released the film on
Blu-ray
The Blu-ray Disc (BD), often known simply as Blu-ray, is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 2005 and released on June 20, 2006 worldwide. It is designed to supersede the DVD format, and capable of sto ...
in the UK which featured a new commentary with Quinn and Little Nell, as well as "The Rocky Horror Treatment". It has not received a Blu-ray release in the States.
Stage adaptation
Production
Starting in the mid 2000s director Benji Sperring, a fan of the film, pursued Richard O'Brien for nearly a decade trying to acquire the rights to produce a stage adaptation.
O'Brien finally relented and gave his consent, stipulating that it had to be staged in a very small, intimate venue, as the original ''
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple ...
'' had been.
On this proviso, the show wound up at the
King's Head Theatre
The King's Head Theatre, founded in 1970 by Dan Crawford, is an off-West End venue in London. It is the second oldest operating pub theatre in the UK. In 2021, Mark Ravenhill became Artistic Director and the theatre focusses on producing LGBTQ ...
in
Islington
Islington () is a district in the north of Greater London, England, and part of the London Borough of Islington. It is a mainly residential district of Inner London, extending from Islington's High Street to Highbury Fields, encompassing the ar ...
,
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
, where artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher made the suggestion that Tom Crowley adapt the script. Crowley had never seen the film, and read the screenplay first to prepare for his interview.
He was initially apprehensive about the project, but Sperring's vision was so concise that he agreed. It was reported that O'Brien adapted and produced the show, but he remained fairly hands-off. O'Brien, co-composer
Richard Hartley and Sperring agreed on the story's direction prior to scripting,
and they consulted primarily through email during the rest of the production process.
Sperring and Crowley reworked the story, eliminating most of the supporting and peripheral characters. "A big point of inspiration for me came from the screenplay that became ''Shock Treatment'', ''The Brad and Janet Show''," commented Crowley, "wherein the major factor in Brad and Janet's marital difficulties was that Janet had just been promoted at the local TV studio and Brad had just lost his job."
"The biggest shock is that in the original movie, there isn't any
shock treatment
''Shock Treatment'' is a 1981 American musical comedy film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film ''The Rocky Horror Picture Show''.
While not an outright sequel, the film doe ...
," Sperring remarked.
"They don't really explore that, so we've put that back in."
The production premiered at the King's Head theatre in Islington, London in the United Kingdom in the spring of 2015.
Cast
*
Jessica Harper
Jessica Harper (born October 10, 1949) is an American actress and singer. Harper began her feature film career with a starring role in Brian De Palma's ''Phantom of the Paradise'' (1974), ''My Favorite Year'' (1982), as well as a role in ''Insert ...
as Janet Majors
*Ben Kerr as Brad Majors
*Mark Little/Pete Gallagher as Farley Flavours
*Mateo Oxley as Ralph Hapschatt
*Rosanna Hyland as Betty Hapschatt
*Nic Lamont as Nation McKinley
*Adam Rhys-Davies as Cosmo McKinley
Reception
''
The Daily Telegraph
''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally.
It was fo ...
'' wrote "this sequel to ''
The Rocky Horror Show
''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the musical tells the story of a newly engaged couple ...
'' can't match the original but still provides deliriously silly entertainment"; ''
The Stage
''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. It was founded in 1880. It contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at those wh ...
'' singled out Mark Little as being scarcely able to carry a tune, but Carrie Dunn wrote in her review for
Broadway World
BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City covering Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, N ...
, "his sheer charisma and presence is absolutely perfect."
See also
*
Rocky Horror sequels and other media
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shock Treatment
1980s black comedy films
1980s musical comedy films
1981 films
20th Century Fox films
American black comedy films
American independent films
American musical comedy films
American rock musicals
American sequel films
Films directed by Jim Sharman
Films set in psychiatric hospitals
Films set in the United States
Films shot in London
Incest in film
Rocky Horror
1981 comedy films
1980s English-language films
1980s American films