Strange Journey is a documentary made by Linus O’Brien about his father’s all-time cinema hit The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The film opens in Hamilton New Zealand where locals revere local boy Richard O’Brien, who left for London aged 22 in 1964 and shot to unexpected fame in 1973 when he wrote what is described as a rather silly rock musical performed upstairs at London’s groundbreaking Royal Court Theatre.

The sold-out spoof caught the mood of transgressive sexual freedom in the 1970’s and quickly transferred to a cinema converted theatre in Kings Road. Within a few years, Hollywood snapped up the rights for film treatment. The rest is show business history. On a budget of $1,200,000 the 1975 film has currently grossed $119,411,261 aided by its American success story as a still perfect singalong late-night movie sensation. Another fortuitous stroke of good luck included O’Brien declining to sell the film rights to Mick Jagger, who may have, as has been suggested, envisaged himself as the sexually transgressive Dr Frank-N-Furter. The film version retained director Jim Sharman and most of the original UK cast while mixing in perfect American recruits Susan Sarandon as Janet and Barry Bostwick as Brad.

The documentary is a loving tribute to a film that fits the tradition of silly fun equalling boffo box office. If you consider the likes of the Carry On franchise and the films of Mel Brooks, being seriously silly can succeed. The film expertly explores how O’Brien and director Jim Sharman mixed the shock horror parody of old-school German Weimar silent cinema with B-grade films of Ed Wood, rather than the more extreme bad taste of John Waters.

While rock music songs, including Time Warp, whip up the soundtrack, the documentary also looks at the show’s real attraction involving trans sex fun. This includes transgressive games played by Peter Hinwood’s blonde muscle hunk Rocky Horror and his seduction of the wholesome boy/ girl next door Janet and Brad.

O’Brien as the handyman Riff Raff, has always been overshadowed by the swagger of Tim Curry‘s definitive performance as the trans man/woman scientist Dr Frank-N-Furter. His character is apparently creating concern for new generations, unaware of the film’s backstory.  With the recent anti trans and right-wing swing of world politics, The Rocky Horror Picture Show reveals how far gender has shifted since the heady days of liberation-busting 70s/80s glass ceilings.

The documentary tells its stories with a mix of talking heads and many intriguing footnote details, including O’Brien’s description of himself as 70% male to 30% female. The film contains within its structure a sharp, succinct 60-minute documentary ideal for Sky Arts documentary and UK Talking Pictures TV channels.

At 89 minutes, the last third turns into a form of hyped-up film fanzine, bypassing a deeper look into the show’s legacy. A closer look at O’Brien himself may have explored the startling follow-up Shock Treatment, also directed by Jim Sharman. This was far less successful but also ahead of its time in 1987 with its satirical reality tv show premise.  Strange Journey remains an affectionate fanzine homage by a son adoring his father’s strangest and loveliest of all-time cinema success stories.

PS You may also enjoy Queerguru’s interview wuth Linus OBrien filmed last summer when the film was screened at the Provincetown’s Film  Festival . Click HERE