Rocky Horror's 50th: St. Louis keeps the cult alive

Few movies have outlived their own release date quite like The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The 1975 film, starring the late Tim Curry as the "transsexual from Transylvania" Dr. Frank N. Furter alongside Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick as the hapless guests Brad and Janet, began as a stage musical before hitting the screen. It has since become the longest-running midnight movie of all time, a cult phenomenon that survives on interactive screenings where the audience shouts lines at the screen and throws props like bread and butter, rice, and newspapers to mock the action. For its 50th anniversary, St. Louis has leaned into the tradition with a month of events that show exactly why the film keeps its grip on the city's nightlife.

The heart of the experience is the shadow cast — a group of performers who act out the movie live in front of the screen, and St. Louis has a few that keep the tradition going. Erotic Nightmares, a three-year-old shadow cast, has been busy this fall, bringing the film to the Chase Park Plaza Cinema at 212 Kingshighway with tickets at $15, and to Galleria 6 Cinemas at 30 St. Louis Galleria, where they've put together their own merchandise, including hats, t-shirts and accessory bags. Then there's Flustered Mustard, a troupe that tours venues across Missouri and Illinois, and they're the ones taking things to the rooftop. Their screening at the City Museum on North 16th is the kind of night that rewards leaning in: doors open at 7 p.m., a live pre-show kicks off at 8 p.m., and the film rolls at 8:30 p.m., with a $30 ticket that includes an official prop bag and general admission for the day. It's an 18-plus event, and the cast sells t-shirts, stickers and buttons on the side.

If you'd rather take it in without the shadow cast, Marcus Ronnie's Cinema at 5320 S. Lindbergh has been running traditional screenings for $13.50. For the more dedicated, the Hi-Pointe Theatre at 1005 McCausland put together a triple feature that paired the film with the documentary Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, complete with a Q&A by Linus O'Brien, son of the film's author Richard O'Brien, who also played the hunchbacked butler Riff Raff. And if you're more of a trivia person than a movie-goer, Frankie Martin's Garden in Cottleville has been hosting free outdoor Rocky Horror trivia on its Whiskey House Terrace, with lawn chairs and blankets encouraged.

None of it works without the audience playing along. The film is a spoof of old Hollywood horror movies and Old Dark House melodramas, and it's meant to be mocked, not just watched. Dressing up is a big part of the ritual — corsets and lipstick are practically essential — and the prop bags are there so you know exactly when to throw what. Whether you're a veteran who knows every line or a first-timer who's never seen the movie, the whole point is to stop being a spectator and become part of the show. That's the real reason Rocky Horror keeps coming back to St. Louis, one midnight screening at a time.