Research

Research for Rocky Horror

My role: Brad Majors

About Brad: Brad Majors is quite a nerdy and self assured character, who is also Janet Weiss' fiancee. He thinks he is a 'hero' but instead we see he is 'boring and kind of a jerk'.


Appearance: Brown hair, Horn-Rimmed glasses, shirt&jumper, overcoat.



We witness  Brad change throughout the play: his visit to Frank N Furter has made him loosen up a little and realise he doesn't want to live a traditional life. We also see him questioning everything he's ever stood for- including his relationship with Janet.

Actors Who Have Played Brad: 

• Christopher Malcolm (Original London 1973)
• Bill Miller (Original Broadway 1975)
• Barry Bostwick (Film 1975)
• Jarrod Emick (Broadway Revival 2000)
• Matthew Morrison (35th Anniversary 2010)
• Ben Forster (40th Anniversary 2015)
• Ryan McCartan (Television Film 2016)

Shmoop.com. (2019). Brad Majors, A Hero (Barry Bostwick) in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. [online] Available at: https://www.shmoop.com/rocky-horror-picture-show/brad.html [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].



Timeline for Rocky Horror

• June 16th, 1973- first preview showings at The Royal Court Theatre Upstairs: 2,960 performances, closed on September 13th 1980
• March 19th, 1974- first US preview showings at the Roxy Theatre in LA: 9 month run
• October 23rd, 1874- Filming begins on The Rocky Horror Picture Show 
• March 10th, 1975- Broadway run at the Belasco Theatre in NY
• August 1975- The Rocky Horror Picture Show worldwide premiere in London
• September 26th, 1975- Us premiere at the UA Westwood Theatre

• 1978- Richard O'Brien starts writing a sequel 

• 1985(10th Anniversary)- 10th anniversary of Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Beacon Theatre with most of the cast in attendance

• March 2006- The Rocky Horror Show new tour in UK

Other 2000 events- The Rocky Horror Glee Show

Rockyhorror.com. (2019). TRHPS Official Fan Site: History: Rocky Horror Timeline. [online] Available at: http://www.rockyhorror.com/history/timeline.php [Accessed 13 May 2019].

Research Tasks for Easter


Research social, cultural, and political landscapes of the 1970's.




 The 'Winter of Discontent' 1979, United Kingdom. Strikes by public sector trade unions fighting for higher wages.

One of the first ever gay pride protests

 Julian Hows wears a typical women's uniform to break gender stereotypes in 1979



In the 70's, Britain was just getting used to the idea of 'homosexuality', and it wasn't very widely accepted(or legalised). 

What made Rocky Horror so timely yet so shocking?

'Rocky Horror' was written in a time where most of what it contained was abnormal and not even recognised by the people in Britain. People weren't accepting of such ideology, and making the main protagonist transexual definitely shocked its audience. Of course a lot of people found it strange, but it was the abnormality of it all that made Britain flock to watch it. 




Rocky Horror Interviews

Susan Sarandon (Janet): 

• When she first went in almost every role had already been cast, and she was hesitant to sing for them for the role of Janet
• She was an ingenue- a character who is 'endearingly innocent and wholesome'
• Sarandon was very hesitant to take the role as she had to sing- she felt very insecure about her voice
• She was originally supposed to do a different movie, but she met with Tim Curry while casting for the film took place, and the casting directors asked her to read.

YouTube. (2014). Susan Sarandon on Rocky Horror. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_2jp_HI2xLc [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].





Patricia Quinn (Magenta):

• Before Rocky Horror she was a jobbing actress, and it was her first big role
• She almost turned it down when she found out she wasn't going to be singing Science Fiction Double Feature, but accepted when they offered to have her be 'the lips' mouthing the song.
• They blacked out her face, painted her lips and had her mouth the song. They then had to fix her head in place so that her mouth wouldn't go out of the frame.
• She married Sir Robert Stevens and became a lady
• Mick Jagger was originally in the mix for Frank, and Steve Martin auditioned for Brad.

YouTube. (2017). Patricia Quinn Reflects On 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' | Studio 10. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3NdXbLZbws [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019]. 




Meatloaf (Eddie):

• When the directors said he would have to wear fishnets and heels he walked out, and he had to be convinced that it was for comedic purposes to come back in
• He still thinks that casting someone else as Dr Scott and not him was a mistake
• They didn't think he would be able to sing all of the words in Hot Patootie 
• While filming the stunt for Hot Patootie, the stuntman had an accident, but wasn't injured and went for another take
• He still has his Eddie jacket

YouTube. (2007). Meat Loaf On The Rocky Horror Show - Part 1. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VFqmLvxORzQ [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].





Nell Campbell (Columbia):

• Before she became an actress she worked on the market stalls in Kensington Market opposite Freddie Mercury
• She was a soda jerk in a cafe in Knightsbridge, and she used to perform for the customers.
• Chelsea matron's voice- voice for Frank
• She left after 7 months to go busking in France, but returned for the film
• Opened Nell's Nightclub

YouTube. (2017). Nell Campbell | Studio 10. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0i68ZhDJOos [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].








Richard O'Brien (Riff Raff & Writer)

• Was fired from Jesus Christ Superstar
• He showed director Jim Sharman his unfinished script, which prompted him to give it a run at Royal Court
• He left school at 15 and was sent to a farm, but it wasn't for him so he moved to London
• Grew up in Hamilton
• Got jobs such as sweeping stages in theatres because he wanted to work in showbiz
• Writing Rocky Horror was like subconsciously coming out for him
• He played Riff Raff for 7 years
• Was asked to write a piece for an office party, and wrote the song 'Science Fiction Double Feature'

YouTube. (2010). An Evening with Richard O'Brien - Part 1 of 5 - Captioned. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=omeUM1UoAk8 [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].





B-Movie Research:

Some B-Movies/ references listed in 'Science Fiction Double Feature':


Flash Gordon

T

• science fiction serial by Universal Pictures in 1936
• Channel 13 ran it on friday/saturday nights in the 70s
• Larry 'Buster' Crabbe, former Olympic swimmer

En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Flash Gordon (film). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flash_Gordon_(film) [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].

En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Griffin (The Invisible Man). [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Griffin_(The_Invisible_Man) [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].

The Invisible Man

• Based on the 1897 book by H.G Wells, adapted in 1933
• Dr Jack Griffin was the Invisible Man- created a formula to make him invisible
• Directed by James Whale

Fay Wray

• Actress who made her debut at 16 in Gasoline Love
• She was also in Doctor X, and most famously King Kong

Forbidden Planet

• 1956
• Set 200 years in the future
• Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Den of Geek. (2019). Rocky Horror Picture Show: The Movies And References Behind Science Fiction Double Feature. [online] Available at: https://www.denofgeek.com/us/movies/the-rocky-horror-picture-show/223858/rocky-horror-picture-show-the-movies-and-references-behind-science-fiction-double-feature [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].

LGBT Research

In the 1950's, the President of the USA (Eisenhower) decided to pass an order that stated that anyone of homosexual orientation was not allowed to be a part of the Federal Government. The government worked to find and fire anyone they thought to be a part of the LGBT community, as they believed they were more prone to communism. This was called the Lavender Scare.


In 1969, the Stonewall Inn (a gay bar) was raided by police. The Stonewall Riots, lasting 6 days, are thought to have sparked the gay pride movement. Every year since 1970 in the month of June (now known as pride month) there is a pride parade, honouring the riots.


The rainbow flag, which symbolises the LGBT community, was designed by Gilbert Baker in 1978. This was after Harvey Milk was murdered ( openly gay politician in California).




'Glam Rock' Research

What was 'Glam Rock' and when did the movement start in the UK?

Glam rock was a style of rock music in the 1970s created by musicians. They wore over the top costumes that included glitter, platform shoes, and make up. Glam Rock was often described as androgynous, or playing with gender roles.

What was the Glam Rock a 'reaction' against? How did it differ from the music movements that preceded it in the mid-late 60's (e.g The Hippies/ Prog' Rock etc)?

It was described as 'rebelling against the rebellion'. It was a sort of revenge against mainstream rock, It included a heavy guitar based sound, inspired by hard rock and pop.


What were the characteristics of Glam Rock?

• Make up
• Typically feminine clothing
• Punk rock sound
• Various styles including 1930s Hollywood glamour and 1950s pin up sex appeal
• sexual and gender ambiguity

What influences can you see from Glam Rock in Rocky Horror Show? Consider gender roles, costumes, design, musical numbers and themes.

The character Dr Frank N Furter was clearly very heavily influenced by Glam Rock. He wears a lot of make up with bright colours, glitter heels, fishnets, and a corset. Frank is also described as a 'transvestite', and a lot of the others costumes are heavily sexualised. Rocky Horror is also described as a rock musical.

Briefly discuss the David Bowie concept album 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' - How does the character and narrative of Bowie's alter-ego link to Rocky Horror and its characters/themes?

Musician and actor, David Bowie had created an alter-ego called Ziggy Stardust. Ziggy was a 'fictional androgynous bisexual rock star who acts as a messenger for extraterrestrial beings'. His album explored sexual and social taboos, and was very similar to Frank in Rocky Horror.

(David Bowie Wikipedia, 2019)

Why do you think that an 'Extra-terrestrial' character/figure may have been used to portray difference from the social, sexual and cultural norms of the early 1970's? What were artists and writers like David Bowie and Richard O'Brien suggesting about their views and perceived place in mainstream culture and society?


Usually, if someone feels left out they use the term 'alienated', which is what the LGBT community felt like during the 70s. Artists and writers such as Bowie and O'Brien were suggesting that yes, their views were a little out of the ordinary, quite like their community. 

En.wikipedia.org. (2019). Glam rock. [online] Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glam_rock [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].


My Costume Research For Brad



 Rockyhorrorcostumelist.com. (2019). Brad Majors « Dr. Ruth's Anal Retentive Rocky Horror Costume List. [online] Available at: http://www.rockyhorrorcostumelist.com/category/00-the-usual-suspects/03-a-hero/ [Accessed 17 Jun. 2019].

For Brad's costume, I had a look through my dad's wardrobe as I knew he would have something similar to above. I found a grey/blue striped shirt, and I had chino type trousers, a similar colour to which Brad wears. 

I wore converse, glasses, and I had to pin my hair back. My make up consisted of bushy boy brows and I also used contour to square my face a little more.