Image Credit: ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show,’ 20th Century Entertainment

Halloween season—a.k.a “gay Christmas”—is upon us, a time for some of our favorite annual traditions like bringing out the spooky decorations, putting together a sexy costume, and apparently debating whether or not The Rocky Horror Picture Show is “problematic.”

Another year, another debate rages on over the 1975 musical horror-comedy’s status as a timeless cult classic. Is it an all-singing, all-dancing celebration of sexuality and queerness? Or is it an artifact of a bygone era that perpetuates “harmful” stereotypes?

You might think we’ve already exhausted every angle of the discussion, but it’s been a hot topic on the internet all week, so in the words of the denizens of The Frankenstein Place: “Let’s do the Time Warp again!”

For a quick refresher: Rocky Horror is the story of a newlywed couple Brad and Janet (Barry Bostwick & Susan Sarandon, both hot) who get lost in a storm on their wedding night and are forced to seek shelter in a mysterious castle owned by mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry). Chaos, sexcapades, aliens, and some killer musical numbers ensue.

Directed by Jim Sharman and based on Richard O’Brien’s (who also plays Riff Raff) hit stage musical of the same name, the film didn’t create much of a stir in the U.S. upon its theatrical release in ’75, but it found a second life in midnight screenings across the country, gradually growing a dedicated fan base who helped turn it into one of the biggest indie movie successes of all time.

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Not for nothing, a large portion of that cult following has always been queer fans who feel seen by Rocky Horror‘s embrace of sexual fluidity and androgyny. Especially in the ’70s, The Frankenstein Place was the rare space where all were welcome, from the bi-curious Brad and Janet to Frank-N-Furter, a self-identified “Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania.”

It’s probably the latter point that most makes the macabre musical stand out as a product of a different time. Outdated terminology aside, a number of folks have lamented the way culture has idolized Frank-N-Furter, a character who behaves very, very badly—to put it mildly—and perpetuates negative stereotypes of trans people and queer folks at large (and, is played by Tim Curry, who is a legend, but nevertheless a cis male).

But the movie is nearly 50 years old—what do we expect? Can’t we acknowledge a classic film’s flaws without chiding others and making them feel bad for enjoying it—not to mention one that’s meant an awful lot to generations of queer people?

That seems to be the sentiment X user @chickadi was getting at when the posted the following a few days ago:

Multiple things can be true at once, and @chickadi even references the robust and active community that’s evolved from the film’s fandom, a community that’s created literal safe spaces for people to explore their queerness—and, you know, let their freak flags fly!

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A few days later, the original post now has millions of views, thousands of quote-tweets, and hundreds of replies. Though it was designed to both ask and answer the question, “Is Rocky Horror problematic and transmisogynistic?,” it’s inspired the rest of the internet to weigh in, too.

There are those who seem to agree that it might have some issues by today’s standards, but that can’t erase the film’s impact on culture, especially within the context of queer cinema:

Others have more of a problem with @chickadi’s word choices: What about Rocky Horror is actually “harmful”? And what do we even mean when we call something “problematic” anyway?

Even Tim Curry added his two cents… or did he?

A popular X account under the name of the 78-year-old Rocky Horror star chimed in on the hot topic, blowing the conversation up even further. But there’s one very important detail that everyone seems to be missing here.

Despite the fact that their handle is @NotTheTimCurry and their bio makes clear they are a “parody page lovingly dedicated to” the actor, a number of media outlets and notable people—from Ben Stiller to musician Amanda Palmer—appear to believe it’s the real deal.

And though it’s not him, the fake Tim Curry makes a pretty good point, and shares some important context:

As Curry himself some random person on the internet underscores: Rocky Horror really was a product of its time—at that’s not a bad thing. Yes, it was inspired by the schlocky horror movies and campy rock musicals that came before it, but also by the rising era of glam rock, the continuing sexual revolution, and the pushback to moral conservatism. In its own way, it helped pave the way for a better, queerer future.

Perhaps original creator Richard O’Brien said it best when reflecting on the film’s 40th anniversary back in 2014: “[Rocky Horror ] shouldn’t be successful. It’s childish. It’s puerile beyond belief. The songs are so basic. I’d like somebody else to tell me what it’s all about. Somebody with a bigger brain than mine. Maybe it’s the hidden themes that make it last, like a fairy tale. It celebrates difference. People who feel marginalized, alone and confused; somehow, it gathers them together and allows them to coexist.”

We couldn’t agree more… well, except for the part about the songs being basic. We think The Rocky Horror Picture Show still rocks.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is currently streaming on Hulu, and is available for digital rental or purchase via Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.

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