The creator of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show,” Richard O’Brien, has revealed why one music was axed from the beloved movie for over 30 years.
O’Brien, who also co-wrote the screenplay and starred in the cult basic as Riff Raff, opened up about the musical thriller while celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the “Rocky Horror” film’s release on Aug. 14.
Richard O’Brien attends the LAMDA Royal Gala in London, England, on June 14, 2017. Getty Images
“The Rocky Horror Show” creator Richard O’Brien in London. England, on January 20, 1974. Getty Images
The music in query, “Super Heroes,” initially came toward the very finish of the Jim Sharman-directed basic and was sung by Susan Sarandon (Janet Weiss) and Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors).
But the melancholic tune was finally cut from the 1975 unique US release.
“I think I might have to take some of the blame for that,” O’Brien, 83, completely instructed The Post. “Because the first time we saw the first cut, we see the house taking off, and then we cut to the ‘Super Heroes’ song.”
Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” movie adaptation.
Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in a stage manufacturing of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Michael Ochs Archives
“There was an awfully long intro, and I said, ‘Why don’t we cut that intro?’” O’Brien continued, “because it doesn’t do anything, and it’s only an intro.”
However, the movie’s editors ended up cutting the whole sequence, and it wouldn’t be formally added back in until a particular thirty fifth anniversary version of “Rocky Horror” was launched in 2010.
“The next thing I see, they’ve cut both Brad and Janet’s songs and gone straight to the narrator,” O’Brien defined. “That’s the way it showed for an awfully long time, unfortunately.”
“Now they’ve gone back to straighten it out to where I suggested it the first time, because it seems silly to lose those two verses,” he said. “I feel I might have been misinterpreted.”
Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” movie in 1975. twentieth Century Fox Film Corp. All rights reserved. Courtesy: Everett Collection
The solid of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” dancing to the music “Time Warp.” ©20thCentFox/courtesy Everett
“Or maybe they said, ‘Let’s cut the whole song.’ I don’t know,” O’Brien joked. “You know what editors are like.”
Before “Super Heroes” was restored, it was changed by the fan-favorite “Time Warp” and a reprise of the film’s opening tune, “Science Fiction/Double Feature.”
But “Super Heroes” wasn’t the only music eliminated from “Rocky Horror” to the dismay of numerous followers.
“Once in a While,” which was again sung by Bostwick, was also cut from the movie. Yet unlike “Super Heroes,” it was never added back in.
Barry Bostwick as Brad Majors and a shirtless Susan Sarandon as Janet Weiss in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Bostwick, 80, opened up the choice during an interview with Orlando Weekly back in 2022.
“Brad is just one of 10, and I’ve always learned to be part of an ensemble, and I appreciate and know my place,” he said of his “Rocky Horror” character. “I think that anything that was cut in the movie of my stuff was wisely done.”
“The song ‘Once in a While’ was in the absolute wrong place in the film,” he continued. “The film was just starting to take off, there was some energy, and then all of a sudden, you’ve got me sitting there singing after getting boned by Fran-N-Furter, and it stopped the momentum of the movie.”
Patricia Quinn, Tim Curry and Richard O’Brien as Magenta, Dr. Frank-N-Furter and Riff Raff in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Getty Images
Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff and Patricia Quinn as Magenta in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” ©20thCentFox/courtesy Everett
“I totally get that; you know, it’s not my favorite song in the film anyway,” the actor added.
As for “Super Heroes,” Bostwick admitted that he “regretted” the reality that it was initially cut from the film.
“They thought it was too much of a downer, and I thought it was the whole message of the movie,” he instructed the outlet. “It was the last scene we shot, and it was an emotional scene for me, because when they cut at the end of that, I was in tears.”
Richard O’Brien, Tim Curry and Patricia Quinn in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Getty Images
Meat Loaf as Eddie the former supply boy in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” Everett Collection / Everett Col
“Because I had had such an amazing time,” Bostwick continued. “Even though I was doing a lot of off-off-Broadway and stuff like that in New York, these people were on top of their game, all of them: whether the editing, or the designers, or the costumes and all of the actors.”
“The whole thing was so fulfilling to me that I was emotionally filled at the end,” he added.
Besides starring O’Brien, Sarandon and Bostwick, the “Rocky Horror” movie adaptation featured Tim Curry (Dr. Frank-N-Furter), Peter Hinwood (Rocky Horror), Patricia Quinn (Magenta) and Meat Loaf (Eddie).
Richard O’Brien at Picturehouse Central in London, England, on September 17, 2015. David M. Benett
Creator Richard O’Brien as Riff Raff in “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.” ©20thCentFox/Courtesy Everett Collection
“Rocky Horror” first premiered at the Rialto Theatre in London, England, on Aug. 14, 1975, and the musical comedy horror movie is still in restricted release 50 years later – making it one of the longest-running theatrical releases in film historical past.
“I think we did as well as we could with it, and the songs are pretty wonderful,” O’Brien said while trying back at “Rocky Horror” after 5 many years.
“That sounds as if I’m boasting, but they do work,” he concluded.
