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2 Weird Films That Have Stood the Test of Time: "Drag Queens in the Desert" and "Rocky Horror"

By Ed Bagley

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 29Jul2007 Word count: 595 Viewed: 408 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Copyright © 2007 Ed Bagley

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert – 2 Stars (Average)

What would Hollywood be without its share of bitchy, catty, gaudy, outrageous and crazy films?

That is perhaps why Stephen Elliott wrote and directed "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert". It is rare when the writer/director of a film can pull it off without the film becoming average to a disaster.

Elliott now officially joins a list that is very long and includes Kimberly Peirce, Vanessa Parise, Peter Weir, Nancy Myers, Thomas Bezucha, Michael McGowan, Jared Hess, Robert Rodriguez and Paul Thomas Anderson.

The worst of the lot? Paul Thomas Anderson for "Punch-Drunk Love".

Elliott's film has two drag-queens-Mitzi (Hugo Weaving) and Felicia (Guy Pearce)-and a transsexual-Bernadette (Terence Stamp)-contract to perform a drag show at a resort town in the remote Australian desert.

They head west from Sydney aboard a lavender bus called Priscilla (do not ask, just be patient and accepting). En route we get a snapshot of drag queens being bitchy, catty, gaudy and outrageous.

This movie is certifiably crazy with a couple of poignant moments, but is saved from being a terrible movie by Terence Stamp, who earned a Golden Globe Best Actor nomination. Stamp is actually passable as a transsexual.

The "famous" thong dress was part of the wardrobe that won an Oscar at the Academy Awards for Best Costume Design by Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel. The dress cost only $7. I did not even remember seeing this apparently famous dress in the movie.

ABBA fans will love this movie as the drag queens spent a lot of time lip-synching to ABBA's music. ABBA was a Swedish pop music group active from 1972 to 1982.

People who live alternative lifestyles probably loved Elliott's movie.

I came away from this film feeling that the drag queens and transsexual were really unhappy people desperate for acceptance they could not find.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show – 1 Star (Terrible)

Imagine a newly engaged normal couple whose car breaks down in an isolated area. They must call for help and end up at the residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, a Transylvanian transvestite involved in a bizarre lifestyle.

Welcome to "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" with Tim Curry (as Dr. Frank-N-Furter), Susan Sarandon (Janet Weiss) and Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors) joined by a cast of characters who are strange, dysfunctional misfits.

Directed by Jim Sharman and written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien, The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a horror parody using camp, sci-fi and rock 'n roll to produce a really terrible film with no redeeming qualities worth mentioning.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show bombed in its initial release in 1975 but later gained a cult following at midnight showings, which is probably all you really need to know about this film, other than it is saturated with sex.

The character of Susan Sarandon (Janet) runs around in her bra and slip; both she and her hubby-to-be Brad get initiated into sex by Dr. Furter; and she degenerates into a common slut with some pretty racy scenes for a flick 32 years old.

Sarandon was 25 when she did the part and would get better roles later, earning 4 Academy Award nominations for Best Actress, and an Oscar for her role in "Dead Man Walking" in 1995, 20 years after her role as Janet.

The Rocky Horror Picture show is not only a terrible film, it is also a horrific movie not worth seeing.

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