eginning with a song presented by the imagery of just a mouth with conspicuously red lipstick against a black background, “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” is instantly iconic and unusual, as the lyrics foreshadow the otherworldly and exploitation concepts to come. They can’t, however, fully acclimate audiences to what is about to unfold; something of a lighthearted musical enveloped by the oft taboo, rarely seen (at least in cinema) world of BDSM and fetishistic dalliances (glam rock, more pointedly), nestled amid a stylistic send-up of B-movies from the pre-’60s – including not just sci-fi and horror kitsch, but also the extremely specialized beach party subgenre. Perhaps it can best be described as an altogether experimental work.

At the Denton Episcopal Church, a wedding celebration finds guest Janet Weiss (Susan Sarandon) scrambling for the bridal bouquet, much to the chagrin of her boyfriend Brad Majors (Barry Bostwick), who doesn’t seem pleased with the notion of marriage – until the sound of thunder in the background seems to spark a change of heart. Bursting into song and dance, Brad professes his love for Janet (in one of the catchiest tunes), proposing on the spot. This reasonably ordinary opening sequence segues to a more sinister insinuation as a criminologist narrates (with a hint of “Psycho” or “Spider Baby”) the tale of the happy couple, whose nighttime drive to visit a former tutor transforms into a markedly unforgettable evening as they’re stranded in the middle of nowhere.

“Didn’t we pass a castle a few miles back?” With a sign that states “Enter at Your Own Risk” affixed to the gates of the Frankenstein-like estate, the ominous environment offers up the perfect setting for unorthodox goings-on – a sensationally facetious contrast to the pure, wholesome, religious betrothed. And once the hunchbacked butler Riff Raff (Richard O’Brien, who also wrote the screenplay) arrives, generating a vibe not too dissimilar from “Young Frankenstein,” the comical strangeness truly ramps up. Amusingly, Janet and Brad represent the naïve, unprepared folks thrust into a world they couldn’t have imagined existed, marginally helping the audience through this over-the-top twist on the Frankenstein tale (though it retains the notion that a scientist’s creation can’t be contained or controlled, as if another striking derivation like “Robocop” or “Tetsuo: The Iron Man”).

“I’m cold and I’m frightened!” With a Transylvanian convention blending into a transvestite crowd, as if cross-dressing tendencies and vampiric (or alien) denizens are natural companions (the costuming and set decorations are delightfully colorful, even with all the black leather and gothic stylings), the characters and subjects are hyper-sexualized, testing the tolerance of squarer viewers against tremendously original visuals (moral corruption!) with an impressively inclusive cast – far ahead of its time. It’s difficult to stress, particularly after this film has since become a cult classic (and a cultural phenomenon), just how bizarre it was in 1975 (dismissed and ignored), even though it intended to be a “late-night,” grindhouse-style, schlocky spoof of low-budget sci-fi/horror and Hammer flicks (weirdly similar to “Phantom of the Paradise” from a year prior).

The real star, of course, is the mad scientist himself, Tim Curry as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, who fully embraces this absolutely wild character, refusing to ease off the mugging, the makeup and heels, the exaggerated expressions, and the physical eccentricities. This is the kind of performance that is so unique, it’s impossible to imagine anyone else undertaking it – something that could be said of the picture in its entirety. Blending the zaniness of “Barbarella” and “A Clockwork Orange” and a Monty Python sketch with the unpredictability of “The Texas Chain Saw Massacre” in an absurdist musical comedy extravaganza (“All That Jazz” could have borrowed some of the madcap antics), it’s a ludicrously singular drugs-sex-and-rock’n’roll fantasy-nightmare – which is intermittently hilarious. It may be inexplicably outlandish (the ending devolves into emulation more than send-up in a tremendous way), but it’s consistently entertaining. Plus, the music is superb (a scene with Meat Loaf is one of the lasting highlights).

– Mike Massie