Abstract:
From 1978 through 1988, every Friday and Saturday night, patrons would step inside the Hollywood cinema in Avondale at 11:30pm. They were not there for a secret club, nor a meeting with unusual timing. Instead, they were all there to dance, sing and yell. The Rocky Horror Picture Show has been on the midnight circuit for nearly fifty years. Originally a stage show, it has captured generations for being a weird, unhinged science-fiction musical. Rocky Horror is the original cult film. This thesis uncovers the theory and history behind the show itself, and then applies a local context. The 1970s and 1980s were a turbulent period for Aotearoa, especially in my region of choice, Tāmaki Makaurau. Not only were politics and social issues at the forefront of everyday conversation, the so-called ‘demise’ of cinema culture was occurring. The end of the ‘golden age’ saw people were growing bored of dressing up to see a film. Cinemas in the central city were demolished or became venues dedicated to live performance. In the suburbs, there was little desire to maintain many of the independent cinemas. Many were multipurpose venues, designed to suit suburban communities that were geographically distant from the city centre. Amongst these closures or drop in popularity, the Hollywood stood strong. Rocky Horror was a phenomenon that helped to reinvigorate Tāmaki Makaurau’s independent cinema history. The city loved Rocky Horror, whether it was on stage or on screen. By using newspapers, as well as Jan Grefstad’s extensive research on Tāmaki Makaurau cinemas, this thesis argues for the importance of Rocky Horror as a crucial player in the continuation of cinema culture.
