logo Sign In

Idea: an edit of the Rocky Horror Picture Show!

Author
Time
 (Edited)

Imagine my surprise to search and not find any threads about this wonderful film! Well there have been so many edits I’ve wanted to do in the past and have gotten through rough cuts of them all only to scrap the idea because I couldn’t make it look as beautiful as I wanted, granted I still have all materials and project files from all of these so I could possibly finish them in the future but then again I prolly won’t, probably because I am no longer passionate about these edits and I’m an exhibitionist, I only want to make edits that my real world friends are going to watch and think: “wow that’s fxcking awesome please burn me a copy!” There wasn’t much of an audience for those edits among the people I personally know, but with these edits, there certainly is! I have multiple edits planned for this one movie! 3 to be exact and I need advice about all of them, because I simply don’t have the know-how.

Edit 1: Simply flipping the screen from left to right, this is used in training purposes for the casts who act out the movie under the screen, I have a low quality 20-billionth generation vhs of this that was prolly done with a crappy tv, a mirror, and a 1980s video camera. But I wanted a pristine burnable dvd version for all the cast members (all of which obviously own 3 diff. official dvd versions of the movie as well as multiple vhs copies and their own copy of this same training version on vhs anyway)! It would also be kinda nice to be able to reverse the audio tracks as well. This is the one I want to start with because I feel it would be the easiest and most useful at this stage.

Edit 2: As it was originally meant to be… The opening scene was supposed to have red curtains open up to reveal a montage of various clips from old b&w sci-fi/horror movies that the opening song references, and from there on out the entire movie itself was supposed to be in black and white as well, with the exception of Frank’s lips, which were supposed to be red. They were unable to do this at the time because of the technology, but a modern movie production (Sin City) has proved this to be entirely possible, and I would like to re-create the way this movie was meant to be seen just to see what it would have been like. There are low quality versions of the alternate opening circling the interweb and it would probably be relatively easy to re-create that (with the exception of the curtain and alternate title words which i don’t know how to do and may or may not include). But the lips thing is something I definately dont know how to do and is kinda the point of this edit. This would be second because it would require more work (but no more equipment than what I already have).

Edit 3: I’m saving up for a video camera… some of you may already know where this is going. I go to see the film in the theater every 2 weeks, and I love the cast and the specific call backs to my theater. I want to film the cast beneath the screen and the audio from my audience. Then I want to take the dvd video (which is 1.66:1) and place my video underneath it to make a 4:3 fullscreen video as well as the audio from my theater that way I can watch it with the people I know acting it out and scream the callbacks I know right along with my friends voices in the comfort of my very own home. I already have permission to do this in the theater so long as I don’t get too much of the screen on camera, and what I mean by too much is the fact that certain things the cast does requires them to touch the screen in various ways, but usually only the bottom. And since I want to use the much prettier dvd video rather than filming the theater screen as well (which I don’t have permission to do) then I need to learn some pretty good rotoscoping. I want to do this one last obviously because it requires that I save up to get the equipment that I don’t have and probably more skill and know-how than the other two edits.

I appreciate all advice and help on these edits, so thanx in advance to anyone interested enough to reply to this thread!

Author
Time
Here's a little preview for people to help me get the ball rolling, here's what someone else did by way of a new opening sequece: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYdTyrwjTek this is what i would put in my 2nd edit
Author
Time
Great idea !

Nothing beats the buzz from an experienced audience when watching this film in the cinema

I shiver with antici.............................pation, DarthBalls1138
Author
Time
Hi DarthBalls,

I am also a Rocky Horror fan, I have loved the film for years and have attended the Stage show a couple of times in a full Frank outfit, I had never really thought about editing the film but your ideas have got me thinking, my thoughts:

Edit 1. This should be relatively easy many programs allow you to mirror video, and for audio you could either just use the original mono track (which I believe is on the Region 1 DVD, but annoyingly for me not on the Region 2), or just flip the channels of the 5.1 track, there are a few programs that can seperate out the channels into .wav files then all you'd need to do was re-name the left to right and the right to left and re-combine them. I have no use for this edit but I wish you luck in completing it.

Edit 3. this would deffinitely be more difficult and beyond my abilities, it would be cool if done well but I have no advice.

Edit 2. Now this one really interests me, I'd never read much trivia on how the film was scripted but I have been reading for the last couple of days and have found some iteresting stuff. I was reading the script here and it describes the exact shots that were to be used from the referenced movies, and it wouldn't be too difficult to create these titles if you had all those films on DVD (which saddly I don't). It might be worth contacting the guy who posted the clips on youtube and seeing he has then in higher quality since he has various versions that could be used as they are or combined in different ways to taste.

With regards to the black and white I havn't read anything that says the film would be black and white throughout. The stories are either that it should change to colour during the Time Warp when the doors open, or when Frank's face is first seen.
On the dvd as an easter egg there is a version of the film that changes during the Time warp which has a very good impact, but unfortunately the lips at the begining are also grey which looks stupid.
The script linked above supports that it would go to colour on franks face, I think the thing with the lips supposedly being the only colour throughout the film comes from a misenterpretation of the script:
--------------------------------------------
GO TO COLOUR AT BEGINNING OF FOLLOWING SCENE
--------------------------------------------

54 INT. LIFT/HALL NIGHT

The figure turns and throws open lift cage door. As camera zooms in to
the death mask above them the film changes from black and white to
colour. However the only colour in evidence is the red lipstick on the
mouth of their host.


I think rather than refering to any post preduction trickery this just refers to Franks face being white and grey except the lips so they stand out, the next shot would then reveal everything in colour.

Personally I wouldn't want the Time Warp to be black and white even though that's how it's scripted, I like the transition on the DVD easter egg it works really well with th look of shock on brad and Janet's faces as they enter the ball room, but it doesn't work with the titles.

But also from the script there is more on this in the script amendments at the end:

1/2 The film will now commence in Black and White on "ACADEMY"
format. It will extend to wide screen (1.1 - 85) at
Sequence 41, while still remaining in black and white. At
Sequence 54 the film changes to colour.


so this means the plan at one time was to start with 4:3 ratio Black and White up until the doors open during the time warp when it would change to widescreen (1:1.85) but still black and white, then change to colour on Frank's face (and during that shot his lips would be the only colour due to the make up).

I'd be curious to see it edited closed to the script and I might do a version of it myself, although I'd want to use the original mono track to give it a more authentic sound and I don't have a copy, I won't be starting this anytime soon (although I might play around doing some rough cuts), but I'm happy to discuss ideas.
Author
Time
Actually on the 2-disc version, on the second disc, during the "Documentary: Rocky Horror Double Feature Video Show" Brian Thomson the set designer stated that the color was only supposed to come in after they met Frank and the only color was supposed to be his lips, but after having watched it again I think you are right, during the zoom in it would only show color on his lips but after that I think everything was supposed to be color. He said that they didn't do it because of technology purposes which I don't understand how they couldn't do it if everything was supposed to be color and not just his lips, it makes no sense to me, take a look at the docu at 21:30 into it and tell me what you think. He also states that the ballroom scene during the time warp was conceived as a black and white scene and that's why the only color in it comes in through the lighting that they did, which is why the easter egg makes no sense to me too! But now that you mention the aspect ratio thing I think I might do that as well, but for the beginning do you think there is more area that we are missing or do you think they would have cropped what we are given? And if you don't understand that last question just ask me to explain it.
Author
Time
I understand what you're getting at, I would say the original intention was to shoot the early scenes in 4:3 black and white, but I believe that the whole film was shot in widescreen (an obviously in colour) therefore the only option for the early scenes would be to crop the sides off. The only way I can think to check would be to find a full screen version and compare it with the widescreen to see if it is open matte.

Edit: just had a look at some clips from youtube and it looks like the fullscreen version is open matte.

I watched that bit of the documentary and I think it confirms how I interpreted the script, so I turned down the colour on my TV and watched the Time Warp in black and white, it looks good, probably because the set was designed to be black and white, but I'm not sure how effective the colour transition on Frank's face would be his lips are such a dark red I'm not sure it would have the right impact but it's worth a try, the only reason I can think that they didn't have the technology to do it is because this was a very low budget flm and they couldn't afford to try. The easter egg doesn't make much sense but the transition works well and I'm sure it would have been done with the consent of the film makers.

I think for myself I might do a few versions and see which I like:

1. Red lips at the begining fade over the black and white church scene, colour comes in during the Time Warp, whole thing in wide screen, this wouldn't be much work as it only involves fiddling with the lips fading everything else is already on the DVD.

2. As scritped, red curtains open up onto the Fox Logo in 4:3 in black and white then the clips from the films as mentioned in the script with new credits in between also in black and white, this would then run straight into the church scene (minus the opening few shots which include the lips) still in 4:3 then switch to widescreen during time warp and full colour on frank's face.

3. Another option (admittedly of my own invention) is to have have black and white up to frank's face, then use some trickery so that his lips are the only colour until he walks away and when his back blocks the whole screen as he walks into the ballroom it revert to the normal colour, then again you get a great look of shock from brad and janet directly after the transition.

Since these all only affect the first 20ish min of the film they could all be put on one disc with an option to chose between them, or two options one for the titles one for the colour transition, although the ability to do that is currently beyond me.

the other thing I would want to do is reinsert the Once in a while scene cutting it back together as scripted with the pink shots of Janet making her way to the lab and ending before the 'if only' scene and Janet Seeing Brad on the monitor. Does the US version have this scene in the Film? if so when does it take place?

loads to think about, I might rip the DVD to my hard drive this evening and start playing.
Author
Time
I love the seamless branching idea, a lot of your ideas are good, def some color tweaks fo his lips, and since it's open matte and I sure in the hell don't feel like doing a laserdisc transfer I think i'll prolly stick with solely widescreen or crop off more of the image, or start a campaign for a fullscreen dvd lol. But I agree with the whole only color being his lips thing untill it gets to a certain point but should that point be when brad and janet walk in the room right after meeting frank or should it be when frank throws off his cape or transition in the middle of him singing sweet transvestite or should it be when the camera flashes back to brad and janet, so many possibilities! I'd also like to see a version where the only color throughout the whole movie is his lips tho! And no the US version doesn't have that song in the film but it's got it in the extras and to be honest there is a reason why they left it out, it doesnt fit the style of the movie at all and it's a horrible song, even worse than superheroes. Not to mention the quality of that scene in the extras is subpar to that of the rest of the movie so it would be even more jarring when added back in even if the whole movie was in black and white!
Author
Time
Originally posted by: DarthBalls1138
I love the seamless branching idea, a lot of your ideas are good, def some color tweaks fo his lips, and since it's open matte and I sure in the hell don't feel like doing a laserdisc transfer I think i'll prolly stick with solely widescreen or crop off more of the image, or start a campaign for a fullscreen dvd lol.

I wasn't sure if there was a full screen dvd available, but even if there was I wouldn't buy it just for this, I will just crop the edges off of the widescreen image up until the time warp.


Originally posted by: DarthBalls1138
But I agree with the whole only color being his lips thing untill it gets to a certain point but should that point be when brad and janet walk in the room right after meeting frank or should it be when frank throws off his cape or transition in the middle of him singing sweet transvestite or should it be when the camera flashes back to brad and janet, so many possibilities! I'd also like to see a version where the only color throughout the whole movie is his lips tho!


yeah, even though there's no reason to believe this is how it was 'meant to be' i think it would be quite effective, I'm not sure I'd want to do it for the whole film as it would be a lot of effort and I just don't think I'd ever watch it like that.

Originally posted by: DarthBalls1138
And no the US version doesn't have that song in the film but it's got it in the extras and to be honest there is a reason why they left it out, it doesnt fit the style of the movie at all and it's a horrible song, even worse than superheroes. Not to mention the quality of that scene in the extras is subpar to that of the rest of the movie so it would be even more jarring when added back in even if the whole movie was in black and white!


I thought I'd read that there was once a version released with 'Once in a while' integrated back into the film but I could be wrong, Personally I don't think it's a horrible song (it's been in my head for two days and I still like it) visual style doesn't fit but that's because the footage of brad for the first verse is missing and because of this it isn't as it would have appeared in the film and has been edited together in a music video style (like any song associated with a film that has clips of the movie), I hope that I can edit it closer to as it is in the script and I think it will then work quite well, I believe it was only cut originally to cut the length of the film and because it wouldn't be missed as easily as some other songs.

Superheroes on the other hand is a great song and works wonderfully at the end of the film, it was included in the European theatrical release of the film and was only cut from the American version to make the ending softer, so that it didn't end on such a down beat.

but each to thier own, I started playing around in womble yesterday but I'm only working on the once in a while segment for now, to be honest that is my primary reason for doing anything with this film, the black and white stuff is just for additional options.

Author
Time
Yeah, if I were to reintegrate Once in a While, I'd try to replace the montage they used to cover the missing first verse (even if just with another montage). My problem with that official montage is that at one point, it crossfades during a solid cut in one of the clips...a definite editing no-no. Yuck.
“The tragedy of your times, my young friends, is that you may get exactly what you want.”
Author
Time
Rocky Horror Punk Rock Show, there was an album done of the soundtrack by a bunch of various punk bands, that would be awesome to replace the normal audio with these versions, chalk up another one to get done lol!
Author
Time
How about dubbing in the original London cast soundtrack? Or the Roxy cast? All kinds of things could be done.