Script To Screen: “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”

As a salute to Halloween, how about a cut from the 1975 cult classic The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Setup: A newly engaged couple have a breakdown in an isolated area and must pay a call to the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-N-Furter.

40 SONG: "THE TIME WARP" BRAD and JANET are rather unnerved by this outburst from the
domestic. They look back to RIFF RAFF. He is now standing
by a set of mirrors reflecting to infinity. RIFF RAFF
It's astounding
Time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll
But listen closely
Not for very much longer
I've got to keep control. MAGENTA gives RIFF RAFF a strange signal. RIFF RAFF starts to dance in an extraordinary fashion. RIFF RAFF
I remember doing the Time Warp. BRAD and JANET are amazed. RIFF RAFF
Drinking those moments when
The blackness would hit me. MAGENTA half closes her eyes in pleasure. JANET clings to BRAD. RIFF RAFF
And the void would be calling. RIFF RAFF opens a set of double doors marked BALLROOM.41 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT BRAD and JANET find themselves on a balcony of a huge black
and silver ballroom. At the furthest end is a throne-like
chair and, surrounding it, a theatre proscenium. In the
body of the room are GUESTS. They are the people BRAD and
JANET passed on the road. They are the Transylvanian Secret
Agents - assembled on this special occasion from all over
the earth. It is the Annual Transylvanian Convention -
announced by an official banner suspended over the Ballroom.
They are all dressed in strange but elegant evening wear.
They are a distorted version of the GUESTS from the Denton
wedding. A party spirit prevails, they throw their arms out
in a plea to RIFF RAFF on the balcony. GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. JANET falls into BRAD's arms. RIFF RAFF is ecstatic. BRAD revives JANET. GUESTS
(repeating action)
Let's do the Time Warp again. JANET faints again.42 INT. STUDY NIGHT The NARRATOR moves from his desk to the wall behind him. He
pulls down a chart with illustrated dance steps on it. He
gestures to the appropriate section of the diagram with the
pointer. NARRATOR
It's just a jump to the left. WIPE TO43 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT The GUESTS leap to the left in one giant step. GUESTS
(dancing)
And a step to the right - right -
right - right - right. WIPE TO44 INT. STUDY NIGHT NARRATOR points to next step on the chart. NARRATOR
With your hands on your hips. WIPE TO45 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT ALL GUESTS have hands on hips. GUESTS
You bring your knees in tight.
But it's the pelvic thrust. The rows of GUESTS open out with pelvic thrusts. GUESTS (Cont)
They really drive you insane. We see them from the balcony and they open out in formation. GUESTS (Cont)
Let's do the Time Warp again. JANET revives. The GUESTS re-form. GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. BRAD and JANET make a run out the door. CUT TO46 INT. STAIRWAY NIGHT They collide with MAGENTA who has blocked off the corridor
with her vacuum. She sings with menace, waving the cleaner
hose dangerously. MAGENTA
It's so dreamy
Oh, fantasy free me
So you can't see me
No not at all. BRAD and JANET look at each other in alarm. In another dimension.
(she forces them back towards
balcony)
With voyeuristic intention. BRAD blushes. Well secluded I see all
With a bit of a mind flip
You're into the time slip
Nothing will ever seem the same. They are back at the balcony. You're spaced out on sensation. They are at the edge of the balcony. Like you're under sedation. They force BRAD and JANET into the Ballroom proper. The GUESTS turn on them. GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. BRAD and JANET are completely dismayed. GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. COLUMBIA, a young girl, is the household groupie. She sings
with the band at the end of the Ballroom. CUT TO47 INT. BANDSTAND NIGHT COLUMBIA
Well I was walking down the street
Just having a think
When a snake of a guy
Gave me an evil wink.
Well it shook me up
It took me by surprise
He had a pick-up truck
And the devil's eyes
He stared at me
And I felt a change
Time meant nothing
Never would again.CUT TO48 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. BRAD and JANET are reeling. GUESTS
Let's do the Time Warp again. CUT TO49 INT. STUDY NIGHT NARRATOR. He has now become rather involved in the dance
and is standing on the blotter on the top of his desk. NARRATOR
It's just a jump to the left. He jumps to the left. WIPE TO50 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT GUESTS
And then a step to the right. The GUESTS take one.

WIPE TO51 INT. STUDY NIGHT The NARRATOR dancing on the desk. NARRATOR
With your hands on your hips. WIPE TO52 INT. BALLROOM NIGHT GUESTS
You bring your knees in tight. OVERHEAD TRAVELLING SHOT. But it's the pelvic thrust. LOW TRAVELLING SHOT between their legs. That really drives you insane.
Let's do the Time Warp again. Everyone reverses direction. Let's do the Time Warp again. All the GUESTS fall to the floor like flies exhausted.

Here is the movie version the scene:

Compare and contrast the script to the scene. I’ll see you in comments for a discussion of this scene from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

One of the single best things you can do to learn the craft of screenwriting is to read the script while watching the movie. After all a screenplay is a blueprint to make a movie and it’s that magic of what happens between printed page and final print that can inform how you approach writing scenes. That is the purpose of Script to Screen, a weekly series on GITS where we analyze a memorable movie scene and the script pages that inspired it.

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