THE 28th edition of Encounters, Africa’s leading documentary festival, runs until 14 June 2026, with screenings, masterclasses, panels and Q&As in Cape Town, Johannesburg and Pretoria. There is just one more outing for Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror, on Friday, 12 June at 8.30pm at The Labia in Cape Town. Book at Webtickets.
Directed by Linus O’Brien, it’s as much the story of his father, Richard O’Brien, as it is the global phenomenon that is The Rocky Horror Show, and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. In there is a short clip of an interview with Richard done during the making of the movie where he says things should have their beginning, middle and end. And so it is with this documentary.
It begins with Richard meeting a neighbour in the tree-lined New Zealand street where he grew up. The creator of one of the most significant cultural events in entertainment history remains remarkably humble, and deeply emotional about the effects Rocky has had on the world. He speaks in beautifully eloquent and moderated words about his growing up and desire to be the fairy princess when he was six years old, and also realising that wasn’t the smartest thing to say at the time. Gender identity is a continuum, he says, along which most of us flow, and he is open about his own. Many people have a side to themselves they choose not to reveal to the world, he says.
There’s no mucking about with back and forth; after covering Richard’s theatrical and musical theatre background, the film then tells us how Rocky was made, how startlingly quickly the songs were written that were needed to bulk up the script, and its first staging at The Theatre Upstairs in London in 1973. We meet director Jim Sharman, musical director Richard Hartley, and costume designer Sue Blane. Other interviewees include producer Lou Adler, Nell Campbell (Columbia), Patricia Quinn (Magenta), Tim Curry (Frank-N-Furter), Barry Bostwick (Brad Majors), Susan Sarandon (Janet Weiss), Jack Black who shares his first experience, and even Peter Hinwood (Rocky), who had barely acted before and barely ever since I believe.
The movie bombed, hard to believe now, I know, but when someone had the idea to do midnight screenings it quickly took off with the creatures of the night across the US. In 2026 it’s wild to think this took place at a time with no internet, no social media, no cell phones — just word of mouth, flyers, posters and marquees, and I think that speaks volumes. Then came the shout-outs, costumes, props and shadow casts, which continue to this day, as do stage productions around the world. The Rocky Horror Show presented by Pieter Toerien with The Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy has just concluded a run in Cape Town, and opens in Joburg on Friday, 12 June. Book at Webtickets. It will be back in Cape Town at the end of August.
And then this documentary journey brings us back to Richard O’Brien’s closing comments. Like with most interviews in my experience, the best quotes always come at the end, and this is probably clever editing but “it’s for the marginalised, those on the fringes, the lonely…Rocky gives them a place not to be alone,” gets you in the feels, right where and when you need it.
Strange Journey is very much an awakening to Rocky as experienced by thousands (millions even?) as you realise how many people share your love and awe. I also learned I am not the only person on the planet who cries every time Frank (any Frank) sings he’s going home. A highlight for me was seeing and hearing Richard play songs, with an acoustic guitar, in styles I had never imagined before. And just listening to him talk, really. We all have our Rocky stories, and I’m so glad this film is now part of mine.
“It’s about saying yes to life, to everything,” says Sarandon.
- Fun fact: Spot the old Apartheid South African flag (upside down) in the movie, during Time Warp. The detail has become a notable piece of trivia and an ironic footnote for local fans, especially since the film was banned by the Apartheid government shortly after its release here in 1977.
