Rocky Horror Picture Show remake stars transgender actress Laverne Cox

by Sara Ritsch
Staff Writer

FOX is remaking the cult classic tale of sweet transvestites, aliens, manly playthings and sexual exploration. That’s right, a new Rocky Horror Picture Show is being unveiled – and it’s starring Laverne Cox.

Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the eclectic and titillating villain, will be played by Cox in Janet and Brad’s journey to their loss of innocence. Originally played by Tim Curry in 1975, Frank-N-Furter’s character is the most memorable of the entire Rocky Horror experience.

Gyrating, pulsating moves and a quivering voice have had viewers at the edge of their seats for decades. And although most of us have yet to hear Cox sing, that doesn’t make the antici-pa-tion any less for die-hard fans of this filmmaking landmark.

Cox’s leading role plays a big part for her position in the LGBT community, which is a leading role in itself. She is a key public image for transgender women – even more so for transgender women of color. As says The Advocate, “She’s a trans community leader and public voice who is also a pioneer in so many ways that it would take the bulk of this article to properly describe them all here.”

So, her portrayal of the most captivating, sexual and loveable villain in maybe all of LGBT film history is one for the books.

But skepticism is natural when introducing a remake of a classically indulgent phenomenon. That fear has already been addressed for Lou Adler, though, who produced the original Rocky Horror Picture Show in 1975. He told Rolling Stone, “I don’t want to do it [remake the movie] if it’s not going to live up to the way people embraced the movie over the past 40 years.”

And embrace it, they did.

The Washington Post explains, “For many in the LGBT community, part of the film’s appeal is the way it bends sexual and gender politics into nearly unrecognizable forms, at least by traditional, binary standards. That’s another way of saying it was one of the first films to truly support and display the notion of being ‘genderqueer.’”

But there are some in the LGBT and allied communities who are less than excited to see this display take place for a second time. Trans woman Mary Brighe let her concerns out in FlavorWire, saying this could be “a disaster waiting to happen.” She continues:

“In an era where trans people (and trans women in particular) are still consistently struggling to shed the social view that we are little more than men in dresses, the once sexually subversive Rocky Horror Picture Show becomes simply a tool for the re-entrenchment of oppressive and harmful tropes about transgender people.”

Even still, there are concerns that right-wing groups will find another layer to the scripting – viewing a transgender woman as she laments “I’m just a sweet transvestite” while donning dominatrix-esque attire and behaving in a predatory nature could be not so good.

But, Cox herself is excited about the role, and has said that she appreciates the vocal practice that came to play while filming and recording.

As a die-hard fan, I hope this new rendition of my favorite cult classic is as outstanding, albeit extraordinary, as Cox is. Look for newest show times on FOX.

The Gayly – 5/19/2016 @ 11:57 a.m. CDT