Buckaroo Banzai has:
- an actual story
- a well-developed universe
- actually funny dialogue and situations
- good acting across the board
- genuine suspension of disbelief
- John Lithgow as an Italian physicist possessed by an evil alien
Does RHPS have that?
No.
RHPS?
Rocky Horror Picture Show
shareAh, thanks.
To be honest, I didn't know there was a contest between the two, but I am wholeheartedly a Blue Blaze Irregular on this one.
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I don't know if there is a true contest, but the majority of people, when they hear the phrase "cult film", probably think RHPS. But I think Buckaroo Banzai (which has, of course, a deeply devoted cult) is as much a quintessential cult film, and has the bonus of being good.
shareAh, I see where you're going . . .
I'm not one of those people, as I still haven't seen Rocky Horror. So when I think "cult film", I think Blade Runner, They Live, The Thing, etc.
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Thanks for holdin' my stuff, fellas...
Now excuse me while I go save
AMERICA!
No, but RHPS has transgenders all kinds of other weird sexual things. That's a big part of what makes it successful, especially these days when most of the young fans are Theatre kids who (stereotypically) have unconventional sexual identities.
shareRHPS is a cult film about/for people who are already in a 'cult' as it were, as well as cornering the theatrical and musicals audiences (having a popular draw like Meatloaf was a cunning tactic, though).
BB is designed to appeal to a wider audience and has something for everyone, I guess.
Just don't try and make me choose!
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Its not a contest, and clearly Buckaroo Banzai is a better film, but being a good movie was never a part of what made Rocky Horror a cult classic.
Rocky Horror served as a rallying point for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. Rocky Horror featured unashamedly gay and bisexual characters, and the film was fun and campy as opposed to being some soul searching diatribe about being gay. So that community latched onto it and made it a social gathering. Once that happened, going to see Rocky Horror became taboo, forbidden, dirty. It was something a heterosexual person could do to feel like they were being naughty and perverse. Then we'd all drop acid and sing the songs.
So you can't really compare it to Buckaroo Banzai or any cult classic for that matter. Buckaroo Banzai compares much better to Firefly, because they are both sci-fi with an extremely limited amount of material but so much depth that you can get inside and imagine all of the other things going on within that universe.
Thats what makes them enduring. Plus their fan bases are identified by a specific colored jacket.
I'd vote for Buckaroo, if I thought the "contest" made sense, but for me, it's tough to compare these 2 films in any meaningful way...even as camp. I also never realized that Rocky Horror was "taboo"! I went to it once with some friends but it didn't do much for me.
How about stacking Buckaroo Banzai against, say Repo Man? Both have, among other great things, a heavy reliance on absurdity and offbeat satire. And aliens. I realize that Repo man is much more a social commentary on the 80's and greed, but you could have a cage match with these two flicks...?
She deserves her revenge, and we deserve to die.
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I loved BB from the beginning, but RHPS grows on me everytime I see it.
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No matter where you go, there you are.
shareI refer to RHPS as "Rocky". Rocky had great songs plus Susan Sarandon in a bra and half slip.
shareIt's the music, which is damn good Rock'n'Roll.
shareRocky Horror is a far superior and more entertaining film with great music and fantastic performances.
share