First released in the UK on August 14, 1975, this comedy-horror musical film didn't have a genre it could be slotted into. To an extent, it still doesn't. Directed by Jim Sharman, it was based on a screenplay of the long-running stage production The Rocky Horror Show, by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. The duo also composed the songs.

There are a number of reasons for the musical's cult status. To begin with, there's its pioneering depiction of subjects that were long regarded as taboo -- such as homosexuality, cannibalism, adultery. It also made these subjects funny. Secondly, it can also be examined as a history of cinema, thanks to the innumerable nuanced references strewn throughout. This one has long been a favourite with amateurs and connoisseurs alike.