The Rocky Horror Picture Show vs. Hedwig and The Angry Inch

2 comments

2 comments

I'm sure this is a harder choice for other people. I enjoy "Rocky Horror" to a limited extent (I actually fancy the sequel, "Shock Treatment", more), but "Hedwig" really impressed me and covered similar themes with greater insight and maturity. The best rock opera is still "Phantom of the Paradise"...

I really need to watch Phantom of the Paradise. A Ziggy Stardust-era David Bowie could fill the shoes for main characters in any of those two movies and it would be absolutely spectacular. That being said, Tim Curry and John Cameron Mitchell still killed it, both of them. Rocky Horror is great because it's more of its own thing and ofcourse Tim Curry. I love the songs and they're pretty much cemented on glam rock history as classics. Hedwig is more of a post-modern classic that is also terrific. It's flamboyantly entertaining, funny and got a lot of great (original) songs. It's filled with energy and while there's a lot of David Bowie over it, it surpasses its immediate influences (you'll obviously be reminded of Bowie and Pop anyways) and becomes its own thing as well. It's a relatively easy choice for me, but Hedwig still needs to grow on me and I'm sure it will get a lot tougher than pick between these two.

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Rocky Horror Picture Show at a midnight showing.

I'm not a fan of musicals as a rule but Hedwig blew me away. Fantastic songs, great performances (John Cameron Mitchell is amazing in the lead role) and there's a real sincerity and poignancy to it. I've never liked Rocky Horror, I'd give it another go but this is an easy win for Hedwig for me.