Review of Shock Treatment (1981) by Rith C — 28 Jul 2012

I find Rocky Horror and its lesser-known counterpart Shock Treatment to be huge statements on the world we live in, except it displays the similar themes in exact opposite ways of each other and in different realities altogether (so stop labelling it a sequel because it most certainly isn't.

You have to separate them completely). I enjoyed the minor details, like how Brad and Janet's roles in their relationship are exactly flipped, and the nod to Magenta and RiffRaff that Cosmo and Nation give, as two actors who are in a romantic relationship together off-set and play siblings on-set.

Shock Treatment which is a more serious film in appearance makes the same statements about individuality except in reverse. It shows us this perfect yet extremely literal version of the world we live in today, filmed 30 years in the past, where EVERYTHING is centered around the media and television.

Knowing that, Shock Treatment would probably have done 10 times better if it wasn't connected to Rocky Horror and it was released a decade or two later with updated everything. Sometimes it's even incredibly difficult to figure out what is a television program and what is the reality of what is happening.

Sometimes it's both. The more I watched it, the more I noticed surrounding this concept. Honestly, by the time I watched this film during my obsession with Rocky Horror I found the music from Shock Treatment to actually be better, yet both enjoyable in their own ways.