Review of Shock Treatment (1981) by Harry W — 06 Feb 2015

After the success of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975), creator Richard O'Brien reunited with co-writer Jim Sharman to do a follow-up, rather than making a sequel, they made an 'equal'. It was a troubled production, when the Screen Actors Guild went on strike, the production was downscaled and moved from America to London, and confined to a soundstage, which gives it an edge. Set in Denton, USA. Married couple Brad and Janet Majors (Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper) are invited to take part on Denton TV's new game show Marriage Maze, hosted by blind Viennese psychopath Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries). Brad is committed to Dentonvale, an insane asylum ran by Cosmo and Nation McKinley (Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn). Janet is groomed for stardom and world domination, while Brad is locked in a cell. Meanwhile, Denton Dossier hosts Betty Hapschatt (Ruby Wax) and Judge Oliver Wright (Charles Gray) investigate who the McKinley's really are, and who has orchestrated this whole wicked scheme. On a visual level, it looks brilliant and the sets are absolutely vivid, and the songs are top notch too. But, it's absolutely insane, and half the time you really don't know what on earth's going on, but that doesn't seem to matter. It's a mad satire on American culture and TV shows. Plus, look out for a young Rik Mayall as Rest Home Ricky.

Here's something you ain't NEVER seen before, a SEQUEL, (or if you will, "equal" to The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975))!! This time, it's set in a TV studio, and has Brad and Janet (this time played by Cliff De Young and Jessica Harper), being tra...(read more) pped in a nightmarish game-show-come-reality-TV show, run by doctors Cosmo and Nation McKinley (Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn), and blind Austrian game show host Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries!!) Visually, it looks brilliant, the songs are top notch too. But, it's ABSOLUTELY BONKERS!! Half the time, you don't even know what on earth's going on, it's a satire on American culture, punctuated by 80's pop numbers with an American country-western flavour. God knows what Ritz O'Brien was on when he thought this one up, but don't let it put you off!! Oh, and there's a young Rik Mayall in it!! ;).