At Neptune, `Rocky Horror' Marks A Local Milestone

At midnight tomorrow, the Neptune is celebrating another anniversary for "The Rocky Horror Picture Show," which has been playing there every weekend for 14 years.

The theater claims this makes it "the longest-running movie in Seattle history," although there are other contenders for that throne. Once a Friday-Saturday special, "Rocky Horror" now plays only once a week, at midnight Saturdays.

But "The Sound of Music" played every day at the 5th Avenue Theatre between the spring of 1965 and the fall of 1967, and "Deep Throat" equaled that record in 1974-1976 at the long-gone Garden Theatre. Several IMAX movies, including "To Fly" and "The Eruption of Mt. St. Helens," have also set records here.

However, it is true that "Rocky Horror" has been available on the big screen for a longer period than any other film in Seattle history. If you wanted to see it once a week for 14 years, you could manage it, and that's not true of "The Sound of Music" or "Deep Throat," which long ago disappeared from theatrical run and went to video.

In spite of its recent video release, "Rocky Horror" hasn't lost its box-office punch. While the crowds may not be big enough to support both Friday and Saturday shows, they're consistent and persistent enough to keep it going once a week.

The Neptune's 35mm print of "Rocky Horror" includes one song, "Super Heroes," that is not available on the home-video version. On Halloween, the Neptune will show "Rocky Horror" in prime time, on a double bill with its misbegotten 1981 sequel, "Shock Treatment."