Haunted Haus
Little monsters shiver with anticip-
I’ve already felt a chill in the air and with the touch of autumn surrounding me, it’s time to slip into something comfy. The leather vest turns into a jacket, the coffee shops get cozier, and the options for horror movie nights are abundant. Everyone has their own personal canon for the Halloween season and I’m no different. So, let’s get a little queer with it. Break out the fishnets and throw the rice because it’s time to do the time warp again.
What is Known
Lady Gaga is a tour de force as a performer. Between the avant-garde outfits that became part of her persona (who can forget the meat dress?) and the late 00’s/early 10’s bangers of “Bad Romance”, “Just Dance”, “Telephone” among others, she’s proven herself as an artist. On top of that, there’s the acting roles in the 2018 version of A Star is Born, House of Gucci, two seasons of American Horror Story, and her upcoming role as Harley Quinn in Joker: Folie a Deux. There’s also her role as an advocate for queer rights (especially as she’s open about her bisexual identity) and her songs have been staples for many a drag performer to the point that she appeared as a guest judge on a season nine episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 film adaptation of the stage production, has cemented itself as a Halloween staple. While initially a flop, it catapulted to cult status with midnight screenings that developed into shadow casts (partially immortalized in Alan Parker’s Fame in 1980) and is still shown to this day in limited release year-round. The gender-bending of Dr. Frank N. Furter and the other Transylvanians has also resulted in a queer following dating back to the early midnight shows, effectively making it a queer space post-Stonewall. It’s also been adapted into a television musical back in 2016 (a trend at the time), an episode of Glee, and three video games (one in 1985, a point-and-click game in 1999/2000 depending on the region that had Christopher Lee as the Narrator, and a platformer in 2024). Besides the film version, a whole host of others have filled the roles in various revivals including Anthony Stewart Head as Dr. Frank N. Furter in the early 90’s UK performance, Lucas Grabeel of High School Musical fame as Riff Raff in 2010 along with Danny DeVito and Jorge Garcia, Joan Jett as Columbia in the 2000 Broadway revival, Stephen Fry in 2015, just to name a few.
In terms of prior syncs for this film, two exist. There’s one with the lesser-known Syd Barrett compilation “Octopus” (Andrew Wendland, April 2003) and one with Gerard Way’s “Hesitant Alien” (Sam Hodgson, May 2020). Of the two, the queerest one belongs to Gerard Way, not only because of the use of he/they pronouns and openly discussing issues with gender identity but also because the videos and supplemental material for the album explicitly cite The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Shock Treatment as influences. While those two are straightforward “press play at a certain time and loop the album” syncs, this one is a queer setlist.
The Setlist
Sessions August 17-22, 2024. Completed August 22, 2024.
Instructions
Start the playlist when the 20th Century Fox fanfare begins to play. While the playlist was made using the UK cut in mind, it ultimately doesn’t matter.
The Setlist Commentary
Marry the Night - R3hab Remix. Our dance prologue in the science fiction double feature, carrying through the opening credits. The hard electronic sound tells you that this ain’t your usual horror show, replacing the chintzy piano for the 20th Century Fox fanfare and the opening number. The lyrics even talk about clothing items associated with queer culture and the film’s fandom: “I’m gonna lace up my boots/throw on some leather and cruise/down the street that I love/in my fishnet gloves, I’m a sinner”. Years ago, I tried putting “Born This Way” with the film and “Marry the Night” kicks off the album. Unfortunately, the whole thing didn’t work then but this time it does.
I Can’t Give You Anything But Love. The first of three appearances from Tony Bennett, we get a case of tonal whiplash thanks to lounge music but it works. The old organ placed against the church as we see the happy ending of a wedding. It’s also where we get our first inkling of a relationship between Brad and Janet, leading into “Dammit Janet”. One couple duet for another.
LoveGame - Dave Aude Radio Edit. More into “Dammit Janet”, the couple expresses their commitment to a future marriage. After all, it is only through the sanctity of marriage can Janet ride on Brad’s “disco stick” in the eyes of the Lord but we all know that won’t be the case in the film.
Rain on Me. In crafting this, I was not prepared for how much “Chromatica” would end up in the setlist but here’s its first appearance. It’s quite literal as Brad and Janet make their way through the storm.
Alice. Janet seeks shelter “Over at the Frankenstein Place”. It’s that the castle is quite different from the Wonderland that Gaga sings about. All in due time.
Orange Colored Sky - Live from “A Very Gaga Thanksgiving”. Not exactly an obvious choice but we get a showcase of Gaga doing softer tracks before her collaborations with Tony Bennett. It’s also one of the few officially released live performances from her as stuff from the tours don’t go on to have a second life (main exception being the concert film of the Chromatica Ball tour). It’s here that Brad and Janet are introduced to Riff Raff and some of the other servants as it’s “wonderful you came by”.
Just Dance. Here we go, back to the very beginning of the beginning. “The Fame” happened to have a number of high-end singles as the first four tracks are back-to-back classics including “LoveGame”. The first track, this, gives us the “Time Warp”. Even if you looked at the setlist with the intent of playing while watching the film, you could probably guess where this song lands.
Fabulous French - Dialogue. Here, we have a first in the playlists that I’ve made thus far: an actual dialogue track. The soundtrack for A Star is Born was released in two editions: one with and one without the dialogue tracks. These end up being the shortest in the setlist but whether or not it’s “music” is up for debate. Regardless, it was up for grabs. It’s a clip from the film that takes place inside a drag bar. While the source material brings out Lady Gaga, the emcee brings out Dr. Frank N. Furter.
Applause - DJ White Shadow Trap Remix. I have a mixed relationship with the track. Whether it stems from the 2014 Kia commercial with the hamsters or my time spent in gay bars where performers lip sync it with varying degrees of success, I’ve placed the track on its own as middle-tier at best. However, it’s perfect for Frank’s introduction. And why settle for the regular version when it should be as fabulous as this “Sweet Transvestite”?
The Fame. Stripped down to their underwear, Brad and Janet are “runway models” of another time. We’re taken to the operating theatre where things will eventually get “pornographic/girls on film and body plastic” and later, Janet as one of the “blondes in odd positions”.
Judas - Goldfrapp Remix. The slowed-down vocals and backmasking give and ominous presence as Rocky is born through some rather weird science involving colored liquids.
You’re the Top. “The Sword of Damocles”, one of a few tracks absent from the original soundtrack release, carries on as Rocky really is the peak form of Frank’s dreams. The Transylvanians even dance a little during the bridge.
MANiCURE. Another one of Frank’s tunes, this time all about he’s extremely thirsty for his new creation to the point that he needs to be “man cured”, detailing all of Rocky’s toned aspects. However, a former attempt of Frank’s vision of masculinity crashes the party and it’s a celebration.
911 - Bruno Martini Remix. Forget the rock and roll of “Hot Patootie - Bless My Soul”, we have an existential crisis on our hands. It’s not the first pick for a Lady Gaga song that comes to mind in drag (I myself have seen it in person just once along with some filmed performances online) but it’s a good one. The official music video by Tarsem Singh (“Losing My Religion”, The Cell, The Fall) lifts heavily from The Color of Pomegranates to the point that it’s mentioned within the video’s ending. While the song and video are more about self-sabotage, the remix shifts the troubles to Frank as Eddie is slaughtered. “My biggest enemy is me ever since day one”.
Electric Chapel. While there’s no actual chapel when the song plays, the film does have a rock version of the wedding march as Rocky and Frank march off to the honeymoon suite.
G.U.Y. The song is bookended by Brad and Janet taking turns with Frank, each being the “girl under you”. Plus, the opening invocation pairs well with the embrace between Frank and Janet. The music video for this is the one that has the most motifs from the film: statues of human physique, swimming pools, making a man (in this case, extensive cloning).
John Wayne. I included this track from “Joanne” (the only appearance from the album here) because of the man himself and how Frank wanted to craft man in his own image. Plus, John Wayne is seen as one of the pinnacles of “masculinity” based on his film roles. Here, Janet “craves a wild man/I’m strung out on John Wayne” (Rocky) as evidenced earlier when she admitted to being a muscle fan in “I Can Make You a Man: Reprise”.
Do What U Want (Christina Aguilera version). This stand-alone version of the track with Christina Aguilera, originally on “Artpop” with R. Kelly and since removed in releases and streaming since 2019 because of everything R. Kelly did, was always going to be in the spot for “Touch-a, Touch-a, Touch Me”. The sins of the flesh prove too strong for Janet and she tells Rocky “do what you want with my body” over and over again.
Sour Candy. The chorus describes Frank’s shift in his mood, “so sweet, then I get a little angry”, taking it out on Brad.
Swine. All of the dirty piggies have a feast that would only be surpassed by Eraserhead a few years later in terms of awkwardness.
Monster. While the titular monster at first is Eddie as they sing about how much of a bastard he was, it shifts over to Frank as he pulls the cloth away to reveal that everyone “ate my heart” literally and chases Janet with a vengeance.
Bad Kids. Everything about this song is focused on Frank and his turn to evil, “a selfish punk, I really should be smacked”, as he freezes everyone with his Medusa sonic transducer.
Anything Goes. Bennett’s last appearance in the setlist and with our heroes set in stone, “the world’s gone mad today/and good’s bad today”. Plus, it’s only a few minutes before showtime.
Fashion! The first part of the floor show, one of the film’s musical highlights besides “The Time Warp”. In their burlesque outfits, they strut the stage like it’s a catwalk, “looking good and feeling fine”. It’s also here that we get one of the more unusual backdrops: the RKO logo. And yet, it all fits as Frank “feels on top of the world in my fashion”, standing right underneath the giant radio tower…on top of the world.
Babylon - Haus Labs Remix. Part two of the floor show, it’s all about decadence. The imagery of Babylon was depicted quite well in D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance both on and off camera. Massive amounts of money were used to bankroll the production, especially for the Babylon segments which is estimated to be a third of the budget alone. I bring this up as a parallel to Frank’s lifestyle (i.e. the setting, not their preference for partners). Plus, having the chorus line happen during “strut it out/walk a mile/serve it ancient city style” is icing on the cake.
Unbelievable - Dialogue. Party’s over, folks. “What you have right now goes beyond just this” is an apt description for the film’s legacy for cinema and queer culture.
Hold My Hand. This power ballad from Top Gun: Maverick is perfect for “I’m Going Home”. One last song for Frank, tears down his face. “So, cry tonight/but don’t you let go of my hand” as he sings about all he ever really wanted, “You can cry every last tear/I won’t leave ‘til I understand”.
The Edge of Glory - Bare Noize Remix. Frank’s last gasp for fame and glory as Riff Raff and Magenta take over.
Venus. Riff Raff and Magenta announce their plans to return to Transsexual, “blast off to a new dimension”. The mansion takes flight and we’re left with our earthbound residents struggling to come to terms with the night.
Born This Way - DJ White Shadow Remix. It would’ve been too easy to place the original where “Sweet Transvestite” would play and that’s no fun. At the same time, I couldn’t leave it off entirely. So, we have this remix playing as the curtain draws on this tale. As for the audience members who partake in this journey of gender-bending, it doesn’t matter what you are, you were born this way. Don’t be a drag, just be a queen.
The Cutting Floor
Government Hooker. It would’ve gone in the bedroom scenes but “G.U.Y.” was so much better.
Sexxx Dreams. Same as above.
Scene 98 - Dialogue. This clip features an argument and it would’ve fit with any confrontation between Frank and the other characters in the back half of the film.