Shock Treatment
Shock Treatment is a 1981 American musical comedy film directed by Jim Sharman, and co-written by Sharman and Richard O'Brien. It is a follow-up to the 1975 film The Rocky Horror Picture Show. While not an outright sequel, the film does feature characters from the previous film, most portrayed by different actors, as well as several Rocky Horror actors in new roles. The film stars Jessica Harper as Janet and Cliff DeYoung in a dual role as Brad and the film's main antagonist Farley Flavors, with O'Brien and Patricia Quinn playing sibling character actors. The film is set in the fictional town of Denton, which has been placed under the control of a television network. The town's entire population is involved in the network's productions. Brad Majors finds himself imprisoned in the local mental hospital, while his wife Janet becomes the pet project of Farley Flavors, the local plutocrat. Given a limited release on the midnight movie circuit beginning on October 30, 1981, Shock Treatment was a critical and commercial failure, not earning the same level of cult film status its predecessor received, but contemporary reviews have since praised its satirical themes, particularly a prescient satire of reality television. In 2015, the film was adapted as a stage production in London. Plot Continuing from The Rocky Horror Picture Show are the characters of Brad and Janet Majors (now portrayed by Cliff DeYoung and Jessica Harper), now married. The film takes place in the town of Denton, USA, which has been taken over by fast food magnate Farley Flavors (also DeYoung). The town of Denton is entirely encased within a television studio for the DTV (Denton Television) network. Residents are either stars and regulars on a show, cast and crew, or audience members. Brad and Janet, seated in the audience, are chosen to participate in the game show Marriage Maze by the kooky, supposedly blind host Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries). As a "prize", Brad is imprisoned on Dentonvale, a soap opera that centers upon the local mental hospital run by brother and sister Cosmo and Nation McKinley (Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn). Janet is given a taste of showbiz as Farley molds her into a singing diva superstar in an attempt to take her away from Brad. Her compliance is assured through the use of drugs supplied by the McKinleys. Betty Hapschatt (Ruby Wax) and Judge Oliver Wright (Charles Gray) investigate Farley and other people involved in DTV. The duo eventually discover that Cosmo and Nation are not doctors, but merely deranged character actors, and Farley Flavors is Brad's jealous, long-lost twin brother, seeking to destroy Brad and take Janet for himself. The pair rescue Brad from Dentonvale and have him confront his twin on the show Faith Factory. Farley imprisons the three and Janet, but they manage to escape, along with a local band, while the remainder of Denton's citizens follow Farley and commit themselves to Dentonvale. Cast Jessica Harper as Janet Majors (née Weiss) Cliff DeYoung as Brad Majors