Science Fiction/Double Feature

"Science Fiction/Double Feature" is the opening song to both the 1973 stage play The Rocky Horror Show and its 1975 film counterpart The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The song is a tribute of sorts to various B-movies and serials parodied in the show itself. The movie version of the song is performed by a now-iconic pair of red lips belonging to co-star Patricia Quinn (although the song is sung by Richard O'Brien). In the original Rocky Horror Show, the song was performed by Usherette Trixie, or "Miss Strawberry Time" in the original London production, who doubled as the character Magenta. Cover versions have been recorded by Me First and the Gimme Gimmes and Chris Murray, among others. The Dresden Dolls have been known to perform it live, both as a band as with vocalist Amanda Palmer solo on the keyboards. Dark-Cabaret artist Voltaire has also performed this song live. The great Luke Ski parodied the song as "Mystery Science Theater Picture Show", a tribute to Mystery Science Theater 3000.

Movies and serials referenced in the song

• The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
• Flash Gordon (1936)
• The Invisible Man (1933)
• King Kong (1933)
• It Came From Outer Space (1953)
• Doctor X (1932)
• Forbidden Planet (1956)
• Tarantula (1955)
• The Day of the Triffids (1962)
• Night of the Demon (1957), released in the U.S. as Curse of the Demon
• Them! (1954)
• When Worlds Collide (1951)

In the original screenplay conception of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, clips from these films were to be played during the song; this idea was abandoned due to all the rights involved.

External links

• Science Fiction/Double Feature at RockyMusic.org
• The Annotated Science Fiction/Double Feature (with explanations of all references)