Shock Treatment (1981)

In director Jim Sharman's and 20th Century Fox's satirical comedy-musical - the bizarre film was a follow-up or parallel film (not an official sequel) to Sharman's (and co-writer Richard O'Brien) own previously-directed science-fiction musical-comedy horror film The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) featuring transvestites from outer space. An earlier effort in 1978 to create a true sequel to 'Rocky Horror' failed (its script was titled 'The Brad and Janet Show'), although lyricist O'Brien decided to retain the songs he had written (and presented in MTV-styled musical numbers within the film), while the film's main concept was morphed, rewritten and revised. The fact that it wasn't a sequel was hinted at by one of its taglines:

"It's not a sequel... it's not a prequel...it's an equal."

Its new setting was designed to resemble a giant TV studio (DTV), not a strange Transylvanian castle. The entire TV studio encompassed the town of Denton, USA, using the town's residents as studio audience participants, stars, cast and crew. The studio broadcast a 24-hour live reality TV game show known as "Marriage Maze" - a kind of therapy session for couples.

In this dark, sinister, and critical spoof of reality TV shows and corrupt studio executives, the same two principal male and female characters from the 1975 film reappeared - the engaged couple of Brad Majors and Janet Weiss, but they were now married and recast; the two were portrayed by Cliff DeYoung (in a dual role) and Jessica Harper (who had previously starred in Brian de Palma's cult rock musical Phantom of the Paradise (1974)). Its main tagline was: "Trust me, I'm a doctor."

Although the previous 1975 film over time became a popular cult hit after repeated midnight movie showings (with audience participation), this PG-rated film fizzled at the box office. It was initially released for its grand opening on midnight on Halloween night in 1981, foregoing a first-run theatrical release. On a budget of $3.5 million, it was a major flop, possibly because most cult-film audiences dismissed or ignored it, and it never experienced a come-back. Cult film aficionados were not in favor of seeing an un-original sequel, especially since the roles of Brad and Janet were replaced with new performers, and Tim Curry (as mad scientist Dr. Frank-N-Furter) was absent.

The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards - a lesser-known organization (compared to the Razzie Awards - to honor films that deserved being dis-honored with Golden Raspberry Awards for the 'worst' films in the industry), presented Shock Treatment with two Stinker Awards (from five nominations) - Worst Sequel, and Worst On-Screen Hairstyle (Barry Humphries).

Since its release decades ago, the prescient plot about reality TV has been reevaluated and seen with a new perspective, and the film has been credited with being ahead of its time by clearly foretelling the rise of reality television (game shows, medical soap operas and family sit-coms), social-media influencers, media manipulation, and the obsession with fame and celebrity status. This cult film also predated The Truman Show (1998) by over 15 years.

• the film opened with digital title credits (moving across the screen from right to left) and a Texan-accented Narrator explaining how a fast-food tycoon (later identified as TV executive Farley Flavors) in a small town (Denton) was dissatisfied with life and feeling incomplete without a "beautiful girl" - she had married someone else:
  • (voice-over) "Once upon a time, in a town not far from yours, there lived a real fast guy. His life was fast. His friends were fast. Even his food was fast. But he was still not satisfied. He wanted to share his fast philosophy with someone else - a beautiful girl. The trouble was she was in the arms of another man"
• a neon billboard was presented hanging above the audience seating area of a large network studio (DTV - or Denton Television), advertising: "DENTON - HOME OF HAPPINESS" over its heart-shaped logo; behind the sign's logo was the studio's main control room with a bank of monitors; one of the studio's employees entered and then exited from an upper-floor dressing room, descended circular stairs, walked across the main stage, and signaled for the opening of the studio's large main doors to admit the awaiting studio audience members (residents of the town of Denton), who rushed inside to take their seats for the opening number of the TV talk show: "DENTON DOSSIER"

TV Show: "DENTON DOSSIER" - Audience Sing-Along With Opening Song ("Denton, U.S.A.")

• the show's opening dance-song anthem ("DENTON U.S.A.") was a tribute to the sanitized, traditional, safe, and old-fashioned small-town rural life in Denton - perfect for fulfilling the American Dream; it was presented by smiling, joyful cast-members on stage: ("You'll find happy hearts And smiling faces And tolerance for The ethnic races In Denton..."); two cheerleaders (in patriotic red/white/blue outfits) with pom-poms danced to proclaim Denton's wholesome values, as the audience happily joined in and sang-along
• the boring, dry-witted talk show was hosted by newly-divorced, red-headed Betty (née Munroe) Hapschatt (Ruby Wax) and older Judge Oliver Wright (Charles Gray), the town's leading social scientist; both were seated behind a desk with their name-plates

TV Talk Show "Denton Dossier"'s Two Hosts: Judge Wright and Betty Hapschatt

(l to r): Film-Maker Neely Pritt with Friends Brad and Janet in the Studio Audience

• during their talk show, local reporter and film-maker Neely Pritt (Betsy Brantley), who was making a documentary for DTV about an upcoming new show, spoke to two old friends of hers in the audience - a newly-married couple: Janet (née Weiss) Majors (Jessica Harper) and her neurotic and hapless husband Brad Majors (Cliff DeYoung, in a dual role); the couple had returned to their hometown of Denton that seemed to have been taken over and completely transformed by the television studio; Neely asked the two about appearing on DTV's new game show sponsored by fast food magnate and studio executive Farley Flavors (also Cliff DeYoung): "Come for 'Marriage Maze'?"
• the 'Denton Dossier' was interrupted by a Farley's Fast Food commercial emphasizing the 5 F's - with a circular logo of F's presented by a teacher to her class of young students - ("Farley Flavors' fabulous fast foods feed and fortify families for a fabulous future"); after their brief talk show, the two hosts went off together to Kirk's Korner - the film studio's coffee vendor to gossip and watch the next show
• the next back-to-back show after "Denton Dossier" was "Marriage Maze" - hosted by allegedly blind Bert Schnick (Barry Humphries), a maniacal individual with sunglasses and a blind-man's thin white cane; he spoke with a thick Viennese accent; Bert entered the "Marriage Maze" set that was revealed to have three entrances: "Happy Home," "Home Base," and "Rest Home"; even before starting his own show, Bert introduced the next night's brand-new show "Faith Factory" - with host Ralph Hapschatt (Jeremy Newson) (Betty's ex-husband) and his dumb-blonde "vivacious" co-host and girlfriend Macy Struthers (Wendy Raebeck)
• on the first-ever episode of "Marriage Maze," Brad and Janet (thought off-stage by Judge Oliver to be an "ideal couple" who represented the town's "old values") had been chosen as the show's inaugural contestants; host Bert ominously introduced them: ("Would the first couple who seem to have made a hash of their marriage and cooked their goose step this way please?"); Janet urged the reluctant Brad to join her, as they were positioned on stage in "Him" and "Her" seats on either side of Bert; as Janet introduced herself, studio executive Farley Flavors (Cliff DeYoung in second role) swiveled his chair around from viewing a bank of monitors in his office to intently observe the game-show's set; his silhouette was visible in the large neon billboard's red heart-shaped logo
• the show was pre-programmed to sensationalize and break up the recent rocky marriage of Brad to Janet; Janet was pressured to admit that there were problems between them, and Bert cruelly labeled Brad as unfit to be married: "Let's face it, Janet. Brad's an emotional cripple...It looks like 'Rest Home' for this stupid old marriage, eh?"; Bert prescribed "treatment" for him at the town's mental hospital (insane asylum) known as Dentonvale; it was also the title of DTV's popular medical-hospital soap opera show "Dentonvale" (similar to General Hospital); the facility was run by neuro-specialist siblings - the two stars of the reality show: Dr. Nation McKinley (Patricia Quinn) and Dr. Cosmo McKinley (Richard O'Brien, the film's co-scripter); the two had been brought over from Europe where they had a very popular TV series together
• with the audience's support (via a cue card in large letters DENTONVALE), it was determined that Brad had to be whisked away to Dentonvale to be treated in order to improve their marriage; Brad refused: ("I'm not going"), but Janet objected and insisted: "What do you mean, you're not going? You'll ruin the show...I am sick of being humiliated by you! Bert's right. You're going"; the show was interrupted by an advertisement via song: "Bitchin' in the Kitchen (or Cryin' in the Bedroom All Night)" - in which both Brad and Janet participated by calling out each of the commercial's kitchen appliances and products during the verses: (Brad) - blender, toaster, refrigerator, knife sharpener, trash can, percolator; (Janet) - micro-digital awaker (electric clock), shower curtain, toothpaste, and depilatator
• after the song, male nurse orderly Ricky (Rik Mayall) arrived to take Brad away in a wheelchair for a "routine checkup"; as the audience applauded, Bert announced: "The subject is committed. As are we all"
• in the next DTV show - the medical-hospital soap opera known as "Dentonvale," Brad and Janet were special guests in an episode titled: "The Arrival"; at the hospital's admitting office, Brad and Janet were greeted behind a desk by the two McKinley doctors - siblings wearing identical green uniforms
• to be continued