Laverne Cox will grace the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" remake, but admitted that she has some concerns. She will play the role of Dr. Frank-N-Furter, "Sweet Transvestite" in the remake of the popular 1975 comedy horror movie. However, she is worried about her sexy grand musical entrance.
What Is She Worried About?
In a Vanity Fair interview, the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" star revealed her anxieties. "I had a conversation with Kenny Ortega," Cox said. Ortega is the director of the movie remake. "We talked about the word 'transvestite,'" she recalled.
In the past, the term 'transvestite' was an acceptable way to describe a transgender individual who has not yet completed her medical transition. Cox said that at present, that word has become an "antiquated term that trans folks certainly don't use," anymore. In spite of being one of the LGBT lingos through the 1970s, which is the time setting of the "Rocky Horror Picture Show," Cox was worried that the term "Sweet Transvestite" would confuse today's viewers.
The Semantics of the New Generation
The semantics of today are different from the past. "Historically, the terms have changed [and] it doesn't mean the same thing today that it meant in the 70s," explained Cox. "It's not appropriate to refer to trans people as a transvestite [today], but it is [used here as] the character in that specific moment in history," she said.
Is The Current Remake Nostalgic?
The original "Rocky Horror Picture Show" was comical, bawdy and transgressive. But it was a counter-culture hit when it was first shown on stage at the Varsity Theater in London in 1973. This theater has closed down in 1988. The kids who filled the theater at that time must now be near the age of Frank-N-Furter, the mad scientist. The show was able to attract new generations of fans all these decades. Although it was a show of counter-culture when it was first released, could this classic have developed an appeal to the current generation?
