The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a 1975 independent musical comedy horror film produced by Lou Adler and Michael White, directed by Jim Sharman, and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The film is based on the 1973 musical stage production The Rocky Horror Show, with music, book, and lyrics by Richard OBrien. The story centers on a young engaged couple whose car breaks down in the rain near a castle, where they seek a telephone to call for help. The castle or country house is occupied by strangers in elaborate costumes celebrating an annual convention. They discover the head of the house is Dr. Frank N. Furter, an apparent mad scientist who actually is an alien transvestite who creates a living muscle man in his laboratory.

The film is a tribute to cheesy sci-fi, horror, and muscle, and rock n roll flicks of the mid-20th Century. It satirizes the sci-fi and horror genres, with particular allusions to Frankenstein and Dracula. The film is known for its audience participation, with fans dressing up as characters, shouting out lines, and throwing props at the screen during screenings. The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains a cultural phenomenon in both the U.S. and U.K., attracting fans of differing backgrounds all over the world.