The Best Tim Curry Films
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Tim Curry Day is April 19 (it's his 80th birthday!), so we'll be celebrating by watching some of his best films. We're huge fans of the Emmy-winning actor--his ability to transform entirely into any character and pack a punch in such a wide range of roles is nearly unmatched. Grab some popcorn and kick back with the top 3 Tim Curry movies to watch for Tim Curry day.
1) Muppet Treasure Island (1996)
Regardless of Curry's impressive range, Long John Silver in the Muppets' take on Treasure Island was perhaps the role he was born to play. Just watching this film, you can tell the actor had a ball fully immersing himself into the Muppet world. In fact, after production, the Henson company gifted Curry a Muppet of himself. Not only was the actor the perfect fit to join the Muppet cast, he also had previous experience playing a pirate, voicing Captain Hook in the 1990 animated TV series Peter Pan and the Pirates. Curry reportedly modeled his pirate voice after his "seafaring" grandfather's, creating a personal connection to his character that is clearly reflected on screen--even if it is pretty goofy. Upon its release, Muppet Treasure Island did fairly well at the box office and was met with generally favorable reviews. Now, the film is considered a cult classic (along with The Muppet Christmas Carol, which we also love!) and staple of 90s nostalgia.
2) Clue (1985)
Speaking of cult classics, Clue, based on the board game, is another of our top Curry films. While it fell just short of its budget at the box office, it has become a fan favorite; Curry himself has even cited Clue as one of his favorite films of his own. We love the movie for its camp value and surprisingly developed storyline (way more than you'd think for something based off a board game). Not only is it incredibly faithful to the game by replicating the board's exact map and aesthetic character choices, the film also manages to carry its own unique storyline. So unique, in fact, that it includes three possible endings, with different theaters releasing different versions. Curry's role as Mr. Wadsworth is the thread that pulls the eccentric board game characters together and keeps the plot rolling. As per usual, Curry rides the wave of both being the heartbeat of the film and facilitating his cast mates to shine in their own right.
3) Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
There's no way we could write this post without including Rocky Horror Picture Show (perhaps the cult-classic-est of all!). While this movie is definitely not family-friendly, it is a hysterical, bizarre ride with show-stopping musical numbers. And, best of all, Curry gives his most iconic performance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter, the eccentric mastermind behind the plot's madness. While the actor had previously appeared in a few TV shows as one-off characters, Rocky Horror was his film debut--and what a debut! Upon its release, the film essentially flew under the radar, with very little attention from critics or other media. In 1976, however, the Waverly Theater in New York began midnight showings, where the audience would participate in the movie, speaking back to the screen, dressing up as the characters, and acting out scenes as a "shadow cast." These types of showings quickly grew to other theaters and cities, still going strong 40 years later.
Angela Wolf Video offers corporate video production services near Philadelphia, PA. Do you have a specific video question? Schedule a free video analysis call at bit.ly/callawv
