Tim Curry has been in some of cinema’s most acclaimed and controversial films. Curry, like many great performers, has had a successful stage career and three studio albums.
Before graduating in English and acting, Curry joined a swing band. Curry quickly got a role in the 1968 London musical “Hair” and met future colleague Richard O’Brien. During his sophomore years, Curry excelled in works including “Life of Galileo” (1971) and “Cinderella” (1972), acquiring a solid reputation.
Curry auditioned for O’Brien’s “The Rocky Horror Show” (1973-) while on Broadway and was cast as the lead. Curry reprised his role as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in the film adaption when the program was a hit. Over the next 50 years, Curry would appear in over 40 films.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975).
Being able to completely immerse oneself in a role is a unique gift. The Film Magazine has compiled this assessment of Tim Curry’s three career-defining performances to honor his accomplishments.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show’s spectacular cinematography, lively musical numbers, and hilarious plot have made it a worldwide sensation and one of Tim Curry’s most career-defining performances. Tim Curry is remembered for his black-jewelled corset, ripped fishnet stockings, vivid red lipstick, and curly hair. His Dr. Frank-N-Furter role helped define cult cinema’s magnificent craziness.
Curry’s central role in this bizarre spectacular shows how important actors are to a film. The staging, costumes, and soundtrack are all great, but Curry’s unbridled enthusiasm as the “mad scientist” is what makes The Rocky Horror Picture Show so infectious today. The fever dream tale requires colorful individuals eager to flout social norms. Curry enhances every character’s liveliness, producing a surreal, chaotic adventure.
Curry’s Broadway experience helped him nail The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Curry’s vocal numbers enhance the film’s authenticity and competence. His powerful baritone lungs and captivating tunes made the movie set his stage and everyone else his audience.
Clue (1985)
This Johnathan Lynn picture, based on Cluedo, has Tim Curry in one of his funniest parts. Clue’s caustic humor and quick-witted characters, notably Curry’s Wadsworth, are classic 1980s.
The film’s unreliable narrator is Wadsworth, the reclusive butler. John Landis (An American Werewolf in London), Clue’s co-writer, suggested a triple ending, rotating which endings were shown in theaters to encourage repeat viewings. Each denouement relies on Curry’s persona and Wadsworth’s repartee.
Curry’s charming performances add to the murder mystery and tension he injects. Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992), Congo (1995), and Muppet Treasure Island (1996) use Curry’s charisma to generate irreverent, wholesome entertainment.
Curry’s clever, acerbic roles after Clue established his career.
It (1990)
Andy Muschietti’s 2017 film adaptation of Stephen King’s It made Pennywise the Dancing Clown the godfather of modern horror. While Bill Skarsgård did a great job as the malevolent clown, Curry’s portrayal is what made everyone’s favorite clown famous.
It’s nightmare-fueling. Pennywise standing in a half-dug grave, grinning and chuckling at his crazy schemes, almost guarantees that viewers will always distrust clowns. While storyline is crucial to creating effective scares, Curry’s performance is what makes it so good. It’s like a campfire urban tale meant to frighten kids. Curry’s lighthearted portrayal of Pennywise, who promises “fun” but murders his victims, captures this nostalgia-driven narrative.
Despite not being the studio’s initial choice for Pennywise, director Tommy Lee Wallace wanted Curry because of his ability to thoroughly immerse himself in a character’s psyche and morph. Curry became Pennywise after defeating Alice Cooper and Malcolm McDowell (A Clockwork Orange).
Pennywise’s ominous threats in a thick Bronx accent and bulging eyes darken the screen whenever he emerges. Curry’s transformation is terrifying. It is scarier than many of today’s must-see horror films, even if many viewers had watched it years ago. Curry’s ability to switch between happy and frightening has helped the film succeed for thirty years.
Tim Curry is still well-known and adored despite his retirement. His theater, music, and film career will make everyone smile.
