Every year around Halloween, you are bound to see at least a few men dressed in drag, fishnets and all. The Regional HIV/AIDS Connection has brought all the funky weirdness from The Rocky Horror Picture Show to life for the past three years with annual screenings of the beloved film, and this year, you can catch the event at Rainbow Cinemas with two showings on October 27.

Rocky Horror is a darkly humorous tale of the dangers of seeking help from Transylvanians in drag. The movie begins on a stormy night in November with lovebirds Brad Majors, "A Hero," and Janet Weiss, "A Heroine," finding themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken-down car. In their search for help, they stumble upon a castle inhabited by a number of outrageous characters. The most wild of these individuals is Dr. Frank N. Furter, a selfdescribed "sweet transvestite from transsexual Transylvania." If the tongue-twisting names aren't enough, Brad and Janet also find themselves dealing with real life Frankenstein creations in the form of blond-haired, blue-eyed Rocky Horror. Throw into the mix a fully integrated musical, not seen since the likes of Singin' in the Rain, and you've got a movie that has been a beloved classic since its release in 1975.

What makes Rocky Horror truly worthy of its cult status is its brilliant casting choices. Before he was the mayor of New York, Barry Bostwick was the naïve and timid Brad Majors, with a young Susan Sarandon as his fiancée, Janet. Of course, one of the things that Brad and Janet have in common is their experience with the indescribable Tim Curry as Dr. Frank N. Furter. Frank N. Furter is unlike anything the North American film industry has seen: hedonistic and sadistic, he seduces people left and right, unbiased or unaffected by gender. Peter Hinwood brings to life Rocky Horror, and Richard O'Brien and Patricia Quinn serve as his tormentors, sibling pair Riff Raff and Magenta.

It's not the acting or the plot that captivates the audience of Rocky Horror and compels straight men to wear fishnets annually; it is instead the pure joy of the experience that makes viewers come back for more each and every Halloween. This flick is fun from beginning to end, and it is something that has never been explored in a cinematic outlet. Kudos must be given to director Jim Sharman who brought the original Rocky Horror Show, a British stage play, to life on the screen. The musical numbers, surprise turn of events and a good balance between sex and violence makes The Rocky Horror Picture Show an excellent late October tradition.

A few words of advice to new Rocky Horror viewers: don't take any aspect of it seriously — it's funny; you can laugh out the outrageousness.

The Regional HIV/AIDS Connection is presenting its fourth annual Rocky Horror Picture Show Experience on October 27 at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. at Rainbow Cinemas in Citi Plaza downtown (355 Wellington St.). The $20 admission fee gets you into a night of fabulous fun. Enter the costume contest, held half an hour before each screening, for the chance to win some great prizes (entry fee is $2), or have a souvenir photo taken to commemorate the film for a $5 fee. All proceeds go to the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection. Tickets are available at the Biz Booth on campus or at Rainbow Cinemas.

Have fun and help support RHAC with its life-saving and lifegaining free client services and programs. For more details about the event, check out facebook.com/therhps and rockyhorrorpictureshow.ca, and for more information about the Regional HIV/AIDS Connection, visit aidslondon.com.