On August 14th, 1975, "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" was released in the United Kingdom. Directed by Jim Sharman and based on the stage musical by Richard O'Brien, and considered the ultimate "cult classic" film, it holds the record for the longest-running theatrical release in film history. The film was produced on a budget of $1.4 million, and was initially a box office disaster. It performed so poorly in suburban theaters that 20th Century Fox considered shelving it entirely. However, when it began a series of "Midnight Movie" screenings at the Waverly Theatre in New York in 1976, it became a slow-burn phenomenon, eventually grossing over $140 million - a staggering return on its initial investment.
