A legendary cult film hailed as the ‘ultimate classic’ by musical and cinema enthusiasts airs on BBC tonight.

This musical masterpiece from 1975 boasts a stellar ensemble cast featuring Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, Susan Sarandon, Patricia Quinn, Richard O’Brien and rock legend Meat Loaf. The Rocky Horror Picture Show may be five decades old, but it remains a cherished gem amongst movie lovers worldwide.

In this cult phenomenon, young lovers Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) find themselves stranded with a punctured tyre during a tempest, leading them to the sinister mansion of Dr Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry), a cross-dressing scientist.

As their naivety crumbles, Brad and Janet encounter an eccentric household of bizarre personalities, including a rebellious motorcyclist (Meat Loaf) and an unsettling manservant (Richard O’Brien).

Through extravagant choreography and rock anthems, Frank-N-Furter reveals his newest experiment, a brawny creation called “Rocky.”

The picture, adapted from Richard O’Brien’s theatrical production, is celebrated for its B-movie horror comedy, themes of sexual freedom and legendary musical sequences such as “Time Warp”, “Dammit Janet” and “Hot Patootie” which have become monumental successes.

The Rotten Tomatoes reviews demonstrate just how passionately supporters treasure this production, with one awarding it five stars and saying: “Tim Curry’s acting and vocal performance in this is one of the greatest performances by any actor and singer of all time.”, reports the Mirror.

Another viewer added: “As fun and freaky as it was the first time I saw it decades ago! ! Timeless tunes and a crazy audience helped make this a classic musical theater experience! !

“One of my favourite classic movies. I would go back for encore again and again,” said a third enthusiast.

A further fan added: “I understand that this is not going to be everyones cup of tea But if you are reading this you are either interested or have seen it already It’s a classic It’s so good and has so many great songs I watch it every year around Halloween Tim Curry is excellent and has you glued to the screen the second he steps off the elevator.

“Loved it growing up and still love it now, my go to for every Halloween. Tim is the best,” another devotee shared.

A separate five-star critique proclaimed: “Few words to describe this, you just have to see it. It’s a real movie. Explosively creative. Pure human expression. Bold, confident, unflinching blah blah.”

While these glowing testimonials tell their own story, the picture initially struggled at the box office upon release.

Its cult status erupted twelve months later following its resurrection as a “midnight movie” at New York City’s Waverly Theatre, sparking the iconic audience participation craze where devotees arrive in costume, brandish props, and shout responses at the screen.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show airs on BBC2 on Friday 19 December at 11.05pm.