“A toast, to absent friends”: How ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’ became an unlikely comfort for grief and loss

The article argues that *The Rocky Horror Picture Show* can offer comfort around grief and loss, as well as serving as a celebration of queer identity and defiance. It reads Brad and Janet’s journey into an unfamiliar world as a metaphor for losing the reality they once knew, and for the disorientation and upheaval that can follow.

The film’s dinner scene, where Frank-N-Furter raises a toast “to absent friends” before revealing that Eddie has been cooked into the meal, is presented as a turning point. Its silence and awkwardness invite viewers to reflect on death and absence; the article suggests that acknowledging loss can bring a measure of comfort and catharsis. The film, initially unsuccessful on its 1975 release, later became a cult Halloween favourite.