An interesting point of speculation for those who
cherish the story, as opposed to the spectacle: Dr. Scott (VON Scott), is a near facematch for none other than the
mad scientist Josef Mengele, as well as a near-match for
G. Gordon Liddy. (See also the numerical
tattoo on Frank's leg, and the
red/pink triangle on his surgical gown.) Mengele was, at the time (mid-70's), the subject of an extensive
manhunt, since he was rumored to be alive and perhaps, thriving. G. Gordon Liddy, of course, is an interesting allusion since he was involved on the raid at
Millbrook School, where
Timothy Leary was reputedly doing things almost as outrageous as Dr. Furter, and whose specialty was the kind of personality change that you see occurring in the course of the film.
One of the more interesting gestures is that to signify intimacy, Riff and Magenta touch fingertips all the way to wrists. This, since it's been determined that heroin is part of the picture, that they share blood.
Post-AIDS, this is very interesting...
Another speculation is that this whole evening was intended to be in some ways, a show or artifice staged for Brad and Janet: traveling from their engagement as innocents (in various ways) they must be shown the truth about each other and about the world to marry as adults. I particularly like this idea, since it suggests that somewhere else, Dr. Furter and his crew are out there on their mysterious errands, enlightening someone else...
I don't claim any "official" status for any of this, merely post-hippie speculations from the New Haven Crew of 1978....