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Capone wades through the blood and guts of REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA!!!
SPOILER ALERT !!
Hey everyone. Capone in Chicago here, with a look at one of the best kept secrets floating around the country as we speak. Last night here in Chicago, there was a one-show-only screening of REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA, a rock opera that I'd never even heard of before I got a voice mail during Comic-Con asking if I wanted to interview the film's director, Darren Lynn Bousman (SAW II, III, and IV), and star Paris Hilton. The opportunity seemed too good to pass up, plus I know that Paris has a huge fan following among our Talkbackers. But in talking to Bousman, I began to realize that REPO! was not some overly campy musical comedy, but a genuine horror film set to thundering metal music and the occasional slip into genuine opera (thanks in large part to opera-trained pipes of Paul Sorvino).
Obviously, I withheld judgment on the film until I saw it, but I'd be lying if I said my curiosity wasn't full on tapped. For a few months, I didn't hear anything about REPO!, but then I began spotting references to midnight screenings or limited released in two or three cities. Shows were selling out like mad (the screening in Chicago was totally sold out), and a genuine cult was forming around this twisted film. True to form, the mainstream press got wind of this bubbling underground movement and decided to check out what all the fuss was about. Still not having seen the film myself, I began to dread the mainstream reaction, which I'd expected would be atrocious. It was. The self-professed "not fan of horror films" Ben Lyons of the socially irrelevant "At the Movies" had this to say, "This is really horrendous. I don’t know if words can describe just how awful and disgusting and insulting this movie was to watch, to make." I'm not sure how you can deduce how awful a film would have been "to make," but I digress. The worst part about the bad mainstream reviews is that the film's distributor, Lionsgate, actually seems to care what these critics think. Lionsgate people, please understand--the people who will literally flock to this movie over and over again and make it a moderate success for you couldn't give two, self-righteous shits about critics, including me.
First of all, my feelings on Ben "Fuck Me in my Twinkie Ass" Lyons have been clear since the first episode of the revamp/butchered "At the Movies" began, so I won't go into that. But more than anything, the guy (and his on-screen partner) is just plain wrong, and I'll tell you why: because he (and I'm guessing many other critics) did not see REPO! with an paying audience. I agree that a good movie is a good movie whether you're seeing it in a massive theater with a sold-out house or watching it on Cinemax at 2a.m. But the fact is that REPO! can be best appreciated with an enthusiastic crowd, some of whom actually know the words to the songs and can't help but sing along. The film is not some sort of audience-participation experience like THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW, but it's the closest thing I've seen in quite a while. I'm guessing if CANNIBAL: THE MUSICAL had gotten its initial release on a couple hundred screen, the reaction would have been similar.
I'm in no way trying to imply that REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA is flawless. It's full of flaws: inconsistent singing (although not as inconsistent as you might think); a weird, glossy/dirty look that makes it look muddy at times; Bousman's bondage/gadget fetish is in full effect here, as it was in the SAW films, sometimes to the detriment of the story; and the social commentary about a future where big corporations are legally allowed to repossess donated organs if the recipient doesn't keep up on their payments is a little obvious. But what the film has going for it is far more interesting and ridiculously entertaining.
The original play's co-creator Terrance Zdunich (who also drew the between-scene comic book panels that serve as a voiceless narration) plays a graverobber, who extracts a highly effective and wildly addictive painkiller from corpses. Sorvino is Rotti Largo, the president of GeneCo, a company that has cornered the market on organ transplants in the wake of a devastating health epidemic that killed millions when their organs stopped working. His power is so great that he pushed Congress to pass a bill making organ repossession legal. These repossession occur courtesy of the Repo Man (Anthony Stewart Head), whose involvement with the Largo family is hesitant but necessary in giving him access to medical research to help cure his ailing daughter Shilo (SPY KIDS' Alexa Vega). Largo's grown children are a veritable freak show of physical and emotional troubles. Paris Hilton plays Amber Sweet, who is as addicted to the aforementioned painkillers as she is plastic surgery. Each time we see her she look like a different person. Let me just inject this about Hilton. She's not the star of this film (that would be Vega), and the handful of scenes that she's in, she does pretty solid work at playing slutty and drugged out. The success or failure of this film does not rest on her shoulders.
Rounding out the Largo family is Nivek Ogre as Pavi Largo, who wears the removed faces of others so that we never see his actual face. He literally had this clipped on his face. It's freaky. And the always-reliable Bill Moseley plays oldest brother Luigi, an angry SOB who kills whatever he can't fuck and sometimes fucks what he kills. Rounding out the eclectic cast is a remarkably satisfying performance by singer Sarah Brightman as Blind Mag, a one-time blind singer who was given her sight back thanks to Largo's organ transplant business. She is mysteriously connected to young Shilo and her father.
So here's the biggest surprise of the film: nobody makes a fool of themselves, in front of or behind the camera. Zdunich's source material (co-written by Darren Smith) is solid, and I'll go on record as saying there are at least three songs here that are genuinely catchy. Now keep in mind that the word "Opera" implies that there is next to no dialog in the film that isn't set to music, so not all of the tunes are supposed to be catchy. And considering the mix of musical styles (opera, metal, and one toe-tapper that can only be described as Avril-ish), there could have been some serious culture clashing going on here. But all of the music is put through a sort of Goth filter that makes it all mesh nicely. I was particularly impressed with Anthony Stewart Head's as the emotionally torn doctor who must jump from overprotective father to mass murderer, sometimes in the same scene. Vega also gives us a terrific take on the confused and fragile young woman who just wants to know more about her history and her dead mother. She also belts out her songs with far more conviction and power than any of the cast of HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL 3.
For all of you gore lovers reading (and I know there are one or two of you), director Bousman gives us plenty of blood and guts. I mean, this is a movie about organ repossession, so it stands to reason that scalpels figure prominently in the mix. There's a terrific musical number when Head is disemboweling a client from a gaping wound just under the rib cage. He then proceeds to reach up into the man's now hollowed-out midsection and make the guy sing along with him like a ventriloquist's dummy. There's enough violence in this film to fill ten SAW movies.
I'm not one to speculate on the potential a film has for cult status somewhere down the road. I just know that REPO! is going to play a lot better with a large group of people, probably all wearing black. Like many of you, I grew up watching, absorbing, obsessing over just about any horror film I could get my hands on from any country. And as frustrated as I am with today's American horror scene, REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA reminds me that there are still filmmakers out there with a passion for not just passionless blood and gore, but also for the bizarre and fucked up elements of certain films that made me fall in love with the genre in the first place. The biggest compliment I think I can give this movie is that I would gladly watch it again (preferably at a screening I set up), as long as it was with an audience filled with open-minded vampire wannabes. This film deserves a shot at some sort of structured limited release and not this theater-by-theater horseshit. If the film plays anywhere remotely near you, plan a road trip and see it.
And even if you decide to skip this one, please ignore every word that comes out of Ben "How Many Celebs Can I Get to Come to My Birthday Party" Lyons' mouth. That guy is the Queen of Doucheland.
-- Capone
capone@aintitcoolmail.com
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Love it.
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Save your money. It's a mess.
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Only if watching Paris with a rubber ball in her mouth tied up using a night vision camera. That's hot!
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I'm glad to finally see a critic defending it. I've been listening to the soundtrack since the day it came out, and I've yet to finish my obsession. I really need to find the time for the three hour drive up to Austin before it's too late...
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This alone sinks the film considering they sing all the time. Dull songs without a melody or hook anywhere in sight.
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I mean talk about disgusting displays of nepotism. he's literally that douche bag loser you met in college who doesn't know the first fucking thing about movies and no direction in life so he uses daddy's contacts to do whatever. Every one of his reviews are so asinine it makes me wanna huck my controller at the tv.
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I saw this in LA with some of the cast in attendance and it was downright awful. This film failed in just about every respect I can think of. The cinematography was bad, no depth of field on anything or anyone... every scene looked like a set.... same handful of characters in every scene... CGI establishing shots recycled over and over... the music was dreadful... acting was bad... This film isn't even worth your time if you could see it for free.
The Good: Interesting premise and a cool looking trailer.
The Bad: Everything else. -
...I really didn't think this was very good at all and I really was anxious to see it. So many flaws, I forgot the few things I liked about it. Bottom line, musicals with bad music don't work. Also, this movie just came out in limited release and it's already a cult movie? I'm not saying that this sounds manufactured but back in the day it seems like it took awhile longer for a film to achieve that status. Like I said, wanted to like it, but did not.
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Capone, tell us how you REALLY feel about Ben.....
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...paris hilton plays drugged up and slutty adequately well? by, jove! who'd a thunk it?!?
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The music grows on ya but it takes quite a few spins of the soundtrack to achieve that level of satisfaction with an otherwise bland soundtrack. Still it's worth seeing especially if you wanna see Giles hack n slash a body while singing. Its funny stuff.
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One - DAMMNIT I should have know Capone would have been there, shoulda looked for you
Two - This film is awesome. What makes it even more awesome is the passion behind it. 10 years in the making, the Repo Army (D. Bousman had a bitchin story about 5 Toronto Canada natives who started a Repo Army and had 150+ people marching through Canada's main streets blocking traffic, until their mayor or whatever theyre called up there called Lionsgate and Bousman and said 'Get your repo army out of here and we'll show your movie!') He also had a valid argument on how Rolling Stone Magazine, a supposed trusted source in music, had a review that did nothing but bash Hilton (who is quite good, although she is just playing an exaggerated version of herself, but didn't Eminem do the same thing in 8 Mile and people praised him for it?!) and said nothing about the music...a music magazine...They rcorded over 57 tracks, plus an additional 30+ score pieces for the show...and nothing....WTF!!! I call shenanigans (get Farve!)
I also agree, there were problems, like the quick cuts/edits that ALL horror directors feel nowadays give "atmosphere" but instead cause nausea or, like me, take me out of the moment.
But yes - this is definitely a Rocky Horror type thing that NEEDS to be experienced with a large group. I know my group of 8 i had last night would gladly go again. In an age of unneccessary sequels like Madagascar or Saw (sorry Bousman) HSM, etc. or shitty shitty SHITTTTTTTTTTTT-TEEEEEEE remakes of shitty films, I'm glad to see someone is taking a chance and doing something against the grain. ROCK ON Bousman! Bring on the Zydrate!
TESTIFY! -
that fits into the gun like a battery. Then gun goes against a part of your anatomy. When the gun goes off your ready for surgery, surgery.
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Okay, the guy's a tool, but must we resort to grade-school homophobic taunts? Really?
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I really wanted to like it, but.... this was a film in dire need of an editor (both script and shooting). The story was a mess with clunky exposition, confusing subplots, and nonsensical character turns. It's a shame because there were good elements. All the performances are great fun, the atmosphere and look is fantastic (though sometimes a bit too quick cut MTV). It just doesn't hang together as a whole. I would have liked a more consistent presence of the Graverobber, though the whole subplot with the drug was unnecessary. The bit with Blind Mag, though a great performance by Brightman that goth girls will want to emulate, didn't make much sense at all. The psychology of the Repo Man, Tony Head, was kind of mixed up, and it was unclear whether he had actually disassociated and become a split personality or not (why did he have the guy in his lab to disembowel if his job is to do it on the street? never mind the fact that the "ventriloquism" sequence was anatomically impossible). Some of the songs were catchy, but I'd have to listen to them more to get more familiar with them. There's a sequence that's really derivative of Moulin Rouge (gone goth). And I had to laugh several times at Bousman's 'stick it to the man' mentality, and how he used to be a goth kid that got beat up all the time. I recommend seeing it once with a big crowd for fun, but it's not going to be timeless by any means. Oh, and the lyrics were pretty awful (as knowthyself demonstrates) and a bit on the nose.
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these guys, while well meaning, are far from musical geniuses.
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...this film serves no purpose. Plenty of goth, gore, and great music to boot. Why settle for Repo when Burton already gave us our great goth opera?
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The closest modern musicals that are "operas" in any sense of the word would be Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph, Rocky Horror, etc. But I agree that Sweeney is all kinds of awesome.
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There was a story on NPR discussing this film and how they tried to replicate Rocky Horror's 'formula'-making flyers, late night showings, etc. Apparently they went online and even asked people to dress up as characters when they went to the showings-EVERYTHING is orchestrated and NOTHING was original. This whole remake trend seems laudable by comparison.
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First, I dislike opera, it is a half hour story told over two hours. Even getting the mail entails a ten minute tenor solo.
Second, Paris Hilton is an amateur porn star and celebutard, but she does well in this film. Even typecast she sings fairly well.
Thirdly, the lighting is monotonous and really needs some variation.
Despite all this I cannot hate the film. Anthony Head (Murray Head's AKA Jesus Christ Superstar's brother), Paul Sorvino and Sarah Brightman are excellent singers.
This is a fairly decent attempt at a splatterpunk opera and works to a great extent. I found it no worse than Wagner and I did manage to stay awake. This was a major accomplishment as far as I was concerned. -
There is a bit more dialogue in SWEENEY than you'd find in most Operas and a bit less than found in most Operettas but I think it's closer to the latter than the former. Still, what planet schmanet do you live on that you think ROCKY HORROR is an opera? Um. No. Musical Comedy.
Plus you automatically lose points for bringing up JOSEPH in any context other than "Musicals that should be permanently banned for the sake of public decency." -
Sorry couldn't resist! :)
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Ya my bad, I meant to say the movie is very Rocky Horrorish and all my sentences got convoluted into that abortion I typed up there, my bad.
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...something I smelled all along. When I was reading about people dressing like the characters on opening night I thought something was weird. I saw it at the same theatre here in L.A. where it had it's opening w/ Bousman and the "fans" who wore costumes only a few days later. The attendance and response was lackluster so I thought, "Why is this movie getting a cult following so quickly? Where is this enthusiasm coming from?" Now I know. Manufactured. Trust me, this is no Rocky Horror. That movie, and it's music are tight.
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Pretty sure I shouldn't give 2 shits about his opinion, but let me clarify something for myself anyway.
Is this this guy that didn't "understand" Synechdoche, New York - so he gave it a "Skip It."
Or did they BOTH do that on that crappy show that is a hull of its former self? -
i like laughing at horrible movies but sometimes it's just too bad.
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I saw it at the Toronto After Dark Festival with a bunch of genre movie lovers (myself included) and I really didn't love it. My main issue was that the music was terrible and does not change from song to song and the actors (aside from the wicked Anthony Stewart Head) seem to be screaming to be heard above the endless guitar riff. I did like the production design though....that's something I guess...
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It is definitely an opera... and while Sweeney Todd seems to fill the goth opera niche its not an opera. It's close but its finale doesn't play out in front of a large audience. It's sadness while self inflicted is held secret from the monstrous villain hero. In Repo... our Repo Man holds just as many horrible secrets as Rotti Largo and not just that he's the organ stealing spectre. If this film was watered down a great deal musically and people only sang at The Genetic Opera, during the Graverobber sequences and preparing for the Opera it would be a "success". Trust me I saw this at the Anjelika in New York and there will be a cult life to this film. Its got the feel in the Rocky Horror community like Shock Treatment and even Reefer Madness The Movie Musical... they are all out looking for costumes and buying soundtracks because they cannot wait to lipsynch on stage in front of a theatre of goth people dressed as the nurses, the twin bodyguards, repo men and sick ingenue Shiloh. I'm still waiting to see what people do to emulate Blind Mag's corneas.
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And Bousman showed up with Terrance Zdunich to talk to the audience. I should preface by saying that I bought three copies of the soundtrack the day it came out and love the hell out of it, and I was looking forward to the movie like nothing else. Unfortunately, I really didn't like it. For starters, the theater's sound system was shit and ruined the entire soundtrack (the biggest thing going for the film). The acting was very competent all around and Sara Brightman stole every scene she was in. The down side is that the editing was hectic and sloppy and confusing and there are these badly drawn and completely unnecessary comic book cell vignettes thrown in randomly. Half the scenes also have this distracting blurry/glowy look that started giving me a headache. With a little creative editing, a complete comic-vignette-ectomy, and a serious reduction in glow filter, (and a good sound system), there's a really awesome movie in there. The one I saw in the theater just wasn't it. The quick hit is that there's a great soundtrack, an interesting story, and strong performances all around... and they're pretty much ruined by a multitude of silly, fixable technical problems.
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I was a big Skinny Puppy fan back in the late 80s early 90s. Always thought the dude should be in horror movies.
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Both of them said they didn't really understand Synechdoche, New York. Lyons couldn't even pronounce it. I was embarrassed for both of them
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Nov 13, 2008 6:54:42 PM CST
Capone, you showed your real colors when you interviewed Paris
by gqtaste
Paris Hilton a couple of months ago. In fact, you should what a pussy you are for fawning over such a fame whore. It was dispickable.
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In that very little is truly entertaining as well as messed up nowadays. And the songs are catchy as hell.
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Though his part was mostly throw away, and could have easily found itself on the cutting room floor, he does a lot with it. His performance was the most classically theatrical, in that it was very commedia del arte and grand guignol combined. Over exaggerated physical actions, comedic deliveries, mask work (as in he's wearing someone else's face as a mask), and definitely a higher pitched voice than he uses with Puppy. I had a hard time understanding his singing parts in the weak sound of the theatre. I'd be curious to hear the soundtrack so I can hear more of his work. And this performance proves beyond the shadow of a doubt that he's batshit insane.
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Down the Horror Communities Collective Fucking Throats for ages now!!! Too say "You didn't know of it" - Basically proves your not a Real Dyed in the Wool Horror Fan. It's well known, and Commonly referred to as that Forced Piece of Shit "That wishes it could be the next Rocky Horror Picture Show"
I refuse to believe that it's any where near as good as Phantom of the Paradise or Rocky Horror. Bribes or Hookers... it has to be Bribes or Hookers. That or Ms. Hilton is blowing the Reviewers with Internet Clout. -
I hope you encounter a huge as hell gay bodybuilder with a massive dry cock itching for moisture and warmth!
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I basically hated it.
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GQtaste brings up a good point, it's hilarious to see all of these writers - who often spend their time slamming Paris - turn about face and bow at her feet to talk and "schmooze" with her. It's sickening.
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..in Austin at the alamo drafthouse. I thought it was a lot of fun! A good crowd definitely helps. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to watch something different.
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except as a curiosity, since I'm not a fan of musicals in general.
As for the two classics people mention in comparison: Rocky Horror, while I dont care for the story, has some amazing performances and music. But Phantom of the Paradise is one of the worst pieces of shit I've ever been subjected to, and I hope I never see it again, Repo cant possibly be as bad. -
Every critic, to date, has applied it to their "Worst Ever" list. The most charitable review described it as "boring...horseshit."
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...because I like the cast.
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ive been obsessing over this movie for months and have the soundtrack on regular rotation ./ its not playing in Houston though so Im headed to Austin Sunday for my viewing ... CAN NOT WAIT!!!!
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The soundtrack really does have a charm to it. I'm sure that the film's intended demographic will be pleased - so the creators almost certainly have a success on their hands.
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If that's true then this might be the last thing I ever post on this site. Fuck Paris Hilton and EVERYONE involved in this SHIT movie.
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Nov 15, 2008 12:45:10 AM CST
You know who else was right about seeing a movie with an audienc
by series7
Harry when he said that you need to see The Mist with in a theater, it kind of blows when you netflicks it and watch it by yourself and your mom. You needed to have seen that movie with a group of random ass people and wonder what the fuck would happen. I remember looking around the room and trying to find a kid we could sacrifice, luckily I was living in the capital of bring your kids to the midnight showing of a rated R movie on opening weekend (I'm pretty sure you had to see Mist opening weekend to see it with more then 4 people in attendance) so there were plenty of good sacrifice choices.
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Director and partial cast in attendance. Tremendous fun, everyone in the audience clapping and laughing along. Some in people in costumes, who had obviously been DL'ing the music from youtube and already knew quite a bit about it.
As someone who hadn't even seen the trailer, just read the premise, I was taken back and pretty impressed with the movie. Enjoyed the music.Not a technical achievement, but tremendous fun. Much more so than the bland Sweeny Todd, this one has my vote for 'preferred goth rock opera'.
My main gripe with critics is that they tend to diss the steam-punk genre of films and dismiss this film entirely, rather than asking themselves how well it will entertain its intended audience, at which it succeeds tremendously. Indiereivew.com basically says its shit because it things goth kids are idiots. He should get a show with Lyons. -
I'll admit it-- I'm biased for this movie. I've been a fan of Anthony Head since his Buffy days and I've been enjoying the Repo soundtrack since the Pre-Surgery Screener was made available for download. I'm also willing to give detractors some credit-- this sounds like the type of film that's not for everyone, and an ambitious concept that's tricky to get on film just right. But you know what? I still want to see this movie. I'd rather take a chance on a movie born of passion instead of profit margins. I'd rather see a movie that aspires to do something original, that reaches for the stars-- even if it ultimately falls short-- than watch yet another bland, insipid, entirely predictable cookie-cutter flick straight from the bowels of Hollywood's least talented. But since no theatre in the Detroit metro area has imagination enough to screen Repo, I probably won't be able to check it out until it hits DVD. Dammmit. --And I stopped listening to critics ages ago, since their tastes and mine don't usually mesh. Except I might take notice if there's an overwhelming consensus, like the Gigli-hate a few years back... not that I would have chosen to watch that tripe anyway.
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