Film 25 on the 31 Films for Halloween 2011 is considered by many to be the heir to the throne of The Rocky Horror Picture Show as a campy, horror musical. Maligned by critics, by loved by its devoted fans, it has gone on to be a contemporary cult classic. This edition looks at Repo! The Genetic Opera.
- Title: Repo! The Genetic Opera
- Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
In the future, replacement organs will be loaned out to needy patrons by the for-profit transplantation company, GenCo. They must pay back their loan. Should they fail to do so, they will be hunted by organ repo men. The organs will be ripped from their bodies, killing them in the process.
The film juggles two main plots that intermingle with one another. Shilo is suffering from a rare blood disease. She is kept in isolation, locked away from society by her protective father, Nathan. Shilo harbors a bitter grudge against her deceased mom because of her sensitive condition. The details of her continuous state with the disease is disclosed at the climax of the film.
Meanwhile, the head of GenCo, Rotti Largo, is dying. He must contend with the fact that his three children (Luigi, Pavi, and Carmela) are not the kind of people he wants to leave his company with. He sees Shilo and intends to have her be the next head of GenCo. To add to the plot, Rotti was in love with Shilo's mother until she left him to be with Nathan.
Nathan and Rotti already have a business relationship, but it comes to the last straw when Rotti has Nathan repo the eyes of Blind Mag, the popular singer of the Genetic Opera. The assignment is a way for Carmela to become the new singer for the opera. It all comes to a head when Shilo learns the truth of her mother as well as the link between Nathan and Rotti.
The Review
To be honest, for a musical, I don't recall a song that stuck with me or any one in particular that was catchy. But that doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the movie or that it didn't work as a musical. What did draw me in was the energy that the performers put into their vocals. Anthony Head has a ferocity to his singing as Nathan that brings much life to the film. Alexa Vega has come a long way from when mass audiences saw her in the Spy Kids movies.
The acting, in general, fits the atmosphere of the film. Paul Sorvino as Rotti Largo adds much gravitas and credibility. The trio of Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre, and Paris Hilton play off of each other as the three children of Rotti. Sarah Brightman dominates the screen as Blind Mag. While none of the roles stand out as much as Tim Curry's Dr. Frank-N-Furter did in Rocky Horror, they are entertaining nonetheless.
The lighting, set design, and editing make this more than just a musical, and brings it in league with other sci-fi dystopias. The comic panel segments recall Creepshow and serve as a nice break from the live action. Director Darren Lynn Bousman utilized these diverse elements into a well-shot, decently acted gem of an underground, musical, sci-fi, horror movie.
Conclusion
Repo! The Genetic Opera is as out there a musical you will find. While the Rocky Horror faithful might get defensive, there is plenty of room for another genre-heavy musical. Repo will satisfy the campy tendencies of Rocky Horror fans as well as giving gorehounds quite a bit of blood and guts. It makes for eccentrically perfect Halloween viewing.
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