Repo! The Genetic Opera DVD Review

Posted by Jeremy Thomas on 02.07.2009

Love it or hate it, it's hard to stop watching.

Directed by: Darren Lynn Bousman
Written by: Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich

Starring:
Alexa Vega - Shilo Wallace
Paul Sorvino - Rotti Largo
Anthony Stewart Head - Nathan Wallace/Repo Man
Sarah Brightman - Blind Mag
Paris Hilton - Amber Sweet
Bill Moseley - Luigi Largo
Ogre - Paviche "Pavi" Largo
Terrance Zdunich - Graverobber
Sarah Power - Marni Wallace

Domestic Gross: $146,750
Worldwide Gross: $179,495

DVD Release Date: 1/20/2009
Running Time: 98 minutes



Rated R for strong bloody violence and gore, language, nudity, some drug and sexual content.

Cult classics have been a staple of cinema for years. These films, which fail to connect with mainstream audiences but find a small but devoted following of rabid fans, have always had a market, particularly since the days of home video. The most famous cult film is of course Rocky Horror Picture Show, the 1975 musical-horror-science fiction film based on a stage musical that bombed with the larger movie-going public but found such an incredible life with its core fans that it has enjoyed the longest theatrical run in film history. 20th Century Fox, recognizing the midnight matinee value of the film, never pulled it from theaters, and as a result people still dress up and go to weekly showing for a unique movie-going experience. The movie has also found incredible life since its home video release, both in VHS and DVD as fans enjoy gathering at home to do the “audience participation” that makes the theatrical experience so much fun. The camp value and utter weirdness of the movie, a parody and love letter to the sci-fi and horror B-movie classics of the fifties and sixties, has kept the film going strong for thirty years now and shows no signs of abating. It isn’t the only camp classic however; films like Troma’s The Toxic Avenger, the Evil Dead films and John Waters’s movies have been known for utilizing camp elements to create purposeful “so bad they’re good” feels to their movies and inspire cult followings.

It is in this unique subculture that Repo! The Genetic Opera has been thrust. It was originally conceived by Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith as The Necromerchant’s Debt, a ten-minute opera piece that was performed at clubs around Los Angeles and drew rave reviews and success. Inspired, the duo expanded upon the story to create a whole universe around the story, eventually recreating it as an elaborate stage opera directed by a then-little-known director named Darren Lynn Bousman. Bousman would later become well-known for his success in the Saw franchise and decided to work with Zdunich and Smith to bring Repo! to the screen. After a year-long production, the film was picked up by Lionsgate but given little-to-no promotion, forcing the filmmakers to promote it their own way via the internet. Repo! received an extremely limited release in the United States and failed commercially; however, the films instant camp classic elements drew a devoted following of fans and the movie has begun a “Road Show” of showings that as kept the film in theaters even now. In the hopes that it can find success there and on the home video market a la Rocky Horror, Lionsgate has finally released the film on DVD.

The Movie

The movie, a rock opera where all the lines are sung, takes place in the distant future. The back story, as explained in a comic-book panel-style prologue, is thus: after an epidemic of organ failures spread across the world, a company called GeneCo, headed by Rotti Largo (Sorvino), comes to the rescue with genetically engineered organs. For people who need the organs but can’t pay for them, GeneCo offers “organ financing.” However, they also become so powerful due their unique position of being saviors that they are able to lobby a bill through Congress that allows them to repossess organs when people fall past due. To do this, they send out the Repo Men, terrifying individuals who hunt down their targets and slice the organs right out of you. In addition, because surgery and transplants have become the new cosmetic dentistry in terms of a fashion statement, a pain-blocking drug called Zydrate has become THE designer drug. It can be purchased from GeneCo or extracted from dead bodies—the latter being an illegal act that will result in on-sight execution.

It is in this world that we meet Shilo Wallace (Vega), a seventeen-year-old girl whose mother Marni (Power) died due to a rare blood condition; one Shilo now takes medication for. Shilo’s father Nathan (Head) keeps her in her room for her own protection, both from the disease and from the world outside—one he knows is very cruel, because he is part of it. Unbeknownst to Shilo, Nathan is the head Repo Man, carrying out repossessions for Rotti in exchange for silence about his inadvertent involvement in his wife’s death. A double-sort of revenge tale grows from here, as Rotti involves himself in Shilo’s life to get back at Nathan for stealing Marni many years ago and find an heir to his empire more worthy then his three children: psychotic and rage-filled Luigi (Moseley), face-stealing Pavi (Ogre) and Zydrate- and surgery-addict Amber Sweet (Hilton). Meanwhile, Nathan tries to return the favor and get rid of Rotti for putting him in the difficult positions he is put in, especially when Rotti orders him to perform repossession on the eyes of the singer of GeneCo’s “genetic opera,” Blind Mag (Brightman). Amidst all of this, a grave robber (Zdunich) who steals Zydrate and sells it at the street-level observes and sometimes participates in the events, narrating for us.

Sound like a mess of a film? That’s exactly what the filmmakers want. Repo! The Genetic Opera is a very deliberate attempt by creators Zdunich and Darren Smith, along with director Darren Lynn Bousman, to create a camp film, a cult classic of Rocky Horror proportions. Anyone who enters into this film expecting something serious out of it is bound to be very disappointing. The screenplay, based upon the stage show by the same writers, is full of gallows humor, and over-the-top moments and both sincerely and devoutly lacks anything approaching subtlety. This is very probably for the best, as subtlety of any caliber would have fallen utterly flat in this larger-than-life musical piece. It’s very difficult to be subtle after a character has had his arm up a human chest cavity to puppet the corpse in order to perform a duet. The plot moves along at a brisk pace, never letting up as it soaks itself in gore, jet-black comedy and rock-star spectacle. Zdunich and Smith plot the convoluted story out with constant twists and turns, creating a remarkably inventive storyline that is often confusing but very easy to get lost into.

Along the way, we are treated to one of the most visually intriguing movies in quite some time. Bousman directed the first stage run of Repo! before he made it big with the Saw films, and as such is very familiar with the piece. He submerges the story in a look and feel that can only be described as Blade Runner meets Saw with elements of Sweeney Todd and Rocky Horror thrown in. That comparison should provide a good snapshot for prospective viewers in determining whether this movie will work for them; this is certainly not a film for everyone. It’s absolutely a love-it-or-hate-it affair, as the outlandish combination of so many elements will turn many viewers off. Those that are not driven away by the extravagant melding will be undeniably drawn in by the inventive and imaginative world that Bousman, Zdunich and Smith have created. This is the most gratuitous mix of color seen since the Schumacher Batman films, all heavily draped in gothic-industrial stylings. Unlike the Schumacher films however, where the style was garish and off-putting from the plot, Repo! revels in the style and melds it into the plot quite well. The gore—and gore there is, with eviscerations, throat-slittings, head shots and spine removals—is over-the-top, but not in the torture porn way. Instead of being sickeningly prurient, the blood and guts are played as part of the black comedy and actually seems there to enhance the movie instead of just providing a way to draw bloodthirsty audiences in.

Of course being a rock opera, one of the key elements on whether the movie succeeds or fails are the music and songs. Repo!’s libretto is certainly not for everyone, although there’s something for most people contained within the movie’s fifty-seven musical pieces. The movie switches from glam rock pieces such as “Genetic Repo Man” and “Zydrate Anatomy” to the pop dance-ish “Chase the Morning” to the full-on operatic “Gold.” Not all the songs work perfectly—“Mark It Up” as sung by Moseley and Ogre is too jarring of a song for example—although there are certainly several standouts. “Chase the Morning” is an exceptional song, as are “Zydrate Anatomy” and “21st Century Cure” which are exposition songs. “Gold” is surprisingly good as a complete divergence from the rest of the soundtrack, as is the punk-styled “Seventeen.” “Let the Monster Rise” and “I Didn’t Know I’d Love You So Much” provide some excellent musical moments to close out the film. There is a whole range of styles in the music and while it won’t work for everyone, those with truly eclectic tastes in music find themselves eventually absorbed into the music. While it isn’t instantly memorable, it worms its way into one’s consciousness; don’t be surprised to find yourself humming “Legal Assassin” or “Infected” after seeing it.

Much like the rest of the movie, in casting the film Bousman went all across the board. Luckily, this works quite well. Alexa Vega does an amazing job of shedding her Spy Girls image with Shilo, the innocent lead who we discovers the world of Repo! through. She sings her parts with a surprising depth in her voice and nails every moment. Anthony Stewart Head, better known to most audiences as Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, plays father Nathan in a powerhouse of a performance. Buffy fans or those who have heard his musical album are already aware of his singing talent; here he gives it his all and manages to play his role remarkably in making Nathan Wallace and the Repo Man two entirely separate personas within the same man. Paul Sorvino belts out his songs with a classical opera style and Sarah Brightman, best known as the originator of Christine in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera musical, is of course the musical highlight and sports a pair of contacts that are impossible not to be enthralled by. The supporting roles are filled adequately if not as well, with Moseley having the least singing talent of the three children but making it work by giving the same sort of psychotic charisma he’s lent to films like The Devil’s Rejects. Ogre, the vocalist for industrial band Skinny Puppy, has fun with his role of Pavi and Paris Hilton is shockingly not bad as Amber Sweet. Of course, it doesn’t hurt—and in fact, is a brilliant move on Hilton’s part—that her character is a sort of send-up of her public persona, and she carries such a knowledgeable self-parody to the role that you can’t help but respect it, no matter what your thoughts on her paparazzi-inducing ways are. The big discovery however is Zdunich, who plays the narrating Graverobber he created on-stage amazingly. He has an excellent voice and a look that is sure to be a huge hit with the midnight matinee crowd, and he provides an strong anchor for the film.

It must be emphasized once again that this is NOT a film for everyone. If you dislike the camp and cult nature of Rocky Horror then this is not the movie for you. Even some people who like that cult classic will be turned off by Repo!. It’s not purposefully bad the way that Rocky Horror is, with surprisingly slick production values considering the low budget the film received, but for those looking for a new camp classic without the Ed Wood stylings of the Tim Curry film will find something truly extraordinary here. It is a film that must be given a try, if only for a chance to have the music and black humor draw you in For those who get drawn in, this is an instant classic; for those who don’t, it’s just another harmless midnight-matinee.

Film Rating: 8.0

The Video

The 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer of Repo! is mostly good, kept in keeping with the film’s look. Blacks are nice and deep and while the image is a bit soft, it appears that this is the intention of the filmmakers, giving it a look somewhat reminiscent of Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow. This works for the most part, concealing the lower-budget aspects of the movie while giving it a sort of B-movie feel that works well. The one significant issue is the ratio itself, which is different from the film’s original 1.85:1 and results in some noticeable problems such as in comic book-panel flashback scenes that have the text boxes skimming the edge of the screen. It doesn’t completely hamstring the film’s visual treats by any measure, but it does hurt things just a bit.

Video Rating: 6.5

The Audio

With Repo! being a rock opera, it was absolutely essential that the sound come across nicely, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 track does anything but disappoint. The songs rock over the speakers in a powerful experience that provides some very nice balance levels, and the score never drowns out the impressive vocals. The track is crisp and clear, never going in for the murkiness that the video transfer presents, and certainly enhances the film in a big way. Subtitles are available in English and Spanish.

Audio Rating: 9.0

The Packaging

Lionsgate has released Repo! in the standard snap case with the imposing image of the Repo Man dominating the front of the box along with the extensive cast list and “From the producers of Saw” emblazoned across the top for marketability, with a slip case featuring the same art. The menus are garish and colorful, with animation in-between. While the menus are easy to navigate on a DVD player, the main menu has a slight problem trying to access one of the options via mouse, though most people will never experience this issue.

Packaging Rating: 7.0

Special Features

Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman and Actors Bill Moseley, Alexa Vega & Ogre: Bousman forms a good repertoire with the actors here as they talk about the various aspects of the production. They have a great time talking about the movie; Bousman provides most of the insight regarding the production, while Vega, Moseley and Ogre keep things moving along briskly while giving a few tidbits of their own. Dead air is never a problem; quite the opposite, one of the only problems with the track is that they have a tendency to talk over each other which makes them hard to understand from time to time. Otherwise, it's a fun and engaging track that moves briskly along and is never tough to listen to.

Commentary with Director Darren Lynn Bousman, Co-Creators Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich & Music Producer Joseph Bishara: Bousman again sits down for this one, along with Smith, Zdunich and Bishara, for the track that is far more informative but somewhat less listenable. This is not to say it's not interesting, it's simply that this group isn't quite as engaging as the actor's commentary. Bousman provides some duplicate information from the first track, which is particularly noticeable early on as he's doing most of the talking before Zdunich and Smith start to join in. It's worth listening to for more serious fans of the film, though more casual fans will prefer the other track.

From Stage to Screen: (10:52) This nearly eleven-minute featurette has the crew--primarily co-creators Darren Smith & Terrance Zdunich and director Darren Lynn Bousman talking about the history of the production. Smith and Zdunich talk about how they started their career doing "ten-minute operas" around rock clubs in L.A., one of which eventually became the stage play known as Repo. Smith calls the original goal "Blade Runner meets Rocky Horror" and they talk about getting Bousman coming on to direct the musical. There's a fair amount of Electronic Press Kit-style talk in terms of the promotional aspect, though there is a lot of great background information on this. The interviews are of course cut with behind-the-scenes footage and film clips, as well as original concept art. The actors talk, albeit sparingly, about the various aspects of the project. They talk about staging the cemetery scene early in the film and the other production aspects, such as being able to finally get Pavi's face done the way they wanted it. One amusing, if semi-disturbing, fact that comes up is that the first face Pavi wears was casted from Bousman's girlfriend. They then move onto the music, clarifying the difference between a musical and opera and touching on the many different musical styles of the songs and establishing the look of the dancing, which they take pride in being "not show-tuney." Zdunich mentions that he hopes this helps make opera cool again, which is a noble pursuit but one that is a rather futile hope.

Legal Assassin: A Repo Man on the Edge (3:53) This is a short webisode framed in a graphic presentation that talks about the history of the Repo Man within the film. Alexa Vega, Zdunich and Bousman talk about the dynamic between Nathan and Shilo a bit, then it moves onto focusing on Nathan himself. It's again a very EPK kind of piece, but has a great funny outtake moment where Head is recording the song and another great piece from his audition. The piece very noticeably lacks Head speaking about the role and the song, and his commentary would have been great to hear. The last minute or so focuses on the song "Legal Assassin." It's short and interesting enough fluff, mostly worth viewing for the clips of Head.

Special Features Rating: 7.5

The 411: Outlandish? Yes. Bizarre and very niche-oriented? Absolutely. But this is exactly the way the filmmakers wanted Repo! The Genetic Opera to be, and it works quite well for those who are into that kind of thing. With some powerhouse singing performances and surprisingly slick production considering the low budget, Repo! becomes a film that is clearly not for everyone but will resonate very strongly with those who it is for. The over-the-top gore and the wide variance of styles are well-executed, and this becomes last year's true "love-it-or-hate-it" film. The DVD transfer has some problems with converting the 1.85:1 ration to a 1.78:1 but the audio track rocks as it should, and a decent set of special features helps things out. One can imagine that this will catch on as a classic enough that a Director's Cut will come out, and this reviewer sincerely hopes that is the case.

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]