![Repo03[1] by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3606/3448204243_bb7e185fb5.jpg)
The Eyes Have It !
~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Under The Knife Today: Repo! The Genetic Opera
For those of you not familiar with the cult classic “The Rocky Horror
Picture Show”, there are a couple of things you should know. Never
tell anyone you are a virgin if you find yourself watching a Midnight
showing, and be sure to bring some paper towels and toast (to toss
at the movie screen).
In regards to the new cult classic in-the-making, “Repo! The Genetic
Opera”, you may want to bring paper towels but the only thing that
will be tossed is your cookies.
I didn’t know what to expect while watching this little underground
gem. A goth rock-opera of all things. Go figure. It seemed to me
the only people that would ever dig this sort of vulgar venue would
be angry young chicks with jet-black hair and lipstick to match !!!
Despite being an affront to my delicate sensibilities, I actually got
a kick out of this gross flick. (Only after channeling my own inner
goth chick). Her name is Ragea. She wears spiked collars and will
NEVER like you because you smell like flowers.
I digress. Big time. So, our story takes place in the future, (2056
to be exact) ! The world has fallen victim to an outbreak of organ
failures, and people are dropping like flies. Desperate times do call
for desperate measures, and entrepreneur Rotti Largo comes in to
save the day… For a price.
Rotti (Paul Sorvino) is the CEO of a genetic “second hand” shop,
where you can actually buy second hands… You can also throw
in a lung or two for good measure ! Heck, grab yourself a new
designer liver while you’re at it.
This hellish company calls itself “GeneCo”, but they are really a
mafia organization with anything but good intentions. It seems
like a good idea at first, but if someone misses just one payment
on their new body part, the Repo Man comes to collect. No, he
is not after the money…
The Repo Man (played here by “Little Britain’s” Anthony Head) is
going to rip your still-beating heart right out of your body, and
then he is going to use your corpse as a puppet. While singing
a couple of songs… And dancing a little bit as well !
Yes, this is a musical with GUTS. I always felt that “The Texas
Chainsaw Massacre” would have been just delightful if they had
added some Broadway flair… And, truth be told, wouldn’t “The
Sound of Music” have been more entertaining if Julie Andrews
got her leg caught in a bear trap after spinning around on that
hillside ? The hills are alive… With the sound of screaming !
![Sound+of+Music[2] by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3323/3455145668_d6b0151eef.jpg)
The Hills Are… SNAP …AYEEEE !
Hmmm… What about Doris Day actually shooting someone in
“Calamity Jane” ? Or Tevye falling off the roof with his fiddle
and landing on a bed of nails ? The possibilities are endless.
Exploring possibilities is exactly what “Repo!” does… We are
introduced to the Repo Man’s daughter, Shilo (Alexa Vega), a
young lady with a mysterious blood disease, that may or may
not have been contracted accidentally. It is possible she got
sick from her mother, who we later learn died from unnatural
causes !
Shilo is locked in her room most of her life, kept there by her
father (who she thinks is a respected doctor). She does not
know that he hunts people down and kills them… She is also
unaware of his amazing singing chops. Shilo has quite a set
of pipes herself as she belts out angst-filled tunes such as
“Infected” and “Seventeen” (the latter featuring Joan Jett) !
In addition to Joan Jett, the legendary Sarah Brightman is on
board to give this flick some mad creds. She plays an opera
singer named “Blind Mag”… A woman with a debt to GeneCo
signed in blood for her totally trippy digital eyes ! Shilo has
always worshipped Mag from afar, and fate ends up bringing
them together as they join forces against the evil Rotti.
Rotti wants to destroy all of our anti-heroes, but he actually
cares for Shilo in a distorted kind of way… His children are a
pack of self-absorbed losers. Upon hearing that he does not
have long to live, he puts Shilo to the test as a possible heir
to his legacy.
Truly a horrific bunch, Rotti Largo’s progeny want nothing but
gold, fame and drugs. This is evident in the strangely catchy
“Mark It Up” number, where the two brothers vie for dominant
positions in the company while their sister looks on.
The fellows are Luigi and Pavi, (both sociopaths) and the girl is
Amber Sweet… Amber is portrayed rather sympathetically by a
vamped-out Paris Hilton ! Selfish at first, she is the only one in
this group that shows empathy or remorse for her mean actions
when the curtain falls.
![341128681_m4Djg-M.0.0.0x0.432x347[1] by you.](https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3558/3454167427_beb221e4b8.jpg)
I See Paris. I See France. I See Leather
Underpants !!!
Trouble with Amber is, she is addicted to many terrible things…
She loves getting multiple surgeries, just for the thrill of it. And
she is hooked on a blue liquid drug called Zydrate.
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To better explain, here’s part of the song “Zydrate Anatomy”
(as sung by Graverobber and The Zydrate Support Group).
Zydrate comes in a little glass vile… And the little glass vile
goes into the gun like a battery. And the Zydrate gun goes
somewhere against your anatomy. And when the gun goes
off, it sparks, and you’re ready for surgery. Surgery…
It’s clean.
It’s clear.
It’s pure.
It’s rare.
It takes you there.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
All of this becomes BIG trouble for Amber, when she looses
face in front of everyone. Literally. Her face falls off and
hits the ground. (Not really much of a stretch for Hilton) !
Indeed, everything is leading us up to a Grand Guignol style
finale. One that makes even “Sweeney Todd” look like a fun
and comical romp !!! All of the players wind up on stage for
GeneCo’s annual “Genetic Opera”, where Blind Mag is slated
to perform her last song ever, “Chromaggia”.
Her retirement gets started a tad bit early, however, when
a harness she uses to fly across the stage breaks over the
set. She plummets down and gets impaled on a gate…
Sarah Brightman’s latest CD: $18.00
Sarah Brightman live in concert: $200.00
Sarah Brightman impaled on a gate: Priceless
~ ~ ~
Shilo and her father have a showdown with Rotti and his kids
soon after Mag’s demise. In true operatic fashion, people die
tragic (and grizzly) deaths as old secrets are revealed.
This film won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. After watching it, I
was disgusted. But the songs were stuck in my head, and in
no time I bought the soundtrack. It’s sick… Yet slick ! You
have been duly warned.
Fierce fun, “Repo! The Genetic Opera” scores with gore !!!
~
Would I Recommend This ? Yes
Daniel’s Critical Rating: “7.5” out of “10”
Daniel's Critical Corner 
Great review, this is the first I’ve even heard of this movie! It sounds gory and bizarre… definitely a movie we’ll have to watch when Chayne is otherwise occupied. lol.
Thanks Russ ! I am looking forward to seeing “Repo!” again. Chayne would
throw up. Not only because it is gory, but because it is a musical ! LOL !!!
well now Daniel.. I might be “cool” (not) but I’m afraid this one isn’t up my alley… I am grateful though that the new Star Trek Movie is due out soon.. I hope you are going to that one!
Pat, you are the very definition of “cool” ! This film does push the envelope,
and it won’t be up plenty of people’s alleys. LOL !
Star Trek ! I am counting down the days ! Your last post was so awesome !
I really love the picture of you with Checkov (Walter Koenig). The picture of
Worf (Michael Dorn) is also impressive !!!
I have never heard of this movie! Is this out on DVD, or is it still in the theaters? Because I totally want to see it! It sounds really…um…different? LOL
Great review Daniel!
“Repo!” was out in theaters last November… It is now avalible on DVD !!!
After the first twenty minutes of the film, I almost stopped watching. But
I stuck with it. I wasn’t even sure if I liked it, so I played it a second time.
(Now I’m memorizing the words to all of the songs) ! Ha Ha !!! This flick is
definitely an acquired taste ! Thanks Alan ! 🙂
I hope the trek movie gets a good review (but only if it’s good of course!) I had never met Michael Dorn before.. but have known Walter quite a few years.. our first photo together I didn’t have gray hair!! My best photo’s were of DeForest though.. that would be before digital! an old canon slr with a 300 zoom lens (heavy sucker!), that plus front row seats at his cons gave me some great pics of De over the years.
I want to slap Walter! he’s 73 and hardly a wrinkle! Bad Chekov, bad! lol
LOL !!! (It sure looks like it will be pretty good) ! You are lucky to have met all of
those great people. The closest I ever got was Star Trek: The Experience at the
Hilton in Vegas. I saw some dude dressed as a Klingon and then ate a “Hamborger”.
Sigh, I love this film more than I love my parents. Your review was spot on.
– Zac
Testify ! LOL ! Thank you Zac !!! 🙂
I heard this movie was beyond horrible. But I *kinda* wanna see it now…
Just go into this movie with an open mind… (And a barf bag)! Ha Ha !
This movie didn’t come to the tiny town that I was living in but some friends of mine traveled to see it elsewhere and came home raving about it. I’ve been pretty curious about it and I guess now I’m going to have to check it out.
“Repo!” was shown out here in Albuquerque, but I missed the boat…
It looks like this film is hitting the “Midnight Movie” circuit, so we still
might get to see everything on the big screen ! 🙂
Yay awesome review. Very graphic..you described the movie pretty imaginative, and it sounds very cool though.. I am definitely looking forward to the soundtrack. I would pay hard to see Julie Andrews get caught in a bear trap…lol. You know I LOVE Sarah Brightman, so this is one I have to see. Thanks for the good review. And yes, Charles is counting the days for Star Trek. I actually saw a tear in his eye when he watched a preview. LOL.
Ha Ha ! LOL @ Julie Andrews. 🙂 Sarah Brightman ROCKS ! My favorite Sarah Brightman albums:
“Dive” 1993 (featuring “Captain Nemo”), “Harem” 2003 (featuring “Free”) and “Symphony” 2008
(featuring “Fleurs du Mal”, “Running” and “Let It Rain”) !
I LOVE Harem…and she sings a great version of ‘Whiter Shade of Pale.’
I’m not sure which I like better, hers (or the Annie Lennox version) ! Both are great.
Sarah also does impressive covers of “Dust in the Wind” and “Scarborough Fair” !!!
Would I be a completely different person if I said that this movie interests me? Haha, I saw this movie on tv, but never thought twice about it. Come to find out that there is a lot more than mindless gore. You had me at digital eyes haha. Oh, btw, against everything you said, we rented “Wanted” AND “The Strangers”. In fear of losing my job as E&C, I won’t tell you what I thought! Great review I’m all for watching it!
Here at “Critical Corner”, the diversity of other people’s opinions is celebrated !!! Even the opinions
of those who are INSANE. LOL !!! Thanks Vanessa. I’m pretty sure you will get a kick out of “Repo” !
It’s hard to imagine Ogre doing jazz hands… does he?
Yes ! Ogre (of “Skinny Puppy” fame) is actually VERY theatrical…
As “Pavi Largo”, his hands are always gyrating with ghoulish glee !
I honestly thought this movie was going to be horrible and never watch it. However, after your review I think that has encouraged me to give it a try. After all, it has music involved in it and gore! Nice review!
Thanks ! “Repo! The Genetic Opera” was brought to us by the producers of
the “Saw” sequels. This movie is definitely a “love it or hate it” proposition !
I watched two films on DVD last week (Bug & Blindness) one had a trainer for the film you describe “Repo! The Genetic Opera” the other for a none musical film with a very similar story, I can’ remember what it was called. They both look interesting.
If you find out what the other film was, let me know ! 🙂
No idea what the other film is called. I have tried looking it up but no joy. I will just have to wait and see if the trailer comes on again at the start of another DVD.
I saw Repo last night. What a bizarre little film. Although I didn’t hate it I won’t be rushing to see it again.
I’m glad you had a chance to check it out ! Heck, not hating it is more than anyone could ask for ! LOL !
Regarding the above comments 25-27. I have found it: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1053424/ Called Repo Men (not to be confused with Repo Man). It has sat on the shelf for months and is due for release early next year.
Thanks… Looks like it has an impressive cast (Jude Law, Forest Whitaker and Liev Schreiber) !!!