Sunday, May 30, 2010

Movie Review: "Repo! The Genetic Opera"

So. It's probably well-known 'round these parts that I develop these single-minded obsessions about movies, books, tv shows, bands and then devour them and drive everyone around me crazy nattering on and on about them.

Yeah. Sorry about that. Whatever. Look, I'm annoying, but I'm self-aware. At least I don't do drugs, right? RIGHT?!

Anyway, Pong has been spamming me for weeks with clips from some movie he wants me to watch. And I've been sort of ignoring him because I'm a bitch, whatever. But he IMs me a clip one night and says, "Look! It's Giles from Buffy singing!" and I'm like, "*sigh* Fiiiiiiiiiine. I'll watch it" and it was the song "Night Surgeon" from the movie Repo! The Genetic Opera.

WHERE HAS THIS MOVIE BEEN ALL MY LIFE?

Honestly, I can't figure out why I hadn't heard of it until now! It's a HORROR MOVIE MUSICAL starring Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, only my favorite show EVER. Let me say that again: A HORROR MOVIE MUSICAL. I love horror movies! I love musicals! I turned Sorcha on to it because I knew it was her kind of thing. Actually, I watched the movie when I was home sick with a really bad cold. I lost my voice and this didn't stop me. I stalked Sorcha at work (we work together) and handed her a note that said, "Repo! The Genetic Opera. Seen it?" and that was all it took!

So, Repo! is a total cult film sent in a Blade Runner-esque future where massive organ failures have decimated the human race. A company, GeneCo, offers organ transplants but if you miss too many payment, they send a Repo Man to take back their property. Probably killing you dead. One of our main characters is a young girl named Shilo (Yes, that is the little girl from Spy Kids). Her father, played by Giles, is the aforementioned Repo Man, but she doesn't know this, of course. Shilo is sheltered due to a vague but apparently life-threatening illness but yearns to escape. There's an awesome drug dealer, GraveRobber, who is my new movie boyfriend, I don't care HOW grody he might be. Paris Hilton plays a spoiled, plastic-surgery addicted tramp. And she's really good in the role, make of that what you will... Sarah Brightman of Phantom of the Opera fame plays a blind opera singer. And it all comes to a wonderfully bloody conclusion!

So, yeah, eclectic cast. And it's GORY. DELIGHTFULLY GORY. I LOVE IT SO. And funny! And LUDICROUS. And hilariously goth and aware of its own ridiculousness but fully embracing it. The music is rockin', I downloaded the soundtrack and listen to it constantly. Heh. So, I appreciate it on a camp level but I also love it unironically. I enjoy what I see as the film's criticism of large corporations and the need for healthcare reform. I am moved by Shilo's feminist awakening in her realization that she needs to make her own way in the world and her overprotective father is keeping her down. The lyrics of her last song in the film "Genetic Emancipation" almost bring me to tears: "I've mistaken for destiny/but the truth is my legacy is not up to my genes/Though the imprint is deep in me/It will always be up to me." *sob*

So, yeah. Good stuff. Highly recommended!

9 comments:

EGT said...

Sarah Brightman is in that?! I think you made that up.

Bea said...

I'm not making it up! She's in it! I SWEAR.

And since you won't be watching it EVER...

SPOILER!!!

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She gouges her own eyes out! It's AWESOME.

Sorshanik said...

This is turning into a sickness, Bea. I bought Repo and Rocky Horror on DVD for my "congrats you go an A in Psychopharm!" gifts to myself. We are SOOO intro-ing the others to Repo on Rocky night next month...when I have a date.

EGT...Sarah Brightman is SOOO totally in Repo! I've seen it with my own 2 eyes...that I have not gouged out which is pretty good looking back at my +30 years of existence on this tin can. And dude, I've got a girl crush on her...she is smoking! WTF? Who knew!? Watch her Repo interviews on YouTube.com if you don't believe us. Great sense of humor, that song bird! Oh! And look up "Come Up and Try My New Parts" while your there...oh my.

Bea said...

Sorcha -- I can't WAIT for Repo/Rocky night! YAAAY!

Also, EGT has totally already seen "Come Up & Try My New Parts." I made her watch it when I was freaking out upon first seeing it. It's just so...FILTHY. MY GRAVEROBBER. PARIS HILTON. PEARLS. CLUTCHING.

EGT is very patient and enabling, much like you, my dear.

Sorshanik said...

I watched "Come Up..." 3 times in a row before I had words for what I just viewed. It was...well...hot and uncomfortable. Is that even possible? I've no idea. Then I watched it 3 more times for pure enjoyment. LOL

Doug Jeffreys said...

I quite enjoyed "REPO" when I watched it last year but in my opinion it is not in the same league as The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Maybe it's just me.

Sorshanik said...

Doug, I agree. I have donned the fishnets, glitter hat, eyeliner and black leather jacket more than a few times in my youth and screamed out "And God said 'Let there be lips' and it was good!" before madness took control. Nice to know you covet Rocky, as well. And while Repo is not Rocky, it is fantastic that someone made another Horror based "musical" that has a stage production following in my lifetime that I can love for what it is--pure decadent entertainment. Repo definately has it's charms and the DVD sits proudly under my Rocky DVD as a close 2nd in my black heart.

EGT said...

YOU GUYS. Because Blogger fails, I never know when anyone is writing back to me, and I fail at checking these things out, so I just noticed this: SHE WHAT?

Basically, WHAT? to everything about Sarah Brightman. She was married to Andrew Lloyd-Weber. WHAT?

Bea said...

I know, EGT. I know. But it is all true.