Repo! The Genetic Opera

Infobox Film
name = Repo! The Genetic Opera


caption = Theatrical poster
director = Darren Lynn Bousman
producer = Darren Lynn Bousman
Yoshiki Hayashi
writer = Darren Smith
Terrance Zdunich
starring = Alexa Vega
Anthony Head
Sarah Brightman
Paris Hilton
Nivek Ogre
Terrance Zdunich
Bill Moseley
Paul Sorvino
music = Darren Smith
Terrance Zdunich
cinematography = Joseph White
editing = Harvey Rosenstock
distributor = Lionsgate
Twisted Pictures
released = November 7, 2008
runtime = 98 minutes
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $8,500,000
gross =
website = http://www.repo-opera.com/
amg_id =
imdb_id = 0963194

"Repo! The Genetic Opera" is a rock opera film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. Originally planned for an April 25 release date, it has since been reported that it will open with a limited release in 4 cities (Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York City, and Las Vegas) on November 7, 2008 with a DVD release to follow in January 2009. [ [http://www.fangoria.com/news_article.php?id=6847 Fangoria: REPO! gets a release date] ] [http://horror.about.com/b/2008/07/31/repo-the-genetic-opera-hits-theaters-in-november-dvd-in-january.htm Repo! The Genetic Opera hits theaters in November, DVD in January] ] A 22-track soundtrack was released online on September 30, 2008, and another will be released in CD-format to coincide with the release of the DVD. The film is based on a play written and composed by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich. It received an R rating by the MPAA for strong bloody violence and gore, language, some drug and sexual content.

Plot

An epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Panic erupts and scientists feverishly make plans for a massive organ harvest. Out of the tragedy, GeneCo, a multi-billion dollar biotech company, emerges. GeneCo provides organ transplantation for a profit. In addition to financing options, GeneCo reserves the right to implement default remedies, including repossession. For those who can't keep up with their organ payments, collection is the responsibility of "organ repo men", skilled assassins contracted by GeneCo, ordered to recover GeneCo's property by any means necessary.

At the heart of the story is Shilo Wallace (Alexa Vega), a 17 year-old girl with a rare blood disease. She has been kept locked up and protected in her house, where she is guarded from the outside world by her father, Nathan Wallace (Anthony Head). While Shilo struggles with her wish to leave the house and experience the outside world, Nathan struggles with his secret job as the Repo Man, and more specifically, his next target, a woman named Blind Mag (Sarah Brightman). Blind Mag, an opera singer, was a friend of Nathan's now-deceased wife, and is Shilo's godmother.

The Largo family, consisting of GeneCo president Rotti (Paul Sorvino), his daughter Amber (Paris Hilton), and his two sons Luigi and Pavi (Bill Moseley and Nivek Ogre, respectively), have their own plans. Rotti is dying, and the three siblings bicker and fight about who is to take the role as head of GeneCo. But, disappointed with his own children, Rotti takes an interest in Shilo.

The stories intertwine and merge at the GeneCo opera. [http://www.horror.com/php/article-1909-1.html Horror.com review and plot] ] [http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/11585 Bloody-Disgusting reviews and plot] ] [http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/reviewsnews.php?id=5052 ShockTillYouDrop reviews and plot] ]

Production and history

The first version of "Repo!" was "The Necromerchant's Debt", which told the story of a graverobber in debt to a Repo Organ Man. It was first performed at the John Raitt theater. After being such a success, creators Smith and Zdunich expanded on the universe to create all of the storylines that became "Repo! The Genetic Opera". Many changes were made, gradually, to the characters and music. For example, Rotti, in the earliest performances, was not the father to Luci, Pavi, and Heather. Instead, he was a younger brother to Luci and Pavi, [http://web.archive.org/web/20030115145216/repoopera.com/tier_two/Char+R.asp Rotti listed as the youngest Largo brother] ] while Heather was Luci's daughter. [http://web.archive.org/web/20030112205550/repoopera.com/tier_two/Char+HS.asp Heather listed as Luci's daughter] ] Music lyrics were adjusted to new arcs, and some songs were dropped altogether, like "But This Is Opera!", which was cut out in an effort to change the direction of Blind Mag's character. After years of being performed as a stage play, "Repo!" was adapted into a 10-minute short movie by Darren Lynn Bousman to pitch the idea to movie companies. The movie starred Shawnee Smith as Heather Sweet, Michael Rooker as the Repo Man, Kristen Fairlie as Shilo Wallace, Terrance Zdunich as the GraveRobber, and J. Larose as Pavi. [http://www.repoopera.com/tier_one/movie_info.asp Ten-minute trailer info] ] Once "Repo! The Genetic Opera" was picked up by Lionsgate, shooting began on September 2007 in Canada. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/31/AR2007073100687.html Paris Hilton gets movie musical role] ] The movie was scheduled to be released on April 25, 2008, but was pushed back to November 7, 2008. X Japan member Yoshiki Hayashi will produce the soundtrack, along with composing one extra track for the film. He is also one of the film's producers.ja icon [http://cinematoday.jp/page/N0011506 あのYOSHIKIが、パリス・ヒルトン次回作のプロデューサーに！ - シネマトゥデイ | 映画の情報を毎日更新 ] ]

Cast

*Anthony Head as Nathan Wallace, a father to Shilo and a widower, having lost his wife Marni, a death which he blames himself for. He doubles as a legal assassin known as the Repo Man. (Note: The original stage production included acclaimed singer/musician Curtis Wilson as Nathan. He is also scheduled to have a cameo role in the film as the voice of a News Reporter.)
*Alexa Vega as Shilo Wallace, a young woman condemned to her room due to the blood disorder she inherited from her mother.
*Paul Sorvino as Rotti Largo, the dying president of GeneCo, looking for a worthy heir. He sees his own children as "vultures" and "ingrates", and is bitter towards Nathan for stealing Marni from him. Unknown to Nathan, Rotti killed Marni by poisoning her.
*Sarah Brightman as Blind Mag, born blind but given the ability to see by GeneCo at the price of having to sing for the GeneCo Genetic Opera. She is marked for repossession and she is set to deliver her final performance for the company.
*Paris Hilton as Amber Sweet, the surgery-addicted daughter of Rotti who is Mag's rival. She is addicted to Zydrate, a euphoric painkiller, which she obtains illegally from the Graverobber. The character's name was changed for the movie. Originally, the character was named "Heather" Sweet, but it was changed to distinguish from Dita von Teese, whose born name was Heather Sweet. Her appearance is always changing, and Paris Hilton had a new set of prosthetics for each scene. Originally, Darren Bousman refused to hold an audition for Paris Hilton. Once he gave in to the idea, she showed up and "rocked" the soundbooth audition.
*Bill Moseley as Luigi Largo, the eldest son of Rotti, described as being angry and abusive. He wields a knife at all times and is usually wearing an ascot. According to Darren Bousman, Luigi "walked around with a knife and a flask, drinking and stabbing everything that came in his way" in the stage play. Bill Moseley said he believes Luigi definitely loves his sister and father, but is not sure Luigi loves Pavi.Fact|date=September 2008 Luigi's name in the stage play was "Luci" (and later "Lucci"), but, in an effort to avoid legal trouble with a Japanese clothing company called Largolucio, Lucci Largo was renamed Luigi Largo.
*Nivek Ogre as Pavi Largo, the younger son of Rotti, described as a vain, dim-witted, effeminate rapist and womanizer who wears women's faces as masks. [http://www.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/topnews.php?id=1255 ShockTillYouDrop interview describes Pavi as effeminate, wearing women's faces] ] [http://repoopera.buzznet.com/user/video/3392251/genetic-opera-discuss-making-mark/ The Genetic Opera discuss the making of 'Mark It Up' Video- Buzznet] ] His own face is horrendously scarred. One of Pavi's "flesh-masks" is modeled after Darren Bousman's girlfriend's face. [http://www.dreadcentral.com/story/a-visit-set-repo-the-genetic-opera Dread Central visits the set of "Repo! The Genetic Opera"] ] His habit of wearing flesh-masks in the movie differs from previous versions of Pavi. In the comic panels for the stage play, as well as the 10-minute trailer, Pavi had an exaggerated face-lift that gave him a permanent grin.
*Terrance Zdunich as GraveRobber, a Zydrate-peddler with connections to Amber, sexually and as a dealer. He acts as a narrator of the post-apocalyptic world. [http://www.fearnet.com/MCNewsDetailPage.aspx?catid=30&mid=14411 Fearnet interview with Terrance Zdunich] ] Zdunich plays GraveRobber in all three incarnations of "Repo! The Genetic Opera": the stage production, the 10-minute trailer, and the film.
*Sarah Power as Dead Marni, a ghostly projection of Shilo's deceased mother. Nancy Long sings as the character. [http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/breaking/2008/09/repo-the-genetic-opera-tracks.php Rolling Stones article lists Nancy Long as Marni] ]
*Jake Reardon as Single Mother, a client of GeneCo who went in for a kidney replacement and got a full-body upgrade. Poe provides her voice.
*Darren Smith as Band Leader, the flamboyant maestro of the Genetic Opera.

Official songs

There are 57 songs in the movie. This is the official list of all the songs in the film. [http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/13629 Song list on Bloody-Disgusting.com] ] Some have been cut from the movie (e.g. "Come Up and Try My New Parts"). Not all songs have confirmed performers. Joan Jett appears in the number "17", and Melora Creager of the band Rasputina plays cello on the soundtrack. Principal theatrical release songs are in bold font. [http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o149/IceShower44/tn_2.jpgPrincipal music numbers] ] Official soundtrack released songs are in italic font; songs do not appear in the same sequence on the CD as they do in the film.
# “Depraved Heart Murder at Sanitarium Square”
# "“Genetic Repo Man”" – Terrance Zdunich
# "“Crucifixus”" – Sarah Brightman
# "Things You See In A Graveyard (Part One)"" – Paul Sorvino
# "“21st Century Cure”" – Alexa Vega & Terrance Zdunich
# “Shilo Wakes” – Anthony Head & Alexa Vega
# "“Infected”" – Alexa Vega
# "“Legal Assassin”" – Anthony Head
# “Lungs and Livers”
# "“Bravi!”" – Sarah Brightman, Paul Sorvino, Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# "“Mark It Up”" – Paris Hilton, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# “Tao Of Mag” – Sarah Brightman
# "Things You See In A Graveyard (Part Two)"" – Paul Sorvino
# “Limo Ride” – Paul Sorvino & Alexa Vega
# "“Thankless Job”" – Anthony Head
# “No Organes? No Problema!”
# “Largo's Little Helpers” – Bill Moseley
# “Genterns"
# "Luigi, Pavi, Amber Harass Blind Mag” – Sarah Brightman, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre, Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino
# “Seeing You Stirs Memories” – Paul Sorvino
# “Inopportune Telephone Call” – Anthony Head & Alexa Vega
# “Graverobber & Shilo Escape” – Terrance Zdunich & Alexa Vega
# “Zydrate Support Network” – Paul Sorvino, Sarah Brightman, J. Larose
# "“Zydrate Anatomy”" – Terrance Zdunich, Alexa Vega, Paris Hilton
# “Who Ordered Pizza?” – Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre, Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head
# "“Night Surgeon”" – Anthony Head, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# "“Can't Get It Up If The Girl's Breathing?”" – Paris Hilton & Terrance Zdunich
# “Come Up And Try My New Parts” – Paris Hilton
# "“Chase The Morning”" – Sarah Brightman, Alexa Vega, Nancy Long
# “Everyone's A Composer”
# “Come Back!” – Anthony Head, Sarah Brightman, Alexa Vega
# “What Chance Has A 17 Year Old Girl” – Anthony Head & Alexa Vega
# "“Seventeen”" – Alexa Vega
# “Happiness Is Not A Warm Scalpel” – Paul Sorvino & Paris Hilton
# "“Gold”" – Paul Sorvino
# “Nathan Discovers Rotti's Plan”
# “Tonight We Are Betrayed” – Anthony Head
# "“At the Opera Tonight”" – Alexa Vega, Sarah Brightman, Anthony Head, Paris Hilton, Terrance Zdunich, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# “Bloodbath!” – Terrance Zdunich
# "“We Started This Op'ra Shit!”" – Darren Smith, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre, Poe, Paul Sorvino
# “Buongiorno”
# "“Needle Through A Bug”" – Alexa Vega & Terrance Zdunich
# “Rotti's Chapel Sermon” – Paul Sorvino
# “Blame Not My Cheeks” – Paris Hilton
# "“Chromaggia”" – Sarah Brightman
# "Mag's Fall"
# “Rotti's Pièce De Résistance” – Paul Sorvino
# "Interrogation Room Challenge"
# "“Let the Monster Rise”" – Anthony Head & Alexa Vega
# “Don't Poop in my Pool”
# “Sawman's Lament” Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# “The Man Who Made You Sick” – Paul Sorvino
# "Cut the Ties" – Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# “Shilo Turns Against Rotti" – Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, Nivek Ogre
# "“I Didn't Know I'd Love You So Much”" – Anthony Head & Alexa Vega
# " “Genetic Emancipation”" – Alexa Vega
# “Epitaph” – Terrance Zdunich

Two songs are also to be performed by two of the stars during the ending credits.
# “Repo Man” – Nivek Ogre
# “Aching Hour” – Sarah Brightman

Reviews

On March 4, 2008, there was a private screening of "Repo! the Genetic Opera" for many critics and the crew. The reviews written from the screening were all extremely positive. However, the film they saw was not the fully completed version. Some noted that the sound mixing was not finished. The director has finished the final touches on the film as of March 31st, 2008. It is now in the hands of Lionsgate to release further information.

Controversy

A very similar film has entered production named Repossession Mambo which shares the same basic plot. Editing of these films took place in adjacent studios leading to suspicion of possible, but unprovable plagiarism [http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/10475] .

References

External links

* [http://www.repo-opera.com/ Official site] - created by [http://www.wiretree.com/ Wiretree]
* [http://repoopera.com/default_BACKUP.asp Official site of the stage play]
* [http://www.altfg.com/blog/actors/repo-darren-lynn-bousman-alexa-vega/ Interview with Darren Lynn Bousman and Alexa Vega about Repo! the Genetic Opera] at [http://www.altfg.com/blog/ Alternative Film Guide]
* [http://www.altfg.com/blog/actors/repo-bill-moseley-terrance-zdunich-interview/ Interview with Terrance Zdunich and Bill Moseley about Repo! the Genetic Opera] at [http://www.altfg.com/blog/ Alternative Film Guide]
* [http://www.altfg.com/blog/film-reviews/repo-the-genetic-opera-darryl-bousman/ Review of Repo! the Genetic Opera] at [http://www.altfg.com/blog/ Alternative Film Guide]