Product Details

• Actors: Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head, Alexa Vega, Sarah Brightman, Paris Hilton
• Directors: Darren Lynn Bousman
• Writers: Terrance Zdunich, Darren Smith
• Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English, Spanish
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Studio: Lions Gate
• DVD Release Date: January 20, 2009
• Run Time: 98 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (355 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001MT7ZEW
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,802 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #55 in Movies & TV > DVD > Musicals
  • #62 in Movies & TV > DVD > Horror
• Learn more about "Repo! The Genetic Opera" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Likening Repo! The Genetic Opera to its predecessors, Little Shop of Horrors and Rocky Horror Picture Show, conveys this film’s high camp and operatic bursts of song, but does little to describe how absolutely bizarre Repo! is. Like Rocky Horror, Repo! was written for stage performance by Darren Smith and Terrance Zdunich, who stars as a Graverobber, dolled up in vampiric makeup to resemble Rocky Horror’s iconic tranny, Dr. Frank-N-Furter. Hiring newbie director, Darren Lynn Bousman, fresh out of film school to shoot this mutant movie, Smith and Zdunich clearly focused on writing comedy into extremely gruesome slasher scenes, which works with mixed results. Stills of comic strips contextualize each scene, telling the story of biotech corporation Geneco’s repossessions of organs that they implanted into various patients to save human lives during a long history of operations. Organs, here, were bought on credit, and as the economy nosedives, citizens of this a makeshift Gotham City cannot pay bills, and must forfeit their lives to repo men make a killing around town, literally. Heading this enterprise is CEO Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino), who has two bickering sons, Luigi (Bill Moseley) and Pavi (Nivek Ogre), whose white facemask is third generation Phantom, borrowing directly from Winslow Leach’s in Brian De Palma’s Phantom of the Paradise. Central to the plot is head repo guy/slaughterer, Nathan Wallace (Anthony Head of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), who hides his career path to preserve his sexy teenage daughter, Shilo’s (Alexa Vega), innocence. As Shilo discovers her godmom, Blind Mag (Sarah Brightman), and the "Z"-addicted surgery slut, Amber Sweet (Paris Hilton), she embarks on adventures through an urban landscape constructed of metal gear, corpse piles, and S/M zombie girls, while dad straps people up in his torture chamber to take back body parts. Hmmmm. Since Repo! looks likes a Marilyn Manson video, its musical niche sensibility will only appeal to fans who like Goth and Industrial music. To anyone who doesn’t go for that look, it does impress for its sheer dedication to choreography and song. In the least, Repo! The Genetic Opera is an anomalous glimpse into visionary horror. --Trinie Dalton

Product Description

By fusing THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW and BLADE RUNNER, this futuristic tale of horror modernizes the "rock opera" genre with original music and rich, dark production design.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

58 of 68 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So is this what would happen if Saw mated with Moulin Rouge? January 21, 2009

By Alexander Stephen Brown

Format:DVD

This movie is amazing! The scenes are very creepy and unsettling, but at the same time very appealing and artistically beautiful. Even if you hated the music or plot, which I didn't this movie alone for the scenery is worth a buy.

Now about the music. At first I was uncertain of how to feel regarding their musical numbers, and by the third song I was hooked. The lyrics in this are comedic at times, other times serious, and actually nearing the end there is a song that I think is pleasant, "I Didn't Think I'd Love You This Much," is the name of the song I believe. The vocals of lead Alexa Vega are great, strong, and defined. Even Paris Hilton surprised me as this is the first time I have heard her vocals, and it reminded me some some old school goth rock cd I'd listen to in high school. Finally, Sarah Brightman. What can I say about Sarah that anyone doesn't already know? Musical Wise, she was nothing short of spectacular.

Acting wise, I'm a big junkie for Bill Mosley and it was fun to see him pull off the comedic cult character he portrayed. Paris, actually did great acting, it surprised me how great Alex Vega did considering I had never seen her attempt anything like this, and I was surprised that Sarah Brightman could be as dark as she was in this movie. The casting meshed well and it was fun to see such big names in a movie that hadn't hit theaters in my area.

Art wise, the scenes were mind-blowing. There are scenes where there is much cgi used, but overall it looks good, and that's saying a lot for me considering I hate cgi. Also, the make up was great with good effects, example, if the box hadn't said Paris was in this I doubt I would have recognized her until the end.

Overall, I rarely say this.... But I wish I could give this a higher rating then a 5 star. I will be buying the soundtrack as soon as I complete this review. Repo! Will be played a second time tonight for my posse... Yes, it was that good.

59 of 73 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Rock Opera at it's best! December 19, 2008

By Jerald

Format:DVD

Three, count 'em, three (!) songs from Repo! The Genetic Opera are being considered for Academy Award nomination. That shows how amazing this film is. Sadly, Lionsgate does not consider this film to be all that amazing, and is not doing anything to support this nomination. Generally, a film company would send letters and sample DVDs to the Academy members, promoting their film. Lionsgate, however, is run by a bunch of idiots and they are not doing this. So, it is up to the fans to promote Repo! Here are the three songs that are up for the nomination:
"Zydrate Anatomy"
"Chase The Morning"
"Chromaggia"

Set against a futuristic backdrop where an epidemic of organ failures is plaguing humanity, people turn to the unscrupulous Geneco Corporation to purchase replacements for their failing vitals. Not everybody makes good on their payments, however, which is where Nathan Wallace (Anthony Head of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame) goes into action as one of Geneco's "repo men", brutally reclaiming defaulters organs at scalpel-point.

I loved it! It's basically a very stylized, horror rock opera. I was a little worried about Alexa Vega and Paris Hilton being lead characters in it, but Alexa Vega was marvelous, and Paris Hilton was basically being herself (an heiress to a multibillion-if-not-more-dollar company who's obsessed with fashion and thinks she's capable of singing), so she couldn't really go wrong. Her character didn't sing much either, so you don't really have to hear much of her voice. The songs are incredibly catchy and well written, and the actors had the voices that really brought the songs to life. Imo, the best songs are "Zydrate Anatomy," "Infected," and "Legal Assassin." There wasn't as much gore as expected, but the gore in the movie was great. Lots of someone being cut open and then the Repo Man reaching into his/her abdomen and taking various organs.

I've read/heard a lot of complaints about the film saying "oh the story's too complex and weird!" or "the lyrics were awful and poorly written!" You know what? The movie's called Repo! The Genetic Opera. "Opera" being the key word here. The melodrama and crazy story lines are a staple of classic operas! The story line is just like many classic opera story lines. I read someone's comment that the only opera aspect missing is a mistaken identity, which I find to be totally true. Weird lyrics are also a staple of classic operas. I mean, come on, they sing EVERYTHING in operas. Even "oh no, I've dropped my hat" gets turned into a ridiculously emotional song.

Overall, I loved this movie. The cast was great, the songs were great, and the style of the film was really interesting. I loved the nods to classic opera as well.

Final Verdict: 10/10

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars A Goth-themed treat January 21, 2009

By N. Durham HALL OF FAMETOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase

Seemingly forever destined for cult status, Repo! The Genetic Opera is something you have to see to believe. A Goth-themed rock opera directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III, & IV), Repo! tells the tale of a future, Blade Runner-inspired world where massive worldwide organ failures have led to the rise of GeneCo; a biotech company run by Rotti Largo (Paul Sorvino) that lends out organs to those that need them. Failure to pay in full however results in a visit from the Repo Man (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's Anthony Stewart Head), who has no qualms about getting his hands dirty (and bloody) as he takes them back. As the story moves on, we learn of Repo Man's sickly beloved daughter Shilo (Alexa Vega) who learns of some deep buried secrets, and Largo's heirs Amber Sweet (Paris Hilton), Luigi (Bill Moseley), and Pavi (Skinny Puppy's Ogre) who are all warring to be left in charge of their sickly father's empire. The film moves along at a pretty brisk pace, even though its story doesn't always manage to catch up to it. The film's music is spectacular, and the cast (even Paris Hilton believe it or not) is wonderful as well, as Bousman quickly shines well above anything he's ever done with the Saw series. Also featuring Sarah Brightman, Repo! stage vet Terrence Zdunich, and a quick cameo from Joan Jett; Repo! The Genetic Opera is made to be a pure cult classic through and through, and though it definitely isn't for all audiences, the film stands as being something special regardless, and is wholeheartedly worth a look at the very least.