‘Repo! The Genetic Opera’ - High-Def Digest Review

[Attebery]

As a midday bonus, we have a review by Nate Boss, who many of you
already know quite well from the HDD forums.

Nate has reviewed ‘Repo! The Genetic Opera.’ His take on the film is
pretty clear: “Bravi! Bravi! Bravisime! The Genetic Opera is good!”
This Blu-ray has effective, but quite unusual video, exceptional
audio, and good supplements. Worth a look.

Full review here:
http://bluray.highdefdigest.com/1981...eticopera.html

[darkash]

The site is not up yet. Can't wait to read a reviews from N8boss.

Never mind. It's there now.

[SilentNight]

I loathed this movie worse than any movie I have seen in the past year. I bought it on Blu-Ray, watched 15 minutes of it then turned it off and sold it. I finished the movie up before shipping it out so I can say I at least gave the whole thing a chance but this must be a love it or hate it type of thing. I didn't like one second of it.

The singing was terrible too.

[Fettastic]

There are moments in this movie that are really cool. Unfortunately 90% of it is total tripe.

SOOO glad I decided to cancel my pre-order at the last minute and Netflix it.

I feel like I should explain a little more. Repo wants really badly to be another Rocky Horror Picture Show. The premise of the movie on it's surface is interesting. A disease ravages all of humanity. It destroys internal organs. One company sells organs. It gets them by killing people that are behind on their payments. At least, I think that's what it's about.

The unknowing daughter of one of these repo guys, the most notorious one in fact, accidentally finds herself in the city with victims of the disease and in particular, a grave robber who extracts the cure for the disease from corpses. He's always popping up like the Crypt Keeper to sing some exposition.

The girl's mother is dead, but her mother's friend is some sort of famous performer. this part is played by that chick that sings The Phantom of the Operah on Broadway. Sarah Brannaman I think? She has a cool costume and intense contact lenses. She also shoots holo-images from her eyes a la R2-D2. No I'm not kidding.

Anyway, there's some sort of singing confrontation at the end that seemed like it was supposed to be an emotional experience but I was just struggling to understand the words so I could figure out what was going on.

Oh and the music and singing usually wasn't very good, but sometimes it was ok.

Anyway, rent if you're interested. You might find yourself fast-forwarding a lot.

[Slayerfaith1982]

I really liked this film lol. I don't like opera music, but everyone's voices were terrific, but more importantly for me, the movie visually was AMAZING. I agree with the reviewer's take on Sarah Brightman as Blind Mag. She definitely steals the show, and even with her creepy haunting fake eyes, is beautiful looking. The movie just is so unique in almost every way I ended up loving it. Far from the best movie or anything nuts like that, but I did really enjoy it

[Emoney7]

I really really liked this flick. And I hate musicals, I even didnt like Sweeney Todd to the dismay of a lot of people, but I dunno something about this worked for me, I have only seen the SD dvd, so I cant wait to pick up the BD, sound should rock socks.

And I also developed a huge crush on Alexa Vega, til I found out she was the girl from Spy Kids and then I felt kinda dirty.......

[jkwest]

Great review, Nathan...I was really fond of it, as well..

[Lone_Gunmen]

I enjoyed it (friend imported the DVD), and i hate musical-type movies :S

Thought the music was pretty cool.

[RandellG]

Originally Posted by Emoney7

And I also developed a huge crush on Alexa Vega, til I found out she was the girl from Spy Kids and then I felt kinda dirty.......

Tell you as someone once told me.

There is no reason to fell ashamed of liking her, she is female and legal isn't she

[Lone_Gunmen]

Lol Alexa Vega was in my home town filming a movie last year.

[Hastor]

I liked this movie a lot, it is probably one of my all-time favorites now. I rented it not knowing what to expect, having not seen a preview. I watched it several times until it had to be returned. Then I ordered my own BD of it, but got impatient to watch it again so I rented it a second time to watch while it shipped. So yeah, at least for some people, this movie can be monumental.

Before you go tossing me into the group of "some people" you think I'm in, I'm probably not. Something being goth usually makes me roll my eyes and it has to do something really special, not just try to get attention or piss off parents by being goth. I felt like this was goth done proper, without the insecurities that normally go along with it. I'm the same about pot comedy. I'm very NOT goth, but I am a pothead, and saying "look, its pot, I'm not supposed to be doing this!" is not a joke, though most pothead movies seem to think so. It CAN be funny and has been many times, just not most of the time. This movie truly won me over on its own merits, and it did take a 2nd viewing to go from like to love. Knowing where the music is going can usually make a second listen better.

I thought the Blu-ray looked nice, though my equipment isn't on par with this site's. It is an extreme upgrade over the DVD, and I thought the comic panels looked really nice. Even if you don't have the ability to do master audio, the standard DTS core on this disc still outclasses the DVD's sound. Is this movie for everyone? No. However, I think predicting who will like it is hard. My ultra-gothy friend would have liked it regardless, while my totally anti-goth friend would have had issues regardless (though he still liked it overall surprisingly). Even my muscle car building "good 'ol boy" (I'm in SC) friend that hates musicals typically, liked it. It doesn't jump in your face with a lot of catchy silly tunes like Rocky Horror or Hair or Grease, it takes itself mostly seriously (though comic relief is fairly frequent). It has songs, but it also has a lot of dialogue delivered along with the music, with someone singing just a line or two at times.

Definitely not a blind buy recommendation, but I would have been happy with one. Just my comments, no need to argue with me, I'm gonna like it. Even Paris Hilton being in it kept me away for a little bit, but then I liked it anyways, to later find out she was rejected for audition 3 times because her name would make the movie look tacky, but when they saw her try out, she fit the character. She does at that, I don't know if even she realizes the irony, but she is basically playing a Paris Hilton type in the world of Repo!

I can definitely say, whether you love or hate it, you will say you've never seen another movie like it, and that is something, especially when it was done based on someone's vision rather than what sells tickets. Some may say other movies like Rocky Horror or Sweeny Todd are similar to it, it is about as similar to those two as they are to each other. Yeah its got music and horror, end similarities. Not even the same type of horror or music at that.

[JackHunt]

I found the film unique and enjoyable as well. It's certainly different, but that's what makes it good.

Solid review!

[project-blu]

Originally Posted by Hastor

Definitely not a blind buy recommendation, but I would have been happy with one. Just my comments, no need to argue with me, I'm gonna like it. Even Paris Hilton being in it kept me away for a little bit, but then I liked it anyways, to later find out she was rejected for audition 3 times because her name would make the movie look tacky, but when they saw her try out, she fit the character. She does at that, I don't know if even she realizes the irony, but she is basically playing a Paris Hilton type in the world of Repo!

Ironic, no? I think the Razzies (Link) just gave her a nom and win for Worst Supporting Actress just due to their policy of having a person "win" multiple awards every year, to dogpile on someone. She can't sing worth a damn, but she wasn't the worst supporting actress of the year, by any means. great post, btw.

Originally Posted by jkwest

Great review, Nathan...I was really fond of it, as well..

thanks, and thanks to everyone for the kind words.

[cheez avenger]

Great review Nate!

[Lone_Gunmen]

I agree, great review. Paris Hilton isn't THAT bad in it. Meh, i'd still do her.