The Devil's Carnival

As a huge fan of Repo! I attended one of the Devil's Carnival roadshows. I listened to the soundtrack a few times prior to the showing and enjoyed the music. The movie however was a mess.

First, there is no character development at all. We never get a good idea as to who the victims who end up in hell are nor do we get a good idea about any of the carneys in hell or even the Devil himself. As another review pointed out the lack of blood despite a good deal of violence also put me off. Directed by Darren, the man who went on a rant about blood consistency and its importance on the Saw 4 commentary, the complete lack of blood during the whipping scene makes no sense to me.

The songs, as mentioned, are quite catchy and some are very good. My problem is that, the best song in the movie (and the one clip we've seen in previews) is relegated to the end credits.

I love Repo! (Even attended 3 of the roadshows for that film) but to me the Devil's Carnival just seems unfinished and uninspiring. Maybe when parts 2 and 3 come out it will become more coherent, but for now it is an episode that gave nothing.

Many a films have explored people's transgressions during their lives and their ultimate fates that await them. But never quite like this. The very creative film maker Daryn Lynn Bousman of the fantastic Repo! a Genetic Opera brings this whimsical inspired morality anthology tale to life as a horror tinged macabre musical. Centering on the souls of three innocent parties as they enter a carnival unlike no other possessing the choice of where they spend eternity through their actions. Although it's been done before in one way or another the films maniacal execution feels like something new altogether. Although far from perfect it's imagination limited by it's very low production values, bad sound mixing and generic cinematography the film always remains engaging throughout. Featuring of a cast of somewhat knowns like sexy Briana Evigan of Step Up 2, Burning Bright, Mother's Day and Sorority Row and the gorgeous Sean Patrick Flannery of Boondock Saints and Powder amongst a few cameos from the Repo! crew such as the always inspired Skinny Puppy and Paul Sorvino Devil's Carnival is not anywhere near being as great as Repo! due in big part to it's very short running time and not fully developed concept but at least there is someone still in the business that keeps trying to do new things flawed or not. Maybe next time around he'd do better to slow down a bit so we can relish in his twisted imagination instead of being stunted through it.

I have been a fan of Mr. Zdunich's comic series "The Molting" and 2008's "Repo The Genetic Opera" for years. When I heard about "The Devil's Carnival" being made, it's creators were cryptic as ever about what it actually WAS, but just knowing what I did about the people involved, I knew it was going to be artwork of epic proportions. I bought VIP tickets for the first stop of the Road Tour the instant they became available, and put the soundtrack on repeat in iTunes. It did NOT disappoint by any stretch. This show is AMAZING. As usual, the acting and singing talents displayed give the audience a trip into their own souls. Costuming, makeup, and set design were superbly rendered to truly make you FEEL what was happening. The electricity in the theatre could be seen, heard, touched, and tasted as brilliant and beautiful people, music, and colors assaulted us. Check out the cities/dates for the remainder of the road tour and go see it if you have the chance. You'll be blown away!

Just because your movie brings together two fairly unrelated genres doesn't mean it is free from criticism, and "The Devil's Carnival" is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

The film follows the tales of three people as they explore the titular Devil's Carnival and they replay three classic fables. An interesting set-up with a lot of potential, but the writing is so heavy-handed that the message falls flat on its face.

As far as the plot is concerned there are a lot of good ideas, but watching the finished product is like a slow-motion train wreck. Nothing ends-up coming together. It doesn't matter if you have any good ideas for your movie if they aren't executed well. For example, there is this one gatekeeper-type character that keeps banging-on about "the rules" sporadically throughout the movie, but this never ends-up coming to anything and is left as one of many loose ends.

Most of the actors seem to be phoning it in for most of the film, which is particularly sad because there are a few people in this movie that working their hardest at giving a good performance.

All the shots are the same cookie-cutter bore: close up of the singer, cut to carnival audience, back to singer, slowly pan up from ground, repeat. This movie is "safe"--it takes no risks and gets nothing back from the audience as a result.

The music all sounds the same and the lyrics are not clever nor engaging. Rocky Horror Picture Show is a masterpiece of film, and I actually feel bad for having to compare it to this nonsense. Rocky Horror was clever and energetic--Devil's Carnival is just plain boring, with immediately forgettable song-writing and lacking any "spirit" of its own.

"The Devil's Carnival" is a terrible movie. Good makeup and good ideas are completely overshadowed by clunky writing, samey lyrics, unremarkable songs, and terrible acting and execution. Give it a miss.

A trio of lost souls wake to find themselves as guests at a hellish carnival where the performers proceed to involve them in the telling of three fables (as recounted by the devil).

They say that the devil has all the best tunes, but that's certainly not the case with this bizarre musical horror from director Darren Lynn Bousman: the songs in The Devil's Carnival, some of which are belted out by Old Nick himself, are absolutely atrocious—whimsical, tuneless tracks that seriously grate on the nerves.

The rest of the film isn't much cop either: the whole 'scary carnival' routine is extremely old hat, and when the show's grotesque characters aren't bursting into song, they're indulging in all manner of kooky behaviour that proves almost as irritating as their wretched warbling.

I was a big fan of Bousman's previous horror musical Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), which I could happily watch again, but this attempt at mixing tunes with terror is a travesty that doesn't bear repeating.

3/10 for the colourful lighting, creative costumes and Briana Evigan.