O Carnaval do Diabo

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.

I saw this movie last night as part of "The Devil's Carnival" road show. If you have seen "Repo! The Genetic Opera," then you are already a Terrance/Darren fan. This movie is the first in a series to be made. It deals with 3 people who die and land in Hell. Terrance Zdunich plays a very menacing Lucifer. Using Aesop's Fables, Lucifer associates one of the fables to each of the people, trying to discern whether or not they realize the sin that has brought them there. Lucifer picks specific members of his carnival to help act out the fables for the sinners. This is a musical and is beautifully done. I was not aware that Brianna Evigan had such a great voice. There are other stars that amazed me with song. I was mesmerized throughout her song. The make-up was well beyond expectation, especially for Lucifer and The Twin, played by Ogre of Skinny puppy. If you wait to see this movie on DVD, you will miss out on half of the enjoyment. The road show pulls you in and makes you very much apart of it all. If this showed in a local theater, I would see it again and again.

I loved Repo! The Genetic Opera so I thought I would at least like this. Did I?

Well, the concept was interesting and there were, like, two catchy songs (one that played in the middle of the end credits). However, I didn't feel anything for the characters and I found myself checking the time throughout most of it. As for the music, I guess I was expecting more rocky tunes like the ones in Repo. I quickly learned that this is nothing like the movie I saw 20 times (and counting).

The Devil's Carnival isn't the worst film ever, but it's not a film I would willingly watch again.

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!

You will either like this movie or hate it - there is no in between. If a blend of Rocky Horror and the Twilight Zone sounds intriguing, then I urge you to give The Devil's Carnival a try. The story follows 3 of Aesop's Fables with 3 recently deceased individuals going to hell. Personally, the location feels more like purgatory - where persons are given an opportunity to relive past mistakes but make better decisions.

The music, costumes and makeup were perfect for the movie - not state of the art, but definitely above B horror flick. Except for Sean Patrick Flanery and Paul Sorvino, I didn't recognize any of the cast (although I know that Alexa Vega had a role). I actually like independent movies since they aren't polished and perfected.

Find a trailer and watch before viewing the entire movie. If the trailer sucks to you, keep on moving. But if you like weird things like I do, give it a try. You'll be glad you did.