The Devil's Carnival DVD Blu-ray Movie Review

The Devil's Carnival DVD Blu-ray Movie Review
Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman. Starring Terrance Zdunich, Emilie Autumn, Jessica Loundes, Briana Evigan, Sean Patrick Flanery and Marc Senter.
By:stacilayne
Updated: 10-21-2012

The Devil's Carnival isn't so much a movie as it is a musical blueprint for a raging road tour which swept the nation for most of the year, as director Darren Lynn Bousman and his brethren presented the film live — carnival style.

 

The first in an episodic tale of morbid morality, The Devil's Carnival introduces us to Lucifer (Terrance Zdunich) and God (Paul Sorvino) as well as some of the pawns in their great play. Sean Patrick Flanery is John, a grieving father who takes his own life and must be punished for what God sees as the ultimate sin. Briana Evigan is Merrywood, a greedy thief who's slain in a shootout with the police, but her battle isn't over yet. Trusting Tamara (Jessica Lowndes) is killed by her abusive boyfriend, but her pain has only just begin.

 

Once they enter the not-so-pearly gates of the Carnival, each of the sinners is given a moral challenge which is reminiscent of their mortal distress. Lucifer looks on, stacking the decks and adjusting the scales as necessary and reading incantations from a magically imbued tome of Aesop's Fables.

 

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YOU CAN WIN A COPY OF THE RINGMASTER EDITION!

Just send an email to this address for details, before October 31, 2012 (midnight)

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Hopefully, as we delve deeper into the world of the wicked and the righteous, we'll see the roles of Lucifer and God expanded; the two most interesting characters are actually seen the least. Emilie Autumn, as Broken Doll, is a sick, sexy, twisted temptress, and I also hope to see more of her in subsequent installments. Dayton Callie, as the Ticket-Taker, is creepy and cool, while Alexa Vega as Wick is, well… wicked!

 

Those who know director Darren Lynn Bousman's theatrical sensibilities coupled with the DIY spirit in which the film was made will appreciate that The Devil's Carnival looks like a million bucks. Bursting at the seams with burlesque beauty, each character is costumed to the nines, and each number is danced on a set also dressed to the nines. Exploiting practical locations, shooting at night, and putting an edgy twist on costumes which are at once ragged and ritzy, the viewer is treated to oodles of eye (cotton)candy all the way.

 

The songs, written by Zdunich and Saar Hendelman, are catchy and clever – especially A Penny For A Tale (sung by Ivan Moody of Five-Finger Death Punch), Grace for Sale (sung by Zdunich), and In All My Dreams I Drown (Zdunich and Jessica Loundes).

 

That's just about 60 minutes or so of what you will see, if you watch the feature alone. Add to it a few more hours worth of commentaries (three!) and behind the scenes features (three!) there is lots and lots to take in.

 

Catering directly (and wisely) to the fanbase built upon their Repo! The Genetic Opera legacy, the filmmakers offer lots from the alumni. One commentary is even entitled 'Repo! Reunion' and offers insights (and shenanigans) from Bousman, Zdunich and actors Bill Moseley, Ogre, Paul Sorvino and Alexa Vega.

 

 

Here's a brief rundown on the features:

 

• Audio commentary by Bousman and Zdunich

 

This was the best commentary, in my opinion, as it offers up the most solid information on the making of the film, thoughts on the casting, how the songs evolved, and what it was like to see the first rough cut.

 

• Audio commentary by actors Emilie Autumn, Briana Evigan, Sean Patrick Flanery and Marc Senter

 

These guys are goofballs! Especially Sean, who's obviously a music lover and rock fan, what with his constant referencing (to Elton John song lyrics, disco naps, and something about tickets to Aerosmith). Briana talks a little bit about having worked with Bousman before, and relays the tale of how she was brought on at the last minute for this, but mostly the actors just laugh and scratch.

 

• “REPO Reunion” audio commentary by Bousman, Zdunich and actors Bill Moseley, Ogre, Paul Sorvino and Alexa Vega

 

It's easy to see why Sorvino was cast as God in The Devil's Carnival, as he's quite the attention-seeker and has the biggest, booming voice… his stories are funny as hell, too! When he and Moseley get into asides about Red Foxx's bedroom in Las Vegas in the 70s and its display of caged monkeys placed there to watch Foxx's amorous antics… well, I have no idea what they were talking about or how they got on that aside, but it was entertaining nonetheless. There're also a couple of interruptions from a pizza delivery guy, and via the phone from J La Rose (a Bousman regular; pretty sure he has been in everything Darren's done).

 

• “The Devil Made Me Do It: The Making of THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL” featurette

 

A densely detailed, yet easy and fun to follow featurette, this is the one to see if you're just a casual fan. Starting from inception 12 years ago when the kernel of an idea was just that in Bousman's brain to Zdunich's fleshing it out and giving it shape now, the doc also goes into behind the scenes footage, sit-down interviews with the actors, and the reminder that "subtlety wasn't part of the equation". Interviewees include  (but are definitely not limited to) SpookyDan Walker, Emilie Autumn, and Bill Moseley (who shares a particularly interesting story about not only working with live bunnies on set but how he somehow psychically summoned Roger Rabbit to do his signing for him in the recording studio!).

 

• “A Devil of a Time: The DEVIL’S CARNIVAL Road Tour” featurette

 

• “The Devil’s in the Details: The Special Makeup & Prosthetic Effects of THE DEVIL’S CARNIVAL” featurette

 

• Theatrical trailer and web teasers

 

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The Ringmaster Edition Blu-ray and DVD set is limited to 6,660 numbered copies and boasts a collectible booklet with all of the lyrics from the movie.

 

YOU CAN WIN A COPY OF THE RINGMASTER EDITION!

Just send an email to this address for details, before October 31, 2012 (midnight)

 

This edition also features over two hours of never-before-seen footage of The Devil’s Carnival including Making of, Road Tour and Special Makeup & Prosthetic Effects featurettes as well as exclusive audio commentary tracks by Darren Lynn Bousman, Terrance Zdunich, and TDC's cast and crew. The Sinner Edition DVD and Expanded Soundtrack present an exclusive behind-the-scenes music featurette and audio commentary track as well as an augmented 18-track CD.

 

On October 23rd The Devil’s Carnival will be available on Blu-ray, DVD, iTunes, Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

 

Ringmaster Editions are available exclusively from the official website for The Devil's Carnival, and Sinner Editions can be purchased only at Hot Topic retail stores.

 

 

Latest User Comments:
[QUOTE=Repo'd;1001593]I love hearing that, Jake. I know you worked on the promotion and such. I'm a little jealous but mostly very happy for you. ::big grin::[/QUOTE] We went to this place across the street from the Tivoli theater called the Pinup Bowl in The Loop in St. Louis. Its only got six lanes but it was a blast. Bill Mosely was there but instead of bowling he went back to the hotel and went to bed. I still have some cool little promo posters and handouts that we covered St. Louis with. It was really a lot of fun.
10-01-2015 by Jake.Ashworth discuss
[QUOTE=Jake.Ashworth;1001560]I still remember going to see Repo when it toured. I got to bowl with Terrance and Darren.[/QUOTE] I love hearing that, Jake. I know you worked on the promotion and such. I'm a little jealous but mostly very happy for you. ::big grin::
10-01-2015 by Repo'd discuss
I still remember going to see Repo when it toured. I got to bowl with Terrance and Darren.
09-30-2015 by Jake.Ashworth discuss
Same here! Going to see it in Baltimore and Philly in September.::love::
08-28-2015 by Repo'd discuss
devils carnival 2!
soooooooooo excited for the second one!
08-28-2015 by kitty3 discuss