Horror Pick: The Devil’s Carnival (2012)
While graphic horror and musical numbers may seem like two completely different beasts, movies like The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Stage Fright beg to differ. While horror is supposed to conjure thrills and chills, there’s also supposed to be an underlying sense of fun, and what’s more entertaining than hearing a slasher villain belt out an 80s arena rock ballad before hacking up a camp full of theater kids? The Devil’s Carnival is no different from those sinister sing-alongs, as director Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw franchise/Mother’s Day) and writer Terrance Zdunich (Repo! The Genetic Opera) take us on a unique ride through Hell’s playful house of horrors.
Focusing on three lost souls (one played by Sean Patrick Flanery) who are offered a second chance of sorts, they traverse through a demented version of Hell that’s set up like an old-timey carnival complete with a colorful cast of carnies that range from a hobo clown (Five Finger Death Punch‘s Ivan Moody) to a “painted doll” (Emilie Autumn). Bill Moseley plays a Magician, Alexa Vega scores a role, Paul Sorvino plays God and Zdunich himself embodies Lucifer, but each major star is truly given their chance to shine. Being a big Moody fan myself, it’s an absolute blast watching him use a more subdued voice to croon a sob story instead of his typical gravelly voice, but that’s the beauty of The Devil’s Carnival – so many talents come together for roles that show tremendous depth and range. Oh, and Emilie Autumn. Meeeoooowwww.
The whole hellish period atmosphere also plays into the aesthetically unique feel of a 50s burlesque show, as costumes and settings go above and beyond to create a truly unique horror experience. Just like a proper stage show, a microscopic attention to detail creates vivid characters unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, the most obvious being Zdunich’s satanic getup. His red skin is so vibrant, the horns so twisted, his clothes so interesting – Bousman brings a meaty vision to this hybrid rock opera that doesn’t make Zdunich’s songs the sole star of the show.
The Devil’s Carnival is an entertaining three-ringed circus from Hell about the sins we commit and how we attempt to redeem ourselves (or not), but there’s also a ton of really cleverly constructed musical bits that let numerous talents from a whole range of genres try their hand at being evil. Some don’t need the help, while others relish their devious personalities – but everyone has an absolute blast. The Devil’s Carnival is the ultimate passion project, and I can only hope the sequel I reported on back in December 2012 will finally see the light of day!