The Devil's Carnival (2012)
The Devil's Carnival on Netflix
I was just bitching about the lack of whimsy in 'House of The Devil,' and moved on to this. This has whimsy to spare.
I think the last time I went this wide-eyed at a macabre but brightly coloured musical that is absolutely horror, I was watching 'Repo! the Genetic Opera' for the first time. This is not quite so melodic, or playing on modern styles of music, but you will not be bored. It's an R-rated 'Nightmare Before Christmas,' old Tim Burton when he didn't have kids or care about mainstream profit. Plus, having fun with the themes of Hell and sin, like Aesop on LSD, is always something I'll watch.
This thing is short-- 55 minutes, according to the Netflix bar-- I could've done with more, if it had stayed as strong as it did the whole time. If not, thank you for cutting it off before it turned to schlock.
This one surprised me, and was watched at a friend's recommendation, knowing my love for the aforementioned gothic musicals. And I'm glad she did recommend it, because it's easy enough to be cynical and say there's nothing original left in the world, and all horror is the same, but it really isn't. Themes often repeat, Character types endure because they become beloved and/or expected.
And then something like this comes along, plays with the Devil and invites us in, and we're charmed and shown a whole new point of view. I already have a favourite song.
I can't recommend this for just anybody. Some people don't do musicals as a rule (I don't know many of those people). Some people will be bothered by just how unrepentantly strange it all is. Some people will mourn the lesser amount of blood than in other films Darren Lynn Bousman has made.
But I was instantly charmed. So there's that.
Would you watch it again? Yes.
Would you own it? Yes.
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