Rock musicals Repo! The Genetic Opera and The Rocky Horror Picture Show continue their sensationalist legacies through interactive Web sites and homemade shadow-casts
Repo! The Genetic Opera fans rejoiced when the 2008 opera-rock musical continued to tell its dystopian story through the debut of an interactive website.
The film focuses on the aftermath of an organ failure epidemic. Geneco, a biotechnology company, vies for the attention of the gullible survivors and offers organ transplants for a hefty price.
A young girl (Alexa Vega), determined to find out about her family’s mysterious past, stumbles upon the dark, bizarre and musical world of Geneco.
The film’s story mixes guts, rock ‘n’ roll and the theatrical fingerprint of grand opera. The over-the-top and highly stylized overture leaves fans begging for more.
The new Web site is sure to sate with storyboards and interviews on the making of the film, forums for fans, a merchandise store and a schedule of the theatres that will show Repo! The Genetic Opera.
The interactive Web site is ‘the next extension to the world of Repo!’ Will Weyer of Wiretree said. ‘Using the Web, we are able to connect with fans and continue to build upon and create new avenues for exploration.’
‘Rocky Horror’ continues to amaze fans after 34 years
Repo! The Genetic Opera’s spiritual ancestor, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, introduced the theatrical modern trend of shadow-casting.
In shadow-cast showings, live actors play out the story in front of the audience for an interactive experience.
Moviegoers should be forewarned that anything in the midnight shows is fair game.
Some poor souls who will attend The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Houston’s River Oaks Theatre on Sept. 12 might have to participate in a dance with Rocky, Dr. Frank N. Furter’s hunky lover who wears nothing more than a skimpy, gold Speedo.
Most crowds prefer to interact with film’s dance sequences, such as the popular ‘Time Warp.’ They also act alongside shadow-casters with props that are passed out at the front door.
With cult fans’ embrace of these bizarre, theatrical films, enthusiasts everywhere can now dress up or pay for a one-on-one experience with the film’s characters.
These two movies will offer insight into anodd, yet fun movie trend for many years to come.
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