The Devil's Carnival (2012) User Reviews (83)

I'm not sure I understood it, but I liked it enough to recommend it

[squirrel_burst · 6/10 · 18 April 2015]

"The Devil's Carnival" is very much a Darren Lynn Bousman's pet project. It's unmistakable for anything else and that means if you liked his previous work in "Repo! The Genetic Opera" you'll be familiar with the style of horror and rock opera presented in this short film, so you'll enjoy it a lot. The plot? Well I can't say I can really recall it very well and some of It is because it's confusing at times. I remember a lot of cool visuals, some similarities with Aesop's fables, demons, knife-throwing, Bill Moseley in makeup and Alexa Vega looking pretty sexy. In all honesty it's not my fault, this is a picture that you kind of need to watch more than once.

While the songs aren't as polished as the ones in his previous work, the sets and costumes are impressive and for a low budget production, it looks great. I found the story to be scrambled though, which frustrated me because I love the idea of this demonic carnival (and I've always wanted to see it done well since I saw "We're Back! A Dinosaur's Story). The upside is that if you like it, the picture is short so you'll be able to watch it multiple times to clarify the confusing bits. Similarly, it's a lot of style over substance and if at first you don't really care for it, it's just not your thing. It's a love it, or hate it kind of thing and I bet the way to really appreciate It would be to view it with someone who's already fallen In love with it and can clarify some of the plot elements or give you factoids on all of those cool little details. I enjoyed it enough that I think you should check it out, if only to see If It will be your kind of thing. (On DVD, November 15, 2012)

Original and Visually Stunning

[chickensgoodforthefunnyb · 7/10 · 12 May 2012]

'The Devil's Carnival' invokes a sense of wonder and morbid curiosity when you enter through its gates. The film's soundtrack lends to this childlike atmosphere, as well. Don't be fooled, however, as the use of Aesop's Fables as a storyline is something very unique and gives the Carnival a greater sense of maturity. Each fable is covered thoroughly and is made accessible to a wide range of ages by giving the songs a nursery rhyme feel. As a multi episode project, do not expect to have all questions answered, but for the sake of criticism there are some open ends that I would have liked answered, many of which pertain to the sinners brought to hell. I left the theatre not understanding what exactly happened to John's son (dead, but was it his fault or...?), why Tamara is going to hell (all teen girls must be going to hell if it's just for picking bad boyfriends), and why was Merrywood's trailer shot down by police when it looks like she just stole a bunch of things? The movie can be visually intense (strobe lights, fast movement, etc.) which can lead to missed details, but some things just didn't sit well with me. As I've seen one reviewer online write, I would have preferred a little more back story for clarification, even if that meant shortening/cutting a song or two. Overall, I can say that this is definitely a film worth watching, and I very much look forward to the second installment and DVD release.

Decently entertaining, but too rushed and simplistic for it's own good, "The Devil's Carnival" is fun, but flawed...

[TedStixonAKAMaximumMadness · 6/10 · 10 April 2013]

From Terrance Zdunich, creator of "Repo: The Genetic Opera", and Darren Lynn Bousman, director of the film adaptation of "Repo", as well as "Saw" II-IV comes the short film anthology "The Devil's Carnival", an insane, musical horror/comedy centering on three people who have died and ended up in Hell, where the must contend with various obstacles.

This is an entertaining, yet highly flawed film.

We follow John (Sean Patrick Flannery), a grieving father who committed suicide, Tamara (Jessica Lowndes) who trusts people too easily and was killed by her boyfriend, and petty thief Ms. Merrywood (Briana Evigan) whom was gunned-down presumably by police. All three awaken near the "Devil's Carnival", a twisted sideshow in Hell run by and populated by various demons, harpies and oddball characters, and of course headed by Lucifer himself. (Zdunich)

Meanwhile, Lucifer reads to a young child from Aesope's Fables, narrating stories that mirror the struggles of the three main characters as they are forced into dark, deadly tests.

The film is fairly simplistic and has a decent structure, and is populated by a handful of well-done musical numbers. (It is a bit of a Rock Opera, to be honest, similar to Repo) The musical numbers may not be too memorable, but they're an absolute blast, and are very well- written and performed.

Characters are developed just enough for it's short 50-or-so-minute run- time. Although the only character you will really care about is John, as he's far more sympathetic than Merrywood or Tamara.

The supporting cast (including Bill Mosely, Alexa Vega, Emilie Autumn and others as the cast members of the Carnival) are a lot of fun, but aren't really developed.

And the camera-work, though decent for a short film, is a bit too chaotic at times. During the titular musical number "The Devil's Carnival", the camera seems to randomly glide around rather than follow any sort of direction, which kind of distracted from it.

I also take issue with the pacing of the story. Well it is well- structured, the film bogs itself down too much in the first 10-or-so minutes, making the rest of the film feel needlessly rushed.

But for what it is, it's worth seeing. The music is good, the characters are memorable despite uneven development, and it's a fine little short film.

I give "The Devil's Carnival" a slightly-above-average 6 out of 10. Fans of Zdunich, Bousman or horror in general should check it out.

Whimsical and twisted

[rivertam26 · 6/10 · 24 October 2012]

Many a films have explored people's transgressions during their lives and their ultimate fates that await them. But never quite like this. The very creative film maker Daryn Lynn Bousman of the fantastic Repo! a Genetic Opera brings this whimsical inspired morality anthology tale to life as a horror tinged macabre musical. Centering on the souls of three innocent parties as they enter a carnival unlike no other possessing the choice of where they spend eternity through their actions. Although it's been done before in one way or another the films maniacal execution feels like something new altogether. Although far from perfect it's imagination limited by it's very low production values, bad sound mixing and generic cinematography the film always remains engaging throughout. Featuring of a cast of somewhat knowns like sexy Briana Evigan of Step Up 2, Burning Bright, Mother's Day and Sorority Row and the gorgeous Sean Patrick Flannery of Boondock Saints and Powder amongst a few cameos from the Repo! crew such as the always inspired Skinny Puppy and Paul Sorvino Devil's Carnival is not anywhere near being as great as Repo! due in big part to it's very short running time and not fully developed concept but at least there is someone still in the business that keeps trying to do new things flawed or not. Maybe next time around he'd do better to slow down a bit so we can relish in his twisted imagination instead of being stunted through it.

One of a kind experience

[aqos-1 · 10/10 · 14 April 2012]

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.

Great horror and music combined

[reelbloody · 7/10 · 5 January 2015]

Well that was fun, wasn't it?! This week we checked out The Devil's Carnival, written by Terrance Zdunich (rocked the role of Lucifer and also wrote and starred in Repo! The Genetic Opera) and directed by Darren Lynn Bousman (he also directed Saw II, III, IV, and Repo!). I have to say, for all the gore and scare factor that this horror movie really isn't (and purposefully so...it needs not a bit of it), it's replaced and undoubtedly supassed by a ton of literary fun and well executied Rock Opera.

I'll be honest: it's probably the band geek in me that makes me love this feature (as I did with Repo!). In my opinion, it just seems like a step-up in the game to do a horror/musical mixed-genre film. I mean you're essentially getting 2 layers of entertainment; 3 if you cound spotting cameos like Bill Moseley and Dayton Callie (of recent SoA fame).

Disappointed.

[deremna · 4/10 · 16 May 2012]

There will be spoilers below.. And this is my personal review. I realize that lots of people seemed to enjoy this movie. I just really didn't so I wanted to offer my views.

I'm giving The Devil's Carnival a 4 because I've suffered through much, much worse but I certainly wouldn't pay to see it again, either. I'm going to break this down in four sections: plot, characters, music, and costume/makeup.

Plot: While I like the basic idea of the film (Aesop's in Hell!), I feel like it was much too short to actually pull it off. I say this because any good story is driven by good characters and..

Characters: ..I couldn't have given a rat's @$$ about any of them. Their stories did not go into nearly enough detail for me to even develop a smidgen of care about them or their eventual demises. Ms. Merrywood and Tamara could have been completely left out for all I cared because they were such shallow, undeveloped characters. John was a little bit more developed but some decent back story on any of them would've been nice. As for the carnies, most of them needn't have been introduced at all because they don't really play a part. It seemed like a lot of time was spent introducing us to the carnival itself but not it's inhabitants. The set was cool but I was really hoping for the same caliber of character development from Repo! and it was sorely lacking.

Music: I was certainly not about to pay the 20 bucks they wanted for a soundtrack. My boyfriend and I agreed that this was probably the worst part about the film. Lines were repeated over and over and over until I wanted to stab myself in the face. Wick's song was so high pitched and screechy that I wanted to stab myself in the ears. I also might be a little harsh on the music because Ogre is one of my favorite musicians and he didn't really get to sing all that much since in the very beginning of his sequence, his character shape-shifts into the thief and the rest of the song is done by her.. and I couldn't even begin to really tell you any distinguishing lines from most of the songs because I would just zone out. I know the Repo! soundtrack by heart.

Costumes/Makeup: This was the best part of the film for me. I really think they did a smashing job on all the costumes and makeup. But much like hi-def video games with phenomenal graphics but little engaging story line, it was not enough to keep me interested.

As for the "experience", it was not worth the 50 bucks a piece I spent on the Ringmaster tickets. Two tired sideshow tricks from an ex- wrestler, a costume contest, a bit of Q&A, and 15 minutes of behind the scenes Repo! footage did not impress me. Also, saying that we can't have our picture taken or get an autograph unless drop 20 bucks on a soundtrack? Wow. Talk about fan appreciation. Never mind the fact that we already dropped cash on a ticket in the first place. My unsigned Repo! DVD, my boyfriend, and I left as soon as the lights came back up. I left the theatre wondering if the Avengers is really as awesome as all my friends say or if I should've seen Dark Shadows instead.

If you're looking for a musical movie experience, I suggest finding a local showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show if you have them in your area. It seems like Darren Lynn Bousman is just itching to turn out a cult hit like that anyway so you might as well enjoy the original.

Quirky dark film

[fillionsgal · 8/10 · 28 October 2012]

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.

It's not "Repo" but it is NOT horrible.

[bipolarcow · 7/10 · 5 December 2012]

Before I say anything this should be known. DO RESEARCH. Terrance Zdunich does NOT write for a main stream audience. This movie doesn't cater to a wide audience because it was not created for one. It was created because Zdunich wanted to make it. I found the use of Aesop's Fables clever. I found that the lack of character development was purposeful. Most characters didn't even have names but titles. Which I found effective. There wasn't much of a plot. That's because it was Aesop's Fables. What is my problem with the film though? Too short.. Though I am more okay with this because this is a trilogy which in my opinion excuses the brevity. The movie is chaos because its a carnival in hell and I think a lot of people miss that point. Is this movie great? no. Is it worthy of a 1 or 3 star rating? GOD NO. The film is just really okay. Nothing more but nothing less.

Heavy-handed and unremarkable--a terrible example of a musical horror.

[SmokingBomber · 2/10 · 28 July 2013]

Just because your movie brings together two fairly unrelated genres doesn't mean it is free from criticism, and "The Devil's Carnival" is bad, bad, bad, bad, bad.

The film follows the tales of three people as they explore the titular Devil's Carnival and they replay three classic fables. An interesting set-up with a lot of potential, but the writing is so heavy-handed that the message falls flat on its face.

As far as the plot is concerned there are a lot of good ideas, but watching the finished product is like a slow-motion train wreck. Nothing ends-up coming together. It doesn't matter if you have any good ideas for your movie if they aren't executed well. For example, there is this one gatekeeper-type character that keeps banging-on about "the rules" sporadically throughout the movie, but this never ends-up coming to anything and is left as one of many loose ends.

Most of the actors seem to be phoning it in for most of the film, which is particularly sad because there are a few people in this movie that working their hardest at giving a good performance.

All the shots are the same cookie-cutter bore: close up of the singer, cut to carnival audience, back to singer, slowly pan up from ground, repeat. This movie is "safe"--it takes no risks and gets nothing back from the audience as a result.

The music all sounds the same and the lyrics are not clever nor engaging. Rocky Horror Picture Show is a masterpiece of film, and I actually feel bad for having to compare it to this nonsense. Rocky Horror was clever and energetic--Devil's Carnival is just plain boring, with immediately forgettable song-writing and lacking any "spirit" of its own.

"The Devil's Carnival" is a terrible movie. Good makeup and good ideas are completely overshadowed by clunky writing, samey lyrics, unremarkable songs, and terrible acting and execution. Give it a miss.

A melodic romp to Hell

[ehgameraz · 10/10 · 11 April 2012]

I caught a screening of this on Easter Sunday which just brought a terrific sense of irony to the entire day. I am a big fan of Repo! The Genetic Opera and wanted to see if Terrance Zdunich and Darren Lynn Bousman could pull off another fantastic collaboration. I was not disappointed. The Devil's Carnival is such a unique film and it stands out from so much of the Hollywood hum-drudgery in so many ways. Firstly, the music was the very essence of originality and each of the singers/actors brought they're own different musical style to the film. The colors and the costumes and the sets were so very engaging and bright. Hell, even the extras looked fantastic. And, the whole movie had this amazing duality to it that really sucked me in. The dark and creepy atmosphere was contrasted by the bright colors and festive music. And even though it's a story about a carnival run by the devil, it's got a strange kind of morality to it. Sometimes I didn't know if I wanted to feel disturbed or elated, disgusted or thrilled. I love that in a movie! So, if you've got a taste for the "out of the box" movie experience. And, we're talking way out there, check out The Devil's Carnival.

Singing was terrible but the storyline was good!

[Irishchatter · 6/10 · 14 March 2016]

Well I decided to watch this short film because it was on my watch list for a very long time now so, I might as well check it out and see what its like. 

I really like the fact Briana Evigan appeared in this film, I haven't seen her do anything since she did Step Up 2 years ago. It was good to see her looking pretty as ever but I have to say this, she like the rest of the actors on this, aren't that fantastic singers. They pretty much sang like crows with badly sore throats, they really needed to have done more warm-ups before they could just sing on live. Or get bloody different actors who can sing brilliantly!

Terrance Zdunich who played Lucifer, didn't do a bad job with his vocals. Still, he could've made a little improvement with fixing his voice right. 

This short movie wasn't too bad but I wouldn't watch anything thats joined with this, such as the sequel. It just didn't make me entertained as I would've liked!

All the fun of the fair? Not at The Devil's Carnival.

[BA_Harrison · 3/10 · 25 June 2015]

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.

Gorgeous masterpiece

[lporcasi · 10/10 · 11 April 2012]

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!

Rating will go down dramatically...

[dremond82 · 1/10 · 23 October 2012]

First off, I'm not a reviewer. Aside from making my opinions known to my friends and family, I've never made much of an attempt at doing any formal reviews. I was so disappointed with this film that I felt it was my duty to save the vast majority of people from wasting their time with this movie. My girlfriend and I were on Netflix, browsing through the endless mediocre and bland titles, when we stumbled across a movie that had almost five stars! A brief look at IMDb revealed an 8+ rating! So we hunker down and prepare ourselves for what we thought was going to be the best movie we've ever seen. Unless you like musicals with no plot then don't waste your time. After doing more in-depth research as to how this show received such high ratings I discovered that it is a cult film for those people who have seen the road show (whatever that is...I'm assuming a low- budget Broadway type thing?). Unless you are one of these fans of the road show I can almost guarantee that you will be utterly bored as people with stage makeup and carnie costumes sing and hop around a circus ring for 50 minutes. Save yourself the boredom and waste of time. I feel sorry for the others who were tricked (not really anyone's fault, just a cult film with a small but loyal fan base) into watching this, but now that it is on Netflix it will lose its near-perfect rating in a matter of days.

Come One, Come All...To The Devil's Carnival

[wiezl04 · 10/10 · 9 April 2012]

If you were a fan of Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrance Zdunich's first collaborative effort, "Repo! The Genetic Opera," you are bound to love "The Devil's Carnival." On the other hand, this 55-minute film is much different from Repo! when you look past the mere similarity that both works happen to be rock-musicals.

"The Devil's Carnival" is the story of three sinners who all reach Hell after all dying simultaneously in a manner respective of their individual sins. John (Sean Patrick Flanery) commits suicide as the ultimate consequence of grieving over his son, Ms. Merrywood (Briana Evigan) is gunned down by the police after she is caught stealing and Tamara (Jessica Lowndes) is killed by an abusive boyfriend who she put undue trust in.

Each of the sinners are put through a test that applies to their particular sin with the help of a particular carnie from the "Devil's Carnival." Ms. Merrywood deals with the Twin (Nivek Ogre) and the Hobo Clown (Ivan Moody), Tamara deals with The Scorpion (Marc Senter), and John primarily deals with the Ticket-Keeper (Dayton Callie) and Lucifer (Terrance Zdunich). Various other carnies make appearances throughout, and the film is most definitely set up for a sequel.

**SPOILER BELOW**

Of the three sinners, only Ms. Merrywood and Tamara are truly punished, while John manages to escape the carnival by choosing to no longer grieve. Lucifer sends him straight up to Heaven, which in this film is personified as a toy shop where God (Paul Sorvino) is painting dolls and as he makes mistakes crafting the dolls, he throws them into a bin that says "broken," which represents the souls falling into "The Devil's Carnival." Allowing John to escape Hell is a direct violation of one of the 666 rules that the denizens of The Devil's Carnival have to follow, and the film ends with Lucifer declaring that the rules of Hell are changing. One of the most memorable lines in this part is "We're going to put Heaven out of Business."

**SPOILER END**

I thought that the story itself was extremely interesting, and clever that it was rooted in Aesop's Fables. The actors each did extremely well in portraying their respective characters...Every carnival character was so varied and distinct.

The music was wonderful as well. Whereas "Repo!" had a handful of songs that were extremely strong with some not so great numbers, "The Devil's Carnival" boasts a strong soundtrack throughout. My personal favorites are "In All My Dreams I Drown" and "Trust Me".

Overall, I feel this movie really is a must see. I have no clue when it's going to be released on DVD, but the filmmakers are currently taking the film on a tour around the country and doing a Q&A session after the screening. I attended the Los Angeles premiere and must say that it was worth driving down from Vegas. Terrance and Darren also revealed some nuggets of information about the next film in the series. They said that it will take place on a train and it will look at the carnival characters in Heaven's carnival. It sounds incredibly interesting and hopefully the interest in this movie will be strong enough to warrant a sequel.

GO SEE THE DAMN MOVIE!

Offbeat mini musical

[Leofwine_draca · 4/10 · 22 January 2018]

THE DEVIL'S CARNIVAL is nothing more than a filmed stage musical with a boisterous, camp atmosphere a la THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW. It was directed by a guy who did some SAW sequels and has a few familiar Hollywood faces in minor roles. The whole thing is short and snappy, obviously set in a single location, with a lot of effort having gone into vibrant costumes and powerful makeup. The titular location is a place where sinners repent by living their sins over and again. The songs are pretty decent but to my mind there just aren't enough of them.

More than a film

[surrylda · 10/10 · 14 April 2012]

This is far more than just a film, it is an experience in itself with the current format they're using for viewings.

I purchased the soundtrack before seeing the film & fell in love with it only to fall even harder for the songs & characters when I watched the movie.

All the dynamics exist in this dark melodious tale based in an Aesop's Fable type storyline. The cast is dark, funny & makes you glance inward when you find yourself rooting for the devil himself.

This is a must see for artists as you see each and every one of the characters betray their passion for the project & become The Devil's Carnival.

An incomplete film with catchy songs but no character development

[duckydan · 4/10 · 28 April 2012]

As a huge fan of Repo! I attended one of the Devil's Carnival roadshows. I listened to the soundtrack a few times prior to the showing and enjoyed the music. The movie however was a mess.

First, there is no character development at all. We never get a good idea as to who the victims who end up in hell are nor do we get a good idea about any of the carneys in hell or even the Devil himself. As another review pointed out the lack of blood despite a good deal of violence also put me off. Directed by Darren, the man who went on a rant about blood consistency and its importance on the Saw 4 commentary, the complete lack of blood during the whipping scene makes no sense to me.

The songs, as mentioned, are quite catchy and some are very good. My problem is that, the best song in the movie (and the one clip we've seen in previews) is relegated to the end credits.

I love Repo! (Even attended 3 of the roadshows for that film) but to me the Devil's Carnival just seems unfinished and uninspiring. Maybe when parts 2 and 3 come out it will become more coherent, but for now it is an episode that gave nothing.

Very Entertaining

[j_smyth80 · 9/10 · 12 May 2012]

I don't normally write these things. This film is very fun and the music alone is enough to move your imagination. You have to enjoy everything from the gritty feel of the carnival to the creepy Doll shop of God. It really pulls you in with a sense of wonder. This is one that nobody should miss. It is and will become a pop culture flick that sneaks into the mainstream society.

The performances were amazing. You can never go wrong with the chaos formula that Terrance and Darren have sort of mastered. Emilie Autumn has a fun yet elegantly wicked performance. You can really believe the Ticket-Keeper is a real creature of the pits thanks to the performance of Dayton Callie. Briana Evigan and Sean Patrick Flanery, do astounding job with their characters.

Miss this and you will be missing out on great music, story, and a little bit of lesson in morals.

Waste of Time

[isisgirly · 1/10 · 2 November 2012]

Forced by a rabid fan-girl to watch this and I want my time back. Rip-off of Aesop's fables done so badly with so little thought to logic that I the moral's are lost.

First victim? Why didn't the director/writers have her crushed to death in the weight of her greed and things that she stole? Oh no, we're just going to rip off her clothes and whip her for a bit.

Second victim? She "sinned" by trusting? Give me a break.

Third victim? Died of sorrow, wasn't terribly clear on it.

If you're going to take fables from ancient Greece and combine the Judaic-Christo "evil" character, at least put some effort into it.

Looked like they couldn't decide on what kind of costumes to use and just said, "f-it go to the flea market and take everything that you can."

A Definite Masterpiece

[baneshadows · 10/10 · 14 May 2012]

The movie it amazing, the storyline is so creative! The music is awesome and fun, the cast and crew were amazing, I thought the characters were portrayed fabulously and fit so well with the songs. I don't think they could have picked a more perfect cast, the costumes, acting, singing, lyrics were all stunning. I probably sound like such a fan girl, but trust me I could rave on and on about how great The Devil's Carnival was.

This movie/event really struck a chord with me. I loved the concept ideas when I first heard it announced and couldn't wait to see more of it, I instantly fell in love when I heard the soundtrack, listened to it on repeat for weeks and still do. I counted down the days until I could go see it. It almost becomes a part of you, you know? Its inspired me along with many others to create various fan art for it and even to explore our more darker sides.

The experience was incredible, you have such a blast as you journey into the Carnival, I felt so at home with everyone, I loved seeing the fans costumes and dressing up myself, meeting fellow fans and new friends, getting to meet Terrance, Darren and Spooky (who all were SO nice and friendly and such a pleasure to meet and chat with)...it honestly was the best night of my life. Gah, long story short- Its absolutely amazing, its truly an event you cannot afford to miss! If you liked REPO! you'll most likely love The Devil's Carnival! I cant WAIT to see future episodes! <3 If you can GO SEE THE DEVIL'S CARNIVAL! You will NOT regret it!

I expected something as good as Repo, and was sorely disappointed. (Spoilers are at the end)

[lacygabrielle · 1/10 · 2 September 2012]

Note: This vote 4 out of 10 was solely for the concept/ideas and the soundtrack. The actual movie makes me want to give it a 1. I am a huge fan of Terrance Zdunich, and have memorized his movie, Repo! The Genetic Opera, along with the soundtrack. I also read and very much enjoyed The Molting graphic novels that he created. So the art in the Devil's Carnival was expected by myself and others who went with me to be at par with his other works. The Devil's Carnival was a plot-hole filled movie with pointless parts and an overly-filled cast with under-filled scripts. This movie has so very much potential and the concept is beyond exciting. But I spent a lot of time and money to go and see this film. The opening acts were fun and entertaining, and the recaps of Repo! and other things were interesting to watch. But it was all just a hand waving in your face as you tried to focus on the crux of the actual movie. The movie itself had a great plot with so many interesting things thrown in that were left hanging (I don't want to say too much to spoil the movie). There were multiple HUGE plot holes that actually ruined the movie several times throughout the hour-long show, one in particular toward the end that infuriates me to this day. I am actually angry and insulted that this movie was portrayed to me as a consumer and fan because I feel it was half-done and rushed into completion. This movie had the potential to be an amazing, well-thought out production, but because of maybe cost or lack of time, it was thrown together with randomly inserted scenes that actually did nothing for the watcher.

All in all, the movie had so many good concepts and ideas, and the soundtrack is absolutely stunning. The acting is great and the different scenes were lovely to behold. But as for putting it all together, it was poorly done and enrages me because I felt so let down as a fan.

SPOILERS Plot Holes: Why would the carnies sing to each other of people's indiscretions if they had done these acts so many times, and why would the other carnies be so into the tale? The act would get old quick, wouldn't it?

Why is Lucifer reading stories to what he knows as the imp with not one of the three characters able to see or hear? This is a tool used so that the story can be told to the audience, I can get it. But why the Hell would Lucifer waste his time reading to one of his minions with no audience as if it really were John's son? This I can't ignore; I am not a stupid consumer, this can be done so much better.

What is the point of "Kiss the Girls?" Other than to freak John out, it seemed to serve no purpose other than providing me with one (and only one) part of the soundtrack to skip. Not only that, but they set up a kissing booth and have a whole kissing song set up for John and for what purpose? What does kissing have to do with John?

Why does Tamara trust the Scorpion SO easily when she had literally just been shot and killed by her ex boyfriend? What, did she just forget that it had happened?

This really irritates me: Why does the Twin sing about Russian Roulette and darkness, and then show Ms. Merrywood a game with cracking an egg? I mean... why wouldn't she be playing Russian Roulette? That would have been an amazing scene.

The makeup was well-done but had no story. It seemed as if the makeup artist wanted to do something different and interesting with each carnie, but there was no rhyme or reason. Why did the painted doll look like she had a black and white desert on her face, all cracked and sucked dry of water? The twin was green with his skin peeled off as if the artist just got some horror skin from any random halloween store and plastered it all over his face. Did he drown? What's that story? What's with the scorpion's random plastic hair? My guess is that these little things are to show that these carnies are all just a little bit "off" to the characters to maybe tip them off that they are in Hell (which, by the way, each character is a moron because they haven't figured out that dying means they are no longer alive)? Either way, the makeup was unexplained and lacking some serious concept.

I guess I went in expecting something as amazing and well-thought-out as Repo! And yet I left with this seething anger that I had all my thoughts shattered and my fandom left in shreds. I am still confused each time I listen to the soundtrack or watch Repo!, because I am still furious at the creators for giving me this piece of work.

The movie had sooooooo much potential with all of the ideas, but it fell flat because of stupid, technical errors and plot holes that anyone past the age of 13 should have seen.

Fun Independent Film

[landscraper75 · 10/10 · 25 April 2012]

If you want standard big budget studio drivel, then this film isn't for you. But if you want to see the output of true artists without Hollywood censorship, then movie is a must see. While it is in the same vein as Repo! The Genetic Opera, it is by no means a carbon copy. At no time does it feel as if we're retreading old territory.

This film plays with the concepts of morality and good vs. evil. It follows the plight of three souls condemned to the depths for their actions. In this case Hell is an old fashioned carnival full of colorful and depraved characters. We follow the further temptation and punishment of these poor condemned sinners as they navigate the surreal carny.

The real score is the music.(Pun intended) It's not a driven rock opera feel, but it is very entertaining. Terrance Zdunich referred to the music as being filled with "heavy metal tuba". I know how that sounds but you will enjoy it.

Foolish garbage

[jdennist · 1/10 · 29 October 2012]

The characters were total, complete non-entities. I didn't care about them.

The songs ranged from the mediocre to the horrendous; the lyrics were consistently clumsy and silly.

Atmosphere? Mood? Sense of fear, menace, dread? Don't be ridiculous.

Story? Sorry, that's not gonna happen.

And Terrance Zdunich is one DULL Lucifer. Seriously, he does nothing but read to a kid and glower.

I literally have no idea what one could like about this sludge. It's one of the dumbest, lamest, most shamelessly pandering things I've ever seen.

Oh, and it's supposedly the first part of a trilogy. God help us.