jamesbamesy
Taking the name of other films from before (including another slasher from 1987), Stage Fright (2014) is a recent obscure, independent horror film that brings back the slasher genre, added with a twist; that being it's a horror musical, with characters singing musical numbers and such. Now, when it comes to horror musicals, there are very few that have done it, but do turn out really good, such as The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Sweeney Todd (the Johnny Depp film). So, as this movie is a throwback to old-school horror, can it live up to its expectations as a unique slasher, or is it just another disappointment that is worth forgetting?Plot: 10 years ago, Kylie Swanson (Minnie Driver), a Broadway diva, is murdered by an unknown assailant wearing a mask, after the show is over. We skip to present day, and Kylie's children Camilla (Allie MacDonald) and Buddy (Douglas Smith) are now teenagers and have been raised by Roger McCall (Meat Loaf), a former lover for Kylie and the producer of a musical theater at a summer camp. When Camilla hears about the musical production that will be opening at the camp, she decides to audition, even if that isn't a choice for her. Soon, however, she does get the part as the lead role, Sofia, after sneaking in with Joel Hopton (Kent Nolan), a camper overseeing the auditions, and is now a lover for Camilla. Unknowingly, however, there is now a masked-killer (the same mask as worn from the death of Camilla's mother) who is picking off each cast and crew member, one by one. The reason? Well, he says, as in sings, that he's sick of Roger's musicals and is enraged by so.On paper, this does sound like a well-thought-out plot. That is until we get to the killer and his motivations. As cool as he was, with the metal guitar playing and all (in contrast to the much softer musical tracks), it just feels out of place and is like if you take a musical-comedy-drama and just throw in a slasher villain to make it horror. I know I'm being hypocritical, since that's what it is, basically, but the killer just feels irrelevant to the main plot, besides the opening scene and the reveal at the end. I won't spoil who's behind the mask or what the explanation is, but it is pretty odd and just felt, again, out of place.There are good things to say about this film, though. The acting from the cast isn't that bad, especially since we got notable stars in here like Meat Loaf and Minnie Driver (the latter only being seen in the beginning, making it feel more of a waste of potential). Also, the kills are pretty good, and the gore effects aren't bad, which is what makes many slasher films great. The characters are while some unlikable, others are fun to be had with, and I did feel sorrow for Camilla because of her mother's death, and her inspiration to be just like her. Thus, there are characters in which you have the good and the bad, no one that is really that boring.Overall, as a musical, it is quite decent, but as a slasher, it should've had more execution. Stage Fright may be a lot of fun with nice blood, a relatable main protagonist, and a badass villain when disguised, but it isn't quite enough to make it a good horror movie because of its focus going more towards the musical side, than a great B-horror, along with a bland motive for our main antagonist. If you like the musical genre, you'll most likely enjoy it. If you're more into the slasher-horror genre, then you might like the killer, but will be disappointed as a whole. For me, I thought it was okay, and had a good watch, but didn't really care for the musical aspects or the twist. Therefore, I give this movie 6 knives out of 10.
A_Different_Drummer
Let's start with country of origin.Lately the "smart" thing to do with Canadian movies is label them as US and hope no one notices. This is an attempt to remove Canadian films from the stigma of "for the money" productions which invariably results in some of the worst quality product in the history of the medium.(Here is an FYI -- the Canadian film industry was created by an eccentric "consultant" to a former Canadian parliamentary Secretary of State who worked for $1 a year and wrote the original white paper explaining how tax incentives could be used to kick start an industry. That was in the 1970s -- and the Canadian industry has been trying to hide from its crude origins ever since.) The movie is much much better than the reviews suggest. To start with, it takes brass balls (which BTW is a nautical term, look it up) to even attempt to combine a slasher film with a musical, and cast it (save for Driver and the irrepressible Meatloaf) with unknowns.But the ultimate test of any film is, and always will be, does it entertain?, does it connect?, and here the production is consistently of high quality and yes indeed it is a fun watch.This is also a "Lantos" pedigree film, which is meaningful only if you are student of Canadian cinema, a fact (as above) this film tries to hide.Recommended.In fact, if the film ever decides to come out of the closet, it is one of the most interesting Canadian efforts ever.
rps-2
I'm still not sure whether this was a drama,a comedy, a horror flick, a farce or a musical. It improbably combines elements of each. It's not a very memorable film. But it is unique and well done. The special effects are good if you like guts and gore. The cinematography is original and creative. The acting is melodramatic but thats what it's supposed to be. And, odd as it is, it's nice to see some Canadian creativity and originality instead of the usual Hollywood clone. (We live in Muskoka. Some of this film was done in nearby Parry Sound and in North Bay. But I'm wondering whether the summer camp was actually the college at Rosseau at the north end of Lake Rosseau. The school buses in an early scene were labelled "Hammond", the company which operates most of the school buses in the district.) Decidedly one of the most peculiar movies I've ever seen. Although it is not entertaining, it is interesting!
olivetart
My opinion on this movie changed SO many times over the course of just KNOWING about it. When I saw the trailer I was excited to see a movie that was basically a throwback to the old school horror films I grew up with... with more singing of course, but a throwback nonetheless. When I finally got the chance to watch it, I was a little disappointed for AT LEAST the first quarter, but it just kept building and building (mind you I don't like musicals at all so I was a bit out of my comfort zone). By the middle of the movie I was definitely glued to my screen, and when the killer finally made his grand entrance I couldn't help but to laugh out loud - in the best way. Anyway, to sum this movie up into three words, I'd have to say: Eccentric, fun, and HILARIOUS. Oh, and keep an eye out for them paying homage to a few classic horror icons. There aren't much, but if you're a junkie like me, they'll probably make you all giddy and excited. And finally, my best piece of advice when viewing this movie that no one ever seems to take - DON'T TAKE THIS MOVIE SERIOUSLY. If you do, you're gonna have a bad time...
