I hope that people can watch this in 20 years time and think it was a brilliant piece of work.
Granted you can't compare it to other musicals such as Rocky Horror, Repo The Genetic Opera, or even The Devil's Carnival, but like each it stands on it's own two feet.
It is however a much more straightforward CHM. (Comedy Horror Musical)
Yes, you did read that right, it's a comedy horror. It actually has more comedy than horror. Not the silly slapstick comedy, but sometimes subtle, sometimes blunt humour spat in your face like a cool rain on a hot summer day.
The film starts as Minnie Driver's character Kylie has just finished performing 'The Haunting Of The Opera' and she stands backstage with her two children. Her daughter asks for her autograph, then her lover Roger comes in played by the wonderful Meat Loaf.
He tells her the right people were in the audience, and that they love her.
But when everyone leaves, someone comes back into the room wearing the Ghost of the shows mask. They cuddle, obviously making us believe it's the lovers as they flirt. Then out comes a knife and Kylie has a not very pretty death scene.
Cut to ten years later, and Roger is looking after the two children who are now in their late teenage years.
They own and run a camp for acting and singing and when the newest class comes, Roger wants to resurrect 'The Haunting Of The Opera', believing it will make him enough money to keep the camp open.
But there's a killer in the theatre, musical numbers spring up one by one as a killer who sings with a metal tune behind him picks people off.
To be honest there isn't much killing until the last third of the film really, but this gives it ample time to set up the full story of Camilla Swanson (Allie Macdonald) who wants to follow in her mothers footsteps and become the lead for the resurrected play.
In my eyes it was a great film, but it could have been better.
The main problem was that the obvious character who was the best was the killer, and they didn't have nearly enough screen time dressed as The Ghost.
My only other problem was the songs used. Obviously all original songs, they just didn't feel strong enough lyrically (except for one near the end) to keep the film really going. If you've gotten bored now, you've already turned the film off.
If not though, you'll have a blast and probably eventually sing along to the songs, but you won't think they're anything special.
Luckily though it had the right amount of comedy (sometimes bordering Troma like jokes), plot, horror, and horror film references in there to not only make it, but keep it a great movie.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
In all,
8.5/10
A great film from start to end. Could've been stronger in parts, but I can't wait for the Blu-Ray.