Musicals are a type of movie that people tend to love or hate, but Hollywood can't get enough of them. Lin Manuel Miranda's In The Heights film adaptation is set to release in 2020, and Steven Spielberg is currently remaking West Side Story. Comedy and tragic romance isn't all there is to musicals though! They can have a dark side too.
So what's out there for the fans who dig a good song and dance number, but also live for gory thrills and chills? If classics like Hairspray and Grease just don't seem like a good time, here is a list of 10 dark themed movie musicals to check out.
Anna and the Apocalypse
The quiet town of New Haven is in for some excitement! Anna Shepherd goes to bed an average teenager worrying about her jerk of an ex and telling her father that she doesn't want to go to college when she graduates next year, but wakes up in the midst of the apocalypse.
This Christmas-themed zombie comedy is not only full of awesome zombie kills, but it also has great production value, an incredible soundtrack, and a lot of heart!
Repo! The Genetic Opera
Helmed by Saw II director Darren Lynn Bousman, and starring Paris Hilton, Buffy The Vampire Slayer's Anthony Head, and horror veteran Bill Moseley, Repo! The Genetic Opera is a rock opera that has developed quite a cult following.
In a world where organ failure is reaching epidemic rates, an organ transplant company named GeneCo is here to help, albeit for a price. But don't miss a payment, or the Repo Man is coming!
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street
A barber hell-bent on vengeance and a poor pie-maker team up to achieve both of their deepest desires, in this dark stage musical popularized by Stephen Sondheim.
When an innocent barber is falsely imprisoned by an evil judge, he returns 15 years later to get his revenge. Love, murder, and cannibalism! This musical has a little bit of everything. The feature film is directed by Tim Burton and stars Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman.
The Dead Inside
Written and directed by Travis Betz, this indie-horror musical is a mostly unknown gem. Wes and Fi are a creative couple in an artistic slump; consequently, both of their careers have become boring.
Fi suffers from intense writer's block for her series of zombie novels, and Wes is feeling unfulfilled by his job as a wedding photographer. They're not sure how to shake the gloom, at least, until their lives take an interesting turn when Fi begins to exhibit strange and unsettling symptoms.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
One cannot think of the phrase "cult classic" without thinking of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Tim Curry shines in one of his most memorable roles as the sensual, gender nonconforming, mad scientist - Dr. Frank-N-Furter.
The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a wild ride of a movie that brought the world many catchy hits, including the unforgettable song/dance combo "Time Warp."
The Devil’s Carnival
The Devil's Carnival comes from the minds that created Repo! The Genetic Opera and features many of the same actors, including Terrance Zdunich, Paul Sorvino, Bill Moseley, and Alexa PenaVega.
When three lost souls from one world to the next, they stumble into a sinister carnival run by creepy carnies and the Devil himself. During their time spent at the Carnival, they are forced to relive the sins that brought them there.
Stage Fright
A theater arts summer camp is the perfect place for an artistic outcast of any age, including an aspiring performer named Camilla who is determined to make it as a singer. She sneaks into the auditions and dazzles the counselors.
That is, until a murderer with an ax to grind begins terrorizing the campers and leaving a trail of bodies along the way. This wacky slasher-comedy has a killer soundtrack that is reminiscent of other dark, Broadway classics like Phantom of the Opera.
Little Shop Of Horrors
A nervous, flower shop assistant named Seymour gets in over his head when a unique flower he discovers turns out to be an alien species that only dines on human flesh and blood.
Little Shop Of Horrors has not only been a feature film but has also been performed on the stage, and it is currently in the process of being remade by Frank Oz. Big-name actors like Chris Evans, Taron Egerton, and Scarlett Johansson are in talks to star.
Cannibal! The Musical
Released in 1993 and created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame, Cannibal! The Musical is a comedy based on the 1883 trial of Alferd Packer – a wilderness guide accused of cannibalism.
The movie follows the of what supposedly happened between Packer and a group of men on a mountain journey in the dead of winter. Full of catchy songs and the irreverent humor that its creators are known for, this is a must-see for South Park fans.
Phantom Of Paradise
Much like Stage Fright, Brian de Palma's Phantom of Paradise combines rock, horror, Phantom of the Opera references, and a lot of stylized gore! Known for other creepy box office hits like the film adaptation of Stephen King's Carrie, Brian de Palma doesn't disappoint with the campy Phantom of Paradise.
First released in 1974, this rock opera follows a rockstar-wannabe who sells his soul for a chance for his music to be heard, but instead becomes horribly disfigured and doomed to haunt a nightclub.
