FS Grad/Saw II-IV Director Screens Repo! On Campus
Darren Lyn Bousman returned to Full Sail to show his new blood-soaked rock opera
Darren Lynn Bousman (left), Terrance Zdunich, Will Weyer, Dave Franko
Film graduate Darren Lynn Bousman recently returned to the Full Sail campus to screen his latest feature, Repo! The Genetic Opera, for students and staff. Darren graduated from Full Sail in 2002, and is best known as the director of the blockbuster horror films Saw II, Saw III, and Saw IV.
Repo! hit screens this November, and sees Bousman taking a bold step away from the Saw series with an unconventional blend of blood-soaked black comedy and hard-rock musical. That twisted originality has generated a substantial amount of cult buzz, creating a loyal fanbase to show up to screenings dressed up as characters from the film.
“Open up a newspaper, look at the movie section. What do you see? Sequels, remakes – rehashing the same thing over and over again,” Darren explained to the audience before rolling the film. “We wanted to do something that was completely different, something you haven’t seen 10,000 times before. So that was why we made this movie.
“And probably the biggest compliment I’ve ever had as a filmmaker is people are flying in from out of the country to see this movie because it speaks to them. Last night we had a guy from Puerto Rico who flew in with his brother to see the movie, before that we had people from Paris.”
That passion is understandable; two hours in a dark theater soaking in Repo!'s non-stop assault on the senses is likely to inspire some extreme reactions. After all, how many other recent films include song-and-dance numbers involving grave robbers harvesting chemicals from the dead, a repo man reclaiming transplanted organs from patients who don’t pay their bills, and a vinyl-clad Paris Hilton extolling the pleasures of plastic surgery addiction?
Almost as unique as those moments is the diverse list of artists who also became a part of the project, with the Repo! cast rounded out by pop-classical superstar Sarah Brightman, legendary actor Paul Sorvino, and Anthony Stewart Head, best known for his role on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
“Every actor we went to embraced it because here’s a chance for them to do something completely different, outside of the box,” Bousman explained during an exclusive Q+A session following the screening. “How often does a rock opera come along? How often does Anthony Stewart Head get to go in and sing and rip organs out and use bodies as a marionette puppet? This is not their daily lives, and they wanted to do something that they don’t get a chance to do.”
Darren was joined at the post-screening discussion by actor and co-writer Terrance Zdunich, as well as fellow Full Sail graduate, Will Weyer, a Flash developer and co-founder of the company Wiretree that produced the Repo! website.
During their hour-long talk the trio fielded questions that included any difficulties they had during the production, Darren’s future projects (“a romantic comedy,” he joked), and what attracted Will to develop a site for such an uncompromising project.
“Darren and I share the same passion of saying ‘We’re going to make this happen. I don’t care what anyone else says,’” Will explained about their collaboration. “That’s the reason I got involved. These guys are tying to do something different and I’m all about that. It’s about kicking in the door and trying to build your audience.”
The Repo! event attracted over 200 students from across the Full Sail campus, to which Dave Franko, Program Director for Film commented “was not only an incredible lesson for our current students, but also a very proud moment for our faculty.”
And as Bousman closed the screening, he echoed the sentiment, expressing his thanks to the Film department for being able to share Repo! with the future filmmakers in the audience.
“Hopefully you liked what you saw, and you guys will want to do something that’s different, that maybe isn’t mainstream,” he offered. “You have to think outside of the box, because you are in an industry where everyone and their brother wants to do what you’re doing. You have to figure out what makes you different.
“It’s your passion, your conviction, your belief in yourself which is going to make you a great filmmaker and get you elevated to the next level. I’m willing to bleed for this movie because I believe in it so much. And it’s that kind of drive you need to have.”
Repo! hit screens this November, and sees Bousman taking a bold step away from the Saw series with an unconventional blend of blood-soaked black comedy and hard-rock musical. That twisted originality has generated a substantial amount of cult buzz, creating a loyal fanbase to show up to screenings dressed up as characters from the film.
“Open up a newspaper, look at the movie section. What do you see? Sequels, remakes – rehashing the same thing over and over again,” Darren explained to the audience before rolling the film. “We wanted to do something that was completely different, something you haven’t seen 10,000 times before. So that was why we made this movie.
“And probably the biggest compliment I’ve ever had as a filmmaker is people are flying in from out of the country to see this movie because it speaks to them. Last night we had a guy from Puerto Rico who flew in with his brother to see the movie, before that we had people from Paris.”
That passion is understandable; two hours in a dark theater soaking in Repo!'s non-stop assault on the senses is likely to inspire some extreme reactions. After all, how many other recent films include song-and-dance numbers involving grave robbers harvesting chemicals from the dead, a repo man reclaiming transplanted organs from patients who don’t pay their bills, and a vinyl-clad Paris Hilton extolling the pleasures of plastic surgery addiction?
Almost as unique as those moments is the diverse list of artists who also became a part of the project, with the Repo! cast rounded out by pop-classical superstar Sarah Brightman, legendary actor Paul Sorvino, and Anthony Stewart Head, best known for his role on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
“Every actor we went to embraced it because here’s a chance for them to do something completely different, outside of the box,” Bousman explained during an exclusive Q+A session following the screening. “How often does a rock opera come along? How often does Anthony Stewart Head get to go in and sing and rip organs out and use bodies as a marionette puppet? This is not their daily lives, and they wanted to do something that they don’t get a chance to do.”
You have to think outside of the box, because you are in an industry where everyone and their brother wants to do what you’re doing. You have to figure out what makes you different.
Darren Lynn Bousman
During their hour-long talk the trio fielded questions that included any difficulties they had during the production, Darren’s future projects (“a romantic comedy,” he joked), and what attracted Will to develop a site for such an uncompromising project.
“Darren and I share the same passion of saying ‘We’re going to make this happen. I don’t care what anyone else says,’” Will explained about their collaboration. “That’s the reason I got involved. These guys are tying to do something different and I’m all about that. It’s about kicking in the door and trying to build your audience.”
The Repo! event attracted over 200 students from across the Full Sail campus, to which Dave Franko, Program Director for Film commented “was not only an incredible lesson for our current students, but also a very proud moment for our faculty.”
And as Bousman closed the screening, he echoed the sentiment, expressing his thanks to the Film department for being able to share Repo! with the future filmmakers in the audience.
“Hopefully you liked what you saw, and you guys will want to do something that’s different, that maybe isn’t mainstream,” he offered. “You have to think outside of the box, because you are in an industry where everyone and their brother wants to do what you’re doing. You have to figure out what makes you different.
“It’s your passion, your conviction, your belief in yourself which is going to make you a great filmmaker and get you elevated to the next level. I’m willing to bleed for this movie because I believe in it so much. And it’s that kind of drive you need to have.”
