CommentsXp Best movie ever!

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Kamila Bell This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

Fleur Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

GL84 Arriving at a special summer camp, a musically-inclined teen finds that the chance to reprise the last role her mother played has now earmarked her for death when a vicious serial killer begins targeting the others at the cast, forcing her to unmask the killer before it's too late.This one wasn't all that bad of a slasher effort. What really makes this one work nicely is the interplay between the musical numbers and the more slasher movie aesthetics. Due to the vast majority of the first half being built around the setup for the initial play, complete with all the traditional backstabbing and drama that occurs in such productions, this one really piles on the musical attributes by not only providing plenty of solid musical interludes to carry this one along. That way, when the film moves into the slasher aspects in the second half, this one has quite the steady background to build off of which generates some really enjoyable slasher set- pieces. The first attack, where the killer emerges from behind the video-screen and launches an attack on the lone figure on the stage of the theater, gives this a strong start to lead into the scenes of him backstage during the performance killing them off in a series of solid ambushes in the coatroom, a fine bashing in a steam-filled shower and a brutal brawl in the kitchen which is all rather fun overall. That really leads into the rather fun finale where the series of battles back-and- forth across the camp give this a nice bit of action while also managing to feature the fun performance being played during this chase backstage that gives this some dual action scenes with some comedy and a nice bit of action with some solid gory kills thrown in. Alongside the somewhat zippy songs being sung that aren't so terrible, these all hold off the film's somewhat minor if rather problematic issues. The biggest factor holding this one down is the issue of the musically-inclined first half that really keeps the slashing to a real low-point. Hardly anyone is offed much less attacked during the first forty-five minutes or so, and it does manage to really feel it with the extraneous scenes of the groups' backstage politics and backstabbing that carries so much of these scenes without really featuring any of the more traditional slasher sequences beyond knowing that a killer is present. This can make for a somewhat challenging start here for some who aren't expecting that kind of layoff for a slasher film and it does make the film a struggle to get through. The other issue here is the fact that there's such a low body-count here that it never really develops a chance to make the killer threatening by keeping him on the sidelines for such much of the film and then rushing through the finale. While some might not enjoy the musical aspect of a horror film that much, beyond these issues, the film doesn't really come off that badly.Rated Unrated/R: Graphic Violence, Graphic Language and a mild sex scene.

Matt_Layden There haven't been many horror/musical mash-ups in the film world. So when I saw Stage Fright available to watch, I thought I'd give it a shot. Much to my surprise, this was a well shot film. It walks a fine line of self parody with the musical numbers, but the horror elements all feel straight laced. The final result is an odd mix that I feel that I wanted to like a lot more than I eventually did.Broadway star Kylie Swanson opened the musical The Haunting of the Opera, an obvious spin on Phantom of the Opera. That same night she was murdered, the killer never found. Ten years later, her two kids help her old manager run an theatre camp for kids. The manager decides to bring back The Haunting of the Opera in an effort to be back on top. Once the rehearsals start, so do the killings.That Broadway star is played by Minnie Driver and her scene is in the opening of this film, that's all. The manager is played by Meat Loaf, his voice isn't the same as if Rocky Horror Picture Show days. The rest of the cast is made up by no name Canadian stars. Yes, this is another Canadian film. The deaths are somewhat creative. The killer seems to like ROCK and ROLL and absolutely HATE theatre musicals. There are a few scenes where they have fun with some red herrings, but not enough in my opinion. If you don't know who the killer is before the reveal, then you don't watch many films. The laughs are few and far between, as are the deaths. It honestly felt like they gave up on the musicals numbers for 2/3's of the film. This attempt at this mash-up tells me one thing. It's not ready yet.

Chris Stump I watched this expecting it to be a regular old horror movie.Holy cow was I wrong.I'm not going to spoil any of the actual plot, but the blend of slasher-style horror, black comedy and Broadway musical really works. Once the first song got underway I was, to be honest, somewhat suspicious. I'm glad I didn't just give up on it, though. This was a real treat.Although there is a fair bit of graphic violence (it is a slasher film, after all) there is still an inherent amount of a comedic element even in the murder scenes. The way that they interweave what would, under normal circumstances, be a reasonably good slasher flick with a musical is what really makes this movie stand out and be unique.While there are certainly better ways to spend 90 minutes, there are certainly also worse ways too. Dive in with a willing suspension of disbelief and enjoy it.

GlenFalkensteinTodaytoKnights I told some friends that there was a comedy-horror-musical mash-up at the Sydney Film Festival and was politely relegated to seeing this one on my own. 'Stage Fright' is an acquired taste, a film one could relish for one or more of three reasons and otherwise better avoided at the peril of a confusing, disjointed genre mash-up which can best be described as a combination of Phantom of the Opera, Scary Movie and Glee.Camilla Swanson (Allie MacDonald) and her brother are young kitchen-hands at a musical theatre camp where every year hordes of pretentious children come together to stage a musical. Their boss/guardian Roger McCall (Meatloaf) took them in ten years earlier after their mother (Minnie Driver) was stabbed to death by a mysterious masked phantom on the opening night of 'Haunting of the Opera.' The kids decide to stage a revival of the musical when a mysterious rock 'n roll specter begins to haunt the camp and pick off nasty students while the survivors, including star Camilla, prep for opening night.It's what it sounds, and there's three reasons to go see it, or not.A. Genre Mash-upFor those who like original experimental productions this may be just the thing for you with a relatively unique combination of genres prevalent throughout the film. In something reminiscent of Dr Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog (or for any who had the good fortune to see the staged version of Re-animator: The Musical) 'Stage Fright' blends gory themes and action with hoppy music to alleviate the tension of macabre acts of butchery like seeing someone repeatedly stabbed in the face. It makes strong violence, something that would otherwise seem excessive and gratuitous, an act of comic terror and delight. It helps when the guy committing these heinous acts does so to progressive 80′s rock on a six-string topped with a steak knife between the frets ready to go.It is graphic and there are genuinely frightening moments but 'Stage Fright' is more akin to the second half of Cabin in the Woods where everyone has kind of cottoned on to the joke and you can sit back and enjoy yourself.B. Pretentious wannabe Idina MenzelsIf you've ever worked on a staged production, or a musical, or even a short film, you have likely encountered them. You know who I'm talking about, whether its actors, creative, crew, whomever, there are many who believe that they are not so much better and more eclectically talented than their peers but that the very production is graced to have them and their radiant genius shine on the tattered mess that was this play before they arrived.'Stage Fright' really plays this up; the Director of the show envisions in no uncertain terms that a postmodern version of 'Haunting of the Opera' set in feudal Japan will really bring out the truth of the characters. Camp ringleader (who while having a character name is perhaps best referred to as Veruca Salt) undermines Camilla at every turn including attempting a fateful Carrie-esque red paint incident to ensure she gets the lead role in the production.The Stage Manager takes his job way to seriously and if like me you've been involved in production crews or revues or theatre of any kind you're going to appreciate the none too subtle competition between the characters and all-enveloping personalities of the most obnoxious children. There is a scene where they debate whether it is right to cancel the play following the death of a key crew member; for those who have experienced the drama before an opening night this barely registers as parody.C. Meatloaf is in a film. Seriously.I am a Meatloaf fan, and I am not alone. I saw him when he came to Sydney in 2011, my friends wanted to cancel their tickets along with many others after they heard him sing at the AFL Grand Final, but I convinced them to come along with me. And we had fun, there's nothing like 10,000 people screaming out Bat out of Hell being lead on by the man himself.For those of you who are Meatloaf fans and stuck it out with the aging artist you will thoroughly enjoy seeing him in a feature role. Even if his voice has diminished and his singing scenes are few, it is a pleasure to watch the man perform.I would recommend you see 'Stage Fright' if you can tick at least two of the three boxes, otherwise you will be very frustrated and in a perpetual state of confusion, much like the characters in this film. This movie doesn't go by the traditional ABCs of film-making, it makes its own, and if you're like me and tick all three boxes then go and have some toe-tapping fun.