Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), the leading independent filmed entertainment studio and Twisted Pictures announced today that many of the top rock musicians were enlisted to record music for the REPO! THE GENETIC OPERA soundtrack. Principal photography for the film was completed last month in Toronto, Canada. The film was produced by Daniel Heffner, Carl Mazzocone, Mark Burg and Oren Koules.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20071206/LATH09 )
The film was directed by Darren Bousman, a longtime member of the Twisted Pictures and Lionsgate families, having directed the past three installments of the wildly successful SAW franchise, including the recent smash hit SAW IV.
Terrence Zdunich and Darren Smith, co-creators of the original New York and Los Angeles stage production upon which the film is based, wrote the film's screenplay, music and lyrics.
Prior to the shoot, a two-month recording of the film's soundtrack and score took place at Extasy Studios in Los Angeles. Japanese musician and composer Yoshiki Haysahi (better known simply as Yoshiki) from the legendary rock band X-Japan produced the music together with Joe Bishara. Executive Producer Jonathan McHugh, also served as the music supervisor. "This is by far the most ambitious and unique project I've ever worked on," raved McHugh. "The amalgamation of musical genres from pop to heavy metal and rap, to name just a few, really blends together to create one of the most diverse soundtracks in movie history and is destined to modernize the 'rock opera' in a big way."
An all-star assemblage of songs will make up the soundtrack. Among the musicians featured are Richard Patrick (Filter), Steven Perkins (Jane's Addiction), Clown (Slipknot), Ray Luzier (Army of Anyone), Brian Young (David Lee Roth's band), Richard Fortus (Guns & Roses), Sonny Moore (First to Last), David J (Bauhaus/Love & Rockets), Daniel Ash (Love & Rockets), Blasko (Ozzy Osborne), Tommy Clefetus (Rob Zombie's band), Melora Creager (Rasputina). Also lending her voice to the soundtrack is the edgy pop star Poe.
"We've been fans of many of these bands for a long time and it was a dream come true to assemble such an all-star roster of musicians," exclaimed Burg and Koules. "They really hit all the right notes in bringing the bizarre fantasy world of the film to life.
"The production's musically inclined cast (all of the actors performed their own songs) includes: Anthony Head, whom fans will remember from his turn in Buffy the Vampire Slayer including the highly regarded musical episode; Paul Sorvino, a classically trained opera singer in his first movie musical role; Alexa Vega, most recently made her Broadway debut as Penny Pingleton in Hairspray; Paris Hilton, whose debut album Paris was released in 2006 and reached #6 on the Billboard album chart, along with Bill Moseley, who in addition to his well known horror roles in House of a 1000 Corpses and The Devils Rejects, is also a member of the band Cornbugs with Guns N' Roses guitar player Buckethead. Rounding out the electrifying cast are internationally renowned recording artist Sarah Brightman in her first ever movie role and performance artist Kevin "Ogre" Ogilvie, best known as the frontman for the experimental industrial band Skinny Puppy.
In the year 2056 -- the not so distant future -- an epidemic of organ failures devastates the planet. Out of the tragedy, a savior emerges: GeneCo, a biotech company that offers organ transplants ... for a price. Those who miss their payments are scheduled for repossession and hunted by villainous Repo Men. In a world where surgery addicts are hooked on painkilling drugs and murder is sanctioned by law, a sheltered young girl searches for the cure to her own rare disease as well as information about her family's mysterious history. After being sucked into the haunting world of GeneCo, she is unable to turn back, as all of her questions will be answered at the wildly anticipated spectacular event: The Genetic Opera.
ABOUT TWISTED PICTURES -- Twisted Pictures is helmed by Mark Burg and Oren Koules. SAW was the first feature released by the company, and the SAW franchise, distributed by Lionsgate, has become the most profitable horror franchises of all time. Twisted also produced CATACOMBS, also part of the nine-picture deal between Twisted and Lionsgate. The Company's most recent feature SAW IV was released on October 26th, 2007, grossing $32.1 million on its opening weekend.
ABOUT LIONSGATE -- Lionsgate is the leading independent filmed entertainment studio, winning the 2005 Best Picture Academy Award ® for Crash, and the Company is a premier producer and distributor of motion pictures, television programming, home entertainment, family entertainment and video-on-demand content. Its prestigious and prolific library of nearly 12,000 motion picture titles and television episodes is a valuable source of recurring revenue and a foundation for the growth of the Company's core businesses. The Lionsgate brand is synonymous with original, daring, quality entertainment in markets around the globe.
http://www.lionsgate.com/
For further information, contact:
For Lionsgate:
Stacey Mooradian
310 255 4921
[email protected]
Sarah Greenberg
310-255-3856
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For corporate inquiries, please contact:
Peter D. Wilkes
310-255-3726
[email protected]
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SOURCE: Lionsgate
CONTACT: Stacey Mooradian, +1-310-255-4921, [email protected], or
Sarah Greenberg, +1-310-255-3856, [email protected], or corporate
inquiries, Peter D. Wilkes, +1-310-255-3726, [email protected], all of
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