We rarely see the horror and musical genres come together to form a piece of media. It is even rarer for that piece of media to become a time-honoured viewing experience with its own adoring fans.
Horror movies are known for their iconic scary scores, but how often do you associate the horror genre with music such as showtunes?
Today we are looking at four of the best horror musicals (and one to avoid) ranging from movies to TV shows and even to the stage.
1. Repo! The Genetic Opera
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
Repo! The genetic Opera is a passion project directed and produced by Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw 2-4, Spiral), with humble beginnings on the stage.
This delightfully dark and campy flick stars many great celebrities, but Paris Hilton is the crowning glory of the cast for me.
If you like horror movies that are a little bit weird and want to have a totally new viewing experience, then you will see why we chose this one to introduce our top 4 best horror movie musicals.
This rock opera follows Shilo (Alexa PenaVega), a young woman who, since her mother’s death, has been locked away from the world by her father (played by Anthony Head from Buffy).
They live in a future where GeneCo, a medical services conglomerate, offers people organ and tissue upgrades with a devious caveat. Those who can’t pay GeneCo back on time are set to encounter debt collectors known as Repo Men – and they’ll cut you open to take what’s theirs when it’s time to collect.
Listen to the soundtrack below:
Soundtrack highlights:
- Legal Assassin,
- Zydrate Anatomy,
- At The Opera Tonight,
- Night Surgeon,
- Chase The Morning,
- Let The Monster Rise
2. Evil Dead: The Musical
Not many stage musicals have dedicated ‘splatter zone‘ seating, but Evil Dead: The Musical isn’t your average show – and that’s why it is one of our favourite horror musicals.
Evil Dead: The Musical was brought to the stage after a stroke of luck allowed the creators to license the Evil Dead for their adaption.
Combining the plots of Evil Dead (1981) and Evil Dead 2 (1987), Evil Dead: The Musical follows a group of rowdy teens on a weekend getaway at a backwoods cabin. Chaos ensues – but this time it is accompanied by song, dance, and plenty of splatter.
Packed with quick-fire comedy and call-backs galore, you will want to get up and ‘do the Necronomicon again’ with the cast!
Evil Dead: The Musical has dominated the stage, but through the power of its cult following, this show has also made its way to the screen with a filmed performance.
There is currently no official way to watch a copy of Evil Dead: The Musical online, but the cast album is available on most music stores and streaming services.
Listen to the soundtrack below:
Soundtrack highlights:
- Look Who’s Evil Now,
- Join Us,
- All The Men In My Life Keep Getting Killed By Kandarian Demons,
- I’m Not A Killer,
- Do The Necronomicon,
- It’s Time
3. Buffy: Once More With Feeling
Available to stream on Disney+, Amazon Prime and Hulu
This may seem out of place, even on a list as varied as this one, but the Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode ‘Once More With Feeling’ is an iconic episode amongst fans.
You only need to view this episode to know why we included this in our list of best horror musicals.
As you can guess, this episode has something for everybody – from the camp and creepy demon using his powers to coerce the characters to perform, to the elegant ballet between Dawn (Michelle Trachtenberg) and the demon’s underlings.
‘Once More, with Feeling’ explores significant shifts in the main characters’ relationships.
Buffy Trivia 🤓
Few TV shows have ever produced a musical TV episode as universally loved as this episode of Buffy.
It is said that, although the entire cast performed their own vocals, two actors requested to be given minimal singing throughout the episode.
The plot involves a demon (credited as ‘Sweet’ but unnamed in the episode) who forces the residents of Sunnydale to randomly break into song and dance, all the while revealing deeply personal secrets about themselves in their lyrics.
Buffy and the gang sing their way through another ‘monster of the week’ villain, under the impending threat of literally dancing until they burst into flames!
Listen to the soundtrack below or pick it up on vinyl here!
Soundtrack highlights:
- Overture/Going Through the Motions,
- I’ve Got a Theory/Bunnies/If We’re Together,
- Under Your Spell,
- Walk Through the Fire,
- Something to Sing About
4. Phantom of the Paradise
Available to rent or buy on YouTube and iTunes
This Brian De Palma rock opera debuted in 1974, and it was a box office failure.
The film received negative reviews from critics and viewers alike, despite gaining industry recognition for its soundtrack – the soundtrack for this horror musical was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe.
Since its release, Phantom of the Paradise has earned adoring reviews and emerged as a cult film considered one of the best in any ranking of the best horror musicals.
In the film, an inexperienced young singer-songwriter (William Finley) is tricked into giving up his life’s work by the famous music producer, Swan (Paul Williams).
After having his life thrown into disarray, the composer returns to antagonise The Paradise, Swan’s latest venue, by taking revenge while working on a plot to have his favourite singer, Phoenix (Jessica Harper), perform his music.
This unusual horror musical is a loosely adapted combination of classic stories, including Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel The Phantom of the Opera, Oscar Wilde’s 1890 The Picture of Dorian Gray, and Faust by Goethe/Christopher Marlowe.
Listen to the Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack below!
Soundtrack highlights:
- Special to Me (Phoenix Audition Song),
- Somebody Super Like You,
- Life At Last,
- The Hell Of It
Keep reading to find out which horror musical movie we don’t recommend!
One to avoid: The Devil’s Carnival
Available to stream on Plex
The Devil’s Carnival is Darren Lynn Bousman’s second collaboration with writer/actor Terrance Zdunich, who previously collaborated on the unrelated musical film Repo! The Genetic Opera.
Several cast members from Repo! return in this film, including Paul Sorvino, Alexa Vega, and Bill Moseley.
The story follows three recently deceased people who stumble upon a carnival that is located in hell and run by the devil himself.
Brought to the devil’s doorstep by suicide, misadventure, and murder, the three are forced to perform what it was that led them to hell in the first place for the devil and his subordinates.
My verdict – 👎
This film feels like a passion project for Darren Lynn Bousman and Terrence Zdunich, which makes me want to enjoy it…
However, its commitment to bizarre musical numbers that make little sense, characters so outrageously portrayed that even suspension of disbelief can’t bring them back from the dead, and a paper-thin plot.
The Devil’s Carnival has a runtime of less than an hour, and still, it feels like it overstays its welcome by a long shot. Watch it at your own risk!
So, this has been just a few of our favourite horror musical movies, TV shows, and stage musicals.
Hopefully you found something new to watch with this list! With such a selection, there is bound to be something for you to sing (and scream) along to.
We don’t think you should write off The Devil’s Carnival completely, but maybe think twice before sitting down to watch it!
We are looking forward to exploring the best horror musicals that we can find for future lists!
What are your favourite horror musicals?
The Couch Ghost 
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