Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival

Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival[1] (stylized onscreen as The Devil's Carnival: Alleluia!) is a 2015 American musical fantasy horror film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman and written by Terrance Zdunich. It is a direct sequel to Bousman's 2012 short film The Devil's Carnival, but unlike the previous film, Alleluia is a feature-length project. Production commenced in August 2014[2] and the film was released on August 11, 2015 by Cleopatra Films.

Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival
Theatrical poster
Directed byDarren Lynn Bousman
Produced by
  • Chris M. Bonifay
  • Sean E. DeMott
  • Chang Tseng
Written byTerrance Zdunich
Starring
Music by
  • Saar Hendelman
  • Terrance Zdunich
CinematographyJoseph White
Edited byBrian J. Smith
Production
companies
  • Execution Style Entertainment
  • Limb from Limb Pictures
Distributed byCleopatra Films
Release date
  • August 11, 2015 (2015-08-11)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$500,000

Plot

Lucifer conducts a train full of condemned souls, including Ms. Merrywood, back up to Heaven. As the train approaches Heaven’s gates, Ms. Merrywood discovers a horseshoe pendant and the condemned souls begin singing hymns (‘’Shovel and Bone’’). In Heaven, God discusses the crisis with his top dog, The Agent. The Agent and The Translators, officers in Heaven’s police force, interrogate Merrywood about her presence and the pendant. In Hell, the Ticket-Keeper warns Lucifer that the carnies are not prepared for a war with Heaven, but Lucifer dismisses him to entertain a cloaked figure. Lucifer opens his book of Aesop’s Fables and reads “The Filly and The Lapdog” to the cloaked person.

In flashback, a new crop of Applicants arrive in Heaven, including best friends June and Cora. They are welcomed into Heaven and are offered a tour of the premises (‘’All Aboard (Everybody’s Doing The Ark’’). June defies The Librarian about banned books in Heaven and steals a Number 1 armband from The Designer, who keeps the Number 7s working in a windowless design shop, that starkly contrasts with the grandeur of the Heaven lobby (‘’Only By Design’’). June’s rebellious nature makes her and the reserved Cora wander around Heaven, only to be arrested and interrogated by The Translators (‘’Good Little Dictation Machines’’). The Agent intervenes, and there is a mutual attraction between him and June, which gets him negative press from The Watchword. When God becomes aware of this, he orders The Agent to seduce June to expose her heresy.

The Agent brings June to a bar, Club Cloud Seven, where his closeness with God leads him to be invited to sing (‘’Down at the Midnight Rectory’’). God arrives and serenades one of his girlfriends (‘’Cloud Serenade’’). The Agent and June’s relationship continues, always under the watchful eye of The Watchword (‘’The Watchword’s Hour’’). The Watchword confronts Cora, warning her that her lesbian attraction to June is forbidden and illegal in Heaven. The Agent gives June the horseshoe pendant Merrywood will find, telling her the story of Dunstan (needs clarification for relevance), which reignites her curiosity with banned material and she runs off to steal a restricted book. Confident that The Agent’s clout will protect her, she steals a book marked with an apple, suggesting it is the forbidden Book of the Knowledge of Life and Death, setting off an alarm. June is beaten by The Translators and tossed down an elevator shaft leading to Hell. Meanwhile, The Librarian instructs Cora and the other Applicants to denounce June, and spend the rest of the night restoring order by re-shelving Heaven's library with him (‘’Hitting on All Sevens’’). The Librarian tells Cora she will go far in Heaven.

June arrives at a weaker, smaller Carnival, with a younger Lucifer and Ticket-Keeper. She flees from The Fool and finds The Twin and asks him for a drink. The Twin obliges as long as she plays a shell game for her pendant. As the game goes on, The Twin shapeshifts into Cora, The Agent, and finally, June herself (‘’Fair Game’’). Upon losing, June wanders into the midway and finds Lucifer, who becomes inspired by her to turn the Carnival into something that can challenge Heaven. He helps her transform into The Painted Doll ("After the Fall").

In the present, Ticket-Keeper rebuffs several plans to attack Heaven from the carnies. The cloaked figure is revealed to be Painted Doll, who will play a role in Lucifer’s war with Heaven. Ticket-Keeper confronts Lucifer about his worries with the Carnival, offering to sacrifice himself for the cause. Lucifer first mocks and then refuses Ticket-Keeper's offer of martyrdom, and these two show a level of loyalty that seems to be an ironic take on the kind of loyalty God demands but does not return. Lucifer and Ticket-Keeper then examine the plans for Hell's War on Heaven. Meanwhile, in Heaven, God dispatches The Agent to face Lucifer and quell the uprising in Hell, giving him a book containing the story “The Filly and the Lapdog". Lucifer has referred to Painted Doll as "filly" and The Agent as "lapdog" throughout the movie and the story describes the relationship between the Agent, June, and the "owner" of these animals, God. The song "Hitting On All Sevens" also refers to the seven levels of angels as seven different kind of animals.

God puts on a show for the denizens of Heaven, mocking Lucifer in a parable drawn from the Dust Bowl and Aesop’s Fable “The Swallow and the Other Birds” (‘’Bells of the Black Sunday’’). Meanwhile, The Agent arrives in Hell and finds Painted Doll. She leads him on to give the carnies time to capture and poison him. Lucifer prepares for battle by applying war makeup. God stands in front of a microphone in an empty room, as his servants arm themselves for war. In Heaven, Merrywood, beaten and haggard, transforms, revealing that it has been The Twin all along. The Twin then poses as the Agent returning from his mission (‘’Hoof and Lap/The Devil’s Carnival’’). In a post-credits sequence, The Twin as The Agent serenades God (‘’Songs of Old’’). Leaving the future uncertain.

Cast

Soundtrack
  1. "Shovel and Bone" - Lucifer, The Twin (as Ms. Merrywood), and Lost Souls
  2. "All Aboard (Everybody's Doing the Ark)" - The Publicist and His Ladies of Virtue
  3. "Only by Design" - The Designer and Fillies
  4. "Good Little Dictation Machines" - Translator Bentz and Translator Batez
  5. "Down at the Midnight Rectory" † - The Agent, The Publicist, and His Ladies of Virtue
  6. "Cloud Serenade" † - God
  7. "The Watchword's Hour" - The Watchword
  8. "Hitting on All Sevens" - The Librarian, Cora and Applicants
  9. "Fair Game" - The Twin (As himself, Cora, The Agent, and June)
  10. "After the Fall" - Lucifer
  11. "Bells of the Black Sunday" - God, Cora, and His Ladies of Virtue (except Geraldine)
  12. "Hoof and Lap / The Devil's Carnival" - The Painted Doll, The Agent, and The Rosy Bayonettes
  13. "Songs of Old" ‡ - The Twin (As The Agent)
  14. "Alleluia" § - Heaven

† Order is swapped on film and soundtrack (film order is listed here)

‡ Performed during a mid-credits scene

§ Snippets are heard throughout the film, but it's only played in full over the end credits

Production

Most of the original cast from the first film are returning, with Zdunich and Sorvino reprising their roles of Lucifer and God. New cast members include Barry Bostwick, Ted Neeley, Adam Pascal, Tech N9ne, Jimmy Urine, Chantal Claret, and David Hasselhoff.[2]

Whereas The Devil's Carnival took place in Hell, Alleluia focuses on Heaven. In describing it, writer Zdunich stated that "Heaven in particular is a very different aesthetic than hell...think Golden Age of Hollywood. You have fancy suits and everything is tailored, an air that everything is perfect and glamorous, but meanwhile in the backdrop of that era you also have the Great Depression." Zdunich went on to say that the style would be "Clark Gable on acid."[4]

Bousman described the film as "[pulling] back the curtain on Heaven... and in 'The Devil's Carnival,' God and his angels are a whole lot darker than Lucifer and his carnies."[5]

Filming

A fifteen-day shoot was planned, but due to financial constraints this was reduced to fourteen days, concluding on September 2, 2014.[6]

Release

The official teaser trailer for Alleluia! came out on November 6, 2014, with the film due for a Summer 2015 release.

As with its predecessor, Alleluia! was screened via a 'Road Tour' across the US. The film premiered in Los Angeles on August 11, 2015 and the road tour kicked off two weeks later on August 26, 2015 in Tucson, Arizona. The tour ran until October 18, ending with an encore screening in Los Angeles.

The film's soundtrack was made available for purchase digitally from iTunes and physically from Cleopatra Records on August 7, 2015. According to the director at a road tour Q&A, the film is scheduled for a Blu-ray release on Christmas Day, with preorders available on Black Friday. The film was ultimately released in March 2016 as a Blu-ray and DVD combo pack, which was limited to 6,660 copies, similar to the home media release for The Devil's Carnival. The Blu-ray set also included a lyric booklet, a certificate of authenticity, and came packaged in a nylon drawstring bag.

Reception

Reception for Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival has been positive.[7] It holds a 100% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, based on five critic reviews.[8]

gollark: This is ridiculous, we should agree on things.
gollark: Why?
gollark: I showed you it, using my eyes.
gollark: Yes.
gollark: Done.

References
  1. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3892618/?ref_=nv_sr_2
  2. Yamato, Jen. "'Saw' Helmer Cuts Out Moviehouses On 'Devil's Carnival' Sequel". Deadline.
  3. "Danny Worsnop talks starring in musical horror film 'Devil's Carnival,' solo album, more - Features - Alternative Press". Alternative Press. Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  4. Lealos, Shawn S. "Terrance Zdunich Interview: Devil's Carnival 2". Renegade Cinema.
  5. Fernandez, Jay A. "Darren Lynn Bousman Reveals 7 Keys to Making Your Own 'Devil's Carnival' -- Plus the Plot to the Series' Next Installment". Indie Wire.
  6. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 5, 2014. Retrieved September 3, 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. Corrigan, Kalyn. "[Recap/Review] World Premiere of 'Alleluia! The Devil's Carnival'!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
  8. "THE DEVIL'S CARNIVAL: ALLELUIA! (2015)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved November 11, 2015.
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