BWW CD Reviews: Lakeshore Records' STAGE FRIGHT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Is What It Is

Fall is upon us. As the air grows crisper and retailers shove pumpkin spice everything down the throats of consumers, stories of gory murderous rampage grab our attention. Whether you love it, hate it, or haven't seen it, Jerome Sable's STAGE FRIGHT, starring Allie MacDonald and Meat Loaf, has Halloween 2014 written all over it. Recently, the physical album of the film's original motion picture soundtrack was released, scratching the itches of musical horror fanatics' lust for theatrical bloodshed.

Like all cult horror classics, STAGE FRIGHT has not been well received by reviewers. Watching the film on Netflix, I can't say that the naysayers are far off base. The quirky musical horror comedy combines the slasher drama with the musical, crafting an uneven plot for a film that seems more ridiculous than intended. Despite this, the film's music is enjoyable and often fun. That doesn't mean that this is an album I'll be reaching for time and time again; however, when I'm in the mood for something a little off-kilter, a little edgy, and a little bit like the sounds of a haunted house CDs that get re-packaged and sold for about $5 every Halloween season, this CD will be what I do go for.

The album is a whopping 32 tracks, but it only runs for 66 minutes. To be fair, the film is 89 minutes; therefore, STAGE FRIGHT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) gives listeners plenty (if not all) of the film's musical and score moments to listen to. Personally, the opening and oft-repeated motif, if you will, is my favorite from both the film and recording. The Andrew Lloyd Webber's PHANTOM OF THE OPERA-esque orchestrations with the lyrics of "This is all I ever wanted/Now, I'm forever haunted" speaks to the strings of my heart that made me fall in love with musical theatre in the first place. Then, as if Eli Batalion and Jerome Sable wrote this film musical just for me (well, fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber's pre-1990 work), they include a snippet of JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR with new lyrics that exclaim, "We'll be just fine/Cause we have our own Bible!/We'll dig up our archives/And find a revival!" in the number "The Show Must Carry On."

To be completely honest though, there isn't much to write home about musically. A large majority of the musical moments are screwball-ish and borderline irreverent. The lyrics never rise above the pedantic, taking easy shots at musical and horror clichés. In a film where THE PHANTOM OF THE PARADISE meets SLEEPAWAY CAMP, naturally group numbers will expose the struggles of musical theater campers that mostly exist on the fringes of their public school societies. In "Where We Belong" listeners are treated to lyrics about a kid who is beat up for singing Stephen Sondheim, and we find out the bully in question is the child's father. Another character, a male who proudly identifies as straight, sings with glee "I'm Gay! I'm Gay!/But not in that way./Musicals move me and touch me/In ways I can say."

Touting performances by Minnie Driver and Meat Loaf, while introducing a mostly unknown Allie MacDonald to a larger audiences, STAGE FRIGHT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) simply is what it is. It's not great. It's not terrible. It lands perfectly in the realm of the great unwashed. If you've seen and enjoyed the film, the recording will be one you'll appreciate and presumably enjoy as well. If you haven't seen the film but have a soft spot for the critically derided horror film with an inexplicable cult appeal and following, this soundtrack will most likely appeal to you. Be warned though, I found listening to the album more enjoyable than actually viewing the film.

Lakeshore Records digitally released STAGE FRIGHT (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) on August 25, 2014. Physical copies were released on September 16, 2014. The album can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon, and elsewhere music is sold.

For information about other theatrical recording releases, click here.

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