Dark Musicals: Harsh Sacrifices for Personal Gains

The idea of getting something huge for a small effort is a tantalizing one, though probably nonexistent in practice. Like the proverbial deal with the devil, often the cost weighs much more than initially thought. When it's time for the debt's collection, the harsh reality hits, and a person is forced to pay and pay hard. Be careful what you wish for; you just may get it, and as these musicals prove, whatever "it" is can come at a terrible price.

"Labyrinth" (1986)-

Wish: Freedom from Responsibility

Price: A Baby Brother

Summary: Jim Henson's 1986 fantasy masterpiece teaches viewers to think before they say something they may later regret. Young Sarah (Jennifer Connelly) is made to stay home and babysit her baby brother against her will. Because of her frustration with the situation and her crying brother, she angrily wishes for the goblin king from her storybook to come and take him away.

Little does she know, Jareth the Goblin King (David Bowie) has taken an interest in her until he comes and takes her brother away as requested. As soon as it happens, Sarah regrets her words, but it's too late. In order to get him back, she has to solve Jareth's dangerous labyrinth before he turns the baby into a goblin.

Song Pick: As the World Falls Down

"Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog" (2008)-

Wish: Power and Greatness

Price: True Love

Summary: Directed by Buffy the Vampire Slayer creator Joss Whedon, "Dr. Horrible's Sing-a-Long Blog" follows wannabe super villain Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris) on his quest to impress other villains and become a full-fledged bad guy in an effort to win the heart of Penny (Felicia Day), a girl he meets at his local laundromat.

The problems are that Penny is about as far from evil as a person can get (she volunteers with the homeless and tries to see the good in everyone); and during a failed robbery attempt, Dr. Horrible accidently triggers a situation in which his nemesis Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion), an egotistical and womanizing "superhero", meets and starts dating Penny.

Song Pick: Brand New Day

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)-

Wish: Absolute Pleasure

Price: Four Lives

Summary: I think it's a mistake that many people interpret the message of Richard O'Brien's "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as "don't dream it; be it." While that may be good advice in some situations, it's because Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) was living his dream of pleasure without regard for anyone else that he ultimately meets his end.

Additionally, giving into desires they'd previously suppressed didn't benefit Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon), or any other earthling in the house. At the very least, they were turned into erotic zombies for a stage show, and two earthlings, Columbia (Little Nell) and Eddy (Meatloaf), fared even worse.

Song Pick: Toucha Toucha Touch Me

"Shock Treatment" (1981)-

Wish: Fame and Public Admiration

Price: A Husband

Summary: The underrated film "Shock Treatment" is Richard O'Brien's post-"Rocky Horror" musical that, while it still follows the characters Brad and Janet, seems to tackle the exact opposite issues of its predecessor. Where "Rocky Horror" illustrated the dangers of pleasing only yourself, Shock Treatment criticized making decisions based on conformity and popular opinion.

Janet (Jessica Harper), being unknowingly manipulated by a television station owner and his employees, goes along with Brad (Cliff De Young) on a game show where she is then convinced that Brad needs psychiatric help because of his inability to conform. While Brad is overly medicated and kept in a straight jacket for the amusement of viewers, Janet is enticed by fame and soon finds herself forgetting Brad's discomfort and situation.

Interestingly, this movie also offers a criticism of reality television that didn't even exist when it was made.

Song Pick: Shock Treatment

"Little Shop of Horrors" (1981)-

Wish: Prosperity

Price: Innocence

Summary: Directed by Frank Oz, "Little Shop of Horrors" shows what happens when an under-privileged man discovers a way to get all the money and fame he wants, but at a price. When Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis) places an unusual plant in the window of his workplace, a flower shop, people take a sudden interest in the dissolving business.

Soon Seymour discovers that the plant, Audrey 2 (Levi Stubbs), lives off human blood. Not wanting a good thing to end, he feeds the plant his own blood until it's too big and begins requesting larger meals. Seymour must decide whether or not to murder to keep the gravy train going.

Song Pick: Feed Me (Git It)

"Repo! The Genetic Opera" (2008)-

Wish: A Society with a Perfect Appearance (Inside and Out)

Price: A Society Addicted to Surgery and Painkillers with the Majority of Citizens in Debt to a Large, Murderous Corporation

Summary: At first I ignored this one because it's from the producers of "Saw" (a series of films that I think tries too hard to be pointlessly gory), and one of the main characters is Paris Hilton (playing a spoiled heiress). However, I finally hit play and now regret waiting so long.

This is almost a scarier, more dramatic version of Mike Judge's comedy "Idiocracy," only instead of the society being addicted to commercially produced products, the "Repo!"dystopian society is addicted to perfecting their bodies though many surgeries, both on the surface (like typical plastic surgery) and through organ transplants.

Because many cannot afford the surgeries, the large company that provides them puts patients on payment plans. If the payment isn't made, however, the company sends out repo-men to kill the debtor and repossess the organs. But even the repo-man (Anthony Stewart Head) attempts to maintain an air of perfection by lying to his daughter (Alexa Vega) and sheltering her from the outside world and the gruesome nature of his job.

By the way, Paris Hilton was quite good in this.

Song Pick:Zydrate Anatomy