Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog
by Ben Helms
The (Joss) Whedon family collaborates in this straight-to-internet phenomenon that pulls three actors from very different genres and plunges them into the hilarious independent musical/comedy Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog.
Felicia Day, Neil Patrick Harris, and Nathan Fillion at the Dr. Horrible panel, Comic-Con 2008
Sitcom great Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother), stars as the evil Dr. Horrible trying to defeat the ever-present superhero Captain Hammer, played by Whedon-regular Nathan Fillion (Firefly/Serenity). But soon Felicia Day (The Guild) makes her appearance as the object of both of their affections. Havoc and hilarity ensue in more than forty minutes of action and well-timed musical numbers.
I know exactly what you’re thinking: Joss Whedon writing a musical? Well, unless you’ve followed Mr. Whedon for years (since the famed Buffy episode Once More, With Feeling aired in 2001), the thought of Whedon writing and directing a comedic musical may bring doubt. But never fear.
Joss and his brother Jed Whedon composed every song in the 45-minute film, and they are dynamic, catchy, clever, and actually tie into the story extremely well. Though a little cheesy throughout, they remain hilarious and, at times, poignant as the audience grows closer to the easy-to-love characters.
At the same time, there are instances when it’s easy to tell Dr. Horrible is an independent flick. If you’ve ever taken a Universal Studios back lot tour, you’ll easily identify just about every exterior shot in the film. Also, there really are only 3 ½ actors in the whole movie. While this isn’t a huge shortcoming, it definitely speaks of the lack of studio backing in their budget.
But the independent production and distribution also make it so the Whedons (and co-writer Maurissa Tancharoen) have 100% creative control over the film — not to mention the fact that it can never ever be canceled … ever. Which is always nice, and a welcome change for Joss.
The show has a superb cast, a wonderful story, and some great musical numbers. It definitely keeps your attention, entertains, makes you laugh, and draws emotion out of even the most critical of viewers. It may be a bit hokey at parts, but the Whedon’s Dr. Horrible is anything but trite.
For More Info: www.dr.horrible.com
