Character Analysis: GraveRobber

Character Analysis: Graverobber

By: Brian Cotnoir

GraveRobber

Hello Friends, Das Film Junkie here, and I am very excited about this Character Analysis because I am about to do an analysis on a character from one of my favorite films of all time: “Repo! The Genetic Opera”.  Oh how I do enjoy this film so much.  I’ve seen it dozens of times, and I have my best friend and co-blogger, The Corseted Critic, to thank for introducing me to this amazing film.  You see back in 2008, I was a freshman at Lasell College in Auburndale, MA; this is where I first met the Corseted Critic.  I had never met anyone who enjoyed and was obsessed with Horror movies as much I was.  One day she invited me up to her dorm to watch some horror movies, and I remember seeing a sign on her door—that she had made herself—that said “Ask me about Repo”.  So I shrugged my shoulders and asked her about Repo, and she began telling me about this film “Repo! The Genetic Opera” and how badly she wanted to see it because it starring one of her favorite actors—Anthony Steward Head—and the more she talked about it the more intrigued I became.  When she mentioned that Bill Moseley—who is one of my favorite actors—was also in the film—I was sold, and wanted to see it as badly as she did.  We were fortunate enough that the “Repo Movie Tour” was playing in a small independent theatre near our school, and that the film’s director Darren Lynn Bousman would be there with one of the cast members from the film as well.  From the moment I saw it, I loved it, and to this day I will show this film to anyone who I meet who has not seen it.  I’ve even convinced my parents and grandparents to watch it (they didn’t care for it).       

    So I figured it was about time I did a Character Analysis on one of the many memorable characters of this film.  After much debate I decided to do an analysis of the film’s Narrator GraveRobber.  I did consider doing Bill Moseley’s character, Luigi Largo, since he is one of my favorite actors and I have actually met him, but I decided that there were other characters he’s played that I could write an analysis on, and I decided to do one on GraveRobber instead for that reason, and because he is probably the most Fan-Popular cast member in the film.    

  

Character: GraveRobber from “Repo! The Genetic Opera”

     GraveRobber serves as the narrator for our film.  He lives in a dystopian world in the year 2056.  It is a world that has suffered through a massive organ failure epidemic.  For those who are on their death beds, the only chance they have at prolonging their lives is to purchase a new organ from a company known as GeneCo.  GeneCo’s organ replacements have gone on to save countless lives, however if you ever default on the payments of your new organs, then GeneCo’s president Rotti Largo will send a “Repo Man” after you to legally repossess your organ(s), which typically results in a horrible death.      

Enter GraveRobber.  GraveRobber breaks into tombs at the local cemetery in hopes of extracting a powerful painkiller called Zydrate from corpses.  Zydrate was developed by GeneCo to numb its patients for surgery.  Zydrate is a super-effective drug, but it is also extremely addictive.  People pay good money to grave robbers who deal and peddle black market Zydrate on the streets.  The crime of grave robbing is such an issue, that there are laws passed to help suppress the problem, and anyone caught robbing graves and/or extracting Zydrate from corpses is to be “executed on site”.  GraveRobber’s job is a very dangerous one, and along the way he rescues and assists the films heroine Shiloh Wallace, while at the same time keeping the audience aware of what’s going on in the story of the film   

The Actor:

     GraveRobber is played by Terrance Zdunich.  In addition to playing GraveRobber, Zdunich  also co-wrote the screenplay and co-composed the music for “Repo! The Genetic Opera” with Darren Smith.  In addition, he also hand drew all films animation sequences. He is fantastic in this film.  His scenes are memorable, his songs are memorable, and for a supporting character he certainly does bring a lot of attention and popularity to his character.         

Darren & Terrance...They are so freaking nice! :)

I’ve actually had the pleasure of meeting Terrance Zdunich twice.  My first encounter with him is actually quite a funny story: I was at the Repo Movie Tour in Brookline, MA.  I was in the bathroom and as I went to exit the bathroom a man came bursting in through the door and hit me in the face with the door.  The man began to apologize to me for hitting me with the door.  I didn’t realize, at first, that it was Terrance Zdunich who was apologizing to me, because I had most of my face covered because I was checking to make sure that I wasn’t hurt, and as he walked by I noticed who it was out of the corner of my eye.  So I waited outside the bathroom room for him to re-emerge, and when he did, I asked him if he was in the film.  He told me “Yes, I play GraveRobber”.  I asked him if he would sign an autograph for me, and he said he would.  Not only that, but he was on his way to meet up with the director Darren Lynn Bousman and invited me to meet him and get his autograph as well.  I went with Terrance, and he introduced me to Darren, and they both autographed my movie ticket, and they were even nice enough to wait a few minutes while I ran into the theatre to grab The Corseted Critic, so she could meet them and get an autograph, and have her picture taken with them.                             

     I was deeply humbled by Terrance & Darren’s kindness and generosity.  If you ever get a chance to meet them, whether it’s at a movie convention, or one of their movie tours (“Repo” or “The Devils Carnival”) I suggest you do, they are so nice, they love their fans and are just so down to earth and fun to talk to.

Character is Similar to or Inspired by:

GRAAAAAAAVVEEEEESSSS!!!!

Is there any character out there who’s like GraveRobber?  I can’t think of any.  In fact, there’s only one or two other films I can think of that feature a grave robber as a character.  GraveRobber is a character who is completely unique and like no other.  I know that before “Repo! The Genetic Opera” was a film it started out as short one-act plays acted out by Terrance Zdunich and Darren Smith. Later, in 2002 it was turned into a full-length stage play.  After that it would be made into a ten-minute short film in 2006.  Every time, GraveRobber was played by Terrance Zdunich, the man who created the character and was the total embodiment of everything that GraveRobber was and plays him like no one else ever could.

Ultimate Fate of the Character:

Surgery...Surgery...Surgery!

When the film ends, GraveRobber is there to tell us (or sing I should say) the epilogue to the film, where he explains what happened to all the other major characters in the film.  Surprisingly, enough he never tells us what became of him.  The last shot we have of him in the film, is he is selling a “little glass vial” of Zydrate to a woman (a hooker) on the streets.  I think it’s safe to assume that GraveRobber is still up to his old tricks, robbing graves, extracting Zydate, and selling it to anyone who is willing to pay him for it.  That’s just my interpretation, I think for a more accurate answer as to whatever became of GraveRobber, you should ask Terrance himself in person.