Vile Pervert: The Musical

It would be nice to begin this review with the words "Putting aside Jonathan King's conviction..." but of course we can't because this is his response to his ordeal at the hands of the British tabloid press and his own behaviour many years ago. It is also an attack on the things that Jonathan King views as wrong with our society.

'Vile Pervert: The Musical' is not only a homage to King's musical career but also highly entertaining. King's conviction which is still being contested in the European courts was shady. We don't actually need King to tell us this (though he does so with obvious vigour and passion). The police worked in conjunction with tabloid paper 'The Sun' (British pornographic daily 'news'paper that promotes racial hatred) to arrest King and charge him with a number of sexual offences against boys in past decades. King denies any wrongdoing, admitting he had sex with boys but claiming they were 16 or older. Though at the time the homosexual age of consent was 21, it is now 16, and though some of the boys may have been 15 (or even 14) there is no evidence to support these claims. The trial was by media and if a certain allegation was proved false (as most were) then minute details were changed to rubbish the real evidence. In the end King faced prison (a 7 year sentence when 5 years was the norm) for being proved as a homosexual. Sex offences had little or nothing to do with it, all of the events being consented from all parties involved and the victims, though boys were also young men.

This film covers King's trial by media with King playing all the roles, including the then editor of The Sun, the judge and Max Clifford among others. The songs are catchy though several are sung to the same tune and all in King's weak vocal range. King includes praise for Shami Charabati, from Liberty in a great song, bemoans the existence of religion (God himself features at several points). Generally the film works as entertainment and as an eye-opener to the way the media manipulates for those who didn't know. One tune might fail to achieve King's aim for it as lyrically it perhaps takes things a little too far "Nothing wrong with buggering boys, as long as its' something he enjoys". The song 'Mad Hatter's Tea Party' is excellent and the songs are generally very clever, each with a point to make. 'The Likely True Story of Harold Shipman' questions 'serial killer' Shipman's motives and is a prime example of what King is about. He is not going to be quiet but will fight and question everything that doesn't make sense until it does, if ever. Any film that teaches us that 'joy rhymes with boy' must be jolly good. Jolly rhymes with golly and at the risk of finding myself convicted of something "Golly, this a very good film". Obviously at the time King was with underage boys but these 'crimes' were not dealt with at the time so must be scrutinised by today's laws. If King had sex with boys under 16 then guilty he is. If not then aside from being homosexual and liking younger men, what did he do. Perhaps King was a sexual pioneer, paving the way for mainstream acceptance of homosexuality. I don't know. I do know that the entire witch-hunt was a diabolical shambles and one that every one of us should be ashamed of, perhaps from the prison cell where you sit because you did something you might not have actually done.

I bought the DVD from Amazon thinking it would be a waste of money but curious. The songs are so catchy and clever though and the characters so surprising and funny that I think this is a future Hedwig or Rocky Horror.

It is amazing. It made me laugh. It shocked me. I'm still humming the tunes and playing the music soundtrack CD.

Bet you this becomes a massive cult hit.

But the best part is the songs. Whilst I think students and the young will be delighted by the courage and daring behind this film, mocking many Establishment sacred cows, the older will remember the 4 or 5 big hits (in the UK anyway) and will like some of the new songs. What's A Girl To Do? is a personal favourite - the girl singing it has a great voice and the words are brilliant.

In October 2009 I showed it to another friend who thinks it is absolutely superb and should be as successful a cult classic as Paranormal Activity or Colin. I have had numerous similar reactions. This film needs picking up and showing on a big screen.