The Ghastly Love of Johnny X

A catchy film that hearkens back to the old B&W juvenile films of the 50s and 60s. The soundtrack also reminds one of the works of Bernard Herrmann, Danny Elfman (Beetlejuice) as well as The West Side Story. I had a chance to speak to Mr. Bunnell and found him to be the real deal. Considerate and passionate about the trade, he was very gracious with his time spent with me. If you ever get the chance to screen this film at a theater, by all means, do so. Run, don't walk!

'THE GHASTLY LOVE OF JOHNNY X': Four and a Half Stars (Out of Five)

Sci-fi musical comedy flick about a gang of deliquent misfits, from outer space, who are exiled to earth and trying to find their way home. It was produced and directed by Paul Bunnell and written by Bunnell, Steve Bingen, Mark D. Murphy and George Wagner. The film stars Will Keenan in the title role (who's probably most well known for playing Tromeo in the Troma flick 'TROMEO AND JULIET') and it also features a supporting cast which includes Creed Bratton (Creed of 'THE OFFICE' fame), De Anna Joy Brooks, Reggie Bannister (of 'PHANTASM' fame), Les Williams, Jed Rowen, Kevin McCarthy (of 'INVASION OF THE BODY SNATCHERS' fame) and veteran actor Paul Williams. The movie was made on a budget of just $2 million and was the lowest grossing film of 2012! I found it to be a pretty amusing and fun time at the movies.

The movie begins, in outer space, with Jonathan Xavier (Keenan) being exiled to Earth by The Grand Inquisitor (McCarthy). Johnny then spends his days causing trouble, on Earth, with his gang of troublemaking friends. His girlfriend Bliss (Brooks) recently dumped him and ran off with his 'Resurrection Suit'; which is a powerful uniform that can control others. Johnny will now stop at nothing to get the suit back and win back Bliss's love. Multiple musical numbers follow as the plot also involves Johnny's gang helping a music promoter (Bannister) put on a show with a dead rock star (Bratton).

I really love the style and enthusiasm of this 50s throwback sci-fi flick. Bunnell really got the mood and feel right; of the B movies from that era. I'm not from the 50s but I remember watching a lot of movies from that time period, growing up as a child, in the 70s and 80s. So even for me this movie has that magical 50s nostalgic feel. The acting is all good and the music numbers are well done and catchy as well. It's definitely not a flick for everyone, some will find it downright stupid and silly, but it should more than please it's target audience (if they ever see it).

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It has been many years since I've seen a movie as intriguing, bizarre, and fun as THE GHASTLY LOVE OF JOHNNY X, and that is the truth. This big screen spectacular is a crazy concoction, consisting of juvenile delinquents from outer space, assorted low-budget B-movie plot devices, and a cast of characters prone to bursting into song at a moment's notice. Yes, this is a comedy. In fact, it is actually a sci-fi/musical comedy with film noir thrown in for good measure, a genre (or sub-genre) with very few examples to speak of. The whole thing is beautifully photographed in black and white, and it all comes together thanks to the vision of director Paul Bunnell, who assembled a dedicated team both on and off-screen. The result is a movie overflowing with energy and good old-fashioned showmanship.

The plot revolves around Johnny X, just your average leather jacket wearing bad boy from another planet, exiled to Earth with his devoted gang, known as The Ghastly Ones. Bliss is a former girlfriend trying to escape Johnny, and Chip is the naive soda-jerk who gets involved in her plight. These roles are well played by a trio of talented and attractive young actors. De Anna Joy Brooks as Bliss delivers cutting remarks and sultry solos with equal aplomb, while Les Williams is sincere, likable and properly earnest as Chip. Will Keenan as the title character is the glue that holds the plot together, dark and brooding, with tongue firmly in cheek.

Other stars include Paul Williams as talk show host Cousin Quilty, and Reggie Bannister, as hapless concert promoter King Clayton. Creed Bratton is very effective as the outrageous and twisted Mickey O'Flynn, The Man with the Grin. Film buffs take note: This movie also includes veteran actor Kevin McCarthy's final on screen performance!

A tremendous asset to the movie is the music, an infectious blend of surf-guitar rock and Broadway show tunes. All of the songs are excellent, with my personal favorite being the sizzling "These Lips That Never Lie", performed at an old Drive-In theater. Another number - "Big Green Bug-Eyed Monster" - is exciting as well as dramatic. The musical arrangements are stylized and pleasingly retro, and I hope a soundtrack cd is forthcoming (the music is that good!).

No major flaws come to mind, although in my opinion the time period is not immediately evident. It seems to be set in the past, due to certain props, the use of vintage automobiles, and the fact that the Ghastly Ones are clearly fans of 1950s-era clothing. However, other visuals and references place the story in contemporary times. Best to assume the movie takes place in the present, just in its own special universe, and not worry too much about it!

Ultimately, the movie works thanks to the efforts of the extremely talented cast and crew, and their obvious love of the various film genres being parodied. They took a truly wacky concept and hammered out their own little cinematic masterpiece. It certainly deserves a healthy theatrical run, and I can easily see it continuing beyond that on the midnight movie circuit. THE GHASTLY LOVE OF JOHNNY X is tuneful, suspenseful, and full of genuinely funny dialogue. Above all, it is entertaining, and that is exactly what a good movie should be.

I had the absolute pleasure of watching The Ghastly Love of Johnny X with Will Keenan the other night. In this world of mostly unoriginal garbage and reboots coming out of Hollywood, this was a very refreshing treat. It has everything you want in a movie. There's love. There's tragedy. There's comedy. There's song and dance numbers. There are plenty of crazy bad special effects. There's rambunctious youth running wild. It IS the total package. It reminded me (just a hint) of Rocky Horror and it has a lot of MST3K type moments in it. Anyway, if you are looking for something really fun - check this film out. Support the "B" movie people!!

A decade in-the-making, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X really comes together in the details. In order to make such a concept pop, this one needed as much research as guts and gumption to see it over the line, and filmmaker Paul Bunnell has obviously invested a significant amount of time and money into making sure his film rises to its many, many sources of inspiration. I can see John Waters in here; I can see alien invasion films; I can see the big monster movies of the atomic age; I can see West Wide Story; I can see James Dean's oeuvre; I can even see a bit of Frankenstein and Re-Animator. The fact that Bunnell has managed to rope all these influences together into one cohesive package is a feat that deserves 'high five' recognition. The songs by Ego Plum and lyricist Scott Martin aren't quite that of Bacharach or Leiber & Stoller, but they're tight, finger-snapping ditties that recall the show tunes of a bygone era and ornament the film perfectly without overwhelming it. Ultimately, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X is just too unique and beautiful not to recommend. You may like it, you may not. Either way, I guarantee it will be unlike anything you have seen before.