the audience applauded

Good start, but then it gets ruined

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

'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).Watch our movie review show 'MOVIE TALK' at: http://youtu.be/Kq2wN7LTcuo

Here's a great one that may have slid by your cinematic radar. This film is just the kind of cinematic lunacy that really strikes a chord with me, and I bet if you are in the mood for a slice of something off-kilter topped off with tons of b-movie reverence it will with you too! Picture if you will a film that is equal parts Broadway show and Ed Wood film and you are getting close to just what this film has in store for you! Intergalactic juvenile delinquent Johnny X (Will Keenan) is banished to earth with his gang of hoodlums, where his prized possession, The Resurrection Suit (a wardrobe that allows the wearer to control the bodies of others) is nixed by his girlfriend Bliss (De Anna Joy Brooks), and what follows is a madcap chase punctuated by zombie rock stars, UFOs, appearances by genre legends such as Reggie Bannister (Phantasm), Kevin McCarthy (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) and musical genius Paul Williams (Phantom of the Paradise) and a ton of catchy tunes! Check this one out today folks, it could easily be the next Rocky Horror!

I think this was a very fun retro movie and a tribute and spoof of the 1950's sci-fi and juvenile delinquent movies. Creed Bratton was very funny as a zombie entertainer. It has a GREAT look to it in scope and the 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The music is good and I really enjoyed this. Some of the film score and songs stayed with me many days later. It also was very nice to see Kevin McCarthy and Paul Williams in this movie. The very last film shot on Kodak Plus X 35mm black and white film stock. A very entertaining film. Very campy. I think this film will continue into the future as a major cult film. I am so glad it was shot on real film stock and not on digital format equipment.

I saw this movie last night at the Valley Film Festival in North Hollywood, CA. Warning: aspects of this review could be construed as spoilers, though no plot details are given.While billed as a parody of 1950s low budget sci-fi and exploitation films, I think the filmmakers missed the mark, failing to understand the conventions of those genres that, to a modern viewer, make them campy and funny (e.g., ridiculously naive pseudo-science, archaic technology, outdated sexist, racist social mores, and the laughably unsophisticated pop culture of those times).The filmmakers also failed to understand that even a parody requires solid story structure and fully realized characters with clear desires (and clear obstacles to achieving those desires). The result is muddled and meandering, with no story spine to pull the audience through from beginning to end. Since too little is set up for the audience to anticipate, the ending can't help but be an unsatisfying anti-climax.That said, the music and musical numbers are quite good (the sound design top rate); though I would have liked the musical numbers better if they had also driven the story forward, or at least done more to flesh out the characters. As is often the problem with musical numbers in movies, forward story movement grinds to a halt, and we learn little or nothing new about the characters.The film features several strong performances, particularly from De Anna Joy Brooks as Bliss, Kate Maberly as Dandi Conners, and Les Williams as Chip -- a feat particularly notable since the film was made in bits and pieces over the course of more than ten years. (Kevin McCarthy also turns in a good performance, his last film, despite being 90 years old.)Will Keenan seems miscast as the titular lead. While he had the attitude and the moves, he lacked the gravitas (and strong singing voice) to carry the film. It's clear that he has no idea why Johnny X does what he does, nor carries any history of his alleged bad deeds. (This is also a failing of the script, which doesn't make the case that Johnny is as powerful as we are told.)Creed Bratton works well as washed up pop rock sensation Mickey O'Flynn, but is undermined by the weak script, which fails to provide us even a glimmer of insight into why O'Flynn would be so loved and revered.Reggie Bannister does a credible job as ruthless, self-serving promoter, King Clayton, but he is often undercut by the actress who plays his girlfriend. (Apologies, but I can't seem to positively identify the correct actress here on IMDb.) Though her character is a grotesque cliché, she brings a lot of energy to the role, hitting exactly the right tone -- overbearing, even annoying, yet still funny and, therefore, endearing.As is the case with most celebrity cameos in indie films, Paul Williams isn't on screen long enough to make much of an impression as Cousin Quilty. Though there are indications that there is history between he and other characters in the story, the writing and direction of Williams' character does too little to bring that history to life.Director of Photography, Francisco Bulgarelli, does a beautiful job with the cinematography, a task no doubt made more nerve-wracking by the fact that he was shooting the last of a discontinued Kodak black & white film stock, leaving no margin for error in terms of retakes or waste. Every foot shot was one less foot of a finite amount of stock available.The Art Department and effects team also deserve kudos for the retro practical effects, most of which were done in-camera. Ironically, it's the old school effects that give the film some of its best production values.Overall, the film is a mixed bag. As is so often the case with movies like this, it's too much style, not enough substance, weakened by an uneven and unfocused script. However, I tip my hat to Paul Bunnell and all involved for persevering through ten years of setbacks to finish the film. Given that circumstance, it's amazing the movie is as good as it is.Thus, I have to count myself a fan of the movie, and eagerly await Bunnell's next effort, "Rocket Girl."