‘The Ghastly Love of Johnny X’ (2012) Movie Review

Directed by Paul Bunnell

Written by Steve Bingen & Paul Bunnell

Starring: Will Keenan, Creed Bratton, De Anna Joy Brooks

A truly mad concoction, blending 1950s juvenile delinquents, sci-fi melodrama, song-and-dance, and a touch of horror, everything in just the right combination to create an engaging big screen spectacle!

One of the best parts of having website like lefthandhorror.com is the amount of movies and DVDS I receive, films that I might not have missed otherwise. Paul Bunnell purchased the last remaining lot of Kodak’s gloriously rich Plus-X film stock and set off on this pilgrimage to create a genre-jumping film that feels much older and legit than it might let on. Combining horror, sci-fi elements akin to Plan 9 from Outer Space, old serials like Flash Gordon, Grease, and maybe a touch of The Outsiders if John Waters was involved, Bunnell has created the ultimate in schlocky throwback films of days gone by. If the film interests you, check back later this week when we interview the director, Mr. Paul Bunnell.

The film follows an intergalactic greaser named Johnny, kind of a dark version of The Fonz, and his gang of space malcontents, The Ghastly Ones. Banished to the remedial world of Earth, Johnny and his gang search after his girlfriend and the recently stolen Resurrection Suit. Throw in Creed Bratton (The Office) as Mickey O’ Flynn, an aging rocker that might or might not have a strange connection to Johnny, and you have a retro 50’s West Side Story on mushrooms for the ages. This isn’t a film for Joe Q. America, but for the folks that have no problem suspending disbelief, or even common sense, this is a lushly filmed postmodern masterpiece so extravagant that you might smell the hair grease.

The visual/musical heaviness is enough to sustain the film when the dialogue gets a little drawn out between scenes of finger-snapping quirkiness, something any director and passionate film lover would be proud to be a part of. Bunnell clearly loves his craft and pours his heart in Johnny’s adventures. Everything down to the beautifully rendered movie poster is a gloriously dedicated sci-fi/greaser romp for people who genuinely love films. Imagine Dr. Horrible’s Sing Along Blog was made in the 50’s and everyone hit the opium pipe before filming. Awesome film.

You can order this amazing film by clicking the Amazon link.