In 2012, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X grossed $117 during its one week theatrical run, making it the lowest grossing movie of that year. Nearly five years later it played in a one-room theater in a suburb of Akron, Ohio where I saw it for the first time.At the time, I didn't know anything about the film other than what I got from the trailer. It played the week before in the same theater preceding a showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. I thought that the trailer looked cool, and I recognized Creed Bratton (who plays Creed Bratton in The Office), so I decided to see the film the following week.The film is a black and white sci-fi musical. It sounds bizarre, but it works in a weird way. It's a love letter to old sci-fi films, and it uses a 50's aesthetic to give it some flavor.The biggest thing that stuck with me from the film is that it's truly art. I don't think many people can actually pull off black and white (whether that be in photography or film), but Paul Bunnell (director, writer, and producer) clearly thought about his visuals throughout the film. The film has an extremely strong grasp on light and dark contrasts. This leads to many pretty images throughout the film, and it makes the scenery visually interesting. While the diner or club or desert may have been muted in color, Bunnell brings out the beauty of these places by contrasting the lightness of the background with darkness in the foreground.Even beyond the visual aspects of the film, everything is tightly constructed and considered. The film manages to be an homage to the genre without ever veering too far into camp or employing a dues ex machina to help the characters escape from a situation. The rules of this quirky and compelling universe are all laid out clearly at the beginning of the film.Throughout Johnny X, the characters manage to draw the line between camp and genuine emotion. The characters are playing genre tropes, to be sure, but they are also fleshed out. Each character has motivations but also wants and dreams. The genuine nature of the characters plays a big role in selling this film.If anything, movie-lovers should seek this film out because of its place in cinematic history. This is the final film appearance of Kevin McCarthy, star of Invasion of the Body-Snatchers. It is also the last film to be made with Kodac Eastman Plus-X Negative Film 5231 (the film is now discontinued), which gives the movie its signature look.Overall, however, The Ghastly Love of Johnny X's title as lowest-grossing film of 2012 is not a reflection on its quality. Fans of classic sci-fi or cult movies should definitely add this film to their list.

'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

I had first head about Johnny X a couple of years ago and had been wanting to see it, as I have been a fan of Will Keenan since TERROR FIRMER. I didn't know too much about the movie going in other than it was a sci-fi, and it was supposed to be the last movie ever, ever, shot on real black and white FILM. Not digital, but true film stock, lots of little pictures in a row, film. I had been meaning to look it up but had kind of forgotten about it until I actually came across it at my local library - which, I have to say, has an awesome taste in movie selections - and immediately grabbed it. Popping it in, we are treated with Kevin McCarthy (aka The Bad Guy from UHF...) sentencing Will Keenan to a horrible punishment for his crimes... Earth! *this is not a spoiler, this is the first minute of the film* I was also super excited to see that JX starred Reggie PHANTASM Banister and Creed THE OFFICE Bratton in juicy roles as well. Overall this is a really fun homage to 50's sci-fi that gets just about everything right, from the costumes to the cars to the sets to the songs. It updates a few things here and there (mostly the effects), but keeps that camp feel that makes watching old films so much fun. If you "got" and enjoyed THE LOST SKELETON OF CADAVRA, JX will be right up your alley. If you like watching MST3K, but sometimes more for the 50's movies themselves, you'll love this. Highly recommended.

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.