By Nia Edwards-Behi
Cor! It is nice when I see a film I’ve quite liked from a few years ago get a release over here. We screened The Ghastly Love of Johnny X at Abertoir in 2012 and now it’s getting a UK VOD release via TheHorrorShow.tv (nothing to deprave and corrupt here, I assure you). The film is a pulpy and high-camp homage to 50s sci-fi B-movies and musicals, so this won’t be your cup of tea if any of those things make you roll your eyes. Johnny X and his gang of juvenile misfits are exiled to Earth after their latest misadventure back home. Johnny’s ex-girlfriend, Bliss, has stolen his resurrection suit, which gives him the power to control others. The aliens find themselves somehow embroiled in a madcap adventure involving a not-so-dead crooner, a dastardly concert promoter, and, well, more aliens. The Ghastly Love of Johnny X is a very silly film, and should not really be approached with any expectations of seriousness.
Having said that, probably one of the most notable things about the film is that it’s the final feature film to use Kodak’s black and white Plus-X film stock. The film certainly benefits from a big-screen viewing, really, as the black and white is truly a lovely sight to behold. I’m not an expert at all on film stocks and physical film versus digital and all that jazz, but I know enough that this looks lovely and that effort to obtain and lovingly make use of such stock takes an admirable level of either serious nerdery, love, or a bit of both to make it happen.
The dedication to this project isn’t just in the film’s stock, either, but in its very making. Production began in 2004, and testament to what must have been good working relationships and a love for the project, the film wasn’t completed until 2011. It perhaps shows a little in the film’s rambling, odd plot, but it’s not entirely out of place in what is, after all, a B-movie. What matters most here are the song-and-dance numbers, and they are a lot of fun – if, I suppose, you’re into that sort of thing, which I am. I recently reviewed Stage Fright and called Johnny X a ‘rockabilly B-movie homage’, and it’s exactly that. It’s very obvious homage, as, perhaps, you would expect a bit of a messy mish-mash. This is not a film of subtleties. However, its mostly assured performances and clearly dedicated cast and crew means it’s an affectionate mess, at least, and it’s difficult not to admire that.
The film does drag a bit, feeling longer than its 90 minute run time, as the convoluted plot takes us on a few too many twist and turns and misadventures, but hopefully if you’ve got on board with the characters early on his won’t detract from what is, overall, a lot of fun. The film isn’t as spectacular as one might hope, with the set design often minimal at best, and as a result the film isn’t quite as memorable as you might hope either, but it’s certainly enjoyable while it’s on. The cast is peppered with notable cameos, including Invasion of the Body Snatchers’ Kevin McCarthy’s final film role, and the new-comers manage to hold their own too. The highlights of the film are easily, for me, De Anna Joy Brooks’ Bliss and Heather R. Provost’s Lily Raquel, who both give tone-perfect and highly entertaining performances.
The Ghastly Love of Johnny X is an affectionate homage, which for me is always to be applauded. It might not leave you humming its tunes long after the credits have rolled, but it sure is well worth giving a go.
The Ghastly Love of Johnny X (TheHorrorShow.TV Trailer) from TheHorrorShowTV on Vimeo.