Despite its title, Ghost Rock is not a spook-filled musical. It’s a kung-fu western! Hey, great idea … when it was Jackie Chan’s Shanghai Noon. But starring Gary Busey? Not so much.
Perpetually carrying that kicked-by-a-horse look and what looks like a bellyful of sausage patties, Busey plays the corrupt mayor of Ghost Rock, a dusty old backlot, er, town run by crooks and outlaws. Michael Worth (Acapulco H.E.A.T.) and lovely Jenya Lano (Stealing Candy) return there after being absent for many years to settle an old score.
Adrienne Barbeau is the madam of the local whorehouse, Jeff Fahey makes a cameo and … I’m not making this sound any more inviting, am I? Some of Busey’s set-ups are shot in an entirely different film stock, so they don’t match other shot within the same scene.
Amateurish and inept, Ghost Rock has as many clichés as it does bullets fired, with all the predictability of a staged theme-park gunfight (Guy falls from second-story railing? Check!), acted with local theater types who think they’re making art. They aren’t. —Rod Lott
I had the “pleasure” of seeing this “movie” being “made” when I was in Tucson. My wife’s family came to town to visit “us” and we took them to the local tourist traps. One was Old Tucson Studios, which is a dusty old backlot. I remember the biggest hype for this movie was the many porn “actresses”/Hustler “models”. Even when we were there, we knew the it was amateurish. We were able to see them tape Gary’s “fight” scene in the bar. It was a boring 20 minutes. When you say this “movie” has a staged theme-park gunfight aspect you are so true. The “falling from the 2-story railing” scene was their main “stunt” for their “stunt” show. I also remember the local actors/”stunt” people were excited during this day because they were getting their big break. Finally, I was able to “meet” Gary after the bar “fight” scene. It was an awkward moment. As I went up to shake his hand, he said he could not because he “hurt” his hand from the bar scene “fight”. At least I was able to take my picture with him. I now have to get this “movie” to see this train wreck.