Although he has made three feature films, including the 1988 cult classic Slime City, horror specialist (and sometime Artvoice film reviewer) Gregory Lamberson calls his new short Johnny Gruesome “the most ambitious thing I’ve ever done.” Having turned to writing novels in recent years (his 2005 book Personal Novels won the Anubis Award for horror fiction), Lamberson quickly learned that “Publishing has largely turned its back on horror fiction that isn’t written by Stephen King or Dean Koontz.” So Johnny Gruesome the film is part of an ambitious multi-media marketing campaign for Johnny Gruesome the book, which will be published by Bad Moon Books this fall. The tale of a murdered high school student who becomes a vengeful heavy metal zombie, the film features local musician Ryan O’Connell and New York City scream queen Erin Brown, who as “Misty Mundae” has a rabid following for her dozens of low-budget sexploitation films. The equivalent of a hard R for violence, nudity, drug use and gore, Johnny Gruesome will be premiered on Saturday night at the Screening Room. Admission is free and open to the public, though space is limited, and the facility has a cash bar. Musicians Giasone Italiano will perform songs from their upcoming Gruesome CD. For more info, visit johnnygruesome.com.

Saturday, June 30 at 7pm. The Screening Room, in the Northtown Plaza,

3131 Sheridan Drive (837-0376). FREE