[3] He became interested in film as a teenager and would use his father's Super 8 camera to shoot skits starring his brother and sisters.

Pennell then attended the University of Texas at Austin majoring in Radio-Television-Film but dropped out in 1973 during his junior year to do film work.

The story, co-written with screenwriter Kim Henkel, follows a group of friends gathering at a soon-to-be-demolished bar for the last time.

[5] Film critics Vincent Canby, Stanley Kauffmann and Roger Ebert also gave the movie rave reviews.

[6] At the time of his death, Pennell had a grant from the Independent Television Service to develop a script based on his treatment My Dog Bit Elvis.

[10] The documentary tells the story of Pennell's rise, fall, and tragic death, through interviews with family, friends, collaborators, and admirers.

[11] The original King of Texas was a film Pennell wanted to make - a low-budget Western he planned to shoot near Brackettville on the set of John Wayne's version of The Alamo (1960).