Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

User Rating:

3.6/10   

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writer:

Edward D. Wood Jr. (writer)

Release Date:

2 June 1995 (Sweden)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Unspeakable Horrors From Outer Space Paralyze The Living And Resurrect The Dead!

Plot:

Aliens resurrect dead humans as zombies and vampires to stop human kind from creating the Solaranite (a sort of sun-driven bomb).

Plot Keywords:

Alien | Plan | Cemetery | Outer Space | Pilot

Cast

Gregory Walcott	...	Jeff Trent
Mona McKinnon	...	Paula Trent
Duke Moore	...	Lt. John Harper
Tom Keene	...	Col. Tom Edwards
Carl Anthony	...	Patrolman Larry
Paul Marco	...	Patrolman Paul Kelton
Tor Johnson	...	Inspector Daniel Clay
Dudley Manlove	...	Eros
Joanna Lee	...	Tanna
John Breckinridge	...	The Ruler
Lyle Talbot	...	General Roberts
David De Mering	...	Co-Pilot Danny
Norma McCarty	...	Stewardess Edith
Bill Ash	...	Army Captain
Reverend Lynn Lemon	...	Minister at Insp. Clay's Funeral
Ben Frommer	...	Fat Mourner
Gloria Dea	...	Mourner
Conrad Brooks	...	Patrolman Jamie
Vampira	...	Vampire Girl
Bela Lugosi	...	Ghoul Man
Criswell	...	Himself / Narrator
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald A. Davis	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Undetermined Role (uncredited) (unconfirmed)
Karl Johnson	...	Farmer Calder (uncredited)
Tom Mason	...	Ghoul Man with Cape Over Face (uncredited)
J. Edward Reynolds	...	Gravedigger (uncredited)
Clay Stone	...	Mourner Reading Bible in Opening Scene (uncredited)
Hugh Thomas Jr.	...	Gravedigger (uncredited)
Edward D. Wood Jr.	...	Man Holding Newspaper (uncredited)

Directed by
Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Edward D. Wood Jr.		writer

Produced by
Charles Burg	....	associate producer
J. Edward Reynolds	....	executive producer
Hugh Thomas Jr.	....	associate producer
Edward D. Wood Jr.	....	producer

Cinematography by
William C. Thompson

Film Editing by
Edward D. Wood Jr.

Costume Design by
Richard Chaney		(as Dick Chaney)

Makeup Department
Tom Bartholemew	....	makeup artist
Harry Thomas	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Vampira	....	Vampira makeup (uncredited)

Production Management
Kirk Kirkham	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Willard Kirkham	....	assistant director

Art Department
Tom Kemp	....	set constructor
Tony Portoghese	....	property master
Harry Reif	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Dale Knight	....	sound
Sam Kopetzky	....	sound mixer: pickups (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Charles Duncan	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Art Mankin	....	grip
Larry Smith	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Chaney	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Gordon Zahler	....	music supervisor
Emil Ascher	....	composer: stock music (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Karl Johnson	....	picture vehicles (uncredited)

Other crew
Donald A. Davis	....	production assistant
Diana N. Loomis	....	script supervisor
Jim Woods	....	electrical effects

Production Companies

• Reynolds Pictures

Distributors

• Distributors Corporation of America (DCA) (1959) (USA) (theatrical)
• International Film Distributors (1959) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Grand National Pictures (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Wade Williams Productions (1982) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Palace Video (1982) (UK) (VHS)
• Palace Video (1982) (UK) (video) (Betamax)
• Lumivision (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Rhino Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS)
• Rhino Home Video (1996) (USA) (VHS)
• Englewood Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Ventura Distribution (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Rhino Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport International Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• MPIC Video (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Clint Hickman Productions (2006-2007) (worldwide) (all media) (3D version)
• Genius Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Chapel Distribution (2006) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Salzgeber & Company Medien (1995) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Admit One Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Deimos Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Legend Films (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Lumière (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Manga Films (????) (Spain) (VHS)
• Media Home Entertainment (????) (USA) (VHS) (????) (as Nostalgia Merchant)
• Prime Time Entertainment (19??) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD) (as Enjoy Movies)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (199?) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Clint Hickman Productions  3D process
• Legend Films  colorization
• Legend Films  restoration

Also Known As:

Grave Robbers from Outer Space (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #18451) | Australia:PG | UK:PG (video rating) | UK:X (original rating) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:11 | Spain:T | Italy:T | West Germany:16 | Argentina:13 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:PG

Filming Locations:

Quality Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Reynolds Pictures

Trivia:

The big speech delivered by actor Dudley Manlove as Eros the alien, warning Earth that his planet will destroy it if earthlings continue to develop weapons of mass destruction and thereby threaten the rest of the universe, was inspired by the similar speech delivered by Michael Rennie as Klaatu in the 1951 version of The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008).

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: As the camera moves back in the scene outside the house where Jeff tells Paula to lock the doors, you can hear the cameraman's footsteps while the characters are standing still.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Criswell: Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future. You are interested in the unknown... the mysterious...

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Space Zombies: 13 Months of Brain-Spinning Mayhem! (2004)

Soundtrack:

Remorse

Mad Genius or just Mad?

Plan 9 was made during the hysteria of Macarthyism. For this reason, there was a myriad of "invisible invaders" movies that permeated the landscape at the time Wood created this movie. While the script is flawed, the storyline one-dimensional, the special effects non-existent, stock footage galore, and the acting as cardboard as they come, this movie blends these aspects together in spectacular fashion. Had this movie had Tim Burton or the Zucker brothers names attached, and been released 20 or more years later, this movie might be considered one of the greatest spoofs ever made. There is so much to get caught up in, and so many different things to hit the rewind button for, that it may take upwards of 2 hours to get through this short film. This film is bad, but it could be argued that this film was created to be bad! From cut shots that move from midnight to midday and back again, to mattresses readily apparent as fall-aways, to the ever-popularly sighted man in the cape covering his face from the camera, this film has more Easter Eggs in it to search for than Oliver Stone has conspiracies.

We sometimes forget that films are created to be enjoyable. We don't always need to have to ponder the meaning of existence after every feature. This is a film from within the era is seeks to mock. Every cliché is used. It's not quite a horror film, and yet holds some of the well-worn clichés of the genre. Same for the Sci-Fi genre. This is a film that rises above it's own limitations to entrench itself upon the cinematic landscape it seeks to make fun of. Remember, this is Ed Wood's idea of the greatest film he could create.

This film has to be listed among mandatory viewing for anyone aspiring to work with the industry, as it is a mockery of both the big budget as well as the independent spirit.

This is one film you will not soon forget, and for all the right reasons. Is it right to be so wrong? Or is it wrong to be so right? Is this film a great parody? A masterpiece of a spoof? Or was it genuinely trying to be as good as it possibly could? This is all up to debate. The fact remains, your time viewing this film will seldom be thought of as a supreme waste.

A masterpiece? Maybe. The worst film of all time? Absolutely not.