Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writer:

Edward D. Wood Jr. (written by)

Release Date:

22 July 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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 | Pilot | Flying Saucer

Cast

Gregory Walcott	...	Jeff Trent
Mona McKinnon	...	Paula Trent
Duke Moore	...	Lieutenant Harper
Tom Keene	...	Colonel Edwards
Carl Anthony	...	Patrolman Larry
Paul Marco	...	Patrolman Kelton
Tor Johnson	...	Inspector Clay
Dudley Manlove	...	Eros
Joanna Lee	...	Tanna
John Breckinridge	...	Ruler
Lyle Talbot	...	General
David De Mering	...	Danny
Norma McCarty	...	Edith
Bill Ash	...	Captain
Lynn Lemon	...	Reverend (as Reverend Lynn Lemon)
Ben Frommer	...	Man
Gloria Dea	...	Girl
Conrad Brooks	...	Policeman
Vampira	...	Vampire Girl
Bela Lugosi	...	Ghoul Man
Criswell	...	Narrator / Himself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Donald A. Davis	...	Drunk (uncredited)
Johnny Duncan	...	Second Stretcher Bearer (uncredited)
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
Edward D. Wood Jr.		(written by)

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		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Edward D. Wood Jr.

Makeup Department
Tom Bartholomew	....	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
Tom Jung	....	poster designer (uncredited)

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 (as Art Manikin)
Larry Smith	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Richard Chaney	....	wardrobe (as Dick Chaney)

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)
• Nostalgia Merchant, The (1987) (USA) (VHS)
• Lumivision (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Rhino Home Video (1994) (USA) (VHS)
• Salzgeber & Company Medien (1995) (Germany) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Englewood Entertainment (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Ventura Distribution (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Passport International Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• MPIC Video (2001) (UK) (DVD)
• Image Entertainment (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Rhino Home Video (2004) (USA) (VHS) (on "The Ed Wood Box")
• Chapel Distribution (2006) (Australia) (theatrical) (35mm print)
• Clint Hickman Productions (2006-2007) (worldwide) (all media) (3D version)
• Genius Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Image Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2006) (worldwide) (DVD)
• Passport Video (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Passport Video (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Deimos Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Legend Films (2008) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Punto Zero (2008) (Italy) (DVD) (as Enjoy Movies)
• GoodTimes Home Video (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• L'Atelier 13 (2009) (Spain) (DVD)
• Laserlight Entertainment (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• Cinema Mondo (1995) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Admit One Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• CCV (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• Image Entertainment (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Legend Films (2012) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-Ray)
• Lumière (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1996) (Finland) (TV)
• Manga Films (????) (Spain) (VHS)
• Prime Time Entertainment (????) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• S'more Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Something Weird Video (SWV) (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Unearthed Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (DVD)

Special Effects

• PassmoreLab (3D)

Other Companies

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

Also Known As:

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #18451) | Australia:PG | Australia:G (TV rating) | 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:

When the saucers are flying above Hollywood, nightclub marquees can be seen heralding Frances Faye and Eartha Kitt as headliner acts.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: A strong wind from the flying saucer's exhaust is enough to blow Jeff and Paula to the ground, but not to move their hair. This is true every time people get knocked to the ground.

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:

Referenced in Midnight Movie Massacre (1988)

Soundtrack:

Grip of the Law

The Worst Movie of All Time? Maybe, maybe not...

Often considered the worst movie of all time, Plan 9 From Outer Space does boast tombstones that are made of cardboard and tip over during the movie, it does feature one shot of Bella Legosi that is reused over and over and over, it does show a cop scratching an itch on his head with his gun, and stars a Swedish wrestler as a California cop, but it is not the worst movie of all time because the story is not that awful. The first 8 plans by aliens from some planet that doesn't really matter fail, so they employ their ninth plan for taking over Earth. At least I think they are taking over Earth, they say they are taking over Earth to save the Earthlings. All I know about the aliens is that they are dedicated to their cause, you would have thought they would have given up taking over Earth after 6 tries. You will have a good chuckle during the movie with the cheesy special effects and the silly acting and cheap props, but the entertainment value does make it better than some movies out there. Maybe 2 or 3 movies, at least. For more on the background to this movie and why it turned out the way it did, check out the 1994 film Ed Wood, and you will appreciate this film, at least a little more.