Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

Evil aliens attack Earth and set their terrible "Plan 9" in action. As the aliens resurrect the dead of the Earth to destroy the living, our lives are in danger.

Director:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Writer:

Edward D. Wood Jr.

Stars:

Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene, Mona McKinnon

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gregory Walcott	...	Jeff Trent
Mona McKinnon	...	Paula Trent
Duke Moore	...	Lt. Harper
Tom Keene	...	Col. Edwards
Carl Anthony	...	Patrolman Larry
Paul Marco	...	Patrolman Kelton
Tor Johnson	...	Inspector Clay
Dudley Manlove	...	Eros
Joanna Lee	...	Tanna
John Breckinridge	...	Ruler
Lyle Talbot	...	Gen. Roberts
David De Mering	...	Danny
Norma McCarty	...	Edith
Bill Ash	...	Captain
Lynn Lemon	...	Reverend (as Reverend Lynn Lemon)

Storyline

In California, an old man (Bela Lugosi) grieves the loss of his wife (Vampira) and on the next day he also dies. However, the space soldier Eros and her mate Tanna use an electric device to resurrect them both and the strong Inspector Clay (Tor Johnson) that was murdered by the couple. Their intention is not to conquer Earth but to stop mankind from developing the powerful bomb "Solobonite" that would threaten the universe. When the population of Hollywood and Washington DC sees flying saucers on the sky, a colonel, a police lieutenant, a commercial pilot, his wife and a policeman try to stop the aliens.

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Plot Keywords:

alien | cult classic | lighting a cigarette | bad acting | cliche | 

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Taglines:

Aliens Resurrecting The Dead! Flying Saucers Over Hollywood!

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Genres:

Horror | Sci-Fi

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 July 1959 (USA)

Also Known As:

Grave Robbers from Outer Space

Filming Locations:

California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$60,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Reynolds Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

79 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film was colorized in 2006.

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Goofs

Criswell's opening narration (where he can be seen reading off of cue cards) begins: "Greetings, my friends. 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 friends, future events such as these will affect you in the future." A moment later, though, he is placing the same events in the past, telling how "what happened on that fateful day" must no longer be kept secret. In the next paragraph he says it's sundown when it's obviously broad daylight.

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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, the unexplainable. That is why you are here. And now, for the first time, we are bringing to you the full story of what happened on that fateful day. We are bringing you all the evidence, based only on the secret testimony ...

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Alternate Versions

One more 'addition' to the Legend Films 'colorized' release is an added color visual effect where the alien Commanders face turns green in reaction to being hit soon after saying the line: "See? Your stupid minds, Stupid, Stupid!" He goes green as soon as he is hit then it fades to colorized normal skin tone after 30 seconds or so. There is no way he could have turned a different color like this in the B/W version as its luminance is as bright as the colorized skin. It would read as the same level gray.

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Connections

Referenced in Cult Legends and Rising Stars: Cult Legends: Joe Estevez (2013)

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Soundtracks

Manhunt
(uncredited)
Music by Van Phillips

User Reviews

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.