Movies - Plan 9 from Outer Space

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	Movies - Plan 9 from Outer Space

Plan 9 From Outer Space is a 1959 science fiction/horror film written, produced and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr.. The movie is widely regarded as a leading candidate for the title of "worst movie ever made", and earned Edward D. Wood, Jr. (a devotee of Orson Welles,) a posthumous Golden Turkey Award as the worst director ever. Interestingly, given its reputation as a bad film, it does not appear on The Internet Movie Database's list of Bottom 100 films. Moreover, some fans of bad films claim that there are movies that make Plan 9 look like Citizen Kane
by comparison.

History

Plan 9 was originally titled Grave Robbers from Outer Space, but it was changed to Plan 9 From Outer Space. The reason for the change is said to be because the original title was supposedly considered sacrilegious by the film's backers, the deacons of the Baptist Church of Beverly Hills (this story is documented in the film biography Ed Wood
).

In reality, the Baptists who sponsored the film were not opposed to the title Graverobbers From Outer Space. The exact circumstances are unknown, but the film, which took three years to release, was distributed as Plan 9 From Outer Space without any acknowledgement of the congregation. It is possible that Wood, or his distributor, were trying to avoid paying royalties. (See The Haunted World Of Edward D. Wood, Jr. for more details.)

To convince the church to bankroll the film, Wood had the entire cast baptized. However, since Tor Johnson, a semi-retired professional wrestler, was such a huge man (well over 300 pounds,) he couldn't fit into the church's baptismal. Thus the baptism was convened at a swimming pool.

Plot summary

The film is introduced and narrated by television psychic The Amazing Criswell, and involves aliens who attempt to conquer the Earth by resurrecting corpses from a cemetery.

The aliens have divined that the human race will soon develop the ultimate weapon: a "solaranite bomb" (or "solarbonite") that can "explode the particles of sunlight" and ultimately destroy the universe. They have attempted eight times to persuade humanity not to build the bomb, but find themselves unable to even get humanity's attention. "Plan 9", their plan to resurrect the dead, is their final, desperate attempt. Unbelievably, this is all claimed to be based on sworn testimony, even though Criswell says it takes place in the future (see Goofs below).

At the end of the film, the aliens are defeated, although according to the film's internal "logic" this is a Bad Thing because it will allow the humans to develop the solaranite bomb and destroy the universe.

In many respects, the film is a remake of the science-fiction classic The Day the Earth Stood Still
albeit with horror elements attached.

The film is infamous for "almost starring" (as modern releases invariably phrase it) Bela Lugosi. The scenes featuring Lugosi were not shot with this film in mind at all; Wood essentially wrote it into the Plan 9 screenplay after Lugosi died in 1956 and re-wrote it so that his "character" returns from the dead as a vampire. However, this role was filled by the late Dr. Tom Mason, his wife Kathy O'Hara's chiropractor. Dr. Mason, in reality, looked nothing like Lugosi and was far taller. Reportedly Wood was amazed by how Mason's nose and eyes were Lugosi-like. Wood attempted (unsuccessfully) to hide the subterfuge by having Mason perform all his scenes while holding his cape in front of his face. However, in another Wood film shot later that year, Night of the Ghouls
, Mason was allowed to show his face. These were his first and last films.

Cast

Bela Lugosi
- Old man
Maila Nurmi (Vampira)
- Old man's wife
Tor Johnson
- Insp. Dan Clay
Gregory Walcott - Jeff Trent
Mona McKinnon - Paula Trent
Duke Moore - Lt. John Harper
Tom Keene
- Col. Tom Edwards
Dudley Manlove - Eros
Joanna Lee - Tanna
John Breckinridge
- The Ruler
Edward Reynolds - Grave digger (uncredited)
Reverend Jim Lymon - Minister at Clay's funeral (uncredited)
Dr. Tom Mason
- Vampire man (uncredited)
Paul Marco
- Patrolman Kelton
Conrad Brooks - Jamie the cop

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Plan 9 from Outer Space ]

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