Okay, yes; "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is a bad movie. I think we're all ready to concede that point.
Bad directing, yes. Bad acting, most definitely. Bad sets, bad continuity, bad special effects; they're all in there. And REALLY bad use of actors the likes of Bela Lugosi (remember when he was actually scary in his "Dracula" heyday?) and Tor Johnson (yes, he was a good actor; anyone here recall his comedic turns in movies like "The Lemon Drop Kid" and his many appearances on "The Red Skelton Show"?).
So all of this is true, then; but there's still so many who watch "Plan 9" over and over again, drinking in every small detail and relishing such choice dialog as "A flying saucer? You mean the kind from up there?", "You see? You see? You're stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" or the classic "Inspector Clay is dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible!".
So what is it about a movie like "Plan 9" that has people turn to it time and again, gets it colorized, brings vivid commentary from the likes of no less than Mike Nelson (from TV's "MST3K) and even lauded for its 'merits' in the classic tome "The Golden Turkey Awards"?
Quite simple: it is one of those films whose badness is tempered by the sheer likability of what is put on screen.
In other words, some scenes are so completely endearing and evocative of the work of Ed D. Wood that when you watch this film and see...
* Pie tin spaceships wobble happily across a cloth backdrop sky
* Police officers stumble over bending cardboard tombstones
* A detective scratch at the back of his head with his own gun barrel
* Scenes change from day to night and back again all within a few seconds time
* A double for Bela who looks nothing like him holding a cape over his face and stand a good foot or two higher than Bela did
* several different locations that use the same furniture and props as previous scenes had
...it just gives you a warm, comfortable feeling in that after watching so many movies that sweat over every detail of the film, here is a director who is only interested in telling a spooky story as a fever dream; never mind that it makes no sense, never mind that much of the dialog is incomprehensible, never mind that the bookend scenes with Criswell hold no context, and certainly never mind that the most expressive actor in the whole thing is one who never acted in another film before or since (John "Bunny" Breckenridge).
When you watch "Plan 9 From Outer Space", you can at least see what Wood was *trying* to do, and that's enough. It certainly was enough to make a little film from 1959 fondly remembered even today, which is more than can be said for many other, bigger films from the same time period (quick: name the biggest money-making film from 1959! ... See there?)
So forget everything you've heard. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is bad, yes, but not bad in the same way that films nowadays are bad (like "Gigli" or "Baby Geniuses"). This is a film that is bad in an endlessly re-watchable way, a way that will guarantee you watch it with a huge smile on your face and a song in your heart. It really is sort of comforting; like wrapping up in a huge furry blanket in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter day...with spaceships and Mona McKinnon, sure, but you get the idea.
So I heartily endorse watching "Plan 9" as soon as you can. As often as you can. With as many friends as you can. And, above all...enjoy.
Eight stars out of ten...and this is all based on sworn testimony!
Bad directing, yes. Bad acting, most definitely. Bad sets, bad continuity, bad special effects; they're all in there. And REALLY bad use of actors the likes of Bela Lugosi (remember when he was actually scary in his "Dracula" heyday?) and Tor Johnson (yes, he was a good actor; anyone here recall his comedic turns in movies like "The Lemon Drop Kid" and his many appearances on "The Red Skelton Show"?).
So all of this is true, then; but there's still so many who watch "Plan 9" over and over again, drinking in every small detail and relishing such choice dialog as "A flying saucer? You mean the kind from up there?", "You see? You see? You're stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" or the classic "Inspector Clay is dead, murdered, and somebody's responsible!".
So what is it about a movie like "Plan 9" that has people turn to it time and again, gets it colorized, brings vivid commentary from the likes of no less than Mike Nelson (from TV's "MST3K) and even lauded for its 'merits' in the classic tome "The Golden Turkey Awards"?
Quite simple: it is one of those films whose badness is tempered by the sheer likability of what is put on screen.
In other words, some scenes are so completely endearing and evocative of the work of Ed D. Wood that when you watch this film and see...
* Pie tin spaceships wobble happily across a cloth backdrop sky
* Police officers stumble over bending cardboard tombstones
* A detective scratch at the back of his head with his own gun barrel
* Scenes change from day to night and back again all within a few seconds time
* A double for Bela who looks nothing like him holding a cape over his face and stand a good foot or two higher than Bela did
* several different locations that use the same furniture and props as previous scenes had
...it just gives you a warm, comfortable feeling in that after watching so many movies that sweat over every detail of the film, here is a director who is only interested in telling a spooky story as a fever dream; never mind that it makes no sense, never mind that much of the dialog is incomprehensible, never mind that the bookend scenes with Criswell hold no context, and certainly never mind that the most expressive actor in the whole thing is one who never acted in another film before or since (John "Bunny" Breckenridge).
When you watch "Plan 9 From Outer Space", you can at least see what Wood was *trying* to do, and that's enough. It certainly was enough to make a little film from 1959 fondly remembered even today, which is more than can be said for many other, bigger films from the same time period (quick: name the biggest money-making film from 1959! ... See there?)
So forget everything you've heard. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is bad, yes, but not bad in the same way that films nowadays are bad (like "Gigli" or "Baby Geniuses"). This is a film that is bad in an endlessly re-watchable way, a way that will guarantee you watch it with a huge smile on your face and a song in your heart. It really is sort of comforting; like wrapping up in a huge furry blanket in front of a roaring fireplace on a cold winter day...with spaceships and Mona McKinnon, sure, but you get the idea.
So I heartily endorse watching "Plan 9" as soon as you can. As often as you can. With as many friends as you can. And, above all...enjoy.
Eight stars out of ten...and this is all based on sworn testimony!