Picture a man facing the camera as if ready to give a news report. He tells his audience: "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." These images you are picturing in your mind serve as the preluding sequence in PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE, a "Z-Movie" (not a "B-Movie") from cult director Ed Wood. If that sounds like a terrible beginning to a film, you're absolutely right, but the rest of the film, I must honestly say, makes that one scene look like nada.To say PLAN 9 is corny will not suffice; and the phrase "it's so terrible, it's great" is agreeable, but has been put to an unbearable overuse. The only honorary (or dishonorary) title for such a film that seems to fit is "#1 Z-Movie". The film, produced shoddily on a budget of $60,000, suffers from a horribly-written script (nods to the poor narration from "The Amazing Criswell"), laughable visuals, ridiculous performances, and an aberrant plot. In addition to that, it somehow managed to kill horror thespian Bela Lugosi in mid-production.
January 18, 2012
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