PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (1959)

Greetings, my friends! We’re all interested in the future, for that is where you and I will add PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE to our watchlists. Not only that, but we will do so without irony. Much maligned through most of their existence, PLAN 9 and its director Ed Wood have been the butt of Hollywood’s jokes for decades. Though they are often credited as the worst film ever made and the worst director in history, respectively, they both have enough redeeming qualities to more than make it worth a watch. Who knows? You may even fall in love with it. I know I did.

The Plot

Edward D. Wood, Jr. has always been acknowledged for his passion for making films. However, the conversation is always one about how passion far outstripped talent. But that’s not quite the case, and in particular, PLAN 9 is really rather excellent. It is probably the easiest film from Wood’s career to turn into a proper big-budget, landmark blockbuster.

The film—called GRAVE ROBBERS FROM OUTER SPACE in its earlier incarnations—is a cautionary tale about the dangers of humanity’s technological advancements.

And there’s plenty of context to understand why: made only a decade after destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki under the Atomic thumb, and at the start of the Cold War space race, few films are of their time as much as PLAN 9. This makes it a fantastic lens through which to contextualize the fear of nuclear fallout which was dominant in this period.  

At its core, the story involves an advanced alien race trying to prevent humanity from destroying the universe. It is up to a ragtag team of police officers, an airline pilot and some vaguely militaristic figures to save the day. There are far too many inconsistencies to count within the plot, let alone its execution (which includes plenty of stock footage and cutting room floor debris).

It is, at the end, the choice of the beholder whether to follow the surface plot and its near nonsensical scenes to the letter, or to take this movie as a living x-ray of the collective fears of the human race in the 1950s. As a personal note, I choose to do both.

The Presentation

Ed Wood famously collaborated with Vampira, Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, and psychic Criswell, among others. Fruitful collaborations they are too, as Criswell is charismatic despite the downfalls in his monologue, and Vampira is arresting as an on-screen presence. But little is talked about just how great William C. Thompson and Gordon Zahler were. Why? Likely because they worked behind the scenes.  

William C. Thompson was Ed Wood’s director of photography. No matter how low the budget, or how nonsensical the plotline, Thompson’s lighting in particular were something to behold. PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE is no exception, presenting Thompson’s interpretation of German Expressionism in outstanding manner. Sure, there are also extremely bland scenes. But by golly, some of the cemetery scenes are downright beautiful.

Gordon Zahler was in charge of compiling PLAN 9’s music. Yes, I said compiling, not composing. You see, much like a lot of footage within the movie, the music was completely assembled from stock music. That is, music in the public domain. This not only saved money, but gave the movie the opportunity to rely on fantastic cues. Much like DJs are misunderstood, often just portrayed as glorified Play buttons on a console, Zahler’s work as a compiler might be seen as trivial. But his fantastic ear for epic orchestrated numbers lavished the scenes of PLAN 9 with music fit for a king. There’s even a CD and accompanying article, both by Paul Mandell, enumerating every piece of music in the film, and crediting the authors (which was never properly done). Truly a cohesive, emotional joy to experience.

The Inevitable Negatives

Of course, a film does not accrue seven decades’ worth of reputation as a bad film without containing some blemishes.

And when it comes to blemishes, PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE compares unfavorably to the surface of the moon.

The plot, though in its deeper subtext quite relevant, on the surface is nearly laughable. But that is nothing compared to the dialog. There are some truly cringeworthy passages that will make you squirm in your seat. The acting went from good, to acceptable, to atrocious at the speed of light—with Gregory Walcott’s Pilot Trent a particular low.

The scene where the airplane Trent is piloting gets buzzed by UFOs is one of the worst pieces of acting ever to disgrace celluloid.

Final Words

PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE is far from a perfect movie. I’d even concede it’s a few steps, jumps and hops away from being good. But I’m afraid the title of “Worst Movie Ever Made” must befall another unlucky recipient.

There are too many redeeming qualities, too much to analyze, too much to enjoy, for PLAN 9 to hold that dubious honor. Few movies present a clearer picture of the general state of mind in the 1950s than Wood’s creation. The photography borders on inspired occasionally (though misses also abound). The music is like a good restaurant dish: the chef didn’t invent the ingredients, but he mixed the heck out of them in the right way.

Therefore, should you be needing a fun movie to pass the time—one which includes iconic figures, hints of expressionist shadows and a bountiful dosage of great orchestrated numbers—look no further than PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE.