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Plan 9 from Outer Space (1958)

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Movie review

From Time Out Film Guide

Crowned 'The Worst Film Ever Made' at New York's Worst Film Festival in 1980, this deserves its niche in history for featuring the last screen performance of Bela Lugosi, as a ghoul resurrected by space visitors for use against scientists destroying the world with their nuclear tests. Two minutes of Lugosi in his Dracula outfit, shot for another Wood film abandoned when Lugosi died, are supplemented by footage of an unemployed chiropractor hired as a double; a good foot taller than Lugosi, he of course keeps his face wrapped in a cape. But that's nothing: we also learn that top-level Pentagon offices are furnished with one lamp and two telephones each, while the bedroom furniture of one character is exactly the same as his patio furniture of the previous scene. It all ends with famous psychic Criswell asking the audience, 'Can you prove it didn't happen? God help us in the future'. Prophetic.

Author: CR

Time Out Film Guide

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User reviews of this film

Stuart said...

Posted on Jan 21 2010 09:50 For tjhose who haven't seen it - GO! I have never laughed as much - tears rolling down my face etc etc. My personal favourite of many, many scenes is in the graveyard when the detective says: "Yes, it's a murder and somebody's responsible." Apart that is from the flying saucers (paper plates wrapped in aluminum on wires and....you get the picture.

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Stewart said...

Posted on Nov 22 2009 19:05 This film has been described as the Worst Film Ever Made and it's easy to see why. So, why does it have such a cult following? It is hilarious for all the wrong reasons, Bela Lugosi, who apears at the beginning, died before the film was made and his character was then played by another, who is taller and younger. To hide this, he walks around holding a cape over his face - bizarre to say the least, but just one reason why this film is so funny. The director, Edward D. Wood Jr., made some truly bad movies, but, in his defence, he made them all with virtually no money and while his skill ( or lack of) may be wanting, his passion for making films shines through. Many of todays directors, with their millions, can only dream of his belief in what he was doing - Paul W. Anderson take note!!!
Some films are so bad that they are just BAD, while others transcend that label and become worthy additions to any collection. Thankfully, this film is one of the latter and a movie I am happy to have in my collection.

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