Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1957 science fiction/horror film written and directed by Ed Wood. It stars Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, and Tor Johnson, with posthumous footage of Bela Lugosi.

Aliens enact “Plan 9” — a scheme to resurrect the recently dead as zombies in order to prevent humanity from developing a doomsday weapon that could destroy the universe. Considered one of the worst films ever made, it has gained a vast cult following and was popularised by the book The Golden Turkey Awards (1980). Its earnest ineptitude, visible strings on flying saucers, and cardboard sets have made it a beloved artefact of B-movie cinema.

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Video source: Internet Archive — plan_9_from_outer_space · Public domain

Chapters

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1. 00:00 Plan 9 from Outer Space is a 1957 science fiction/horror film written and directed by Ed Wood. It stars Gregory Walcott, Mona McKinnon, and Tor Johnson, with posthumous footage of Bela Lugosi.
2. 02:00 Aliens arrive in flying saucers — represented by hubcaps on strings — and enact "Plan 9", a scheme to resurrect the recently dead as zombies to prevent humanity from developing a doomsday weapon that could destroy the universe.
3. 10:00 An elderly man (Lugosi, seen only in brief previously-shot footage; replaced in most scenes by a taller chiropractor holding a cape over his face) dies, then rises as a zombie alongside his wife.
4. 20:00 Airline pilot Jeff Trent (Walcott) and Army Colonel Edwards investigate strange lights and freshly disturbed graves in a San Fernando Valley cemetery.
5. 40:00 The military confronts the alien commander Eros aboard his saucer. Eros explains that humans are dangerously stupid and violent, a speech that has been interpreted as Cold War-era social commentary.
6. 50:00 A fistfight breaks out aboard the saucer, which catches fire and explodes as the aliens flee. Considered one of the worst films ever made, it has gained a large cult following and was popularised by the book The Golden Turkey Awards (1980).

Copyright status

Plan 9 from Outer Space was released in 1957. The film's copyright was not renewed at the required 28-year mark, causing it to enter the public domain. Under United States copyright law, films published before 1964 whose copyrights were not renewed are in the public domain. This film may be freely watched, downloaded, copied, modified, and redistributed without restriction or payment.

References

1. Grey, Rudolph (1992). Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Edward D. Wood, Jr. Feral House.
2. Medved, Harry and Michael (1980). The Golden Turkey Awards. Putnam.
3. Vale, V. and Andrea Juno, eds. (1986). Incredibly Strange Films. Re/Search Publications.
4. Internet Archive. “Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)”. archive.org/details/plan_9_from_outer_space.