Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959): Ed Wood’s Classic Clunker STILL LIVES!
Ed Wood’s classic clunker Plan 9 from Outer Space dares to ask that question: If two easily-defeated, more-mindless-than-usual zombies attacked a few townsfolk, would it be enough to conquer the world?
Ed Wood’s classic clunkerPlan 9 from Outer Space dares to ask that question: If two easily-defeated, more-mindless-than-usual zombies attacked a few townsfolk, would it be enough to conquer the world? Also, couldn’t space aliens who look like ordinary people be the ones to re-animate these few hostile, deceased assailants? Do we ask or address these questions out of boredom or inspiration? Either way, this movie exists.
This is a movie that tries to land with a crash but is more of a dull thud, yet it’s still likable somehow. In fact, hit’s primarily enjoyable because of all the horror themes scattered throughout. Characters visit the graveyard so often that there might as well be a cemetery bus. I also love how everyone knows something is up, yet no one’s well-written enough to truly convey a sense of mystery or wonder, and the actors seem lethargic, only conveying excitement or interest by occasionally raising their speaking volumes.
Plan 9 from Outer Space: A silly and tragic tale?
As many horror fans already know, Plan 9 from Outer Space was the final film for legendary actor Bela Lugosi. Though certainly not his finest film, this fact surely shapes our impressions of this film, perhaps even softening some of its rough edges. Bela himself plays a rather sad character, especially during the moments the character is alive. Basically, we know him as a mourner of his recently deceased wife who — perhaps in a stupor, perhaps even in suicide mode — wanders into oncoming traffic and seals his own fate (the moment is offscreen, so we don’t entirely know how gross his death is).
Interestingly, the Bela character seems to retain more intelligence than the other reanimated dead. He seems to be at least vaguely more self-aware, cloaking his face behind a cape. It’s certainly an ode to Lugosi’s character of Dracula, even though the old mourner is no vampire, warlock, or anything like that. More realistically, it was also to conceal the fact that, during most of the old man’s scenes in Plan 9 from Outer Space, he’s actually played by Tom Mason, who was Ed Wood’s wife’s chiropractor at the time.
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Plan 9’s wacky moments
In terms of addressing the film’s wackiness, where does one begin? One place might be with the film’s cops. No, these police officers aren’t quite baton-wielding brutes in suits, but they often wave their guns around or use them to scratch their foreheads, and usually with their fingers on the trigger. In other words, if you’re around this police department, you’ll probably want to have body armor.
Also, during numerous scenes, the interiors of airplanes look incredibly unconvincing. Basically, it looks like one of these planes would rattle apart the very second they take off! You also have headstones that wobble in the graveyard scenes (extra funny considering so many scenes take place in or near the graveyard). Basically, watching “Plan 9 from Outer Space” can be like combing through wreckage to find out what went wrong, like a forensics investigation. Still, even if some of these things are accidental, they are what Bob Ross might have called “happy accidents.”
Scariest moments?
Unless someone’s out of their minds or very easily frightened, they probably won’t be scared by Plan 9 from Outer Space, even a little bit. Still, the question of “What’s the scariest moment” is a fun kind of challenge. Personally, I would say it’s when Vampire Girl (Maila Nurmi) attacks and kills the gravediggers (J. Edward Reynolds and associate producer Hugh Thomas, Jr.). Though also comical, her fixed, horrified expression is at least borderline scary, and those gravediggers seemed like hapless everymen who certainly don’t deserve their offscreen fate.
Then again, one supposes many would choose Inspector Clay’s corpse (Tor Johnson), who also comes equipped with a horrible grimace. As an added bonus, Plan 9 from Outer Space is still more watchable than The Beast of Yucca Flats, where Tor Johnson plays someone changed into a mindless menace after getting bombed, rather than being destroyed by the bomb blast. That movie is somehow considerably worse!
The legacy of Plan 9
Most of us like good movies, but it sometimes pays to head off in a different direction and watch a real stinker. Oddly enough, this one doesn’t have the worst cast imaginable, but no doubt simply wasn’t pushed in the best direction to create truly inspiring performances. Put Ralph Bellamy in a total clunker movie and you’d probably still have some things be “off.” Then again, oddly enough, we might not even discuss this film today had it been conventionally better.
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Every character is as goofy as the gravediggers, even if it’s not as conventionally funny as Leslie Nielsen was. Also, at the very least, this movie gave everyone from Ed Wood to the crew members something to do. I can, on some level, laugh at and enjoy the encounters between the main cast and the lackluster aliens (Dudley Manlove and Joanna Lee), the male and female zombies, Jeff the pilot (Gregory Walcott), and his phony cockpit and stirring speech about being “muzzled by army brass.” This movie also gave us Ed Wood, which was a box office bomb but a critical success and well worth checking out.
What are your thoughts on Plan 9 From Outer Space? Assuming you’re not muzzled by army brass, let us know in the comments!
My Best Friend’s Exorcism (2022) is a horror comedy directed by Damon Thomas. Based on Grady Hendrix’s novel of the same name, this R-rated film stars Elsie Fisher, Amiah Miller, Cathay Ang, and Rachel Ogechi Kanu. As of this review, the film is available to Amazon Prime subscribers.
Abby Rivers (Elsie Fisher) and Gretchen Lang (Amiah Miller) seek to escape the monotony of high school drama with their friends. However, in their efforts to have fun, Gretchen Lang encounters a troubling otherworldly demon bent on controlling her body. It’s up to Abby to help her overcome this demonic threat.
My Best Friend’s Exorcism Novel Cover
What I Like in My Best Friend’s Exorcism
The effects are surprisingly good. While not overwhelming, these effects never take me out of the film. Even the less realistic scenes fit the overall tone while looking better than expected or required. The 80’s aesthetic strengthens that believability.
Continuing that thought, My Best Friend’s Exorcism oozes the 80’s. Perhaps this comment should set an expectation for the viewer. I can’t exactly comment on the accuracy of the era, but it certainly fits the era of film. If 80’s films don’t interest you, consider looking somewhere else.
While I don’t meet the target audience, the jokes land and provide an enjoyable horror comedy feel. My Best Friend’s Exorcism focuses more on comedy than horror, but this remains a common trend in horror comedies.
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The performances remain strong throughout, with leads Elsie Fisher and Amiah Miller pulling off that best-friend chemistry. The cast purposely captures that 80’s nostalgia. Added to the campy nature of the film, one might grow irritated with the acting choices. For me, it certainly fits with the tone and setting.
Disclaimer Kimberley Web Design
Tired Tropes and Trigger Warnings
Drug use might deserve a mention on this list. While I don’t find this egregious, I imagine this point, or some other technicality, earns the film its undeserved R-rating.
The possession lends itself as a rape allegory, with some characters even believing this to be the trauma Gretchen Lang suffers from. While this isn’t the case, the conversation remains for those who want to avoid such material.
Body horror describes a few scenes of the film, though sparingly. However, one scene convinces me to bring this up for those who get squeamish at the cracking of bones or slimies in the body.
A character is tricked into outing themselves and faces some homophobia because of it. This homophobia is rightfully taken as cruel, not condoned in the slightest, but it remains potentially triggering and deserves mention here.
Elsie Fisher as Abby Rivers (Left) and (Amiah Miller as Gretchen Lang (Right)
What I Dislike, or Food for Thought on My Best Friend’s Exorcism
This film seems to earn its R-rating off some technicality. It is neither raunchy nor gruesome for those expecting that from their R-rated horror films. For me, it’s more an issue of setting expectations. I expect my R-rated horrors to hit hard. My Best Friend’s Exorcism doesn’t.
It would be unfair to expect something like Jennifer’s Body, as this is a lighter and zanier film. There are elements of sisterhood and bodily autonomy that echo the cult classic, but My Best Friend’s Exorcism remains an entirely campier affair.
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In terms of performances that lack the intended impact, three over-the-top anti-drug spokesmen outstay their welcome. It’s clearly a jab at D.A.R.E., which certainly works in increments, but then one character becomes an important part of the plot and still keeps his caricature.
Final Thoughts
My Best Friend’s Exorcism fits the taste of an 80’s horror comedy fan. Don’t expect to be frightened at any point, but the comedy lands well enough. The film knows its niche and hits most of its targets. It’s hard to say if the film will stand the test of time, but it certainly earns its runtime. (3.5 / 5)
There’s a lot to unpack from this episode of American Horror Story Delicate, Killer Queens, so I don’t want to waste any time. I just want to take a moment and issue a trigger warning. This episode, and therefore this review, talks about several topics that might be upsetting. These include abuse, pregnancy trauma and miscarriage. It’s heavy. If you’re not up for that, here’s a link to my review of Tucker and Dale, which is considerably lighter and funnier.
The story
Our episode starts with Anna trying to get the police to take her seriously about the break-in. There’s just one problem. No one was seen coming in or out of the apartment except Dex. No one shows up on any of the security footage. The police are convinced it’s just Anna’s IFV medication making her see things.
But Anna doesn’t have time to think about the break-in. She’s just been nominated for a Gotham award, and she needs to get into full Awards Show mode. Siobhan gives her something she calls B12 and tells her that her life now revolves around awards prep.
But Anna’s whole life can’t revolve around that, because she’s pregnant now. Even though she seems to be losing time. Like, weeks at a time without even realizing it.
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Things just get stranger when she’s at the Gotham Awards and accosted by an overzealous fan in the bathroom. After the woman puts her hands on Anna’s stomach, she knocks her over and the woman hits her head on the sink.
Rather than aiding the woman, Anna goes out to accept her award.
Or does she? After throwing up blood on stage, she finds herself back in the bathroom, being helped up by paramedics.
Everyone agrees that Anna needs some rest and space to heal. So she and Dex go to Talia’s house in the country. There, of course, everything gets much worse. Anna starts to bleed after a yoga session and is taken to the hospital. There, she gets an ultrasound by Nurse Ivy. A nurse that no one else knows at the hospital.
Sadly, the bleeding doesn’t stop. And as we end the episode, it appears that Anna has lost her baby.
What worked
Emma Roberts is doing a fantastic job playing Anna. Proving as always that American Horror Story actors are nothing if not flexible. I find myself wanting to compare Anna to Madison Montgomery from AHS Coven. They’re both actresses who experience abuse from men that one might, sadly, expect for women in their station and age range. Madison is gang-abused by frat boys, and Anna has her autonomy taken away from her as soon as a baby is in question.
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That’s where the similarities stop. Can you ever imagine Madison saying, “You’re right, I’m sorry,” to literally anyone? She’d have snapped a man’s neck first. Anna’s body language, voice modulation, and the overall way she carries herself in the world is so different.
This is also part of what makes her relatable. I imagine many of the female-presenting people reading this can remember a time when we’ve said, you’re right, I’m sorry when they were wrong and we weren’t sorry at all.
I also really loved the amount of blood in this episode. There is so much blood involved in being a cisgender woman. It’s something we take for granted, but shy away from when in polite company. There was no shying away here. We’re made to see all of it. I don’t think the amount of blood in the miscarriage scene was overkill at all. If anything, it wasn’t enough.
Finally, it’s a small point but one that I appreciated. I bet you already know the one I’m talking about. When Anna is overjoyed to get to wear the same dress once worn by Madonna, Siobhan reminds her in a stern voice not to rip it.
If you didn’t get the joke, look up Kim K and an incident with the iconic Marilyn Monroe dress. I do appreciate anyone who can poke fun at themselves.
The reference to ‘don’t rip it’ with the dress was fun. I hate Kim K and her whole family, but that was funny.
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What didn’t work
I’m honestly struggling to find anything in this episode that didn’t work. If I had to pick out something I didn’t like, it was probably that we got the barest cameo from Zachary Quinto. I really hope we get to see more of him as the season progresses.
Another thing I don’t like overall is the character Siobhan. I mentioned this last week, and I’ll try not to mention it again because I don’t see it changing. But the character in the show is a bare reflection of the one in the book.
Siobhan in the book was a loving, selfless friend. Which made the ending, well, let’s say impactful to avoid spoilers for both AHS and Delicate Condition. This version, if she continues as she is, is not going to have the same effect.
I’m also quite done hearing the internet swoon over what a great job Kim K is doing. She’s been acting her entire life, I’d be surprised if she wasn’t good at it. And she’s doing no better or worse than many other guest stars have done in the past seasons of American Horror Story. She’s not bad. But she wouldn’t be getting the credit she is if she wasn’t who she is.
Overall, this was a great episode. It was equal parts funny, gory and infuriating. At this point, my only real complaint is that there are only three episodes left until a season break. But now that the writing strike is over, hopefully the break won’t be too long.
Cadaver (2020) is a Norwegian post-apocalyptic thriller directed by Jarand Herdal. This unrated film stars Thorbjørn Harr, Gitte Witt, and Thomas Gullestad. As of this review, the film is available on Netflix.
After an apocalyptic event, the survivors endure in a hopeless world. Among these survivors are Leonora (Gitte Witt), Jacob (Thomas Gullestad), and Alice (Tuva Olivia Remman), a family fighting the hopelessness of a lost world. Leonora desires to keep her daughter (Alice) hopeful, and when a theater opens in their decrepit city, she thinks she has found the solution to their despair. However, they will all soon learn how desperate people have become.
Cadaver Netflix Promotional Art
What I Like from Cadaver
Cadaver takes on a unique focus for a post-apocalyptic movie. While most in the genre tackle the question of where you find hope, the theatrical lens is not one I’ve seen before. It blends these two unique environments together for a pleasant concoction. As a fan of the post-apocalyptic genre, I must admit I find my niche in the everyday lives of someone in such a world.
Leonora’s (usually called Leo in the film) dreamer nature in this horrendously hopeless environment creates a sympathetic contrast. This dreamer nature doesn’t excuse some of her choices, but she evokes sympathy. While most post-apocalyptic entries provide this balance of hope and survival, Leo’s creativity and passion for the arts give her hope and a more focused ideal.
The relationship between Leo and her husband also creates a nice contrast, as Jacob plays the rationalist and survivor. In this decision, both characters provide that post-apocalyptic dynamic of survival and hope. These interactions allow both actors opportunities to create friction as they pull the plot from their differing perspectives.
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I had the chance to listen to the dubbed version, which sounds good. I’m not much for dubs, especially on Netflix, but they did Cadaver with respect and a focus on quality. At the very least, it’s competent and doesn’t distract from the viewing experience.
Disclaimer Kimberley Web Design
Tired Tropes and Trigger Warnings
As hinted at earlier, there are some dumb decisions in the plot. While many fall within character traits, the actions don’t escape criticism. This flaw becomes incredibly repetitive when characters make the same mistake.
Implied suicide occurs throughout the film with one shown incident, but there are circumstances that change the context slightly. A world this bleak invites this depressive and dangerous state as a normality. However, one should prepare if this is a trigger.
Cadaver Family
What I Dislike or Considerations for Cadaver
Again, some decisions had me roll my eyes and endure the plot. This reaction isn’t exactly the experience I seek out in my horror. It’s more haunting to make sensible, or even intelligent, decisions and still endure unavoidable or unforeseen consequences.
It’s likely that nothing in Cadaver surprises you, which underutilizes the interesting premise. There are unique elements, certainly, but never a twist I didn’t see coming. It’s in that execution that Cadaver falls flat and fails to engage a viewer.
The film doesn’t exactly haunt the viewer, but the bleak world effectively depicts the hopelessness of a post-apocalypse. Don’t expect much genuine horror, but you can expect an appropriately uncomfortable and unnerving experience. In short, viewers of Cadaver likely want a unique twist in their post-apocalypse, not a traumatic horror.
Final Thoughts
Cadaver remains a unique viewing experience by adding a slight twist to its post-apocalyptic story. While not a haunting masterpiece, this bleak film will have you feeling the characters’ struggle. While lacking sensible decision-making skills, they are certainly sympathetic survivors struggling in a hopeless world. If this is your niche, it’s certainly worth a view. (3 / 5)
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Stevie
February 3, 2022 at 5:53 pm
I never got people who said this film was the worst thing in existence.
I mean it’s enjoyable fun albeit forgettable.
Plus other films I’ve watched considered better really. . . weren’t XD