BY: BILLUPS ALLEN

KTTU-18's "The Very Bad Movie" celebrates its one-year anniversary with a Loft screening of this unlikely classic.

Gone are the days when local television stations dressed their weathermen in ghoulish costumes and had them host the late night movie. In the spirit of this nostalgia, KTTU Channel18 has revived this tradition on Saturday nights with "The Very Bad Movie." The show features the wonderfully bad brand of cinema that dominated the arena of late night television many years ago. Although the host does not wear ghoulish make up, the producers do know enough about bad cinema to celebrate their first year anniversary with a screening of Ed Wood’s "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

"Plan 9 From Outer Space" is widely thought of as Hollywood’s ultimate turkey. The film exhibits flawed narrative, poor special effects and abysmal acting. This combination of circumstances would leave most film projects unrealized, but "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is resurrected regularly partly because of the consistently terrible elements. The film is a classic because Ed Wood is such a tremendous dreamer. All of his films were produced with almost no budget, and made as he taught himself the craft of filmmaking. His films radiate a sense of determination that is rare in any movie. Even if the viewer finds him or herself struggling to want to like an Ed Wood picture, his movies generally prevail.

"Plan 9" was one of Wood’s later films. It brings a large stable of unlikely stars to the screen. The film features Swedish wrestler Tor Johnson, horror TV host Vampira, and Bela Lugosi in his last on-screen performance. These names are considered the heavy hitters of "Plan 9 From Outer Space." Many of the less prevalent actors in the film went on to become Hollywood insiders who are regularly called upon to reminisce about their days with Ed Wood. Wood squeezes the most out of his acting rabble. There isn’t an apathetic face in the ensemble (with the exception of Vampira, who was said to have been an unwilling participant). Actors who cannot act generally appear tragic on screen, but the cast of "Plan 9" appear to know they cannot act. They endear themselves to the viewer.

This unlikely classic is essential viewing for night owls, film students, drug addicts and science fiction buffs. "Plan 9 From Outer Space" is said to make the viewer feel as though it is the middle of the night no matter what time it is viewed. For those who don’t appreciate that feeling, we feel sorry for you.

"Plan 9 From Outer Space" will be screened at the Loft Cinema Sat., May 26, as part of the one year anniversary celebration of Fox-11’s show "The Very Bad Movie."  

Recommended Reading:
"Horror Movie Hosts" by Elena M. Watson
"Nightmare of Ecstasy: The Life and Art of Ed Wood, Jr." by Rudolph Grey
"Video Hound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Picks"

Recommended Viewing:
"Ed Wood" Tim Burton’s streamlined version of Rudolph Grey’s biography is entertaining, but the book is essential reading for pop culture fans.)
"Plan 9 From Outer Space" Many versions of the DVD include the documentary "Flying Saucers Over Hollywood."

Billups Allen is a native of Washington D.C. His writing has recently been featured in Brooklyn New York’s Lungfull magazine and in a book of short stories, Unfurnished, published by Schematics Press. He currently lives in Tucson, Arizona where he is finishing a pulp novel, writing and drawing an underground comic book called Cramhole, hosting the weekly radio show Groove Tomb on KXCI-FM and editing a documentary about record store clerks.