Plan 9 from Outer Space

Infamy

Plan 9 from Outer Space is one of the most famous movies of all time. It is regarded by many as the worst movie of all time. It may lack in just about every mainstream metric for cinematic quality, but it is by no means unwatchable. These almost certainly are the key factors that contribute to its prominence in the cult movie canon. I just saw it straight through for the first time, and I rather enjoyed it. At less than eighty minutes, it has no time to drag. I'd happily watch it's sloppily executed goofiness any day rather than sit through well produced but dull mainstream fare like The Glimmer Man or Deep Impact.

Woodwork

Much as Plan 9 is the stuff of legend, so is the writer and director, Edward D. Wood Jr. His screenwriting is astonishingly bad, but somehow very funny, almost as though he knows exactly what he's doing. Wood worked on almost no budget, sometimes even using the homes of his actors as sets. Wood also cut corners by making extensive use of stock footage. Combined with an almost willing disregard for scenic continuity, this penchant lends a very charming homemade feel to the movie. If it ever bothered him that so many imperfections crept into his "masterpiece", it's hard to tell.