Double Features – Ed Wood

Features

I’ve got two films for you here. Tim Burton’s biopic, Ed Wood we get to see the director struggle his way through three films including our second film: Plan 9 From Outer Space, Edward D. Wood Jr.’s most famous film. This very much a double feature of life imitating art imitating life. It’s really great to see scenes of the film recreated in Ed Wood then see the real thing in Plan 9. It’s also great to not how great the casting in Ed Wood really is.

The reason I chose these films to write about is because the weekend before this column so posed to us I’d watched these two films in my own double feature and thought, “Hey, what perfect timing, I know exactly what I’m writing about.” So there you have it. Enjoy!

Director: Tim Burton

Notable Cast Members: Johnny Depp, Martin Landau, Bill Murray, Sarah Jessica Parker.

Synopsis: This is a biopic about the infamous B-movie director and the friend he developed with Bela Lugosi in his later years.

Available at Amazon.com

Director: Edward D. Wood Jr.

Notable Cast Members: Bela Lugosi, Tor Johnson, Vampira, Paul Marco, Carl Anthony, John Breckinridge.

Synopsis: A group of humans discover a devious plot of space aliens resurrecting human corpses in an attempt to take over the world!

Available at Amazon.com

Connecting Points: The connection here is pretty obvious. The film Ed Wood gives us great insight to the misguided director and takes us behind the scenes of the making of his greatest flops, including Plan 9, which is the films grand finally. It only makes sense to follow with Plan 9 to see what all that hard work was all about. Plan 9 really is one of the worst films ever made, technically speaking, but if you like b-movies it’s very entertaining and the flaws of the film becoming its crowing achievements.

While Plan 9 is a joy to watch it must be noted that if you really want to get your Lugosi fix on, watch Bride Of The Monster. While lesser known that Plan 9, Bride is one of Woods better films and Lugosi actually talks in it as apposed to Plan 9 where he’s only on screen for like 10 minutes. Why not turn this double feature into a trifecta of b-movie fun!

Ideal Audience: This double feature is pretty much just for b-movie aficionados. While I’m sure most people will enjoy Ed Wood as it is a fantastic film, I’m willing to admit it takes a special kind of person to enjoy Plan 9. Not everyone is going to be able to handle the horrible acting, fake sets and falling over tombstones. However, after watching Ed Wood and seeing the directors passion for the film some might be able to get something out of Plan 9.

Ideal Setting: There a two ways you could go with this. Get together with a bunch of friends on a Saturday night. Get some pizza and beers and have a good time. By the time you get to Plan 9 you’ll be pretty tossed and that might not be such a bad idea. You could have your own MST3K evening with it.

Or, if you send your Saturday nights out partying and your Sundays hung over in bed, wait until Sunday, preferably and rainy one, pull that left over pizza out of the fridge and what’s left of your two liter of soda, wrap up in your blankets on your couch and have a great afternoon.

Outtro: Ed Wood is considered the worst filmmakers ever. People who say that obviously have never seen Manos, The Hands of Fate, which makes Plan 9 look like Citizen Kane. Anyway, what he lacked in talent he more than made up for in passion and even if that passion can’t be seen in his films it certainly can be seen is biopic and watching these two films together is a great way to honor the late director.

Mike Noyes received his Masters Degree in Film from the Academy of Art University, San Francisco. A few of his short films can be viewed here: http://www.youtube.com/user/mikebnoyes. He recently published his first novel which you can buy here: https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Days-Years-Mike-Noyes-ebook/dp/B07D48NT6B/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528774538&sr=8-1&keywords=seven+days+seven+years