Plan 10 From Outer Space
After watching Plan 10 From Outer Space, I realized that I may want to go back and re-review all of the cult classics that I gave bad reviews to (A Clockwork Orange especially). The reason is that when I reviewed those films, I was going through a transitional period where anything that offended me I hated. Now that I'm through that period of my life, I feel that I can justly review those films and any other film that comes out. Did Plan 10 offend me? In a way, but only because I am Mormon. But in a much larger way, it made me laugh because of the silly spoofing done of Mormon history and the worst film ever made, Plan 9 From Outer Space.
Directed by Trent Harris, Plan 10 has a style all its own, where you realize everything is fiction, but in a small part of your mind, it all makes sense. Plan 10 doesn't necessarily spoof Mormon doctrine; instead, it puts another twist to the meanings given in LDS literature. I think that LDS members will find this film funnier than non-LDS people mainly because we will appreciate and understand the film better (that is, if you don't take everything seriously). As most comedies go, Plan 10 tries extremely hard to make you laugh. It succeeds more than most Hollywood comedies, because it doesn't have big stars making fools of themselves by tripping over things and falling through roofs. I guess Hollywood thinks that we like to watch stupid people make fools of themselves... if we wanted to see that, we'd watch "Full House" or "America's Funniest Home Videos."
Luckily, Harris made a smart script and put a spin on everything we Mormons have been taught. The film stars Stefene Russell as Lucinda, a young woman with a lot of time on her hands. Lucinda is a very curious person, and she wants to find out questions to mysterious happenings, such as her neighbor dressing up like an alien, and her dreams about him. As Lucinda digs deeper, she begins to find out that maybe all this Mormon doctrine is false, and that God is really an alien living on a planet far away (Kolob). This almost began to make sense to me, but once the initial plot was unfolded, another part of the plot contradicted everything Lucinda thought. Was everything just a big cover-up? Who is Nehor (Karen Black)? And what is that strange writing on that Plaque of Kolob she found?
All these questions are answered, and the result is hysterical madness. I was reminded of a Seinfeld-style of plot trickery. Everything in the plot relates to each other, and all sort of paranoid delusions overcome Lucinda. The ending is a cop-out which could have taken an entirely different spin and turned into a suspense film. But I realized that this was a comedy, and it couldn't do that. In fact, that coverup could almost make another film altogether. As it is, the plot happenings are very funny, and the dialogue is especially witty. I saw this film the same night I saw Pink Flamingos and so I was in the mood for a comedy with taste. However, the acting is almost the same (but slightly better and more over-the-top) and the characters are vividly colorful. Surprisingly, this didn't disappoint me. The main actress Stefene Russell is extremely fun to watch, and I wouldn't mind seeing her in more films. Her curiousity is wonderfully endearing and most people can relate to her suspiciousness. This is her first film and she handles it wonderfully.
The rest of the cast is just as good. Karen Black plays Nehor and she has a lot of fun with her part. Black, an Academy Award nominee, took over the role after the previous actress dropped out. Patrick Michael Collins takes on Lucinda's brother who becomes mentally ill when he starts believing that he is seeing aliens from other worlds. The cast is pretty small, but the main surprise is Russell who shows that she can act just as well as anyone else. Her over the top performance is a delight and it shows that the film isn't really taking itself seriously.
Plan 10 From Outer Space is rated PG-13. There is some violence, some nudity, some language, and some comic innuendos. With Russell's performance and Harris' witty script and wild directing style, Plan 10 takes on Mormon doctrine and puts a whole new face on it. The film can be found here in Salt Lake City at the Tower Theater. Because of its cult status, you probably won't be able to find it anywhere else. Look for this one. It is sure to be entertaining for any rainy day.