page_title: List of films considered the worst
section_title: Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
hierarchical_section_title: List of films considered the worst / 1950s / Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)
caption_attribution_description: English: Film poster Plan 9 from Outer Space
context_page_description: The films listed below have been cited by a variety of notable critics in varying media sources as being among the worst films ever made. Examples of such sources include Metacritic, Roger Ebert's list of most-hated films, The Golden Turkey Awards, Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, Rotten Tomatoes, the Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, the cult TV series Mystery Science Theater 3000, the cult webseries The Cinema Snob and the Golden Raspberry Awards. Films on these lists are generally feature-length films that are commercial/artistic in nature, professionally or independently produced, and released in theaters, then on television, or more recently through on-demand streaming services.
context_section_description: Ed Wood's Plan 9 from Outer Space was labeled the "Worst Film Ever" by The Golden Turkey Awards. This movie marked the final film appearance of Bela Lugosi. Wood shot only a small amount of test footage featuring his idol Lugosi before the actor's death. Afterwards, the character was played by Tom Mason, the chiropractor of Wood's wife (Kathy O'Hara) at the time, who played his scenes holding the character's cape in front of his face.
  Wood was apparently undeterred by the numerous physical differences that distinguished Mason from Lugosi  –  such as height and build, and the fact that Mason was nearly bald while Lugosi retained a full head of hair until he died.  Worst of all, Mason couldn't do an impression of Lugosi's accent. Years later, video distributors such as Avenue One DVD began to make light of this, adding such blurbs as "Almost Starring Bela Lugosi" to the cover art. Numerous critics also pointed out the cheap, hardly believable special effects and kitschy dialogue.  And Wood's characteristically cavalier attitude toward continuity  –  night suddenly changing to day, automobile models suddenly changing  –  makes the film difficult to follow.
  Shot in 1956, the film was not released until 1959 because of difficulty in finding a distributor. It has played at the New Orleans Worst Film Festival. In 1994, Tim Burton directed Ed Wood, which includes some material about the trials and tribulations of making Plan 9. Phil Hall of Film Threat calls it "far too entertaining to be considered as the very worst film ever made". Likewise, John Wirt of The Advocate goes as far as to call it "the ultimate cult flick", and Videohound's Complete Guide to Cult Flicks and Trash Pics states, "In fact, the film has become so famous for its own badness that it's now beyond criticism." Ian Berriman of SFX commented about the unintentional comedy, "Some things are best watched at 3 am, wrapped in the warm glow of drunkenness ... Plan 9 From Outer Space is one of them." The Radio Times Guide to Films described Plan 9 as "the worst film ever made" and "tediously depressing".
caption: Plan 9 from Outer Space has been named the worst movie ever made by The Golden Turkey Awards and other sources
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