Righteous Insanity

Plan 9 - 50 Years Later

I just received an email about a special screening of "Plan 9 From Outer Space" next week, in which the stars of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 will be doing a live (broadcast) commentary on the film. The screening on August 20 is in celebration of the 50th anniversary of what is widely regarded and loved as the worst movie of all time.

 

"Plan 9" is a very special movie that grows more endearing the more you learn about it. The film was written, produced, and directed by Edward D. Wood, Jr., a man with a huge heart filled with love for one thing: movies. The only problem was, Ed was not very good atmaking movies. From the gender-bending "Glen or Glenda" to "Bride of the Monster," Ed's films stand alone, as John Candy once put it, "at the bottom of the heap." His characters were wooden, the dialogue cringe-worthy, the sets cheap, and the camera work lousy. Though serious in their content, it's very hard to watch an Ed Wood movie and not laugh.

 

But of all the films Ed made, Plan 9 transcends them. The plot in itself is (in my opinion) better than 90% of what's being made today: aliens come to earth and resurrect the dead (zombies) in order to conquer the world. From there, the whole thing comes apart. Chase sequences take places in day and night shots. The strings on the flying saucers are hard to miss. Tombstones get kicked over with very little effort. And then, there's Bela.

 

Bela Lugosi was Ed's childhood hero. A washed up heroin addict by the time Ed met him, the director nevertheless chose to put Bela in every film he could. Tragically, Bela died before filming on Plan 9 was complete, and Ed still had a number of scenes to finish. So Ed got his wife's chiropractor to stand in for Bela. He was a foot taller than Bela, and had much darker hair, but Ed was convinced that if he kept the Dracula cape over his face, the audience would never tell the difference. (You can, and it is quite funny.)

 

For all his weaknesses, filmmakers who came after Ed Wood found much to admire and respect about the man. He was a dreamer who was never slowed by the word "No." He never quit. He was an innovator and a creative thinker, as evidenced by his frequent use of stock footage.

 

The one thing about Ed that inspires me (other than his passion for movies) is the way he assembled a loyal and ecclectic gang of friends who believed in Ed and the dream of making movies. Friends like Criswell, Vampira, Tor Johnson, Bela Lugosi, and Paul Marco. Most of these actors were just as talented (or less) than Ed, but they were always there when needed. I feel I've been just as blessed with the rogues gallery of talent that has stuck with me over the years: Natalie, Randy, Denny, Herschel, Erica, Bob, Jason, Addie, Megan, Tyler, Ryan, Jeff... I could go on and on. Making movies - even little ones - is a very hard, very stressful endeavor. Friends go a long way to lightening the load.

 

If you have a love of old movies or science fiction and have not seen "Plan 9 From Outer Space," you should. Get some friends together, get some popcorn, and get ready to laugh. Then for a nice double feature, pop in Tim Burton's henomenal bio-pic "Ed Wood," featuring Johnny Depp as the anti-genius himself. It will give you an even deeper appreciation for the greatest bad director ever to set foot on a movie set.

RIP John Hughes

I can't even begin to say how sad I am to hear John Hughes has died. You may not know his name if you didn't grow up in the 1980's. But you know his movies. Mr. Mom. Vacation. Sixteen Candles. The Breakfast Club. Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Some Kind of Wonderful. Pretty in Pink. Weird Science. The Great Outdoors. Uncle Buck. Home Alone. Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. Christmas Vacation. Every one of them a classic. Every one of them a part of growing up. 

He wrote for adults and even kids, but it was his writing for teens that made him legend. John Hughes got teenage angst better than any screenwriter ever. Period. His high school films were at the same time a time capsule of what it was like to be a teen in the 80's and timeless classics that will speak to generations to come. Put Sixteen Candles or The Breakfast Club on for a classroom full of teenagers, and every kid in class will still relate. 

Any time I sit down to write something for youth, I think of John Hughes. I want to get it like he did. I want to connect like he did. I want to convey something timeless and true in the same fashion he did over and over and over. At one time I even sat down and started to write a sequel to Ferris Bueller. 

I am grateful for the amazing work and legacy of John Hughes, and I look forward to sharing his movies with my own kids. He will be missed, but he will never be forgotten. 

Non-Traditional Easter Movies

Did Easter sneak up on you like it did me?

 

Part of the reason it took me by surprise was the play I had in production. Time FLIES when you're up to your neck trying to get a show off the ground, and "Joseph" was over in a flash. But I've noticed that Easter doesn't seem to garner the attention it once did. Other than the History channel, where you can watch a nice TV special that says aliens and UFOs are most likely responsible for thesigns and wonders of the Bible, no one has spent much time talking about Easter or Jesus on TV. In fact the only place that is beginning to look at lot like Easter I've noticed is Wal-Mart, where you can now get color-coordinated treats (from Peeps to Jelly Beans) to go with any color pastel Easter basket grass.

 

Still, it IS Good Friday, and Easter IS Sunday. And even if you can't find "The Robe," "Ben-Hur," or "The Passion of the Christ" at your local video store (or Netflix), you can still find some inspirational viewing on DVD. In fact, here are a few non-Easter Easter suggestions for the weekend:

 

Any Sci-Fi movie with a "Christ" figure.

 

The Christ story is told one one shape or form in every culture around the world, proof that deep in our heart of hearts, we know we need to be saved, and we know the way in which we must be saved. Today, the Christ story shows up most frequently in science fiction.

 

Yesterday I blogged about "The Day the Earth Stood Still," a movie so steeped in the Christ allegory it would never get made today. (Check out the re-make; the Christ story was definitely removed before Keanu got his hands in it.) But there are others. Ten years ago, we were all discussing "The Matrix" with our Sunday School classes. Some youth groups I know of have had lock-ins where, at the invitation, students are offered a red pill or a blue pill. (Note: they were not real pills. They used Jelly Beans, and it's the metaphor that matters most anyway.)

 

My favorite is definitely "Flash Gordon." Not only does it follow the allegory perfectly, but it is the most fabulous, over the top, glam and gaudy interpretation of a classic science fiction story you'll ever see. Add the amazing soundtrack by the legendary rock band Queen, and you've got one heck of an entertaining Easter flick.

 

Then of course, there's Mom and Dad Save the World. Not much to recommend here unless you like really dumb comedies. But yes, even in this corny family flick, our main hero (Dad) is killed and raised to new life in order to save the world. And Mom.

 

And I don't care who you are, the gag about the light grenade is FUNNY.

 

Gross-out comedies with a religious slant.

 

Believe it or not, there are kernals of truth (and sometimes whole chunks) to be found in two movies often blown off as mere sacrilege: "Monty Python's Life of Brian" and Kevin Smith's "Dogma."

 

"Life of Brian" is a wonderful commentary on humanity's search for truth and our difficulty with understanding when we do find it. The main character of Brian is born in the next stable over on Christmas night. He's no one special, but he becomes a religious icon through a freak set of circumstances. It's not long before a mob of people are chasing him, falling at his feet - and arguing over the central points of his teachings (i.e. why Brian dropped his shoe when he ran away from us).

 

Supposedly the Pythons wrote the film after attempting to write a parody of the Gospel. The six men agreed that Jesus' teachings were Earth-shaking. They also agreed that people had, by and large, completely missed the point. So they made a film that laments mankind's inability to grasp the truth that is right before them.

 

"Dogma" stirred up quite a bit of controversy when it came out for its portrayal of the Catholic church. But if you look closer, "Dogma" is really a film maker's attempt to sort out his own faith. True, there are a great many heresies in this film, but for every heresy there's a wonderful insight into faith or Christ. My favorite is when the Metatron (the angel who is God's voice on Earth) describes what is was like for the boy Jesus to learn that he would have to die for the sins of the world. We don't like to explore the human side of Jesus in the church, but insights like this not only make Jesus more real, but someone I can relate to - someone who knows the pain I have felt.

 

"Life of Brian" and "Dogma" are rated R for good reason. So, too, is "The Matrix." So please us discernment when deciding to watch any of these films. My point here is not to recommend everyone go out and watch them; only to point out how deep mankind's yearning for a Savior goes. And who knows when God might use a kitschy sci-fi film or a gross-out comedy to offer you the chance to share the gospel truth with a friend!

That's no bonus feature!

My wife and I were a little stunned the other night when we saw the commercial for the DVD release of "The Day the Earth Stood Still." Tacked onto the end of the commercial was a throwaway comment by the announcer: "also contains the original classic." 

WHAT?????

For those of you who do not watch black and white movies, and those who think science fiction did not exist before 1977 (or 66 for you Trekkies), let me make this perfectly clear: 

The original version of "The Day the Earth Stood Still" is not only superior to the re-make, it is one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time, alongside "Forbidden Planet," "Star Wars," and "Blade Runner."

Don't get me wrong about the new version. It's a good movie with great effects and one killer reimagining of the robot called Gort. But the new version doesn't have near the impact of the original. Keanu's version of Klaatu comes to Earth not to save humanity, but the environment. Klaatu's mission is not to set humanity on the right path; his mission is to kill us and save the planet. 

The original version was a warning about the proliferation of nuclear weapons. Klaatu had come with a message for humanity: learn to get along, or you will be destroyed. More than a warning about the dangers of nuclear war, the original film spoke to man's sinful nature. Klaatu became a Christ figure, the being from another world who died, was resurrected, and left humanity with an opportunity for redemption. 

If you do buy "The Day the Earth Stood Still" on DVD, I urge you to put aside your B&W prejudice and watch the original. It is a timeless story and a powerful Christ allegory with a message far more enduring than the remake. 

Fluffy is going to the World Independent Film Expo!

F2: Fluffy Strikes Back is now an official selection for the World Independent Film Expo in Winchester, KY May 15-17, 2009. This is sounding like a GREAT film celebration for film makers and film lovers alike. Check out the details at www.worldindependentfilmexpo.com

Cinema's Exiles: From Hitler to Hollywood

Just finished watching this documentary on PBS. If you are a fan of the early days of the film industry, you need to check this out. The film tells the story of German cinema in the 20's (Metropolis, Dr. Caligari, etc.), the people who worked there (Fritz Lang, Marlene Dietrich, Billy Wilder, etc.) and follows their journey from their homeland to Hollywood after the Nazis came to power. 

The documentary was exceptional on many levels. For one, it's a powerful piece of history. These people were giants in their homeland, and almost all of them left everything behind. The majority would never achieve near as much in America as they did at home. They also gave considerable time, money, and effort to help their fellow artists who had not escaped in time to make the jump to America. 

The film was also quite revealing in the way it shed light on the work and innovations the exiles brought to Hollywood. The unique camera styles and their darkened view of the world led to the creation of the film noir genre. The film also spotlights a number of films from the 30's and 40's in a new way, from The Wolfman to High Noon to Harvey. I was also happy to see mention of To Be or Not To Be, a with Jack Benny that was re-made with equal beauty and humor by Mel Brooks. 

This isn't just a documentary about directors. The film also follows the lives of film composers, actors, camera workers, and others who didn't find Hollywood or America so welcoming. 

Perhaps the most telling part of the documentary has to deal with Casablanca. When you sit back and realize that everyone on screen in Casablanca (save for Bogart) was a refugee, an exile forced from their homeland by Hitler, it makes the entire movie much more dynamic and powerful. 

"Cinema's Exiles" is a wonderful story about Hollywood and film's past. It's also a powerful tale of a proud people, German people most of them, who gave up everything in search of freedom while never forgetting where they came from. If you're an old film buff like me, this is a must see. 

Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog

If you are an indy film maker, even if you're just the kind of guy making movies with a camcorder in his basement, you need to see "Dr. Horrible's Sing-A-Long Blog." 

Dr. Horrible is the latest piece of bliss and joy from the great Joss Whedon, starring Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. It's a 3-part web series turned DVD, a musical about a wannabe super-villain, his arch-nemesis Captain Hammer, and the girl from the laundromat that he loves. 

Dr. Horrible was a collaboration among friends, filmed on the cheap with much of the crew doing the work for free - simply because they believed in the project. It's inspirational because this is what we all dream of - creating some little piece of film that people will fall in love with, share with friends, watch a million times, and memorize. It's also an example of what can happen when creative people go out and do their thing, without the interference (i.e. tampering) of studio execs. 

Dr. Horrible first appeared on the website www.drhorrible.com, but is now available on DVD. Please take my advice: buy the DVD. Watch the movie. Watch the making of documentaries. Watch and listen to the musical commentary track. (You heard me; gosh, I wish I had thought of it first!) You will be inspired. 

I rebuilt the Fluffy website after watching the DVD. Speaking of which, you should go and watch my movies too: www.fluffythemovie.com

DVD Wish List

Like many of you, I love Christmas presents, and like many of you, I spend a lot of time (Dark Knight) around the holidays (Office Season 4) dropping hints (30 Rock) as to what presents (Intercontinental Championship 3-Disc set) I hope to get.

If you can't guess, most of the hints are about DVD's. We have a nice collection at home that includes a lot of sci-fi, super heroes, comedy, action, cult classics, TV shows, and yes, even wrestling. It seems like almost everything you can imagine is available now, thanks to DVD... almost, but not everything. Here's a quick wish list of DVD's and box sets that I would love to see come to pass.

"Bugsy Malone." Before she was an Academy Award winner, Jodie Foster starred opposite Scott Baio in this musical comedy about mobsters. She was twelve. It's cheesy, it's got a peppy Paul Williams soundtrack, and it was a big influence on me as a kid. The first screenplay I ever wrote: "Bugsy Malone II." Something tells me Jodie probably won't be interested.  

"Megaforce." Why oh why isn't this out there on DVD? Yes, it's on IMDB's 100 worst movies list (by user rating), but it's so much fun. Flying, rocket-shooting motorcycles, Barry Bostwick in spandex, The bald chick from Star Trek: The Motion Picture with hair... c'mon, that's a recipe for fun right there. My best friend Ben and I began developing a comic book/movie series called "A-Force" that was a cross between Megaforce and GI Joe. I still have all our notes from 23 years ago filed away.

"Misfits of Science." Not an influence on my writing, but one of my favorite shows while it lasted. You can't even find clips on Youtube, aside from the opening credits. Courtney Cox had telekinetic powers, and the guy who played the Predator and Harry and the Hendersons got to act without a mask. Fun stuff.

"The Last Precinct." Again, not a writing influence, but as I remember, a pretty funny show in the vein of "Sledgehammer" with Adam West as the police chief. You can't find this one on Youtube either.

"The State." Dangit, MTV! They keep teasing us. They keep on promising and we keep on waiting. "The State" was a huge influence on a budding young writer when he started writing skits for his church 15 years ago. It's still the funniest sketch show ever, in my opinion. Please, MTV, you've tortured us long enough.

B-Movie Celebration

Just got back from the B-Movie Celebration/Summer TromaDance, where F2: Fluffy Strikes Back had its first public exhibition. It was a very small crowd, but those who were there laughed and seemed to have a good time. 

The B-Movie Celebration is a really neat small town festival celebrating the movies that never get a lot of celebration - many for good reason. This isn't your modern assembly for Trekkies, Star Wars fans, Stargate fans, and the like. This is for people who hold names like Corman, Harryhausen, and Edward D. Wood, Jr. in high esteem. 

I would have loved to spend more time seeing some of the old classics if it weren't for my school schedule. Three films in particular were on the weekend schedule that I would recommend to anyone who with the open mind to enjoy a movie made before 1977. 

"The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms" is a truly great monster movie featuring the amazing work of stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen. The Beast of the title is a prehistoric creature revived by a nuclear explosion who travels from the North Pole to Coney Island wreaking havoc. By today's standards, the monster may not look like much, and there are some hokey moments. But the movie holds up surprisingly well. The scene where the monster devours a city policeman by the head is still classic. 

"Queen of Outer Space" is one of my very favorite bad movies. The movie is an anti-feminist story about four male astronauts (wearing the same space suits Leslie Nielsen and company wore in the true classic "Forbidden Planet") who end up on a planet ruled by women in short, SHORT skirts and high heels. The queen of the title is a bitter, disfigured woman in a mask who created a feminine utopia, where the men are banished to a prison colony and women can rule in peace. Far from politically correct, the astronauts consistently talk down to their female captors, referring to them as dolls, babes, and other very flattering terms. The queen plans to destroy the Earth with a giant ray gun, a scheme that puzzles the men who can't imagine how a woman could build such a weapon, much less aim it. "You know how lady drivers are," one astronaut says. 

In the end, a brave scientist played by Zsa Zsa Gabor and a few other gorgeous gals with great legs join forces with the astronauts to save the Earth and return things to the way they were. After all, a woman cannot be truly happy without love, family, and children. This is not a movie to watch if you are a feminist without a sense of humor. The dialogue is condescending and sexist, which only makes the movie (full of bad effects, cheap sets, and bad acting) funnier. It's amazing to think a time existed when such a movie could get made. 

Finally, the B-Movie Celebration paid tribute to a true legend this weekend: Ernie Fosselius. If you've ever made or enjoyed a Star Wars parody, you have Ernie to thank; 30 years ago, he was the first to parody Star Wars with the classic short film "Hardware Wars." If you've never seen it, I urge to you find it - the original, NOT the special edition. The movie's incredibly funny, and still one of the best parodies of the Star Wars saga. It was also one of the movies that inspired the film work I have done with Righteous Insanity, including Fluffy Strikes Back. 

The Day the Earth Stood Still

It took a half-second screenshot to bring out the geek in me.

 

I just caught the teaser trailer for the remake of The Day The Earth Stood Still. I'm not always a fan of remakes. (See the disaster known as House on Haunted Hill for a good reason why.) This one in particular had me skeptical from the beginning. The original is a masterpiece, and there was no need for a reinvention or improvement. That said, the trailer looked very intriguing. Then I got a glimpse of Gort. It was a fuzzy shot, no more than half a second long. But it was Gort, and I was a five year old child again.

 

A lot of today's movie fans have never heard of the original, and sadly, many wouldn't bother with it because it's in (horror of horrors!) black and white. But the movie has proven to be one of the most influential science fiction films of all time. More than just a tale of aliens, UFO's, and a killer robot, It's a powerful statement about man's warring nature, a warning to make peace or be destroyed that is as timely today as it was in 1953. (And for you Army of Darkness fans, it's where Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell stole the three magic words: "Klaatu Barada Nikto!")

 

The movie doesn't come out until December, so in the mean time, if you haven't seen the original, I urge to to do so. It's not only a master work of science fiction that stands on its own next to the greats like Star Wars and Forbidden Planet; it's one of the most powerful Christ allegories every made. The story is a direct parallel to our hopeless state as sinful humans and the visitor from another world who (a carpenter, mind you) died and rose again to give us the chance at a new life.

 

So lay down your B&W prejudice and pick up a copy of the movie. If you're a fan of science fiction, it's a must see. It's also proof as to how deeply our need for salvation is ingrained on our hearts.