"Plan 9 from Outer Space" will be filmed beginning Friday, using some local people. By Mike Allen 981-3236 http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/280876
"Greetings, my friend. We are all interested in the future, for that is where you and I are going to spend the rest of our lives. And remember my friend, future events such as these will affect you in the future." Those stunningly awful lines of dialogue open moviemaker Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space," the 1959 ultralow-budget science fiction monster mash-up that for decades held the undisputed title of "Worst Movie of All Time." Charlottesville director and producer John Johnson, himself a veteran of low-budget schlock, thinks "Plan 9" can be redeemed. And he's filming his remake in Roanoke starting Friday. So if you see zombies near downtown in the evening, engaged in battle with military personnel, don't be alarmed, he said. It's not really a zombie apocalypse. It's just "Plan 9." Parts of Franklin County may also become settings for zombie invasion. Johnson's goals are relatively modest. His company, Darkstone Entertainment, intends to use a cast and crew of about 200, including extras, wrap up by April 25, and aim for a worldwide direct-to-DVD release. Yet his intention to remake Wood's reverse masterpiece has generated a huge amount of attention within cult film circles. As he puts it, "Who in their right mind would remake the worst film of all time?" He didn't start out with a grand plan to remake "Plan 9." While on the set of a different movie, Johnson was griping about Hollywood's penchant to crank out bad remakes of well-regarded horror films. Someone asked him what film he'd like to see remade. His answer was "Plan 9 from Outer Space." He sent an email to his friends in film circles sharing this thought, not meaning it as a serious commitment. The email got forwarded. News items appeared in venues such as the horror trade journal Fangoria reporting that he'd be doing the remake, Johnson said. When that happened, he looked into what it would take to secure the rights and discovered the film is in the public domain. Essentially, he's taken Wood's idea, in which aliens revive the dead to attack the living in a plot to take over the world, and written his own version. His goal is to create a straightforward, low-budget, horror picture tinged with humor. He cites iconic 1980s flicks such as "Fright Night" and "Lost Boys" as models. He can't guarantee a spot for everyone, but anyone interested in being an extra -- "whether it's a zombie or a person running from zombies," as Johnson puts it -- can send an email to [email protected]. It would help to include a head shot or current photo and a resume if it includes previous acting experience, though experience is not required. For more information, and to see a teaser trailer, visit plan9movie.com. _______________________________________________ Medianews mailing list [email protected] http://lists.etskywarn.net/mailman/listinfo/medianews
