PLAN 10 FROM OUTER SPACE

****

Written and Directed by Trent Harris
Produced by Walter Harts
Director of Photography - Bryan Duggan A.S.C.

Staring:

Lucinda - Stefene Russell
Nehor - Karen Black
Larsen - Pat Collins
Talmage - Curtis James
Guy - Deva Cantrell
Rockwell - Gyll Huff

Although the end credits state that thIS film is not inspired by, or a sequel to, Ed Wood's Plan 9 From Outer Space, Plan 10 retains the lunacy and charm of Wood's earlier work even though the films are polar opposites. While Wood's film was just an exercise in ineptness, Trent Harris creates a humorous piece and shows strong promise as a low budget, independent filmmaker. What Plan 10 lacks in production value it makes up in wit.

Plan 10 intertwines Mormon history with an age-old, alien plot for a female dominated Earth. I don't know the history of this film, but it's apparent that Harris has done his homework on the Mormon religion. As a practicing Mormon myself I think I was able to get a deeper understanding of the jokes and see more of the films biting humor then if I were average viewer going in blind. I should have been offended by many of the jokes, but thankfully I was blessed by a sense of humor on par with Harris. There isn't a Mormon practice or piece of history that safe from Harris' bite. We are treated to jokes about polygamy, pre-marital sex, and incest. Look for a running gag about a return missionary and one of his cousins that is one of the films biggest laughs. Shot in and around Salt Lake City, the film even pokes fun at the "mormon-ness" of its location. The Joseph Smith sphinx left me in tears. To give away any more would be a huge injustice, after all surprise is key to a good punch line.

Stefene Russell is a real find. Her performance embodies the stereotypical "Mormon-girl," although her character is a "recovering" Mormon. She exudes modesty, sincerity, and an awkward charm (I keep coming back to that word). Her role is the core of the film. She is the closest thing to sanity that the viewer comes to while watching a screen filled with idiocy. Over the course of the film we see her journey from a confused young woman who's not quite sure where she wants her life and career to go to a woman with a focus. As she is taught that it's what on the inside that counts and the lables we where, the audience learns that they shouldn't judge a b-movie based on it's cover. Plan 10 is great fun and shouldn't be missed.

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