"Plan 9 from Outer Space!" (1959) Quiz

Answer: Ed Wood

Throughout the 1950s, Wood wrote and directed a run of low budget, poorly made films. His major fame began two years after his death when he was awarded the "Golden Turkey Award" for Worst Director of All Time. In 1994 he was portrayed in Tim Burton's film "Ed Wood", played by Johnny Depp.

Answer: Tor Johnson

Big and imposing, Tor Johnson was a professional Swedish wrestler, the "Super Swedish Angel", turned B-grade actor. Clay decides to explore the graveyard on his own and immediately finds himself cornered by Vampira and her recently deceased husband who kill him. Seemingly on the same night, he is buried in that same cemetery.

Answer: Flying a commercial airliner

Jeff Trent (played by Gregory Walcott) is an ordinary airline pilot living happily with his wife Paula (Mona McKinnon) in San Fernando. Strange things begin happening following the burial of a woman and her husband. One day, Trent is on a routine flight to Albuquerque when a there is a blinding flash and loud whoosh. Trent believes it is a flying saucer and tries to get the authorities to acknowledge the evidence, but becomes angry when the authorities tell him to keep quiet about it.

Answer: Saucer field activities

Colonel Edwards (played by Tom Keene) is sent to directly engage the flying saucers. With a platoon of missile batteries mounted on jeeps, Edwards makes the decision to fire. Dismal special effects and repeated footage make this a very poor action scene.

Answer: The resurrection of the dead

After returning to the mothership to regenerate his saucer, Eros (played by Dudley Manlove) informs The Ruler that their original plan cannot go ahead due to Earth leaders refusing the aliens' existence. Eros then recommends the implementation of plan nine.

The Ruler, shuffling some papers says, "Ah yes, Plan Nine; the resurrection of the dead." The aliens use electrode guns to reanimate and control corpses.

Answer: Jacob's Ladder

A Jacob's Ladder is a relatively simple device that involves electricity arcing upwards between two vertical metal rods. They were popularly used as visual effects in the 50s and 60s and are popular in scientific demonstrations. The aliens' control panel consists of several odds and ends, including a PA system, several loose valves and what appears to be a magnifying glass stuck in a lunch box.

It is supposedly the transmitter used by the aliens to control the zombies, Eros turning it off when he deactivates the zombies.

Answer: Firecracker

According to Eros, Man will continue to develop explosives until they stumble upon 'Solaronite', which is particles of sunlight. If man finds a way to ignite these solar particles from the sun, then a chain reaction will occur, destroying the universe.

The list of explosives are as follows: firecracker, hand grenade, bomb, larger bomb, atom bomb, hydrogen bomb and finally 'Solaronite'.

Answer: Hollywood

At the Pentagon, Colonel Edwards is informed that saucers are flying so low that the exhausts are knocking people to the ground. Some of the saucers are even reported to have landed. Most of the cases had been reported at San Fernando (a few minutes from Hollywood), at a graveyard near where Jeff and Paula Trent live.

Answer: Criswell

As well as providing predictions, Criswell is the narrator of the film. In Criswell's opening address there are some obvious errors on the writer's part. For example, "Future events such as these will effect you in the future". Criswell was a psychic and actor known for his highly inaccurate predictions made under the stage name 'The Amazing Criswell'.

Answer: Jeff Trent

When the Inspector starts to lead Eros out of the ship, Eros tries to struggle free. A furious fist fight ensues between Trent and Eros, leading to the ship catching fire and eventually exploding, Jeff safely away of course!