Plan 9 from Outer Space(1957)
1957 · Edward D. Wood Jr. · 78 min
In California, an old man grieves the loss of his wife, and dies the day after she is buried. However, the space soldier Eros and his mate Tanna use an electric device to resurrect them both, alongside the strong Inspector Clay, who was murdered by the alien-controlled dead couple. When the populations of Hollywood and Washington D.C. see flying saucers on the sky, a colonel, a police lieutenant, a commercial pilot, his wife, and a policeman try to stop the aliens.
Science Fiction · Horror
4.2624 votes
TMDB score
1/5
Intensity
0/5
Gore
1/5
Stays with you
How Plan 9 from Outer Space scares
Plan 9 from Outer Space is famous for being so clumsy and cheap that it ends up funny instead of scary. The pacing is slow and awkward, with cardboard sets, wobbly special effects, and stiff acting that make it feel more like a comedy sketch than a real fright film. There's barely any blood or physical danger, and nothing here creeps into your head or under your skin. People watch it today for laughs with friends, not for actual scares.
On The Horror Database's 0–5 scare profile, Plan 9 from Outer Space rates psychological 1/5, visceral 1/5, gore 0/5, lingering effect 1/5, and overall intensity 1/5.
- Psychological: 1 of 5
- Visceral: 1 of 5
- Gore: 0 of 5
- Lingering: 1 of 5
- Intensity: 1 of 5
Slow burn vs Jump scares: 20 of 100 — leans Slow burn
Supernatural vs Real-world: 30 of 100 — leans Supernatural
Fun-scary vs Disturbing: 5 of 100 — leans Fun-scary
Intensity over runtime
Shape only — no eventsReveal pacing shapeHide pacing shapeHidden by default — shows where the tension peaks and lets up.
A famously flat, low-key ride with no real scares or tension, just a steady mild hum of B-movie oddity from start to finish.
Intensity across the runtime, 0 to 100: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 2, 2, 1.
How scary is Plan 9 from Outer Space?
On The Horror Database's 0–5 intensity scale, Plan 9 from Outer Space rates 1/5 — gentle by horror standards, building its fear through slow-burn dread rather than shocks. It works on both fronts, unsettling the mind while going for the body. Expect it to be restrained with gore and fun-first. The dread fades once the credits roll.
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