Then, at number 81, just below One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and ahead of The Passion of Joan of Arc, there was Plan 10 from Outer Space, a tiny independent science fiction movie that almost nobody outside of Utah has ever seen (and precious few inside Utah, I might add). The movie, directed by Trent Harris of Rubin & Ed fame, is, despite its title, not a sequel to the Ed Wood camp classic. It is actually a brilliantly satirical film, probably the best science fiction epic ever produced on a budget over two thousand times smaller than that for James Cameron's Titanic.
The film, more a satirical comedy than a serious science fiction film, is best appreciated by people who have ever lived in Utah, or had close associations with Mormons. In fact, having Utah/Mormon associations may be a prerequisite for enjoying the movie at all. It helps to know in advance what the names "Kolob," "Danites," and "Porter Rockwell" refer to. If these names are a mystery to you, then the film can be best described in one tabloid headline-style summary: Polygamist religious leader marries space alien!
The film tells of the present-day quest of Lucinda (Stephene Russell) to explain a mysterious glyph-covered plaque she found on the rocky shores of the Great Salt Lake. Why did the mysterious Norman Talmage (Curtis James) hide it there over a century ago? Does it have anything to do with her institutionalized brother? Or perhaps her weird neighbor, Guy (Deva Cantrell) who dances in his underwear in front of an open window, and who invades her dreams as a motorcycle-riding alien?
As you might guess, the film is somewhat surreal (and "somewhat" is me being understated for humorous effect). The film takes off, covering dozens of topics in obscure Mormon history. Eventually, we learn about Brigham Young's mysterious Deseret alphabet, the "secret of the bees," and exactly why Lucinda's brother went insane. Oh, and there's an alien invasion that makes Independence Day (or more to the point, Mars Attacks!) seem pale in comparison.
The film will be appreciated most of all by those familiar with Harris's other works, especially Rubin & Ed and the book Mondo Utah. Careful viewers will note the appearance of regional figures such as Rod Decker and Gyll Huff (who makes a perfect Porter Rockwell), as well as such Salt Lake landmarks as the Joseph Smith Sphinx, the "This is the Place" Monument, and the Tower Theater.
Stephene Russell is very good and quite funny as Lucinda. For a non-actor in her first film role, she makes quite an impression. Deva Cantrell is a bit over-the-top as Guy, but the role seems too weird to play straight anyway. Best of all, however, is Karen Black as the alien Nehor. While Black was ill-used in Rubin & Ed as a shrewish ex-wife, she is marvelous as the evil alien temptress. She even gets a musical number (and anyone familiar with Mormon hymns might wet his pants when hearing it).
Plan 10 is far from being for everyone, though I personally found it endlessly inventive and hilarious. There are some Mormons who might avoid this movie as being "blasphemous" or "evil" or something, to which I can answer only with "Get over it!" I'm a Mormon myself, and I found nothing here that defamed the LDS church. The film simply attacked certain attitudes of certain members of the church. In addition (just so I don't get hate mail from the easily offended), I must note that the movie contains some brief nudity (male, rear) and a harsh word or two.
How did Plan 10 make the Tribune's all-time 100 movies list? Because the newspaper's blue-ribbon cinema panel was hip to the local cult cinema scene? Not necessarily. It is most likely there because Trent Harris himself was one of the 16 people polled, and because he chose his own magnum opus as the greatest film of all time. I'm not prepared to agree with Harris completely. However, I will say that Plan 10 is the best-ever Utah independent film, and has a place in the local film pantheon with Down in the Valley and the legendary Attack of the Killer Brine Shrimp.
Four stars
Copyright 1998 by Dale G. Abersold
