Plan 9, definitely. The creators of Manos actually had some competence. (eta: not to say that Manos has anything good about it - but you can tell that the people involved have been around a movie camera before.)

Plan 9 is so amateurish that it's fun to watch. It is entertaining, even though it's not entertaining the way it was supposed to be. I've always found Manos unwatchably bad, even with the MiSTing. I dunno; it's not fun for me, it's just painful.

I don't think we actually disagree. Cool!

Sweet!

Need this now.

It's a lot of fun! I hope you and -t find it so, as well.

I don't know that we absolutely won't, but I'd be kind of shocked. We don't pick up shows that been on for a while anymore; it's way too hard to catch up and cover the episodes we missed if it's been on air for more than a season.

I was worried that might be the case, but I figured that a) it could only be good for The Wire, b) it could only be good for the reviewer, and c) it could only be good for the reader. But it might be better for Television With Lots Of Sympathy.

Which is worse: Plan 9 from Outer Space or Manos, the Hands of Fate ?

I think Tommy and Strega are dead-on correct: Plan 9 is goofy good fun. Manos is only painful.

OT: Although my free pass to Mission of Burma was rescinded mere hours before the show tonight (it's a long, boring story), I consoled myself with The Palm Beach Story. Did the Coen Brothers ever watch movies by anybody but Preston Sturges?

Haven't seen Manos, but Plan 9 is sooooo remarkably bad that one's jaw just drops and one remains transfixed, wondering what on earth they can do next. It's by Ed Wood, whose cinematic output was so, ah, unique that they made a movie about it. Entitled, creatively enough, Ed Wood.

Plan 9 is goofy good fun. Manos is only painful.

It's the difference between something so bad it's good, and something that's just bad.

My triple feature of so-bad-they're-good movies would be Plan 9, Zardoz, and The Apple. But with a hefty amount of fast-forwarding through Zardoz, 'cause it's really long.

A rep theatre near me shows Rocky Horror every Saturday night -- except just once, a month or so ago, when it showed The Apple. Even if I hadn't heard about it here, I'd have known it was pretty special just from that.

There was an amazing tiny movie theatre (which also served snacks and beer so it was like watching in someone's living room) in Cambridge called Off the Wall, which showed mostly short subjects. They had a GREAT programmer so the nights might be "Hygiene Films" or "Cartoons about Movies" or some evening devoted to a modern animator. They also showed longer films once in a while and did an entire Ed Wood retrospective. SO terrible, but so fun to watch.

"All those cars, all full of people, all...going somewhere."

Plan 9 from Outer Space or Manos, the Hands of Fate ?

The beauty salon near my house is named "MANOS Hair-Beauty-Art." I have never once called it that.

I know a story where losing memory was a good thing! One of Fred Saberhagen's Berserker stories.

I really liked Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

It was beautifully Burtonesque, with everything that implies. I also like Depp's Wonka, because he was so incredibly weird. The only problem I had with the movie, really, was that the pacing seemed off in places, long scenes in which very little happened, but that sort of thing often added to the dreaminess of the scene.

I'm not sure it holds together as a film quite as well as Willy Wonka, but it's definitely a bit creepier on the whole (though it doesn't have any moments as heartwrenchingly scary as that movie's boat ride) with some moments of absolutely brilliant, off-the-wall humor that come out of nowhere and surprise you. It's a fun ride.

And this description is really bad, for which I apologize, but the movie was very different from what I expected, so I'm having a hard time explaining it. I suggest trying it if you like the pretty, though.

My triple feature of so-bad-they're-good movies would be Plan 9, Zardoz, and The Apple.

Attack of the Killer Tomatoes just gets no respect any more, does it?