Dudley Manlove Movies

In the wake of a nuclear war that wipes out 92 percent of the world's population, civilization rebuilds itself with the help of robots, which soon become sufficiently advanced to rival -- and then surpass -- the men and women that they are designed to serve. Of particular usefulness (and concern) are the robots series R-21 and above, designed specifically to mimick human form and communication -- the humanoid robots. Despite their distinctive appearance (no hair, blue-tinted skin), they intermingle freely with humans at work, and have been granted some very limited rights under the law. But a backlash has developed among the humans -- the robots are often routinely referred to disparagingly as "clickers," and some of the most militant opponents of the robots have organized The Order Of Flesh And Blood, a paramilitary vigilante group with its own intelligence, scientific, investigative, and surveillance services, all dedicated to limiting the presence, influence, and rights of the robots, in not eradicating them. One of their most active and ambitious members is Craigis (Don McGowan), a captain in the Order and also a top gerontologist in his professional life, who despises the humanoid robots for the threat he sees in their presence -- that with their physical and intellectual superiority, they force man to think less of himself, and to rely on the robots to do many of the tasks that man should do for himself. Craigis is more intelligent than a lot of his fellow Order members, who are little more than bully-boys throwing their weight around, but as such he also sees this struggle in more serious and dire terms than many of his colleagues. One night, while investigating a robot carrying a forged assignment card, he stumbles upon a series of events more ominous and astounding than any he could have anticipated -- a robot violates its First Law of behavior by murdering a man; and the robot committing the murder was designed to look and pass for human. Craigis feels he has stumbled onto something incredibly dangerous, but he is distracted from the implications of these events by news closer to home -- that his sister (Frances McCann) is now living in in an officially sanctioned raport with a "clicker." This sends him tearing off to her home ready to do violence. Craigis is still coping with his sister's choice of a partner, when he meets her friend Maxine (Erica Eliot), and the two discover a strange fascination with each other. As Craigis tries to sort out his feelings about this woman, and keep a perspective on everything he has discovered, he has no inkling of a revelations still to come, about the robots, and their plans, the reason behind them, or how close to home they already are. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide

A bandit posing as a salesman has robbed several LA food markets in the past few weeks. Friday (Jack Webb) and Smith (Ben Alexander) must rely upon an eyewitness description of the robber's car to lead them to their man. Featured in the cast is radio announcer Dudley Manlove, best remembered as the prissy space alien Eros ("See? You see? Your stupid minds!") in the Edward D. Wood Jr. "classic" Plan Nine from Outer Space. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Meek and mild Eldon Marsh (Martin Balsam) has never stood up for himself in his life. But when a bigger guy named Wayne Phillips (Leif Erickson) steals the affection of Eldon's wife Louise (Norma Crane), the time has come for the worm to turn. Realizing that he could never defeat Wayne with muscle power, Eldon confronts his rival with an "equalizer" -- namely, a gun. Radio announcer Dudley Manlove, best known to bad-movie fans as the arrogant alien Eros in the notorious Plan 9 from Outer Space, appears in a supporting role. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

With its incoherent plot, jaw-droppingly odd dialogue, inept acting, threadbare production design, and special effects so shoddy that they border on the surreal, Plan 9 From Outer Space has often been called the worst movie ever made. But it's an oddly endearing disaster; boasting genuine enthusiasm and undeniable charm, it is the work of people who loved movies and loved making them, even if they displayed little visible talent. In Plan 9, alien invaders attempt to conquer the world by raising the dead, starting with an old man dressed in a Dracula costume (Bela Lugosi, in a few minutes of left-over footage grafted into this film), his much-younger and well-proportioned wife (Maila "Vampira" Nurmi), and a remarkably overweight police officer (Tor Johnson). Often funny and consistently entertaining (if almost always for the wrong reasons), Plan 9 From Outer Space is an anti-masterpiece if there ever was one, and as Criswell so brilliantly puts it, "Can you PROVE it didn't happen?!?" Its legendary director Edward D. Wood Jr. was played by Johnny Depp in Tim Burton's 1994 biopic, Ed Wood. One of the DVD releases of Plan 9 From Outer Space includes the documentary Flying Saucers Over Hollywood: The Plan 9 Companion, an exhaustive and entertaining look at the making of the film that runs a half-hour longer than the feature to which it pays tribute! ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide