Jeff Trent – Through the Shattered Lens

How do you stop an alien invasion?

That’s the question posed to us by Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space. The aliens have not only raised the dead and flown their saucers over Hollywood but they’ve also dared to lecture us just because we want to build a bomb that will blow up sunlight. Humanity has responded by trying to stop the zombies and also by trying to blow their flying saucers out of the sky. Those attempts failed.

But then Jeff Trent — a simple, hard-working airline pilot — announces that “that’s all I’m taking” and promptly punches the smug alien in the face. A few seconds later, the flying saucer explodes. Luckily, Jeff and the other humans were able to escape before it did. The aliens were less lucky.

And that’s how you save the world!

Gregory Walcott, who went on to appear in several mainstream productions and became a favorite of Clint Eastwood’s, was reportedly not a huge fan of Plan 9, at least not at first. He only agreed to appear in the film as a favor to his pastor, who was one of the people who helped to finance the film. Walcott probably gives the best performance in the film. When he punches that alien, you feel his frustration.

Later, in 2010, Walcott said, in regards of Plan 9, “It’s better to be remembered for something than nothing.” He even started to attend screenings and meet with fans of the film. I was glad to have learned that. It’s not everyday that you get to save humanity for the dead.

Jeff Trent was a true hero and Gregory Walcott was a hero for bringing him to life.

Hero of the Day