Orgy of the Dead

Orgy of the Dead
Horror writer Bob and his girlfriend Shirley endure monsters and burlesque dancers in Orgy of the Dead

While not officially directed by cult filmmaker Ed Wood, this strange film has enough 'woodisms' to be part of his unique cinema canon.  Veteran nudie filmmaker A.C. Stephens asked Ed Wood to provide the screenplay (which originally was 20 pages with the rest of the time to be filled with horror themed nudie dancers). 

Shirley is horrified by the monsters / nudie girls of Criswell!
 
Up and coming cult actress Pat Barringer did a dual role as Shirley and as the haunted gold girl dancer.  Rounding out the cast was Ed Wood actor/friend/psychic Criswell as the lord of undead.  Actress Fawn Silver in her only role played a character very much inspired by Vampira.

one of the original promo bills for the film...just what is 'astravision' anyways?

For erotica, it's pretty bad and boring.  The nudity and music pack as much heat as an ice pack.  At this point in time, nudies were still big and even a disjointed surreal film like Orgy of the Dead could still do business.  Still like plan 9 from outerspace, its got its own unique charm all its own.  The weird day for night/night for day switches are par the course for an Ed Wood film.  Criswell seems either drunk or half asleep as the emperor of the dead.  There are random mummy and werewolf creatures that capture Bob and Shirley (which was Ed Wood's preferred drag name....projection?).  Their torment is to watch burlesque dancers in cardboard graveyard before the sun comes up.  Somehow Bob stalls them, and with the morning sun...the couple wake up in the graveyard.  Was it a dream?

Criswell and monsters hold court as burlesque dancers dance in the graveyard!
 It's one of my favorite films from Ed Wood, but like most collectors the only parts of interest are of the horror writer and Shirley struggling against Criswell.  The dialog is nearly post modern gibberish of epic horror proportions.  Is this film for everyone?  No, but for fans of Ed Wood, definitely a gem in the rough.

transvestite filmmaker Ed Wood from 'Glen or Glenda'



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