Comment:

Comments: 110 minutes long. "Thrill-Crazed Space Kids Blasting the Flesh Off Humans!" Part 3 of my 4 part tribute to lounge/exotica music and 50s b-movies. Here I present one of my all time favorites, Teenagers from Outer Space (1959). So much can be said for this movie, great (bad) fun throughout. Starring David Love, the vivacious Dawn Bender (who died far too young at 37, alcohol related?, she goes by Anderson here and this is her last movie), Bryan Grant, Sonia Torgeson (the girl in the pool, rest in peace, 1932 - 1993), and the first ever Ronald McDonald - King Moody! Unlike other clunky B-movies what sets this one apart is the same thing that set Ed Wood's work apart, passion. The willingness to infuses ones spirit, self and passion into one's project like director Tom Graeff does here makes this film stand the test of time, still horrible and cheesier than ever but still fun and wholy watchable. (The lead of Derek played by David Love is actually Tom's real life gay lover, unfortunately this movie didn't do much for David's career). The film opens with a saucer landing on Earth, and it doesn't just land it literally drills itself into the top soil, calling Dr. Freud. These wacky teenaged aliens plan on seeing if Earth will make a suitable breeding place for their gargon heards (gargon = lobster). But one of the landing teams members, Derek, will not let the gargons be raised on a planet that has intelligent life. He mutiny's and is arrested, then it is found the gargons cannot live on Earth due to excessive nitrogen compounds in the atmosphere. Derek runs off, Thor a hot-headed mad dog killer is sent after him. The rest that follows is Hollywood legend. Human skeletons with wired limbs. Toy ray guns, literally a Hubley's Atomic Disintegrator toy cap gun with the word Hubley's still visible on the side! I defy anyone not to laugh at the scene of grandpa crossing the road, or the giant gargon at the end (the shadow of a lobster), and talk about Wood-ian mindwarping dialogue. Ronald McDonald to Derek: "When we return to our planet, the High Court may well sentence you to torture!... and death, for this treason!" For me this movie can be summed up by Derek's heartfelt line to the Earth girl Betty (Dawn Bender)which he woos: "You make me angry.but I like you very much." Pick this one up at all costs! Video game heads can unlock it by beating Destroy All Humans for the PS2 or XBox as Teenagers is featured in its entirity as an extra. Or pick this DVD up ( http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00008AOS0/qid=1134115410/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_0_1/701-8163451-3572352 ), the transfer is amazing, the best I've seen! This is the first movie in my series that takes place on Earth. Knowledgable folks will notice that the music in this film is the same library music used in the great Night of the Living Dead (1968). There is some great lounge to be found here like Cool from West Side Story, the hypnotizing Spring, Sprang, Sprung, Fascinato's playing of springs with surgical scalpels is unequaled. Spike Jones' griniding Power House with real generator sound effects, genius. Every John Barry track here is classic, especially Seance On a Wet Afternoon from the movie of the same title. Jimmie Haskell's A Shot In the Dark is so coffee house you can smell the coffee. Theme from "Our Man Flint" by Elliott Dean must be heard to be appreciated, staggeringly "cool" with amazing guitar effects. And 4 time Academy Award winner Leroy Holmes pretty much sums up everything at the end.
Again, the best reviews around can be found at badmovies.org ( http://www.badmovies.org/othermovies/teenspace/ ) A long review with pictures ( http://www.monstershack.net/Reviews/full/tafos.htm ) A nice quick review here ( http://www.scifilm.org/musings/musing384.html ) Bassically the whole movie, scene for scene written down ( http://beckoningchasm.com/words/teenagers.html )

Feedback: