“Teenagers from Outer Space” (1959) is a low-budget science fiction film directed by Tom Graeff. Graeff also took on multiple roles in the production, including writing, editing, and composing music, showcasing his ambition and dedication to the project. The story follows a young alien named Derek (David Love) who arrives on Earth with a group of his fellow extraterrestrials. They plan to use Earth as a breeding ground for a giant lobster-like creature known as the Gargon, which serves as a food source for their race.
Derek, however, disagrees with the harmful plan and flees from his compatriots. He befriends Betty Morgan (Dawn Bender) and her grandfather (Harvey B. Dunn), and together they attempt to stop the invasion. The film culminates in a showdown between Derek and Thor (Bryan Grant), one of the alien enforcers.
Main Cast
- Love, David as Derek (Born August 10, 1934) The Orange Coast College Story, Island Sunrise, Teenagers from Outer Space
- Bender, Dawn (billed as Dawn Anderson) as Betty Morgan (Born February 21. 1935) Confession, Till We Meet Again, A Song to Remember, The Strange Affair of Uncle Harry, Suspense, Island in the Sky, The Actress, Teenagers from Outer Space, TV episodes of The Life of Riley
- Grant, Bryan as Thor (Born November 19, 1931) Teenagers from Outer Space, TV episodes of Matinee Theatre, Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse, Border Patrol, Perry Mason, Daniel Boone
- Dunn, Harvey B. as Gramps Morgan (August 19, 1894 – February 21, 1968) Vengeance Valley, Dragon’s Gold, Sabrina, Bride of the Monster, Giant, I Killed Wild Bill Hickok, Desire Under the Elms, Night of the Ghouls, Teenagers from Outer Space, The Sinister Urge, My Fair Lady, TV episodes of Superman, Racket Squad, The Cisco Kid, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Medic, Highway Patrol, Sky King, Bat Masterson, The Deputy, The Untouchables, Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre
- Graeff, Tom (billed as Tom Lockyear) as Joe Rogers (September 12, 1929 – December 19, 1970) Toast to Our Brother, Orange Coast College Story, Island Sunrise, The Noble Experiment, Not of This Earth, Teenagers from Outer Space, The Wizard of Mars
- Moody, King as Spacecraft Captain (December 6, 1929 – February 7, 2001) Teenagers from Outer Space, The Nun and the Sergeant, Terror at Black Falls, Five Minutes to Love, Any Wednesday, The Destructors, Sweet November, The Shakiest Gun in the West, The Strawberry Statement, Get to Know Your Rabbit, The Dark Backward, The Nutt House TV episodes of Sea Hunt, Get Smart, Combat!, Get Smart Again!
- Sterling, Gene as The Alien Leader (May 6, 1920 – January 2, 1986) Teenagers from Outer Space, Half Way to Hell
- MacGeorge, Jim as Detective Mac (October 9, 1928 – January 16, 2021) Teenagers from Outer Space, The World of Hans Christian Andersen, Star Wars, TV episodes of You Bet Your Life, Get Smart, Happy Days, George of the Jungle (writer), Super Chicken (writer), Tom Slick (writer), Scooby Doo, Where Are You? (voices), Speed Buggy (voices), Captain Caveman and the Teen Angels (voices), The Flintstones (voices), The Jetsons (voices), Duck Tales (voices), The Smurfs (voices), Talespin (voices)
- Sonia Torgeson as Alice Woodward (September 6, 1932 – February 17, 1993) Daddy-O, Teenagers from Outer Space, TV episodes of Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Rebel, Lock Up, Crisis Counselor
Other Cast
- Welch, Frederick as Dr. C.R. Brandt, MD
- Sage, Helen as Nurse Morse
- Lowe, Ralph as Morro, Spaceship Crew
- DeLand, Bill as Sol, Spaceship Crew
- Bridges, Billy as Motorist picking up Thor
- Resnick, Sol as the Junior Astronomer
- Chambers, Don as the Senior Astronomer
- Dickensen, Carl as Gas Station Attendant
- Hansen, Ursula as Hilda, Simpson’s Secretary
- Conklin, James as Professor Simpson
Tom Graeff’s involvement in the film was extensive; he even used the pseudonym “Tom Lockyear” for some of his credits. The production was highly resourceful, given its limited budget, which was reportedly around $14,000.
Graeff borrowed money from friends and associates, and many of the cast members worked for deferred payments or minimal wages. The film is noted for its minimalistic special effects and creative use of practical effects to convey the alien technology and creatures. The film’s score, also created by Tom Graeff, is characteristic of 1950s B-movies.
The film score used stock music, which had been composed by William Loose and Fred Steiner1. The same stock music has been recycled in countless B-movies, like Red Zone Cuba, The Killer Shrews and most notably Night of the Living Dead. The music helps set the tone for the film, complementing its campy and surreal atmosphere.
Costumes for the aliens were simple, often consisting of jumpsuits and helmets to denote their extraterrestrial origin. The creature, the Gargon, was famously portrayed using a common lobster, filmed in a way to make it appear much larger and more menacing than it actually was.
This practical approach to special effects is a hallmark of the era’s low-budget sci-fi films, where creativity often had to make up for a lack of financial resources. The movie was primarily filmed in various locations around Hollywood, California. The settings included residential neighborhoods and public spaces, which were used to create the backdrop for the alien invasion storyline.
The “zap” visual from the ray-gun toys was accomplished by a mirror glued on to the nozzle and pointed at the camera, which was hit by the “deadly” glare. The film’s budget was so tight that the “focusing disintegrator” was actually a Hubley’s Atomic Disintegrator toy cap gun2, bought for a dime, with a flashbulb added as a beam. In some scenes, “Hubley’s” is clearly embossed on the side of the gun. Atomic Disintegrators can be bought today on eBay for more than $300.
With a number of tell-tale landmarks like Bronson Canyon in Griffith Park and Hollywood High School, which gives away the film’s otherwise generic location. The use of familiar locales added a layer of relatability to the otherwise fantastical plot. Upon its release, “Teenagers from Outer Space” did not receive widespread acclaim and was largely overlooked. However, it has since gained a cult following due to its charm,
earnestness, and the quintessential 1950s sci-fi aesthetics. The film is often appreciated for its ambitious scope given the constraints of its budget and resources. In 1987, the film entered the public domain in the United States and worldwide because Warner Bros.
did not renew the film’s copyright registration in the 28th year after its creation. As a result, the film has received numerous “bargain bin” DVD releases. MST3K’s version was released by Rhino Home Video as part of their “Collection, Volume 6” box set.
I really enjoyed this movie. I was hooked the first time the alien ray gun turned the victim into a skeleton. It was a good story and fast-paced with action through-out. I’ll give this film 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Footnotes
- William Loose was an American composer and arranger known for his work on stock music libraries and numerous television shows and films in the mid-20th century. Hi compositions were often used in B-movies, cartoons, and TV series, contributing to the soundscape of popular culture during that era. Fred Steiner, another notable American composer, is best known for his work on the iconic theme for the television series “Perry Mason” and his contributions to the original “Star Trek” series. Steiner’s work spanned radio, television, and film, leaving a lasting legacy in the realm of TV music. Both composers significantly influenced the soundtracks of their respective mediums, shaping the auditory experience of many classic shows. ↩︎
- This substantial – and heavy – metal toy gun produced by Hubley Manufacturing Company in 1953 combined the theme of atomic power with the excitement of a cap gun. Fictional space heroes often carried space-themed versions of the Western’s ever-present six-shooter or rifle. As a result, for several generations, pretend gun play with ray gun toys formed a central part of many children’s imagined space adventures. Exactly how one blasted space enemies often reflected the newest technologies. In the late 1940s, “atomic” guns proliferated. “Laser” guns followed the creation of the practical laser in 1960. ↩︎
Further Reading
Sources
- Wikipedia “Teenagers from Outer Space (film)” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teenagers_from_Outer_Space_(film)
- IMDB “Teenagers from Outer Space” https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0053337/?ref_=nm_flmg_c_1_act
- Rotten Tomatoes “Teenagers from Outer Space” https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/teenagers_from_outer_space
- MST3K “Teenagers from Outer Space” https://mst3k.fandom.com/wiki/MST3K_404_-_Teenagers_from_Outer_Space
- TCM “Teenagers from Outer Space” https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/92470/teenagers-from-outer-space#overview
