Teenagers From Outer Space

Release Date: June, 1959
Cast: David Love as Derek
Dawn Bender as Betty Morgan
Tom Graeff as Joe Rogers
Length: BW 86 minutes
Director: Tom Graeff
Writer: Tim Graeff
Music: Heinz roemhold
Budget: $20,000
Distributor: Warner Bros.

Interesting Tidbits

Talk about shoestring budgets - this movie is it. Teenagers From Outer Space is essentially the work of one person - Tom Graeff. He wore the hats of writer, actor, producer, cinematographer, editer, and special effects person.

Graeff was able to negotiate the use of Betty Morgan's house for no cost. The house's owner even allowed the crew to power their equipment without paying for electricity.

The movie was photographed in and around Hollywood, California. Bronson Canyon in Griffith Park and Hollywood High School provided some of the familiar locales. Filming was also around the vicinity of Sunset Boulevard and Highland Avenue.

The Plot

A team of spacemen arrive on Earth in a space ship. They have been searching the galaxy for a planet suitable to raise their herd of "gargons", a lobster-like (but air-breathing) creature which is a food staple on their homeworld.

Derek (David Love) voices his fear that the herd of gargon might destroy Earth's local inhabitants. The other spacemen scoff. As members of the "supreme race", they are disdainful of "foreign beings", no matter how intelligent, and pride themselves on the fact that families and friendships are forbidden on their world. Derek reveals himself to be a member of an underground which commemorates earlier, more humane periods of the homeworld's history.

Derek has compassion for the humans, and in the course of time manages to destroy a Gargon who has escaped captivity. He also thwarts the mission of the team from another world to conquer earth and have it become the breeding ground for gargons.