Teenage Zombies
Encyclopedia
Teenage Zombies is a 1959 horror
science fiction film
, written and directed by Jerry Warren
.
), accidentally discover an island run by a mad scientist
named Doctor Myra who intends to turn everyone in the United States
into a zombie
. The teenagers become trapped on the island, and are temporarily imprisoned in cages. They are freed when other teenagers arrive with the sheriff (who turns out to be in league with Doctor Myra). A complicated fight scene serves as the climax, in which a de-zombified gorilla
arrives just in time to attack Dr. Myra's henchmen and allow the teens to escape. When they are safely back on the mainland, it is implied that the teens will receive a reward for discovering the island, and will have an audience with the President of the United States
.
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
science fiction film
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
, written and directed by Jerry Warren
Jerry Warren
Jerry Warren was an American director, producer, and writer, famous for his involvement in many cult films. He has been described as "one of cult film's most frustrating and maligned members."-Legacy:...
.
Synopsis
While boating (and possibly water-skiing), a quartet of teens, Reg (Don Sullivan), Skip (Paul Pepper), Julie (Mitzie Albertson), and Pam (Brianne MurphyBrianne Murphy
Geraldine Brianne Murphy was a cinematographer and, the first female director of photography on a major studio film.-Biography:...
), accidentally discover an island run by a mad scientist
Mad scientist
A mad scientist is a stock character of popular fiction, specifically science fiction. The mad scientist may be villainous or antagonistic, benign or neutral, and whether insane, eccentric, or simply bumbling, mad scientists often work with fictional technology in order to forward their schemes, if...
named Doctor Myra who intends to turn everyone in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
into a zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
. The teenagers become trapped on the island, and are temporarily imprisoned in cages. They are freed when other teenagers arrive with the sheriff (who turns out to be in league with Doctor Myra). A complicated fight scene serves as the climax, in which a de-zombified gorilla
Gorilla
Gorillas are the largest extant species of primates. They are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Africa. Gorillas are divided into two species and either four or five subspecies...
arrives just in time to attack Dr. Myra's henchmen and allow the teens to escape. When they are safely back on the mainland, it is implied that the teens will receive a reward for discovering the island, and will have an audience with the President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
.
Criticism
- The movie was criticized for its use of stock footage from feature films by Jerry Warren, who later used it in his most famous film, 1981's Frankenstein IslandFrankenstein IslandFrankenstein Island is a 1981 American film starring John Carradine.A hot air balloon crew and a dog find themselves on an island with scantily-clad part-alien women, zombies, and other monsters....
.
- Although water-skiing is repeatedly referenced (and may be implied), there is no actual footage of water-skiing anywhere in the film.
- As with similar zombie-films of this era (such as Bela LugosiBéla LugosiBéla Ferenc Dezső Blaskó , commonly known as Bela Lugosi, was a Hungarian actor of stage and screen. He was best known for having played Count Dracula in the Broadway play and subsequent film version, as well as having starred in several of Ed Wood's low budget films in the last years of his...
's Bowery at MidnightBowery at MidnightBowery at Midnight is a horror film starring Bela Lugosi. Lugosi plays a psychology professor by day who, secretly and under an assumed name, runs a Bowery soup kitchen by night called the Bowery Friendly Mission...
), the zombies in this film are markedly unlike those portrayed in contemporary zombie-films. Instead, the zombies in Teenage Zombies appear like hypnotized persons.