‘Young pawns thrust into pulsating cages of horror in a sadistic experiment!’
Teenage Zombies is a 1959 sci-fi horror film about a crazed female scientist who turns local teenagers into unquestioning slaves.
The movie was written [as Jaques Lecotier], produced and directed by Jerry Warren (Creature of the Walking Dead; Face of the Screaming Werewolf; Curse of the Stone Hand) and stars Don Sullivan, Katherine Victor and Steve Conte.
The film’s soundtrack score was recycled from Kronos (1957).
Warren revisited some elements of the plot for his equally inept Frankenstein Island (1981).
Plot [contains spoilers]:
While boating, a quartet of teenagers, Reg (Don Sullivan), Skip (Paul Pepper), Julie (Mitzie Albertson), and Pam (Brianne Murphy), accidentally discover an island run by a mad scientist named Doctor Myra who, backed by foreign agents from “the East”, 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 Doctor 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.
On November 10, 2015, Vinegar Syndrome issued the film on a DVD double-bill with 1959 nudie western Revenge of the Virgins (co-written by Edward D. Wood Jr.). Both films are presented in 1.85.1 anamorphic widescreen in black and white transfers taken from 2K scans of the original 35mm negatives.
Buy Vinegar Syndrome DVD: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
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Buy Bayview Entertainment DVD: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk
Cast and characters:
Don Sullivan as Reg – The Giant Gila Monster; The Monster of Piedras Blancas
Katherine Victor as Doctor Myra – Cape Canaveral Monsters
Steve Conte as Whorf
J.L.D. Morrison as Brandt
Brianne Murphy as Pam
Paul Pepper as Skip
Mitzie Albertson as Julie
Jay Hawk as Morrie
Mike Concannon as Sheriff
Nan Green as Dotty
Don Neeley as Major Coleman
Mitch Evans as Gorilla
Chuck Niles as Ivan
Technical specs:
1 hour 13 minutes
Re-release title:
Teenage Torture
Film Facts:
Actress Brianne Murphy was married to Jerry Warren and was also the production coordinator and wardrobe supervisor. She went on to direct Blood Sabbath (1972) and become an Emmy-winning cinematographer. In 1980, she became the first female to shoot a major studio, union picture (Fatso). [Thanks to The Bloody Pit of Horror for this info.]
Trailer [as Teenage Torture]:
Free to watch on YouTube [1080p Premium HD]:
Free to watch on YouTube [1080p HD]:
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