Description

A mad scientist attempts to drive his captive, Mike Nelson, insane by forcing him to watch B-Movies. This episode's feature is "The Wild World of Batwoman" (1966, 70min.) - Batwoman struggles to help her recover a mad scientist's invention, an atomic bomb hearing aid, before the evil villian, Rat Fink, can use it for his own personal agenda. ... Read more

Reviews (45)

Laughing out loud
Ever notice that you don't really laugh out loud when you're alone? Well, while sitting on the couch alone on a Sunday afternoon, this movie made me laugh until I hurt. Give the MST3K folks a movie with no plot and horrible acting and they'll turn it into on of the funniest things you've ever seen.

The (supposed) plot: scientist builds atomic hearing aid - Rat Fink and his agents steal it - Batwoman and her clan of scantily clad Batgirls save the day. Trashy? Yes. Awful? Yes. Entertaining? Absolutely.

Coupled with the "Cheating" short, this is one of the best episodes of MST3K I've seen. The typically unpredictable combination of obscure cultural references and Ye Olde Scatological Humour can cater to all of your comic sensibilities and leave you exhausted and begging for more.

"You're Speaking in Chinese Again!"
This is the original uncut version of 'The Wild, Wild World of Batwoman', as director Jerry Warren wanted it seen. The world was not ready for it when it was made and it still isn't. Most people know this film from Mystery Science Theatre 3000, where it was one of their most diabolical experiments ever. This is the un-MST version, so you are on your own. Good luck.

This is one of my favorite MST episodes because this movie is so unbelievably bad. Rarely has a film been so badly conceptualized, scripted, acted and directed. For lack of viability, I think that the only movie to top this is Warren's own "Frankenstein Island", where Katherine Victor plays Shelia Frankenstein. Here she plays Batwoman. Batwoman and her Batgirls spend the movie fighting crime against a dizzying array of bad guys (including the Mole People) but in the end are able to save the atomic powered hearing aid and, thus, civilization. If this sounds like a mess, that's not the half of it. This movie must be seen to be appreciated.

Five stars for staggering ineptitude on the part of every single person involved with this film. It is a work of grade Z genius!

Terrible - in a good way!
It is a testament to the immense talent of the Mystery Science Theater folk that they managed to turn such a horrible piece of rubbish as "The Wild World of Batwoman," into an uproarious comedy, worthy of being watched over and over and over again.

The plot is simple. I think. If there is a plot. Whatever it was supposed to be, it seems to involve a hearing aid (a "very large and ungainly hearing aid," to quote Crow), a mad scientist, a middle-aged woman in an uncomfortably revealing costume (and her cult of scantily-clad "batgirls"), monsters, cobalt, soup, guns, and dancing. The whole mess is bewilderingly incoherent, and at the film's climax (was there even a climax?) Mike expresses the audience's frustration by begging for an explanation - "What about the hearing aid?! Am I crazy? Wasn't that the PLOT?!" During the final scene of the movie, Tom loses it altogether, screaming "END!! END!!"

The movie is preceeded by a preachy short on the evils of cheating, which leads to some cheating-related friction in the Satellite of Love. Luckily, all is worked out in the end, with the help of Hostess Snowballs.

If only Batwoman had had some Hostess Snowballs, perhaps things would have made sense in her world, too. One can only wonder.

Buy this tape!

"Looks like Casual Day at Control Data"
Zounds -- the sight of our zoftig hero is enough to make even Luke Skywalker go over to the Dark Side. One of the most deliciously bad movies EVER, and Mike and the 'bots give it the full treatment it deserves. Store these images away for future nighmares: The wild scene with everyone swinging on ropes, while the soundtrack reverberates with "Ellie Mae goes to the see-ment pond"; Count how many times the Norm Crosby lookalike says "little doll,"; and finally Batwoman playing the organ (where's Al Lewis when you need him?) in her "hideout" that looks like part of Levittown. Who knew that drugs were such a problem in Hollywood, so early on? Don't try to figure it out - just let the wave roll over you and swim with it.

Where do they FIND this stuff??
This is one of my favorite MST3000 episodes, a true feast for bad-movie fans. It features not one, but two bizarre films to be spoofed. The first, an oh-so-earnest fifties-era industrial black & white short on "cheating," contains some of the worst performances I have seen in a long time. The director tried to make his film look surreal and Bergmannesque, a delusion of grandeur that results in some very funny comments from the MST3K team. The robot interludes, typically the least funny parts of an episode, here play off the short and deliver some great comedic interplay.

The second film and main attraction, "The Wild World of Batwoman," is almost incomprehensibly bad. This is the kind of film that could only have been made in the 1960s. You keep asking yourself, was this intended to be hilariously weird, or was the director simply on a par with, say, Ed Wood? Batwoman herself looks ridiculous, with a lumpy frumpy shock of a haircut, a cheap black mask and a bat tattooed right above her pulchitrudinous cleavage. She bears no resemblance whatsoever to a DC comics character. Her "bat-girls," decked out in bikinis for most of the film, spend most of their time either go-go dancing or obsessively reciting chapter and verse of the arcane bat-regulations.

The director's obsession with food is worthy of a Jan Svankmajer film. In the beginning, the girls force a newbie to drink what is supposed to look like blood, later explaining that it is only a synthetic substitute. Later on, there is a plot about drugged soup that makes people dance compulsively. Some of the scenes are so bizarre (but politically incorrect) that they would have been funny even without the MST3K commments...a seance interrupted by a disembodied voice screaming in ersatz Chinese, or the villains donning disguises that look like something out of Yiddish theater.

One of the characters, who looks something like Martin Mull, sits motionless for about five minutes during an interminably stupid and boring scene. When we later discover his dark secret, which puts him on a par with Robin Williams in "One Hour Photo," the moment is so badly bungled that we can only sigh and go on to the next absurdity.

If you are a MST3K fan, this one is for you. If you are not, give it a try. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Man Beast - Jerry Warren's Most Entertaining Film
Okay, I realize that's not saying much, but this is an entertaining picture much in the way that Ed Wood and Phil Tucker movies are entertaining. This is one of the 3 Abominable Snowman pictures released in the 50's. This version is much better than the BORING Snow Creature and more campy than Hammer's Abominable Snowman. Plot involves a young woman in search of her brother who is on an expedition to find the Yeti. Warren has stolen some footage of mountain climbing, but obviously spent more time trying to match the footage in this film versus his other spliced up messes.

There is enough plot information in the Editorial review and the VHS review. Let's discuss the merits of the DVD. As with most Rhino DVD's, you get the movie and that's it. The picture is okay. Not spectacular, but not bad. Certainly nowhere close to an Image Entertainment release, but much better than a Retromedia DVD. Unlike other Rhino DVD's, the sound is consistent and you don't have to crank the sound on your TV. This version is certainly acceptable and worth the low price.

Not a great film, but not as bad as advertised.
True, it would be difficult to come up with a list of three people with worse filmographies than the director of Man-Beast, Jerry Warren. But he evidently had not learned enough to do absolutely everything wrong yet in this 1956 creature feature, his first foray into flicks. The acting is lousy, the budget is minuscule, the direction is bad (when it's not stock footage) and the overall film-making quality is negligible, but somehow it manages to be more entertaining than its more intelligent and more highly-regarded Hammer counterpart, The Abominable Snowman. This is due primarily, in my thinking, to the fact that we ACTUALLY SEE THE MONSTERS (cheap and lumpy though they be)! Yes, I know, a gradual build-up of suspense is important, and one never wants to reveal too much too soon, but in the Cushing film that revelation is the whole point. A thousand pardons to zealous Val Guest fans, but whoopty-doo. Man-Beast builds to an adequately satisfying suspense climax, and the motivations of the titular character(s) and their cat's paw are pressingly evil, ringing more true than in the later film. In addition, some of the action in Man-Beast takes place in darkness. In "Snowman" it is mostly in the light, or else in badly-composed day for-night scenes. Still, if you don't like fairly ludicrous 50's drive-in fare, there is no way you will be able to stomach Man-Beast. Yet again, if you don't like fairly ludicrous 50's drive-in fare, you wouldn't click on a movie called Man-Beast. Sit back, enjoy, and experience a time we will never recapture. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

What's That Smell?
This movie defines the word "malodorous." I award it three stars wholly on the basis of a mathematical average system: if you want to see a genuinely spooky, scary, or entertaining movie, this film would get one star (less would be preferable); if you want a horrible camp classic from the genius responsible for such cinematic mayhem as "The Wild World of Batwoman" and "Frankenstein Island", this is an oft-overlooked five star rarity.

Jerry Warren, my personal touchstone as the worst director in history, is paired up again with star Katherine 'Batwoman' Victor this time in a story of alleged international intrigue. It all involves Victor, a mad scientist, making some mind control capsules on an island which despite being clearly visible from shore, is unknown to everyone but the bad guys. Teenage heroes inadvertently foil the caper and defeat evil in a manner which is comical, yet difficult to comprehend. (When is it a good idea to break INTO jail?) Please also enjoy the ongoing verbal jousting concerning the relative merits of horseback riding versus water skiing! What does this have to do with the plot? Who knows! How prominent is this debate in the film? Very!

The print of the film itself is in fairly awful condition, with many scratches, occasional sound dropouts (not that that really detracts), and many splices. It also has three little transfer marks that dwell perpetually near the top of the frame, yet move around and flicker annoyingly.

If the plot weren't silly enough, the acting and dialogue take this one over the top. The film is very short, and while not as entertaining as some Warren classics, this is an excellent opportunity to see a very bad movie at a very low price.

Don Sullivan Lives!!
A group of teenagers happen upon an island inhabited by Katherine Victor as the sociopathic, Vampira-esque mad scientist "Doctor Myrna"; and her zombie horde. The kids have stumbled into a subversive plot to turn the world into a planet of zombie slaves! Evil Dr. Myrna has concocted a gas that turns people into cabbage-heads. The teenagers show up just in time to mess things up royally! Don (Giant Gila Monster) Sullivan is the only teenager with gray matter in his skull. Thank God he doesn't sing or play the "banjo-lele" in this one!! Anyway, together, the dopey teens escape, and with the help of a man in an ultra-cheap gorilla suit, Dr. Myrna is vanquished. A personal favorite...

Teens make the best zombie test subjects
I can't help but get a big kick out of movies like this. The 1950s was truly a special decade in terms of moviemaking, as this is just one of many typically inane yet somehow entertaining pseudo-horror movies brought to cinematic life during that golden age. Teenage Zombies is in many ways an awful movie, with cheap sets, inconsistently bad acting, and a zany plot-yet I liked it. I got a special, unexpected treat in the form of a jaunt down memory lane. MST3K fans will recognize two faces in this movie immediately. Katherine Victor, none other than Batwoman herself from The Wild World of Batwoman, is the evil scientist working in cahoots with some foreign (certainly Communist) government to build a biological agent to unleash on the United States. Such an attack would make zombies of American citizens-leaving them healthy enough to work but incapable of resisting the demands of the conquering powers. Two teenaged couples stumble upon the secret lab accidentally and are, of course, immediately captured. One of the guys is that unforgettable (for MSTies, anyway) singing, knee-propping, reptile-fighting star of The Giant Gila Monster (Don Sullivan). He can't sing his way out of trouble this time (and, thankfully, does not even try). The diabolical scientist locks the kids up so that she can use them as test subjects for the new zombifying gas she is perfecting. Their best chance of escape is dependent on their two over-acting friends' persistence back home at convincing the sheriff to search the island for them. There is really only one decent zombie in the whole film, but you do get a bonus in the form of a guy in an ape suit. I have to admit that one major plot point caught me totally unawares, so that earns the movie a little respect in my eyes. This helps make up for the exceedingly boring fight scenes later on, but I fear nothing can undo the damage done by the intense "hamming it up" that accompanies the final scene. Teenage Zombies has almost nothing going for it, in all honesty, yet I found it quite entertaining; fans of MST3K should really get a big kick out of it.

Passable DVD package for bad-movie masochists only
Those who hail Ed Wood as the worst director of all time apparently have never endured any Jerry Warren flicks. Teenage Zombies is probably Warren's best (read least worst), most watchable movie, and probably the safest point of entry for the uninitiated (if you can't hack TZ, you'll really hate his even less accomplished works). That said, it's still probably rough going for all but seriously masochistic bad-movie fanatics. Four malt-shop kids led by whitebread would-be teen idol Don Sullivan (Giant Gila Monster, Monster of Piedras Blancas) go picnicking on a mysterious island and run afoul of crazed Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor: Mesa of Lost Women, Cape Canaveral Monsters, Wild World of Batwoman) and her brutish henchman Ivan (Chuck Niles), who are using 'poison gas' on a shabby-looking gorilla (and prisoners provided by the local sheriff) to create mindless 'zombies,' all in the service of nefarious foreign agents. The teens are captured and threatened with zombie-hood by Dr. Myra. Reg and Skip escape, leaving Julie and Pam locked in Myra's cage (!!!) while they go "look for help." Incredibly, there are a couple of genuine 'plot twists' before the action-packed (for Warren) denouement. Although the story moves at a slightly faster clip than Warren's usual funereal pace, and the camera actually moves once in a while, there are plenty of Jerry's signature badly-framed static master shots of characters droning on and on for what seems like hours, uninterrupted by reaction shots, close-ups, or editing of any kind. And the lack of budget is all up there on the screen: Dr. Myra's impoverished lab set gives Ed Wood and Dick Cunha a run for their money; the raft that Reg and Skip build to escape the island is pathetically, hysterically, un-seaworthy; Ivan the 'zombie' henchman, perhaps menacing in 1959, today just looks like your average wino; they occasionally attempt to hide the fact that most of the exteriors were shot without sync sound by having the actors face away from the camera, or by obscuring their mouths in other exotic and hilarious ways (just like in Beast of Yucca Flats); and the already meager 73-minute running time is padded with lots of footage of the teens walking around the island and cruising around in a boat. (My wife refers to these as "dancing" movies; see The Creeping Terror or Teenage Gang Debs.) Fans of poverty-stricken 1950s cheapies will probably have fun with the amateurish acting, ludicrous dialogue, awkward pacing, and overall tacky aura. Normal People who like Good Movies beware! (But if you think this is bad, try watching Warren's Creature from the Walking Dead or especially Attack of the Mayan Mummy sometime.)
Retromedia's total DVD package is pretty decent even though the 35mm source element is mildly flawed. The feature looks very good to excellent overall, with generally acceptable brightness, contrast, sharpness, and grayscale (although the shadow detail fills in a bit at times). There is the typical light speckling and blemishing, as well as some moderate lining that mars the first 10 minutes or so of the movie and recurs a handful of times throughout. In sum, far from pristine, yet quite watchable (besides, it's Jerry Warren; the scratches kind of add to the cheesy ambience). The included Teenage Zombies trailer looks fine, as good or better than the feature itself, with excellent tonal values and sharpness, and minimal speckling/blemishing. There are also brief (approx. 7 mins each) but fairly interesting recent interviews with Chuck Niles (who remembers Warren as "a nice guy" who liked to laugh a lot but wasn't particularly concerned with "details") and Katherine Victor, who seems to believe that her association with Jerry Warren movies essentially torpedoed her career. Interestingly, both recall being genuinely amazed (at the time) at how easily they got their parts in Teenage Zombies. My only real gripe with this DVD is the forced inclusion (unless you go through the chapter stops menu) at the beginning of the feature of an idiotic Drive-In Theatre featurette, hosted by Fred Olen Ray, and containing partial nudity. Nothing hardcore, but tacky and out of place in a G-rated 1950s schlock program like this. Fred, baby, leave that stuff on your Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers DVDs where it belongs.

Jerry Warren snoozer comes to DVD
Some of Jerry Warren's films are so bad, they are barely watchable. This is exactly the case for Teenage Zombies. Give credit to Retromedia for doing a good job on this release. The bonus materials are good. There are interviews with Ivan the Zombie and Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor). The rerelease trailer (Teenage Terror) is included, which is cool. Fred Olen Ray does a cool intro to the movie, although keep the kids away (nudity).

The movie transfer itself, however, is disappointing. The original used for the transfer could have been in better shape. There are some annoying vertical lines in the early part of the film. The sound is poor, but this is a problem with the original film and not the DVD. It's irritating, but then so is watching this film (blame Jerry Warren). I probably would not buy again. It would have been better if with its original doublebill, The Incredible Petrified World. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

My Brain Hurts!
I love bad movies, and am used to movies that hurt a lot, but this one even surpassed my high threshold of pain. I had to watch it in two viewings as I just couldn't take it after about the first hour. Brought to you by Jerry "Wild, Wild World of Batwoman" Warren, and his cast of regulars, with special guest 'appearance' by John Carradine, who, apparently, would be in absolutely anything. Here Carradine is in fine form as a disembodied head, which shrieks a lot, but seemingly has no other connection with the alleged plot. Katherine "Batwoman" Victor plays Sheila Frankenstein, and gets to wear the silliest wig I have ever seen. Also look out for a couple of the other Warren regulars from "Batwoman"; I don't know their names, but you will instantly recognize the voices as those of the two guys who worked at the 'Ayjax Development Corporation', in the Atomic Powered Hearing Aid Division. (If in the off chance you haven't seen "Batwoman", go get it at once: it is the film that defines Jerry Warren as a director.)

I really can't summarize the plot, and if you are familiar with Jerry Warren's film stylings, you know why: there is no plot. (There is WAY less plot here than his earlier "Batwoman" debacle.) I will just tell you that somehow involved in the storyline are: a balloon crash, the worst Frankenstein monster I have ever seen, girls in loincloths, idiot servant men in women's sunglasses, and a dog.

For bad movie aficionados this is a true treasure, and is not to be missed, for anyone else, forget it. There are a couple of bonus features, including an interview with Katherine Victor called "Hangin' With Sheila Frankenstein" in which she discusses the film, and wears the gaudiest ring I have ever seen in my life. She seems pretty funny and obviously enjoyed her part in this atrocity.

I almost gave this five stars for unending badness, but changed my mind, and only gave it four, on account of the headache it gave me. Go get it, and if you can fully comprehend the subtleties and nuances that I obviously missed, drop me a line.

An abomination to mankind....
Man, whotta bomb! I will say that this movie has everything from civil war soldiers, hot air balloons, half nekkid dancing jungle girls, a long lost Frankenstein relative, zombies, and a special appearance *cough cough* by legendary actor John Carradine. This movie is pretty difficult to follow (and watch) as there is really no story, plot, etc. Some stuff happens, and then some other stuff happens, but none of it is really tied together. To say John Carradine is in this movie is a joke, as his footage was shot and then used in the movie, but it has no seeming relevance to what's happening in the movie. Plenty of laughs to be had, of the unintentional kind, but I would only recommend this movie to people who love bad movies or people who feel the need to fill some masochistic desire (they might be one in the same). This movie was truly painful to watch, but if you suffer from insomina, this works pretty good. This movie doesn't even deserve one star, but zero stars are not an option on this site.

Must see - Garbage
This is BY FAR... the worst movie I have ever seen. The movie makes no sense. This movie is SO BAD... you will be humiliated to think you actually sat and endured the movie... that is... if you have the courage to wait through the movie... and you will... because you will want to find out what's going on. You will get suckered into watching the whole movie only to find there is NOTHING there. Nothing... ABSOLUTELY NOTHING makes sense. It's a waste if celluloid. MUST SEE... because it will make every subsequent movie-watching experience a true joy.

So stupid, it's genius
I won't tell you the plot, even though you probably have a good idea that there really isn't one that makes sense. This is a wacky,wild movie with people getting stranded on the island, scientist gone mad, psycho henchmen, bikini clad beauties and yes, there is the monster, whoa! If you like classic low budget B-Movie madness, don't pass this one up. A real twisted gem. Only for people with a good sense of humour. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

What's That Smell?
This movie defines the word "malodorous." I award it three stars wholly on the basis of a mathematical average system: if you want to see a genuinely spooky, scary, or entertaining movie, this film would get one star (less would be preferable); if you want a horrible camp classic from the genius responsible for such cinematic mayhem as "The Wild World of Batwoman" and "Frankenstein Island", this is an oft-overlooked five star rarity.

Jerry Warren, my personal touchstone as the worst director in history, is paired up again with star Katherine 'Batwoman' Victor this time in a story of alleged international intrigue. It all involves Victor, a mad scientist, making some mind control capsules on an island which despite being clearly visible from shore, is unknown to everyone but the bad guys. Teenage heroes inadvertently foil the caper and defeat evil in a manner which is comical, yet difficult to comprehend. (When is it a good idea to break INTO jail?) Please also enjoy the ongoing verbal jousting concerning the relative merits of horseback riding versus water skiing! What does this have to do with the plot? Who knows! How prominent is this debate in the film? Very!

The print of the film itself is in fairly awful condition, with many scratches, occasional sound dropouts (not that that really detracts), and many splices. It also has three little transfer marks that dwell perpetually near the top of the frame, yet move around and flicker annoyingly.

If the plot weren't silly enough, the acting and dialogue take this one over the top. The film is very short, and while not as entertaining as some Warren classics, this is an excellent opportunity to see a very bad movie at a very low price.

Don Sullivan Lives!!
A group of teenagers happen upon an island inhabited by Katherine Victor as the sociopathic, Vampira-esque mad scientist "Doctor Myrna"; and her zombie horde. The kids have stumbled into a subversive plot to turn the world into a planet of zombie slaves! Evil Dr. Myrna has concocted a gas that turns people into cabbage-heads. The teenagers show up just in time to mess things up royally! Don (Giant Gila Monster) Sullivan is the only teenager with gray matter in his skull. Thank God he doesn't sing or play the "banjo-lele" in this one!! Anyway, together, the dopey teens escape, and with the help of a man in an ultra-cheap gorilla suit, Dr. Myrna is vanquished. A personal favorite...

Teens make the best zombie test subjects
I can't help but get a big kick out of movies like this. The 1950s was truly a special decade in terms of moviemaking, as this is just one of many typically inane yet somehow entertaining pseudo-horror movies brought to cinematic life during that golden age. Teenage Zombies is in many ways an awful movie, with cheap sets, inconsistently bad acting, and a zany plot-yet I liked it. I got a special, unexpected treat in the form of a jaunt down memory lane. MST3K fans will recognize two faces in this movie immediately. Katherine Victor, none other than Batwoman herself from The Wild World of Batwoman, is the evil scientist working in cahoots with some foreign (certainly Communist) government to build a biological agent to unleash on the United States. Such an attack would make zombies of American citizens-leaving them healthy enough to work but incapable of resisting the demands of the conquering powers. Two teenaged couples stumble upon the secret lab accidentally and are, of course, immediately captured. One of the guys is that unforgettable (for MSTies, anyway) singing, knee-propping, reptile-fighting star of The Giant Gila Monster (Don Sullivan). He can't sing his way out of trouble this time (and, thankfully, does not even try). The diabolical scientist locks the kids up so that she can use them as test subjects for the new zombifying gas she is perfecting. Their best chance of escape is dependent on their two over-acting friends' persistence back home at convincing the sheriff to search the island for them. There is really only one decent zombie in the whole film, but you do get a bonus in the form of a guy in an ape suit. I have to admit that one major plot point caught me totally unawares, so that earns the movie a little respect in my eyes. This helps make up for the exceedingly boring fight scenes later on, but I fear nothing can undo the damage done by the intense "hamming it up" that accompanies the final scene. Teenage Zombies has almost nothing going for it, in all honesty, yet I found it quite entertaining; fans of MST3K should really get a big kick out of it.

Passable DVD package for bad-movie masochists only
Those who hail Ed Wood as the worst director of all time apparently have never endured any Jerry Warren flicks. Teenage Zombies is probably Warren's best (read least worst), most watchable movie, and probably the safest point of entry for the uninitiated (if you can't hack TZ, you'll really hate his even less accomplished works). That said, it's still probably rough going for all but seriously masochistic bad-movie fanatics. Four malt-shop kids led by whitebread would-be teen idol Don Sullivan (Giant Gila Monster, Monster of Piedras Blancas) go picnicking on a mysterious island and run afoul of crazed Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor: Mesa of Lost Women, Cape Canaveral Monsters, Wild World of Batwoman) and her brutish henchman Ivan (Chuck Niles), who are using 'poison gas' on a shabby-looking gorilla (and prisoners provided by the local sheriff) to create mindless 'zombies,' all in the service of nefarious foreign agents. The teens are captured and threatened with zombie-hood by Dr. Myra. Reg and Skip escape, leaving Julie and Pam locked in Myra's cage (!!!) while they go "look for help." Incredibly, there are a couple of genuine 'plot twists' before the action-packed (for Warren) denouement. Although the story moves at a slightly faster clip than Warren's usual funereal pace, and the camera actually moves once in a while, there are plenty of Jerry's signature badly-framed static master shots of characters droning on and on for what seems like hours, uninterrupted by reaction shots, close-ups, or editing of any kind. And the lack of budget is all up there on the screen: Dr. Myra's impoverished lab set gives Ed Wood and Dick Cunha a run for their money; the raft that Reg and Skip build to escape the island is pathetically, hysterically, un-seaworthy; Ivan the 'zombie' henchman, perhaps menacing in 1959, today just looks like your average wino; they occasionally attempt to hide the fact that most of the exteriors were shot without sync sound by having the actors face away from the camera, or by obscuring their mouths in other exotic and hilarious ways (just like in Beast of Yucca Flats); and the already meager 73-minute running time is padded with lots of footage of the teens walking around the island and cruising around in a boat. (My wife refers to these as "dancing" movies; see The Creeping Terror or Teenage Gang Debs.) Fans of poverty-stricken 1950s cheapies will probably have fun with the amateurish acting, ludicrous dialogue, awkward pacing, and overall tacky aura. Normal People who like Good Movies beware! (But if you think this is bad, try watching Warren's Creature from the Walking Dead or especially Attack of the Mayan Mummy sometime.)
Retromedia's total DVD package is pretty decent even though the 35mm source element is mildly flawed. The feature looks very good to excellent overall, with generally acceptable brightness, contrast, sharpness, and grayscale (although the shadow detail fills in a bit at times). There is the typical light speckling and blemishing, as well as some moderate lining that mars the first 10 minutes or so of the movie and recurs a handful of times throughout. In sum, far from pristine, yet quite watchable (besides, it's Jerry Warren; the scratches kind of add to the cheesy ambience). The included Teenage Zombies trailer looks fine, as good or better than the feature itself, with excellent tonal values and sharpness, and minimal speckling/blemishing. There are also brief (approx. 7 mins each) but fairly interesting recent interviews with Chuck Niles (who remembers Warren as "a nice guy" who liked to laugh a lot but wasn't particularly concerned with "details") and Katherine Victor, who seems to believe that her association with Jerry Warren movies essentially torpedoed her career. Interestingly, both recall being genuinely amazed (at the time) at how easily they got their parts in Teenage Zombies. My only real gripe with this DVD is the forced inclusion (unless you go through the chapter stops menu) at the beginning of the feature of an idiotic Drive-In Theatre featurette, hosted by Fred Olen Ray, and containing partial nudity. Nothing hardcore, but tacky and out of place in a G-rated 1950s schlock program like this. Fred, baby, leave that stuff on your Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers DVDs where it belongs.

Jerry Warren snoozer comes to DVD
Some of Jerry Warren's films are so bad, they are barely watchable. This is exactly the case for Teenage Zombies. Give credit to Retromedia for doing a good job on this release. The bonus materials are good. There are interviews with Ivan the Zombie and Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor). The rerelease trailer (Teenage Terror) is included, which is cool. Fred Olen Ray does a cool intro to the movie, although keep the kids away (nudity).

The movie transfer itself, however, is disappointing. The original used for the transfer could have been in better shape. There are some annoying vertical lines in the early part of the film. The sound is poor, but this is a problem with the original film and not the DVD. It's irritating, but then so is watching this film (blame Jerry Warren). I probably would not buy again. It would have been better if with its original doublebill, The Incredible Petrified World. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

What's That Smell?
This movie defines the word "malodorous." I award it three stars wholly on the basis of a mathematical average system: if you want to see a genuinely spooky, scary, or entertaining movie, this film would get one star (less would be preferable); if you want a horrible camp classic from the genius responsible for such cinematic mayhem as "The Wild World of Batwoman" and "Frankenstein Island", this is an oft-overlooked five star rarity.

Jerry Warren, my personal touchstone as the worst director in history, is paired up again with star Katherine 'Batwoman' Victor this time in a story of alleged international intrigue. It all involves Victor, a mad scientist, making some mind control capsules on an island which despite being clearly visible from shore, is unknown to everyone but the bad guys. Teenage heroes inadvertently foil the caper and defeat evil in a manner which is comical, yet difficult to comprehend. (When is it a good idea to break INTO jail?) Please also enjoy the ongoing verbal jousting concerning the relative merits of horseback riding versus water skiing! What does this have to do with the plot? Who knows! How prominent is this debate in the film? Very!

The print of the film itself is in fairly awful condition, with many scratches, occasional sound dropouts (not that that really detracts), and many splices. It also has three little transfer marks that dwell perpetually near the top of the frame, yet move around and flicker annoyingly.

If the plot weren't silly enough, the acting and dialogue take this one over the top. The film is very short, and while not as entertaining as some Warren classics, this is an excellent opportunity to see a very bad movie at a very low price.

Don Sullivan Lives!!
A group of teenagers happen upon an island inhabited by Katherine Victor as the sociopathic, Vampira-esque mad scientist "Doctor Myrna"; and her zombie horde. The kids have stumbled into a subversive plot to turn the world into a planet of zombie slaves! Evil Dr. Myrna has concocted a gas that turns people into cabbage-heads. The teenagers show up just in time to mess things up royally! Don (Giant Gila Monster) Sullivan is the only teenager with gray matter in his skull. Thank God he doesn't sing or play the "banjo-lele" in this one!! Anyway, together, the dopey teens escape, and with the help of a man in an ultra-cheap gorilla suit, Dr. Myrna is vanquished. A personal favorite...

Teens make the best zombie test subjects
I can't help but get a big kick out of movies like this. The 1950s was truly a special decade in terms of moviemaking, as this is just one of many typically inane yet somehow entertaining pseudo-horror movies brought to cinematic life during that golden age. Teenage Zombies is in many ways an awful movie, with cheap sets, inconsistently bad acting, and a zany plot-yet I liked it. I got a special, unexpected treat in the form of a jaunt down memory lane. MST3K fans will recognize two faces in this movie immediately. Katherine Victor, none other than Batwoman herself from The Wild World of Batwoman, is the evil scientist working in cahoots with some foreign (certainly Communist) government to build a biological agent to unleash on the United States. Such an attack would make zombies of American citizens-leaving them healthy enough to work but incapable of resisting the demands of the conquering powers. Two teenaged couples stumble upon the secret lab accidentally and are, of course, immediately captured. One of the guys is that unforgettable (for MSTies, anyway) singing, knee-propping, reptile-fighting star of The Giant Gila Monster (Don Sullivan). He can't sing his way out of trouble this time (and, thankfully, does not even try). The diabolical scientist locks the kids up so that she can use them as test subjects for the new zombifying gas she is perfecting. Their best chance of escape is dependent on their two over-acting friends' persistence back home at convincing the sheriff to search the island for them. There is really only one decent zombie in the whole film, but you do get a bonus in the form of a guy in an ape suit. I have to admit that one major plot point caught me totally unawares, so that earns the movie a little respect in my eyes. This helps make up for the exceedingly boring fight scenes later on, but I fear nothing can undo the damage done by the intense "hamming it up" that accompanies the final scene. Teenage Zombies has almost nothing going for it, in all honesty, yet I found it quite entertaining; fans of MST3K should really get a big kick out of it.

Passable DVD package for bad-movie masochists only
Those who hail Ed Wood as the worst director of all time apparently have never endured any Jerry Warren flicks. Teenage Zombies is probably Warren's best (read least worst), most watchable movie, and probably the safest point of entry for the uninitiated (if you can't hack TZ, you'll really hate his even less accomplished works). That said, it's still probably rough going for all but seriously masochistic bad-movie fanatics. Four malt-shop kids led by whitebread would-be teen idol Don Sullivan (Giant Gila Monster, Monster of Piedras Blancas) go picnicking on a mysterious island and run afoul of crazed Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor: Mesa of Lost Women, Cape Canaveral Monsters, Wild World of Batwoman) and her brutish henchman Ivan (Chuck Niles), who are using 'poison gas' on a shabby-looking gorilla (and prisoners provided by the local sheriff) to create mindless 'zombies,' all in the service of nefarious foreign agents. The teens are captured and threatened with zombie-hood by Dr. Myra. Reg and Skip escape, leaving Julie and Pam locked in Myra's cage (!!!) while they go "look for help." Incredibly, there are a couple of genuine 'plot twists' before the action-packed (for Warren) denouement. Although the story moves at a slightly faster clip than Warren's usual funereal pace, and the camera actually moves once in a while, there are plenty of Jerry's signature badly-framed static master shots of characters droning on and on for what seems like hours, uninterrupted by reaction shots, close-ups, or editing of any kind. And the lack of budget is all up there on the screen: Dr. Myra's impoverished lab set gives Ed Wood and Dick Cunha a run for their money; the raft that Reg and Skip build to escape the island is pathetically, hysterically, un-seaworthy; Ivan the 'zombie' henchman, perhaps menacing in 1959, today just looks like your average wino; they occasionally attempt to hide the fact that most of the exteriors were shot without sync sound by having the actors face away from the camera, or by obscuring their mouths in other exotic and hilarious ways (just like in Beast of Yucca Flats); and the already meager 73-minute running time is padded with lots of footage of the teens walking around the island and cruising around in a boat. (My wife refers to these as "dancing" movies; see The Creeping Terror or Teenage Gang Debs.) Fans of poverty-stricken 1950s cheapies will probably have fun with the amateurish acting, ludicrous dialogue, awkward pacing, and overall tacky aura. Normal People who like Good Movies beware! (But if you think this is bad, try watching Warren's Creature from the Walking Dead or especially Attack of the Mayan Mummy sometime.)
Retromedia's total DVD package is pretty decent even though the 35mm source element is mildly flawed. The feature looks very good to excellent overall, with generally acceptable brightness, contrast, sharpness, and grayscale (although the shadow detail fills in a bit at times). There is the typical light speckling and blemishing, as well as some moderate lining that mars the first 10 minutes or so of the movie and recurs a handful of times throughout. In sum, far from pristine, yet quite watchable (besides, it's Jerry Warren; the scratches kind of add to the cheesy ambience). The included Teenage Zombies trailer looks fine, as good or better than the feature itself, with excellent tonal values and sharpness, and minimal speckling/blemishing. There are also brief (approx. 7 mins each) but fairly interesting recent interviews with Chuck Niles (who remembers Warren as "a nice guy" who liked to laugh a lot but wasn't particularly concerned with "details") and Katherine Victor, who seems to believe that her association with Jerry Warren movies essentially torpedoed her career. Interestingly, both recall being genuinely amazed (at the time) at how easily they got their parts in Teenage Zombies. My only real gripe with this DVD is the forced inclusion (unless you go through the chapter stops menu) at the beginning of the feature of an idiotic Drive-In Theatre featurette, hosted by Fred Olen Ray, and containing partial nudity. Nothing hardcore, but tacky and out of place in a G-rated 1950s schlock program like this. Fred, baby, leave that stuff on your Hollywood Chainsaw Hookers DVDs where it belongs.

Jerry Warren snoozer comes to DVD
Some of Jerry Warren's films are so bad, they are barely watchable. This is exactly the case for Teenage Zombies. Give credit to Retromedia for doing a good job on this release. The bonus materials are good. There are interviews with Ivan the Zombie and Dr. Myra (Katherine Victor). The rerelease trailer (Teenage Terror) is included, which is cool. Fred Olen Ray does a cool intro to the movie, although keep the kids away (nudity).

The movie transfer itself, however, is disappointing. The original used for the transfer could have been in better shape. There are some annoying vertical lines in the early part of the film. The sound is poor, but this is a problem with the original film and not the DVD. It's irritating, but then so is watching this film (blame Jerry Warren). I probably would not buy again. It would have been better if with its original doublebill, The Incredible Petrified World. ... Read more