Teenagers Battle the Thing

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USA • 1958 • 58m •

• Directed by: Dave Flocker. • Starring: Mary Brownless, Bob Clymire, Ken Koepfer, Dennis Kottmeier, Ruth Ann Mannella, Bill Simonsen, Jan Swihart..

Archaeology students uncover a prehistoric manster... part man, part monster, and all bad attitude with a cheap costume.

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Image from: Teenagers Battle the Thing (1958)

A professor takes some of his students out into the woods where they discover an underground tomb. They locate some Indian items but the big discover is some sort of mummy. Soon the mummy comes back to life and it's a murdering ape-like creature.

TEENAGERS BATTLE THE THING has a bizarre story behind its production and one that I'm going to guess is a mystery since I wasn't able to turn anything up on it. This 58 minute movie was completed in 1958 but it never got released outside the filmmaker's hometown. The film remained unseen until 1976 when footage was added to it and it was released as CURSE OF BIGFOOT. The footage in that version is in color and I haven't seen it yet so my comments with be about the original version only.

As far as this film goes, I must admit that it's one of those movies that you can enjoy while watching it but then when it's over you get a little upset that there wasn't more. In other words, you stayed glued to the movie expecting something or anything to happen so that keeps you entertained. Then, the movie is suddenly over and you can't help but wonder what the heck you just watched and why there was so little of it. The ape man costume here looks extremely cheap and corny but in its own way it's a nice outfit and it certainly makes for a good villain. I'm a little confused on why they only feature the monster in a couple scenes.

It's pretty obvious why this never got released because they've got more talking than actual monster. I'd understand if they didn't have a monster costume at all but you've got one so why on Earth did they not have it in the movie more? I guess this question will never be answered. Technically speaking the film is your typical "C" grade horror picture with the type of performances that you'd expect from it. TEENAGERS BATTLE THE THING is certainly far from good but it's not as bad as some of the other monsters movies made in the 50s.

Review by Michael_Elliott from the Internet Movie Database.

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