Teenage Monster [DVD] [1957]

Detachable - 20Hz to 20kHz - Cable

The same producer/distributor combination that gave the world The Brain From Planet Arous was responsible for Teenage Monster, but instead of Nathan Hertz (aka Nathan Juran) directing, cinematographer/producer Jacques Marquette handled the directorial chores -- and the difference does show. This is a tougher movie, based on a more difficult script, incorporating an old west setting that makes the overall story of a werewolf-like creature a lot harder to pull off. Marquette and the cast, led by '40s Universal Pictures veteran Anne Gwynne, try very hard, but the result is still a bizarre 65 minutes. The DVD, coming to viewers courtesy of the Wade Williams Collection, is exceptionally well done, with extensive annotation by Tom Weaver. The transfer itself is very good, from a sharp source print that reveals very few flaws. The volume is a little low, but it pumps up decently through speakers, giving a good account of Walter Greene's score which, not surprisingly, is very similar to his work on The Brain From Planet Arous. The 65-minute movie has been divided into a dozen generous and nicely placed chapters that effectively break down the plot, such as it is. The only onscreen bonus is a very overheated trailer that contains most of the action scenes but, understandably, never actually shows the title creature.