Teenagers from Outer Space is Tom Graeff’s most well known film. Shown for decades on television and even spoofed on an episode of Mystery Science Theater, Teenagers has stayed in the public conciousness despite a constant barrage of negative reviews and misinformation.
The story, in Tom’s words
A group of teenagers arrives on earth in a space ship, bringing with them a beast called the Gargon that has a habit of growing to gigantic proportions in a short time when it gets its claws on food. Derek, on of the invaders, escapes from his group in order to explore this new planet, but is pursued by Thor, another of the group, who is armed with a deadly ray gun.
Once in the city, Derek meets Betty Morgan and a mutual attraction immediately begins between the two young people. Thor has traced Derek’s whereabouts and in the process has destroyed two people with his ray gun, both of whom turn to skeletons when shot. Derek explains to Betty that the ray gun projects an isolated beam that separates the molecules of body material and leaves only the skeleton.
Later, after being wounded in a gun battle with the police who have been alerted by Derek, Thor kidnaps a doctor’s nurse and forces her to drive him back to the space ship. On the way, she struggles with her captor and causes the car to overturn into a gulley. Derek arrives and grabs the disintegrating ray gun from the stunned Thor, only to find the weapon damaged and useless.
During this time, the fearful Gargon has found food and has grown to a fantastic size, threatening to destroy the town and and its population. Derek connects the gun to a power line, giving the ray gun enough force to kill the monster. Knowing that more spaces hips are on the way, Derek misdirects the fleet and they crash to earth — saving the world from destruction and killing Derek.