Thrill-crazed space kids blast the flesh off Museum visitors!
January 24 , 2007
RALEIGH -- Before … a beautiful girl. One moment later … a skeleton! No, it's not the autobiography of Kate Moss. It's "Teenagers from Outer Space," the latest sci-fi adventure to touch down at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh, showing at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 2. Free.
Not for the squeamish or those with seafood allergies, "Teenagers from Outer Space" (1959) chronicles yet another Martian attempt to invade Earth, this time in order to grow their Gargon Herd. The Gargon bear a striking resemblance to a batch of over-sized lobsters that seem bent on dipping some humans in butter for a change. Luckily, Derek the Martian has pangs of guilt when he realizes there is intelligent life on Earth and sabotages his own invasion.
Nobody knows for sure if the thrill-crazed Martians are actually teenagers, but they do carry a powerful ray-gun that can turn humans to skeletons in a flash. Story has it that the filmmaker was on such a tight budget that the film's ultimate weapon was actually a Hubley's Atomic Disintegrator toy cap gun, bought for a dime. Atomic Disintegrators can be bought today on eBay for upwards of $300.
This movie marks the debut of King Moody as the spacecraft captain. Moody was better known as the burger-pushing clown Ronald McDonald, a part he played in commercials in the late 1960s and '70s. He also played bumbling KAOS agent Starker in the mid-'60s television series "Get Smart." As for the rest of the cast, well, more than half never appeared in any other film. This also was director Tom Graeff's first and only film.
The Museum stays open till 9 p.m. Come early for live music. You can also enjoy snacks and beverages from the Acro Café. Don't miss your final First Friday opportunity to see the Museum's traveling exhibit -- "SPACE: A Journey to Our Future." This exhibit gives audiences an opportunity to experience past exploration and look to the future of space travel. All tickets $3; last tickets sold at 8 p.m. "SPACE" closes February 11.
Additionally, the Museum Store offers after-hours shopping and the opening night of a new exhibit showcasing amazing photographs of the Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge, in the Nature Art Gallery.
The Museum of Natural Sciences is located in downtown Raleigh at 11 West Jones Street. Parking is available on the street and in surface lots along Wilmington and Edenton streets. For more information, contact Steve Popson at 919-733-7450, ext. 379.
The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, in downtown Raleigh, documents and interprets the natural history of the state of North Carolina through exhibits, research, collections, publications, and educational programming. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 9 am to 5 pm, and Sun., noon to 5 pm. Admission is free. Visit the Museum on the Web at naturalsciences.org. The Museum is an agency of the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources, William G. Ross Jr., Secretary.
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