Tonight on MeTV- it’s the monster-creating baron-and the evil imp from Erin- as we first bring you the Hammer version of the classic horror tale in which a brilliant scientist is obsessed with creating life in “Curse of Frankenstein”!- and then the Sven Squad wishes you the luck o’ the squeamish as they present the cult classic “Leprechaun”!

We presented the original Hammer Studios version of the tale of Dracula last week, and this week it is again the great Peter Cushing setting out to bring life from previously dead tissue- only to also give life to a deadly creation. This 1957 Hammer classic –which was the studio’s first color horror film- begins with Victor Frankenstein imprisoned in the cell where he is awaiting execution for murder! A visiting priest is on hand to hear a final confession, but he gets much more-as Victor relates the full story of how he came to this terrible end. Starting out in his youth, he was a brilliant lad with a great scientific mind, who gains total control of his family’s estate, only giving a small portion of his inherited wealth to his aunt and her daughter Elizabeth.

The young genius hires a scientist, Dr. Paul Krempe, to tutor him and advance his scientific knowledge- but soon, the pupil has surpassed his teacher and is teaching HIM a great deal. The pair begins to collaborate on experiments in restoring life, and, after some encouraging results, Victor feels they are ready to take the next step- bringing life to a body composed of parts of dead men!

Paul, though outraged and reluctant, assists his young master nonetheless-until things reach a point where he cannot, in good conscience, continue obtaining the remains of the dead for the experiment. Things get complicated further when Victor’s cousin Elizabeth- now grown into a beautiful adult woman- comes to live with them. Also in the household is the house maid Justine, who is revealed to have a secret “special relationship” with her boss.

Left on his own to salvage human body parts, Victor, wanting the finest brain for his creation, commits yet another in a long line of unspeakable acts. Paul’s interference on the side of decency only brings about more tragedy. He pleads with Elizabeth, who has had no knowledge about what has transpired, begging her to leave Victor’s house, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. She can’t believe him, and is still of the mindset that she will marry Victor (Yes, I know, they are cousins, but back then…)

Victor continues his plan to bring his creature to life- but achieving success only brings more horror and tragedy! Can Paul manage to thwart Victor’s (and his creation’s) ongoing acts of evil-and rescue Elizabeth from the terror that dwells within the estate?

This Hammer Frankenstein story, which was made before the Dracula film we showed last week, is a slightly different version of the tale than the classic Universal version in several ways, but also utilizes some ideas from the original book by Mary Shelley. We’ll discuss that and talk about the fine cast- including Peter Cushing as Dr. Frankenstein (a role he would return to time and again), the alluring Hazel Court as Elizabeth- and Christopher Lee in his first horror pairing with Cushing, debuting as Frankenstein’s creation (we’ll explain why he was chosen for the part)! We’ll have a song for you, as well as other Sven shtick- as originally presented during the pandemic when we were required to do our program remotely.

Then, back in the dungeon studio, it’s the Sven Squad-with a dangerous dip into Irish folklore that is all too real- in the 1993 starting point for the “Leprechaun” film franchise. Some people rent the farm house of a man who stole a leprechaun’s pot of gold, only to have the wee troublemaker seek him out with dangerous results- but he does imprison the leprechaun in a crate down in the house’s basement. One of the visitors hears cries for help, and, thinking it might be a child- releases the nasty little Irishman, who begins his deadly quest for revenge and his pot of gold. Gwengoolie, the Imp (ours, not the one from the Emerald Isle) and Nostalgiaferatoo bring lots of fun to the fright- in what was Jennifer Aniston’s first film, with Warwick Davis, the star of “Willow” in the title role- and giving it more humor than originally planned in the script!

The double feature begins tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. We continue to trend nationally on both Twitter/X and Bluesky, thanks to viewers posting comments live during the shows, and using the hashtag #svengoolie in both places-so, feel free to do so and join in. By the way-our Chicago viewers get an encore of “Horror of Dracula” this morning at 11 am on our local station, WCIU the U.

We have some big plans for you in the upcoming fall- including this year’s “Svengoolie’s BOO-nanza”- and the premieres of some movies you have been requesting. Plus, there will be more merchandise, more public appearances, and, of course, more of our Sven Squad!

But, for now, join us tonight for the film that many say started Hammer Studios on the path to becoming that era’s new top production house for horror- and the film that launched a lethal little lout into several scary sequels !