Keep your eyes on the skies-and on MeTV tonight-as we present a truly creepy science fiction classic from the ‘50s- in which a young boy sees that aliens are taking over earth people- but no one will believe him! It’s the eerie original 1953 version of “Invaders from Mars”!

It all begins calmly enough, with a young boy, David, being tucked into bed by his loving parents- but that calm won’t last long. He is awakened by an approaching thunderstorm, and, as he looks out his window, he sees a strange glowing flying saucer land right in the sand pit behind his house! He immediately wakes his parents, who think he has just had a nightmare- but the nightmare proves to be real when his scientist father heads out to the sand pit- and disappears!

The police are summoned, and they head back behind the house to look around the sand pit- with chilling results. David’s dad finally reappears-with little explanation-but with an odd wound on the back of his neck- and he seems to be a changed man- cold to his family, unfeeling, and belligerent.

This new attitude obviously frightens David and things get worse when he notices more people acting just like his father- including a young classmate. When he goes to the police, the cop in charge unfortunately seems to be similarly afflicted- and locks David up. Fortunately, a more sympathetic officer who is present calls in a child psychologist, Dr. Blake- who believes the boy’s story, and gets in touch with astronomer Dr. Kelston- who also feels that David is telling the truth.

David, Kelston, and Dr. Blake work together to get the authorities to believe them and take action- while more people become brainwashed slaves of the aliens-and David and company face the dangers of falling into the sandpit- and the hands of the Martians-along with their bizarre leader!

We’ll run down the “Invaders from Mars” cast- including one actor who was in both this version and the 1986 remake version of this story; as well as a couple familiar faces from MeTV. We’ll give background on the production and effects, Boddy Sorrell will reveal his plans to turn the movie into modern TV programming, we get a visit from our Sven Squad, a song, and some vintage Sven space shtick.

“Invaders from Mars” touches down on MeTV at 8 pm eastern/ pacific, 7 central time. As always, you will have two ways to post live during the show, on either Twitter/X or Bluesky– just take your pick, and make sure to add the hashtag #svengoolie to what you post. Chicago area viewers will have one more chance to experience the Bela Lugosi classic “Return of the Vampire” at 11 am on our sister station- WCIU, the U.

I know many of you have been asking for specific schedules of our upcoming appearances at both the San Diego Comic Con at the end of this month and the Flashback Weekend Horror Convention the first weekend of August. We have posted some details under the “appearances” tab here on the website. We will get you all more information as soon as we are cleared to do so!

Some of our viewers have alerted me that I am nominated for a Fangoria Chainsaw Award! Voting is going on now and will continue until July 20. You can vote at fangoria.com/vote – and this is another case where you don’t have to vote in every category. I appreciate the heads up from our fans!

Before we invade San Diego in a few weeks- watch what is invading the sand this week on MeTV