All I Want for Christmas is My Brain in an Ape: “Monster and the Girl” Tonight!

We have a pre-Christmas gift for you tonight on MeTV- as a scientist gives a gorilla  the gift of a human brain- and gangsters get a visitor more frightening than the Krampus- with the added attraction of highlights from a live talk show headlined by Robert Englund in his full Freddy Krueger make-up, and a group of "Elm Street" alumni- gift-wrapped around a tale of deception, degradation, and transplantation- known as  the “Monster and the Girl”!

We eavesdrop on a shocking trial- young Scott Webster is being tried for murder, having been framed by malicious gangsters who have lead his gullible sister down a path of ruin. Scott's only intention was to get his sister out of the gangsters' control- but the wise guys set him up as their fall guy to cover up a hit of their own design!

It looks like the electric chair for Scott-  and, when it appears  all is lost- he receives a strange visitor-  a doctor who makes a bizarre request-that Scott allow him to use his brain after execution for  scientific experimentation. The hapless Scott agrees- after all, he will have nothing left to lose! He has no idea that the experiment the doctor is planning is a brain transplant- putting the human brain into a gorilla!

The doctor manages to do the unholy experiment- and studies the "patient" carefully, watching to see if any human traits or signs of remembrance of past life as a human will surface. While we've all heard that an elephant never forgets, it becomes apparent that an ape with a brain full of painful human memories doesn't forget either- unfortunately for the mobsters who did Scott's sister wrong.

The tough guys soon become the target of an avenging ape- and the battle rages between the syndicate and the simian as, out of the gritty urban shadows ,comes furry fury that no one would expect in the dark city streets!

This 1941 film  features one of the  movie's most famed gorilla portrayers- Charles Gemorra- whom we'll tell you about; as well as a familiar player in horror flicks, George Zucco, as the doctor with the strange transplant ideas ( coincidentally, Zucco  was an innocent bystander a couple weeks ago when  Karloff had his own brain transplant schemes in "House of Frankenstein")! We’ll share more information about the cast with you, and- bring you some special features featuring a different cast- a group of actors  who shared the screen with Freddy Krueger in the “Nightmare on Elm Street" series. The headliner of the group is the man who truly made the Freddy character his own-  the  incredible Robert Englund! The occasion was a special live on-stage talk show done at the Flashback Weekend horror convention, in which Robert submitted himself to having make-up genius Robert Kurtzman  put him into the full Freddy make-up for one last time in America- to provide fans with a once-in-a-lifetime photo opportunity, as well as graciously keeping it all on longer to guest on the show with me! ! I'd met Robert before, and knew that he is a big fan of our program, but this was the ultimate honor for me!  You'll also get to see me talk with victims from various parts of Freddy's  infamous career- ironically,  with both Freddy’s first on-screen victim- the  lovely Amanda Wyss- AND the last woman to face (and defeat?) Freddy-the adorable Monica Keena! Other “Nightmare” players joining us for the festivities are noted singer and star of Robert Altman's 1975 film "Nashville" Ronee Blakely,  striking model and actress Jennifer Rubin, and the hilarious Robert Russler, whose first film role was as a buddy to Robert Downey Jr in "Weird Science"!  This was a terrific group of people with so many great stories- and I'm happy that, once again, we get to share highlights with you of this memorable event!

"Monster and the Girl" hits the air on  MeTV tonight at 10 pm eastern and pacific time, 9 pm central, or- check your local listings for time in your area! In Chicago, local viewers can "get down” (and I do mean DOWN) with the "Mole People" at 11 am on  our sister station,WCIU, the U!

Also, sometime today- you can hear Rich Koz join Tony Lossano at the Paul and Angel Harvey Studio at Chicago's Museum of Broadcast Communications for another podcast appearance on "Lossano and Friends"! We haven't dropped in on Tony since earlier this year, and it's always a fun time. Check for the podcast later today, when it will be posted at   http://radiomisfits.com/podcasts/lossano-and-friends/

And, join us on MeTV tonight for gangsters, a gorilla, a gal, and - well, eggnog- if you've got it...