Deck the Halls with Double Features-"Dinosaurus!" and "Saturday the 14th"- Tonight!

Tonight on MeTV- while you might be getting in the holiday mood roasting chestnuts on an open fire- some less-than-holiday heat from lightning will be thawing out prehistoric creatures on a tropical island-where the nasty local town boss is actually more savage than a newly- awakened Neanderthal- as both the good and evil islanders face the destructive might of- “Dinosaurus!” Then, it’s the date-appropriate horror spoof featuring a cursed book and unleashed monsters, hosted by the Sven Squad- “Saturday the 14th”!

We begin with an island with a bright future where a construction crew labors to create a new, ship-friendly lagoon- using underwater charges to blast more space below the surface of the surrounding ocean. Local kid Julio enjoys hanging around with the workmen- which displeases the villainous town boss, Mike Hacker. Julio finds a friend in Big Bart Thompson who’s in charge of the dredging operation- but Bart is less in control of his winsome girlfriend Betty, who cluelessly boats out amidst the blast area! When she foolishly dives into the water to retrieve a lost cooler, Bart notices and is quick to follow- which is a good thing, when a shocking discovery puts Betty in peril!

Once she’s back on land, we find the source of her dismay- two prehistoric creatures, flash-frozen in the icy waters (sure- we’ve all heard of the icy waters of the Caribbean- especially in an area so shallow they have to make it deeper). The construction crew now becomes a salvage crew, as they transfer the frozen dinosaurs- apparently a brontosaurus and a T-Rex- onto the beach. Nasty Boss Hacker (an ethnic bad guy whose Anglicized name doesn’t suit him!) immediately has his own agenda- to cash in on the new finds- especially when he stumbles on one additional prize -a seemingly inert cave man that has also washed up from the sea! He stashes the Neanderthal’s body and ponders his next move while Bart and Betty head to Hacker’s cantina for dinner.

A storm is approaching the island- which concerns the somewhat over-served old fellow who is on “guard duty” (consisting of napping, drinking, and reading a comic book). Soon, the thunderstorm unleashes more than rain, as lightning strikes revive the prehistoric beasts! The goofy guard’s attempt to keep the monsters at bay with a stick of dynamite only adds to the confusion, as the island’s power goes out, and young Julio flees to escape the wrath of his “guardian” Hacker.

Of course, the cave man ends up revived as well- and soon the area is under siege by this pseudo-Flintstone -AND the two rampaging dinosaurs. The bronto appears to be the more friendly of the massive lizards while the T Rex is more of a -well- a T Rex (we’ve all seen “Jurassic Park”)! The only way to reach safety for the frightened townspeople is to evacuate and take refuge in an old fortress – and hope that Bart and the boys can help them survive the deadly attack of the thunder lizard!

This 1960 film, complete with some stop-motion animation, comes to us from the same folks who brought us the ‘50s classic “The Blob” and be forewarned-there is some silliness along with the excitement in this film- but, all in all, it’s an entertaining adventure. There are some interesting stories attached to this production, which we’ll relate to you- as well as introducing you to the cast. We will also be visiting with a dinosaur, and play two games –“Are You Smarter Than a Caveman?” and a familiar edition of “Too Drawn Out”. We’ll provide you with a song and, getting into the spirit, add in some holiday bits.

Then, it’s the turn of Gwengoolie, the Imp, and Nostalgiaferatoo as they take over to present an eerie comedy in which a family inherits a house, which has an unusual book among its inventory. Waldemar, an vampire and his wife Yolanda, however, want to gain possession of the house because they know that said book has evil power- which becomes apparent when the son of the new owners starts turning its pages- which unleashes monsters! Not only that, but it causes weird things to happen in the house. Soon, added to the mix is none other than Van Helsing- but he has his own agenda. It all concludes with a horrid housewarming party and a showdown between Van Helsing and Waldemar!

This movie is mainly a spoof of classic horror films ( and NOT the “Friday the 13th” franchise)- and stars real-life couple Richrd Benjamin and Paula Prentiss- and some familiar TV and movie actors. The Sven Squad has their own take on the proceedings, and more- guaranteeing a fun time!

The double feature of “Dinosaurus!" and “Saturday the 14th” will be on MeTV tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central, or check your local listings (or at www.metv.com) for time and channel in your viewing area. Join the many fans live-Tweeting on Twitter and now, posting on Bluesky during the program- just be sure to use the hashtag #svengoolie o posts on ether one! In Chicago, viewers get one more look at the Vincent Price-Peter Lorre-Boris Karloff- Basil Rathbone sinister funfest “Comedy of Terrors” on the U, at 11 am.

We want to thank our loyal viewers for buying up our entire inventory of the Sven 45th anniversary boxes from our store, where there’s still time to order seasonal Sven swag .Just tap the “store” tag here on our website so you don’t miss out on certain holiday items that may not be offered again!

Join us tonight to trim your TV with pre-historic pandemonium and dinosaur disaster, plus chills and chuckles on today’s namesake on MeTV!