...LANGUAGE!!! We Swear It's the Final Part of the Original Mummy Series- The Mummy's Curse!

Saturday night on MeTV- it's the perfect film to watch while you're wrapping packages- because the monster is also wrapped up! It's the final chapter that wraps up  the original Universal series of Mummy movies ( if you don't count "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy")- with Kharis' beloved  and oft-reincarnated true love reappearing - and the undying embalmed one bringing death to the bayou- in "The Mummy's Curse"!

This 1944 film is more or less the follow-up to "The Mummy’s Ghost”-where Kharis and his intended bride end up sinking into a swamp. Never mind that  it happened in Massachusetts! There must've been some deep water/underground current drift, because this flick starts out down in the bayous of Louisiana, where museum experts visit an irrigation project, supposedly having proof of mummies being buried at the site. They just may be right- a worker is found dead, and they surmise that it may be the work of the Mummy! Possibly the excavation helped free Kharis from the swamp…and, the latest high priest of the Arkam cult, along  with another follower, brings the comatose Mummy to a deserted monastery, where they brew up the tanna leaf tea that revitalizes the bandaged one. Meanwhile, all that construction disturbs the mud enough to bring forth a muddy young woman- who, once she rinses off the swamp mud, is  a hottie who  can’t recall a thing, but does seem to have knowledge of things Egyptian. Kharis is drawn to his intended, and commits more murders in his search for her.

Fleeing from him, having no idea why he is after her, since she has no memory of being the Princess Ananka, she is found along the roadside by one of the experts who came to find mummies (looks like he unknowingly has succeeded!) and his girl friend, the daughter of the guy in charge of the bayou excavation team. The gal starts to spend time at their camp, where she reveals more and more of her vast and unexplained Egyptian knowledge- but Kharis lurks nearby, still intent on finding the latest incarnation of his beloved Princess. More murder awaits- as well as the usual forbidden lust of one of Kharis' followers for a local female- and things can only end in destruction and death!

This is a shorter  movie- which, by the way, has some politically incorrect  by-play with stereotypical characters (very dated and somewhat embarrassing)-and our mummy is again played -for one final time-by Lon Chaney Jr., who detested the Mummy make-up, and demanded that it be simplified each time he undertook the role. The reincarnation of his princess is an actress that many of you may be familiar with from some 60s and 70s television commercials-you might be surprised to find out who she is ( Blog commenters- PLEASE hold off on posting who it is!) We’ll give clue you in- as well as presenting a lot of fun extra Sven stuff-everything from an Egyptian stand-up comic you might recognize, to a special treat for "Columbo" fans- plus, a Sven song of the season and some really vintage bits from the past!

"The Mummy's Curse" is upon you tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central, or check your local listings or at www.metv.com for time and channel in your area. Chicago viewers  can chill out with another run of "Frozen Ghost"( featuring the original run of the "Svengoolie Stomp") at 11 am on WCIU, the U!

For those Chicago area fans, it's not a bad trip to Bloomindale and the Stratford Square mall, where Sventa Claus will be meeting and greeting patrons of the latest location of Dreamland Comics from 1 to 3 pm!

Also- if you're in the Chicago area- this upcoming week, WCIU is again holding their "Fill a Bag- Fill a Bus" campaign to raise food for the hungry this holiday season! Though Sventa Claus is not able to make it this year, due to our production schedule, we hope you'll donate- find all the info on the places and ways you can contribute online-at www.wciu.com  - and thanks for helping make the holidays a little brighter  for the needy in our area!

I've been asked -again- to remind you to order your holiday gifts from the Svengoolie/MeTV store ASAP- in hopes of getting the goods in time! Fans have been especially enthusiastic about adding the Alex Ross/ Scott Shaw button set to their collections- among the many stocking stuffers available, including the "It Came from Berwyn" poster (if you have a slightly longer stocking!)  I have always advised our friends that, should the item not get there in time, you can make a "coupon" that can be exchanged with the gift-giver for said gift!

Come enjoy that well-wrapped gift we have for you tonight- available in both male and female versions!