No Shrews Is Good Shrews When It’s The “Killer Shrews”-Tonight!

Tonight on MeTV- an extended weekend is a good time to take a trip- but a bad time to head to a remote island that is currently over-run by voracious mutant creatures that are running out of food- and will consider you the main course! There’s a lot to lose from the “Killer Shrews”!

We remember this 1959 film mainly for its somewhat laughable special effects -and possibly the alcohol consumption - although what the principals are facing might give that some validity. Captain Thorne Sherman, along with his first mate Rook, has been assigned to head their small watercraft to that remote island, to bring supplies to a scientific outpost there. Leaving their boat anchored offshore, they use a rowboat to transport the supplies to the island itself-and are met by its only inhabitants-scientist Marlowe Craigis, his beautiful daughter Ann, research assistant Dr. Baines, Ann’s boozy supposed fiancé Jerry, and their servant, Mario.

Thorne is surprised by the suggestion of a quick turnaround when Craigis tells him he and Rook should leave immediately and take Ann with him. This doesn’t seem like the soundest plan, since a hurricane is heading for the island, and leaving now is not a safe option! Thorne decides to stay overnight in the scientist’s compound, and sends his associate Rook back out to their boat to batten it down for weathering the storm.

Bluntly questioning why he is being pressured to leave, Thorne is told about the research being done at the compound by Craigis- he wants to find a way to genetically shrink humans(?!) in order to make the world’s food supply last longer! He has been experimenting with some small creatures with very short life spans, their minimal existence making it easier to trace his progress over multiple generations. He shows Thorne one of the smelly little creatures- and reveals that shrews must consume multiple times their weight in food every day to survive- and therein lies the problem Craigis has not revealed to Thorne.

That problem is- the genetically altered shrews, instead of shrinking, have mutated, and grown to enormous size! ( When the aim is to shrink the subject, this seems like a major miscalculation.) The super-sized shrews have escaped the compound due to the generally soused Jerry’s ineptitude- and have multiplied rapidly. Now the danger of becoming shrew chow makes the hurricane the least of the island inhabitants’ worries.

Things get even worse- when tragedy befalls Rook- and the shrews, having devoured any and all the small animal life on the island, have the compound under siege every night -in search of humans for their nocturnal feeding frenzies! We witness Jerry’s true character as a scheming coward, only worried about his own survival- while the shrews’ attacks become more frightening, with the crazed creatures willing to do anything to get at the people.

Craigis had hoped that, having no other food, the shrews would turn on themselves and devour each other- but the storms effect on the compound, weakening it, has made it even more vulnerable to the shrews being able to break in before that happens. Another unforeseen problem- due to consuming poison bait that the scientist had hoped would kill them off, the mutated shrews have adapted to the poison- and now their bite is lethal! ( Between that and the opposite of causing shrinkage, Craigis is batting a thousand…)

Thorne must try to protect the group from the threats of both the shrews and the devilish lowlife Jerry- with their only hope being to escape the terrifying onslaught of the hungry beasts!

This film is indeed known for the somewhat laughable appearance of the shrews (played by disguised dogs and/or puppets) and for the fact that the cast is constantly downing martinis and other alcohol. We will inform you about the production and its cast (including “Dukes of Hazzard” star James Best and “Gunsmoke” notable Ken Curtis) and bring you a commercial very suitable to the imbibing in this film, as well as a song, and- since the movie is a little short- on this extended weekend, and our show has been extended, we’ll add a heaping assortment of Sven shtick from the past-including more visits with our friends from the casts of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise!!

“Killer Shrews” will eat into your holiday weekend time tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. MeTV again invites you to join the many viewers who are live-Tweeting during the show on Twitter, using the hashtag #svengoolie . This morning, Chicago area fans know they can watch an appropriate second run of “The Thing with Two Heads” at 11 am on our man local station, CW26.

If you are in the Chicago area, you can come see me in Crestwood, IL at the Friday night Windy City Thunderbolts game! I’ll be there for pictures and autographs, and-you will be able to bid on-line for the special Svengoolie jerseys that the players will be wearing. You’ll find information under our “appearances” tab here on the website or at www.wcthunderbolts.com !

Join us tonight for the mutant shrews! And- please take some time this Memorial Day weekend to remember all the brave military members who gave their lives in the service of our country.