Tonight, on MeTV- we come bearing twice the gifts in a special double feature-first, a Hammer Studios production that unleashes a vampire descendant to prey on young women-only to run into some strong opposition from the great vampire hunter Van Helsing in "Brides of Dracula"- then, it’s merry mutant mayhem with a military-designed creature with a call to arms…or three arms…or eight arms…”Sharktopus” with the Sven Squad!

We start off with a full color 1960 chiller that was actually the Hammer sequel to their original version of “Dracula”-which starred Christopher Lee. (Please note-in spite of the title- you won't see Count Dracula -Sir Christopher - in this film!) The story begins with a young French woman, Marianne (played by Yvonne Monlaur) heading to a teaching job at a girl’s school. The trip, however, is suddenly derailed by some mysterious- and deliberate- actions. Stopping at a local inn, she suddenly finds herself left behind by her transportation-with no further hope of completing her journey at such a late hour. Yet, even this late, a strange and haughty elderly baroness stops in, which seemingly disturbs the innkeepers. The baroness invites our stranded traveler to accept accommodation at her castle for the night.

Upon arrival at the castle, Marianne is assigned a room by the Baroness, but, looking outside, she spots a handsome young man on a balcony across the way. She eventually worms some shocking information about him out of the baroness- he is her son (though she has always been giving the impression that he had passed away)! Later on, when Marianne goes snooping and finds him chained up in his room, for reasons yet to be mentioned, he convinces her to help him escape his shackles- but, when she succeeds in doing so-he reveals what he actually is (you didn’t get the hint from the movie title?)-and she flees into the night in terror!

The next day, she is found in the woods, barely conscious, by the good Prof. Van Helsing. She barely recalls what occurred the previous night. When Van Helsing makes an appearance at that same inn where Mademoiselle Marianne had been abandoned, he finds that the funeral of a local young lady is in progress. Van Helsing has his suspicions about the reason for her passing, which are confirmed when she rises from her grave, sporting a sinister pair of fangs! Van Helsing worries that this can only mean that disciples of his old enemy Count Dracula are still at large and on the hunt for human prey. His search for whoever is siring these new vampires leads him to the Baroness' castle- where he is shocked to find that the now unshackled young Baron is his prime suspect!

Meanwhile, Marianne finally arrives at her new teaching job- in a school with a student body (ahem) made up of nubile young women, who provide a veritable smorgasbord for the young Baron- and our naive French femme ends up in mortal danger! Van Helsing must try to rescue her from a cruel fate, while battling more blood-thirsty “brides”, as well as their master, the undead Baron, and his strong supernatural power, with the danger of both Marianne and Van Helsing joining the ranks of the undead becoming terrifyingly real!!

We’ve brought this Hammer film back, since it is often asked for, and has a unique position among the Hammer Dracula films! It boasts truly frightening vampires, many alluring young women, and plenty of atmospheric action, all in vivid color, in the Hammer tradition. Peter Cushing is back as Van Helsing, and David Peel is the young blond Baron -an interesting change from the usual dark-haired vampires of horror films. We’ll tell you about the cast and explain just why Christopher Lee is not among them- provide a commercial for a stylishly hip Sven product the vampire brides would be proud to wear to go out clubbing- get a visit from our Sven Squad, who are in the holiday spirit, as well as the great Daniel Roebuck as a certain jolly old elf-bring back some fond memories from a past Flashback Weekend ( NOT courtesy of the Ghost of Christmas Past) and a holiday assortment of Sven Christmas fun.

Then, Gwengoolie, Malvolio Ignatus Prankenstein, and Nostalgiaferatoo deck the halls- and your screen and the ocean- with a later Roger Corman creature creation- the “Sharktopus”! It’s – unbelievably-an intelligent shark with the tentacles of an octopus which the military has created as a weapon. Unfortunately, as many a caustic creature does, it breaks away from Naval control to go into attack mode when it makes its way to Mexico! Eric Roberts is the man who must get the creature under control or die trying- literally! The Sven Squad aids and abets the horror of this frightening feature that’s their gift to you- come to think of it, wouldn’t those tentacles come in handy for doing gift wrapping?

The double feature starts on MeTV tonight at 8pm eastern/pacific, 7 central- if unsure of when we run where you are, check your local listings or www.metv.com for info and channel in your area. Remember that MeTV invites you to post live comments on Bluesky and to "live-Tweet" on Twitter/X during the movies - just use the hashtag #svengoolie. Our Chicago area viewers can hit the road one more time with Dennis Weaver and a treacherous truck, as we present the encore of “Duel” at 11 am on WCIU the U.

We thank our Sven fans for buying up the Sven Christmas ornaments, which have indeed sold out! Hopefully you have checked out the other Sven merchandise in our store for your gift giving – and invite you to catch up on our newest merchandise, including the very popular Svengoolie trading cards box. If, by some chance, you are not given the Sven item you were hoping for as a gift for the holidays-you can still order from our MeTV Mall to make your season bright!

Join us on MeTV tonight for both a movie that has blood suckers- and a Corman catastrophe that has suckers! And- we wish all the best to you for the holidays from our Sven crew!