The Final Three Face Off - "Godzilla VS Monster Zero" Tonight!

As many of you celebrate Passover and Easter, tonight on MeTV-that’s no Easter egg- it’s a hidden planet asking to recruit two of the Earth's giant monsters to battle a deadly beast that's destroying their world-  as we bring back a classic heavyweight bout from Toho Studios - "Godzilla VS Monster Zero"!

A team of two experienced astronauts are sent on a mission to observe a newly-detected planet- known as Planet X. This planet has been previously undetected, since it’s hidden from Earth's view behind the hug planet Jupiter. Glenn and Fuji, our two spacemen, find human-like footprints on the planet surface- and are instructed by a strange voice to descend below that surface, where a race of human-like aliens dwell! Due to attacks above ground from a horrific monster known as "Monster Zero" (on this planet "everything is numbers"- which explains the numerical name)- the planet’s inhabitants have taken refuge below the surface! Although their technology is far advanced over Earth’s, it still cannot stop the creature- whom the earthmen recognize as the powerful "King Ghidorrah", who had attacked their own planet previously.

The alien in charge, known as the Controller, proposes  making a deal-allow the Planet X folks to "borrow" Godzilla and Rodan from Earth, to be used as a force to defeat Ghidorrah. In return, they will provide a formula which can cure any earthly disease! The two astronauts agree to head home and present this offer to the Earth authorities.

Back home on earth, it’s a family feud-Fuji's pretty sister has a boyfriend of whom her brother doesn't approve! He’s a sort of goofy young inventor named Tetsuo Teri, with a new invention of questionable usefulness- a small alarm that emits a truly annoying sound! He meets with a  representative from a large corporation- Miss Namikawa, a gorgeous woman who promises him big money for his invention- except for the fact that, even after he signs the contract, she still hasn’t actually provided him with any payment for it. When Fuji gets wind of this, it’s just more ammunition for him to tell his sis that she’s making a bad decision, getting involved with a goofball with seemingly little business sense! And- in a surprising turn of events regarding relationships- they realize that astronaut pal Glenn’s new girlfriend is actually that same  beautiful businesswoman who made the deal with Teri- Miss Namikawa!

The earth council, presented with the offer from Planet X, finds the exchange of creatures for a cure that will save countless lives to be a dream come true. Glen and Fuji, however, have made some observations that have given them some suspicions about these  alien benefactors. Their concern becomes more serious when three of the Planet X's saucer crafts appear on earth- BEFORE they have even received official permission from the council to do so. The Controller makes his apologies for this, and then has his alien forces begin to procure Godzilla and Rodan in huge "force bubbles" that can be used to transport the monsters  to Planet X. They are willing to take the two astronauts, along with one of Earth’s top scientists along with them in their spacecraft -to witness how they transport the two giant monsters , and see how they are used against Ghidorrah.

While back on Planet X, in the underground alien headquarters, Glenn and Fuji sneak away from the control center, to find some evidence to support their suspicions, and stumble upon some shocking discoveries- which the aliens are not too pleased with- but they still hold up their part of the bargain by handing over a tape that they say holds the secret of disease cure. However- once the astronauts are back on Earth- some treachery  is discovered-and soon, Earth  as we know it is in  danger of total annihilation, when the giant monsters return- in a plan to conquer the world!

This 1965 film was originally titled "Invasion of Astro-Monster", and the sixth film in the original Godzilla series from Toho. It has much more of a science-fiction/ space alien plot than any previous films , and the giant monster destruction is somewhat secondary in most of the film. Please don’t worry- there's lots of  Godzilla kaiju action! We'll tell you about the cast, featuring an actor familiar to fans of MeTV’s westerns- Nick Adams- "Johnny Yuma" of "The Rebel"- as astronaut Glenn! And, of course, there’ll be Sven shtick and a song.

“Godzilla VS Monster Zero" 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. In Chicago, viewers get a re-infestation of “Ants!" on WCIU, the U, at 11 am.

Don’t forget- next week, we hit the big C2E2 comics and entertainment convention in Chicago! I’ll be doing a signing Friday afternoon, and on Saturday- will not only be signing- but , for the first time, will do a special panel talking about my career- and leaving plenty of time to take questions from the audience! This should be a fun event- find out more about times, etc, at www.c2e2.com. More events are coming up as well- check them out under our “appearances” tab  on this website.

You have just over one week to vote in the national Rondo awards- rules and ballot can be found at www.rondoaward.com . Thanks for your support!

Join us tonight  for the Final Three face off- Godzilla, Rodan, and Ghidorrah!