There Ain’t No Cure For The Summertime Shrews- Specifically "Killer Shrews" -Tonight

Tonight on MeTV- though it’s summer vacation, this may not be the best time to head to a remote island that is currently over-run by voracious mutant creatures that are running out of food- but will consider YOU the main course! There’ll be plenty of drinking, as well as eating- maybe not the best kind of that last one-as it’s an island infestation of the “Killer Shrews”!

This 1959 film takes us on a delivery run with Captain Thorne Sherman, along with his first mate Rook, who have been assigned to head their small watercraft to that remote island I mentioned, to bring supplies to a scientific outpost there. Once there, they leave their boat anchored offshore, and use a rowboat to transport the supplies to the island itself. They are met by its few human 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 when Craigis tells him he and Rook should leave immediately and take Ann with him. This quick turn-around doesn’t seem like the soundest plan, since a hurricane is bearing down on the island, so leaving now is not a safe option! Thorne decides they should stay overnight in the scientist’s compound for safety’s sake, and sends his associate Rook back out to their boat to batten it down to weather the storm.

Thorne begins to bluntly question why he is being pressured to leave, and is told history of the research being done at the compound by Craigis. The scientist 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, since their minimal existence makes it easier to trace his progress over multiple generations. He shows Thorne one of the smelly little creatures- shrews-and reveals that shrews must consume multiple times their weight in food every day to survive. Therein lies a 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 does seem like a major miscalculation.) The super-sized shrews have escaped the compound due to the usually-overserved Jerry’s ineptitude- and now have multiplied rapidly. Now the danger of becoming ‘shrew chow’ puts the hurricane lower on the list of the island inhabitants’ worries.

Things get even worse- when tragedy befalls Rook. Soon, it would appear that the shrews, having devoured any and all the small animal life on the island, now have the compound under siege every night -in search of humans for their nocturnal feeding frenzies! Jerry’s true character is revealed- he’s a scheming coward, who’s only worried about his own survival. Meanwhile, the shrews’ attacks become more intense, with the crazed creatures willing to do anything to get at the people.

Craigis’ latest theory is, having no other food source, the shrews would turn on themselves and devour each other- but the storm’s 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 the scientist using poisonous bait, in hopes it would kill the off, the mutated shrews have not only consumed it, but have adapted to the poison- which now makes their BITE lethal! ( Between that and the opposite of causing shrinkage, Craigis does not seem to be in the running for a Nobel prize…)

Thorne finds he must try to protect the group from the threats of both the shrews outside and the devilish lowlife Jerry inside- with the group’s only hope being able to somehow leave the compound while escaping 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 in view of the imbibing in this film, plus some Shrewish Svensurround clips, as well as Gwengoolie dropping by, a song, a special vintage Olympic moment, and visits with our friends from the casts of the “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise as well as a couple of our legendary wrestling friends!

“Killer Shrews” invite you to dinner- or to BE their dinner-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 encore of the original Bela Lugosi “Dracula”” at 11 am on our man local station, CW26- soon to revert to its original name- “The U”!

We are only about a week away from the big Flashback Weekend horror convention in Rosemont, Il. I’ll be there on Friday ( with a special Sven anniversary celebration that night) and Saturday- check out my schedule under the “appearances” tab here on our website!

Join us tonight when no shrews is good shrews -in this classic Sven show!