Tonight on MeTV-we've brought back a 1930s classic that has not aired in a while- featuring Universal's two top horror stars of the era- as Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff show their Poe-tential in "The Raven"!
Though the credits say it was “suggested” by the famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe, it only has minimal connections to that poem. You see, Bela is Dr. Vollin-a retired doctor who's obsessed with Edgar Allan Poe- so much so that he even has a sort of basement museum featuring various hideous torture devices from Poe’s stories ( I guess everybody has to have a hobby). Though retired and mainly doing research, he is approached by an old friend, Judge Thatcher, to operate on his daughter Jean, a young dancer who has suffered a terrible accident. Bela seems rather insensitive to the plight of others, but finally agrees to operate to save the young woman’s life.
And save her life he does- but, in the process, he becomes infatuated with the lovely, much younger, woman. He has hired her boyfriend Jerry as an assistant, but only as what he considers a consolation prize for when he, Vollin, steals his girlfriend. That may not be as easy as he seems to think, when Jean politely sidesteps his advances, and the judge expresses his disapproval of the much older Vollin’s pursuit of his young daughter.
There is a new arrival- a stranger (Boris Karloff) who turns out to be Bateman, an escaped murderer and thief who has heard of Vollin’s work, and wants him to do some plastic surgery on his face. Tired of his life of crime, he wishes to start anew, feeling that, without his recognizable ugly face he will be left alone. Vollin says he will do the surgery in exchange for some very illegal acts, but Bateman really does want to go straight, and refuses. The doctor finally consents to do the operation- but double-crosses Bateman with hideous results that Vollin will only undo if the criminal does what the asks. Bateman has no choice but to agree.
A fiendish scheme is put into action, as Vollin invites Jerry and Jean to join a group spending the weekend at his house, including Jean’s father the judge. Thus begins a dark and stormy night of horror, as Vollin carries out his dastardly plan, and utilizes his various Poe torture devices, like the blade from “Pit and the Pendulum” to get what he wants! Will he make poor Jean his own personal "Lenore"?
This 1935 Universal classic- the second to combine the talents of Bela and Boris as headliners- once again shows the creepy richness of atmosphere of that era's Universal horror films. We'll fill you in on the cast- provide some Poe-tential comedy bits, have a new visit with our friend “Lost in Space” star Bill Mumy, and – bring back a Sven featurette that many of our viewers want to see again-a chunk of the old "Flash Gordon" serial done completely in "Svensurround"! watch for a few highlights of the “Spawn of Svengoolie” auditions as well.
“The Raven” flies onto MeTV and lands on your TV screen tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. For those wondering, yes, we are still on Twitter- as are the many viewers who continue to live-Tweet during the show, using the hashtag #svengoolie- and you are invited to join in. And our show returns to CW26 in Chicago this morning (after last week’s pre-emption for the high school football championships) with “The Crawling Eye” at 11 am.
Next Saturday, December 10th- Sventa Claus will be making his only public appearance for this year- at the Christmas Mystic Market, benefitting Sacred Space Animal Sanctuary and Rescue. It takes place at Soundgrowler Brewing Company in Tinley Park, IL, with Sventa only there from 2 to 4 pm. You can find more information under the “appearances” tab here on our website.
Sventa will also make a cameo appearance in the “Toon In with Me” holiday special “Tiny Toony’s Christmas Carol”- Monday the 5th on MeTV! Check your local listings for the time.
And, while we’re talking the holidays, let me again remind you that now is the best time to order your Sven merchandise gifts from the MeTV Mall! We have a wide variety of items, sure to please the Sven fans on your list! Click on the store tab and find the perfect gifts!
And- tune in to MeTV tonight- when, instead of the prancing and pawing of each little hoof- suddenly there will come a tapping, rapping at your TV screen- ‘tis “The Raven”!
PRE-ORDER! Limited Edition 4-Piece Enamel Pin Set
Available now for pre-order, there are only 3,000 of this limited edition set of pins! Open the coffin collector's box to reveal this spooktacular set of four enamel pins inspired by the premier horror program Svengoolie. Comes with Sven, Kerwyn, the Boddy Sorrell coffin lid, and the show's logo. Shop at Toynk.com
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Or may it's because it would be an hour later already if we were under daylight saving time.
Good luck at the races tonight.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Hopper
It's one of a small army of food delivery droids working on campus. Watching them navigate traffic/ obstacles/ people, the technology is really quite impressive. When they started (2021) the cost for delivery was $5. They were hoping to drive it down to 50 cents- don't know if that's happened.
So here we go: Sky bridges from the Jetsons- now a reality.
Droids from Star Wars- now a reality.
Wonder what's next?
Not too soon to reflect on the year and ALL that we’ve been through , both heartaches and celebrations ~
Regardless of beliefs , may the magic of the Season , and the SvenBlog , bring comfort and joy ♥️ 🎩 💚
*_*
But I don’t think that Merlin will be happy with the space invasion of his perch !
^_^ meow
On this date in 1965, the first animated special featuring characters from “Peanuts” comic strip premiered on television. “A Charlie Brown Christmas” has been a holiday tradition for many people since then.
Pianist George Winston has openly said that Vince Guaraldi's work "Was the inspiration for my whole career. Try to write a three minute piece for solo piano that's perfect," adding, "I'm still working at it."
Also remarkable in this feature was the song "Christmas Time is Here." Every year, tons of artists release their (frequently dreaded) Christmas albums, with the ultimate hope of adding a tune to the standard (translation: tremendous!) list of carols and songs. By 1965, lots of people had given up, declaring it "had all been done." Guaraldi proved them wrong.
My wife prefers a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Take something that looks pathetic and turn it into something beautiful. I think she feels sorry for the less fortunate trees.
*_*
All this rain has me messed up more than usual.
📣 Hey Sveeen !
Well, 1969 was quite a year. People landed on the moon. The Tate-LaBianca murders. The Beatles released 'Abbey Road.' And Maggie Smith had her breakout role (at age 35) in THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE, a film about a spunky 30-ish teacher in a girls private school in Scotland. Its score included a song, 'Jean', with little to do with the movie -- music by Robin Spielberg, words by Rod McKuen. McKuen's recording didn't catch on, but a singer named Oliver (William Oliver Swofford) did a version that made it to #1 on Billboard's Easy Listening and sold over a million copies. Even more amazing, it was a waltz-time ballad, with lots of lush strings in the orchestration by Bob Crewe, smack in the middle of the psychedelic era.
🧛♂️💃🦅
Jean, Jean, hurt her cute head
The injury's not routine
Though her chances are low / Vollin operates, so
She's soon to recover (keen)
Jean, Jean, just glad she's alive
Performing her Raven scene
Doc Vollin's impressed / But he's getting obsessed
He's obdurate, obscure and obscene
> Judge Thatcher tells Vollin, this don't feel right
> Then a strange invitation to stay overnight
> Why visit Doc Vollin? We know he's just trollin'
For Jean, Jean -- wake up and dread
This isn't a choreographed dream
See that big swinging blade?
Dad might soon be filleted
The Doc wants revenge -- man, he's mean
Jean, Jean, these walls are a trap
You'll soon get caught in between
Just run if you can / (Jerry's no better man)
Run for your life, bonnie Jean!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hozEk-eCYwc
In 1969 I was aware of these names and events, but not quite clear of how they fit together. Most of my pop cultural information came filtered through Saturday cartoons, comic books, recent live-action Disney movies, and reruns of _The Addams Family_ and _The Munsters_. I’d hear “Jean” on the radio, and later in the 1970s when tape cassettes become common, my mom had a recording of it sung by Johnny Mathis. Since Maggie Smith was an up-and-comer, _The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie_ was invoked whenever she appeared, but I didn’t make the connection to the song. The car radio was controlled by the parents, so I’d heard Oliver singing “Good Morning Starshine,” altho’ four years later I couldn’t make the connection to the Dickens musical the elementary choir was putting on (there wasn’t any). Altho’ Rod McKuen wrote songs I remember from childhood, I didn’t knew who he was until I met a girl in high school who was really into his poems. I have since reassembled these as some sort of personal archaeology. Seeing you put them in context confirms I didn’t imagine it all.
Great stuff.
