11/25/2006

See? I told you- you can’t shop forever! You’ve got to stop sometime- like, maybe, tonight at 9 pm? (Okay, 7 pm so you can catch “Stooge-a-palooza!”) Tonight at 9, however, instead of the usual turkey (see what I did there?)- it’s a vintage Universal Studios movie- the follow-up to the original Bela Lugosi Dracula- although Drac himself is portrayed by a dummy in this film (he’s just a slain vampire, lying in state!) It’s “Dracula’s Daughter”- which came out a whopping five years after the story of her dad! It’s a very atmospheric film, with plenty of glimpses of some of the sets used in the original film…and , one of that film’s stars- Edward Van Sloan, who played vampire hunter Dr. Van Helsing!(Or is it VON Helsing? That changes from movie to movie…) The good doc gets nabbed by local police just after staking the evil count- try explaining THAT one. (“Well, officer, I know this looks bad- me holding this mallet, this guy lying here dead with a wooden stake driven through his thorax- but it was self-defense! He pulled an incisor on me- two, even!”) Meanwhile, when the Count’s body is under police lock-up- a woman wrapped in what looks like a black burka comes to claim the body…which then disappears! Soon, you’ve got people attacked, drained dry of blood- and an new foreign countess making the rounds, accompanied by a big goofy-looking servant with a Shemp Howard haircut! Will Van Helsing get off the hook? Is the foreign vamp a vampire? You’ll find out tonight! Funny how different “Van Helsings” can be- last week, we had Peter Cushing as a more dashing, younger Van H.- this week, it’s the frail-looking little old man Van H. played by Sloan.(For more confusion, see the Hugh Jackman “Van Helsing” flick!) Don’t think the Dracula family line ends with the daughter- tonight, you’ll meet , thanks to your old pal Sven, the seldom talked-about “Grandson of Dracula”…who might that be?Our song has a “Bury” Manilow flavor to it- and – did you love our “Tomb Digger” video from a few weeks ago? Due to popular demand, we’ll show it again!( It’s been a major hit in a few Chicago night spots- it’s even run at the smokin’ HardDrive!) If you’ve got relatives in town who never saw it, tune in and let them get a look.(Warning- many people who do so create new Sven fans, and are forced to tape the shows to send to those out-of-town relatives!) Also-please watch for the info on how to order a t-shirt, so you don’t have to write to me about it! Okay- see you at 9 tonight- and back here tomorrow for more blog. Write to tell me what you thought of the show- svengoolie@wciu.com. # # #