July is here, and nothing cools you down quite like a good scare (and a dodged rubber chicken or two) with America’s spookiest host, Svengoolie.
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Of course, Svengoolie has been haunting TV screens for decades. The show pairs horror and sci-fi films with the undeniable charm of Svengoolie himself (Rich Koz). Also joining him is the “Sven Squad”: Sarah Palmer as Gwengoolie, Scott Gryder as the mischievous IMP (Ignatius Malvolio Prankerstein), and Bill Leff as the vampiric Nostalgiaferatoo. Together, they pop in between commercial breaks with sketches, jokes, and parody songs that are equal parts spooky and delightfully ridiculous.
This July, buckle up for invisible spies, teens who’ve grown a little too big for their britches, a swamp monster superhero romp courtesy of Wes Craven himself, and a serial killer with a suspicious thirst for blood. Of course, the vintage thrills kick off every Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on MeTV.
Here’s your guide to surviving the madness…
July 4: Invisible Agent
Now this Universal classic is a monster movie spin-off you definitely won’t see coming… (my apologies).
July kicks off with Invisible Agent (on the 4th, no less!), a 1942 Universal spy thriller starring Jon Hall and Peter Lorre. Directed by Edwin L. Marin, this H.G. Wells adaptation follows Frank Raymond (grandson of the original invisible man) as he gets dragged into WWII espionage when enemy agents hunt down his grandfather’s secret formula.
It’s a wild departure from your typical monster movie, but it’s still got that invisible-man DNA running through it.
July 11 and July 18 Feature Major Mad Scientist Hijinks…
On July 11, Svengoolie airs Village of the Giants (1965), Bert I. Gordon’s gloriously campy sci-fi romp starring Tommy Kirk, Johnny Crawford, and Beau Bridges. It also stars a pint-sized Ron Howard as a boy genius whose experimental “goo” gets way out of hand. When a gang of rebellious teens stumble upon his growth formula, they shoot up to giant size and take over the town. Expect a Mayberry sketch from Sven and company…
Next up, the Sven Squad muscles in on July 18 with House of Svengoolie… a once-a-month special where the kids get to show off their love of more modern horror, while the big guy himself keeps things delightfully old school.
The featured movie is Swamp Thing, the 1982 cult classic written and directed by horror maestro Wes Craven (Scream, A Nightmare on Elm Street).
Based on the DC Comics character, the film stars Adrienne Barbeau, Louis Jourdan, and Ray Wise in the story of scientist Alec Holland, whose experiment turns him into a hulking (but still thoughtful) swamp creature.
Svengoolie’s July Schedule Wraps with a 1970s TV Movie Classic
Finally, July wraps up with a ’70s TV movie that used to be a real pain in the neck for horror kids to track down…
The Night Stalker (1972)… a made-for-TV classic that proved Las Vegas has always been full of bloodsuckers. Written by horror master Richard Matheson (I Am Legend), it stars Darren McGavin as Carl Kolchak, a rumpled reporter investigating a string of Sin City murders who slowly realizes the prime suspect is literally undead.
Of course, audiences couldn’t get enough of McGavin’s endearingly disheveled Kolchak. His popularity spawned the sequel The Night Strangler and the series Kolchak: The Night Stalker, cementing McGavin’s place in the hearts of horror and mystery fans for generations. Even X-Files creator Chris Carter tipped his hat to The Night Stalker as a key inspiration.
Svengoolie airs Saturday nights from 8 to 10:30 pm ET/PT on MeTV.