Harryhausen Horror Hatches in "20 Million Miles to Earth" -Tonight!

Posted on February 1, 2025

Tonight on MeTV- we go from last week’s huge scaly creature to another- whose origin is even more far out-created by the artistry of Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion magic! A spaceship returns from a mission to Venus, holding injured astronauts and a strange menace that gets bigger and more destructive after travelling “20 Million Miles to Earth”!

Things start pretty much as they do every day with fishermen doing their daily trawling for a big catch off the coast of the Italian island of Sicily. However, they are astounded when a sleek silver spacecraft splashes down in the water near them! As the craft appears sink, the fishermen head out and board it in hopes of rescuing anyone inside it. They find two spacemen and just manage to get them out of the ship before it sinks below the surface.

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Of the two astronauts, one of the men rescued, afflicted with a mysterious disease, passes away. The lone survivor- Col. Robert Calder- reveals that this same deadly malady had already claimed the rest of the ship’s crew. Calder, distraught over the loss of all his crew, sadly begins to rehab after the accident, under the care of medical student Marisa, whose grandfather is an eminent zoologist, Dr. Leonardo, doing research nearby. Upon news of the return of their spacecraft, authorities from Washington DC head to Italy to learn more about the ship’s crew and fate.

Meanwhile, Pepe, a boy who helps out the fishermen, discovers a metal cylinder that must have washed ashore from the sunken ship. Inside, he finds a blob of some gelatinous substance he cannot identify- but, knowing that zoologist Dr. Leonardo might find it intriguing enough to purchase it from him, brings the odd specimen to the doctor. Pepe has called this one right, because the doc is amazed and confounded by whatever this thing is- enough to contribute to Pepe’s fund to buy American cowboy gear!

When granddaughter Marisa arrives at her grandfather’s trailer – both are astounded to find that something has actually hatched from the odd mass of jelly- a small, reptilian-looking creature! Dr. Leonardo, unable to identify it, cages the specimen with the intention of taking it to Rome for further study.

At the same time, the US military party has finally arrived in Italy, and, after a reunion with the recovered Calder, head to a briefing of the Italian authorities. They reveal to the skeptical signors the startling fact that the spaceship had returned from Venus- and had on board a vital piece of scientific cargo- a metal capsule with an unborn specimen of a Venusian creature! Divers are sent to locate the capsule, with no success- leaving Calder to approach the local fishermen, offering a reward for information about the capsule. The fishermen have no such information, but eavesdropping entrepreneur Pepe, now the proud owner of some cowboy gear from his previous score, springs into action upon hearing the word “reward”! He leads the group to the empty container and reveals that the contents have been sold to Dr. Leonardo.

Calder and the authorities set out to find the doctor and retrieve the specimen, unaware that the creature has indeed hatched. Soon they discover not only that, but that the creature has continued to grow and get stronger- and is now human-sized! Having escaped the doctor’s cage, it is now terrorizing the countryside!

The fearful Italians want the rampaging creature destroyed, but Calder convinces them that they should attempt to capture it for scientific study. They manage to do so, but the Venusian monster creature continues to grow and escapes, going on a rampage of destruction through Rome- where the famed landmark of the Coliseum becoming the site of a raging battle between mankind and this giant alien gladiator!

This 1957 Harryhausen classic was the last of his films shot in black and white (though he had hoped to do it in color but was thwarted by a tight budget). The monster - known to genre fans as the Ymir (but never referred to by that name in the film) is a favorite among Harryhausen’s creations- with its movements and expressions showing his amazing talents. We’ll have lots of cast and background info, as well as a rough demonstration of how stop-motion animation is done, and more of the usual mayhem from the Imp and Gwengoolie, along with some never-before-seen costume contest contestants-an amazing display of familiar movie “Aliens”- plus- footage of some very special guests- including Lance Henricksen, star of “Alien”, “Pumpkinhead”, “Millenium” and more, and the man who is the voice of Spongebob Squarepants ( and many other animated characters) –the great Tom Kenny!

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“20 Million Miles to Earth” starts tonight on MeTV at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central- and, you can check for time and/or channel in your area in your local listings, or at www.metv.com. Of course, live-commenting will commence during the show on both Bluesky and Twitter/X- please add the hashtag #svengoolie to your posts! Our Chicago viewers can get one more look at the 1950s classic that introduced “Godzilla- King of the Monsters” at 11 am on WCIU, The U.

But-tonight- join us for the stop-motion Harryhausen magic that brings an extraterrestrial creature to life!

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3889 Comments

 during show

The1Butler 3 days ago
Good movie tomorrow that has some bite to it !
The1Butler 3 days ago
Seems like i drove 20 million miles today!
MrsG 3 days ago
And how about these cuties ?

Gotta Love our SvenFans 😲
Klaatu MrsG 3 days ago
Well…the Cuties are the ones on the shirts😆
Katink MrsG 3 days ago
We will try to remember to pack our Sven-shirts when we go on vacation, MrsG😊
PARANORMA MrsG 3 days ago
I didn't realise the Amish got MeTV. Sweet!
drummerman56 3 days ago
I have a question for the gang on here, what is the worst horror movie you have ever seen?
abc123 drummerman56 3 days ago
'bad' is subjective. A movie like Plan 9 from Outer Space is 'bad' for a lot of people, but i am not one. A movie like Beast of Yucca Flats too... but I will say a movie like Battlefield Earth IS bad...
CrazyK drummerman56 3 days ago
For me it’s “EEGAH” it doesn’t even make it to the “so bad it’s good category” even though it has Richard Kiel in it. IMDB lists it as a Horror/Comedy but it wasn’t scary and wasn’t funny.
RobBarnes gabste 3 days ago
All 11 of them Gabby! Torture and endless suffering is not horror IMHO.
drummerman56 RobBarnes 3 days ago
Maime and kill is not horror. I don't know how people can watch those kind of movies.
The1Butler gabste 3 days ago
I couldn't even finish one , i lost interest fast .
PatS drummerman56 3 days ago
Never saw one, but anything that involves a chainsaw.
Klaatu 4 days ago
If IA is going to control everything, it better get its act together and quit doing its version of text editing we do on this blog and our personal text messages😡.
RobBarnes Klaatu 3 days ago
Not sure what you mean by "IA" Klaat? The only IA I know connected with this blog is Irwin Allen and according to many of the actors who worked for him, he was a control freak who loved to micro-manage often times 2 or 3 projects at once.
Klaatu RobBarnes 3 days ago
Well…I thought this website has some sort of Auto Detect system that will delete our posts if it detects words or phrases forbidden by the rules. Is this not IA🤔?
PARANORMA Klaatu 3 days ago
Internal Affairs?
RobBarnes PARANORMA 3 days ago
Instant Annihilation?
RobBarnes Klaatu 3 days ago
OK, so "IA" is a word recognition software program which if certain words are detected, it will auto delete the post?If so, that would explain a lot. I try not to use swear words and the like, but IMO it may be expanded to certain names.
RobBarnes RobBarnes 3 days ago
WAIT A MINUTE, Klat?
Are you sure that you don't really mean "AI" Artificial Intelligence?
That would make alot more sense, at least in the context which you are using it. I'm not a computer guy so please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong (trust me, it happens alot LOL).
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Aceman2 4 days ago
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
"Without failure, who would you be?"

--Nick Foles
Klaatu Aceman2 4 days ago
Nice! Or…Failure is simply the next step to success.
TheKodakKid Aceman2 4 days ago
Well, without failure, I definitely wouldn’t be me.
Drang 4 days ago
The Hawk is out in Pugetopolis.
No one at work has a clue what that means or where it comes from.
I'm sure my fellow Svengoollians, being cultured and erudite as you are, know better.
Drang Drang 4 days ago
Gen Z losers. "According to Google..."
🙄
MrsG Drang 4 days ago
🙋‍♀️ I do , I do , , ,
It’s perty dern cold out there Cowboy ~ and don’t open the door , the hawk will fly right in ! ! ! ❄️_❄️ 💙
MrsG MrsG 4 days ago
Oh yeah , I sure hope that *erudite* is a good thing *_^
PARANORMA MrsG 4 days ago
A rare and precious gem. 💎
MrsG PARANORMA 4 days ago
🩷 Love You P 🩷
MrsG 4 days ago
Oh happy day ~ new photos in the Fan Gallery , and speaking of Gill Man ~

🥰 What a cutie !
CrazyK MrsG 4 days ago
That’s a super sweet CFTBL pinball machine! 👍
WillyFromPhilly 4 days ago
all set for some snow, ice Saturday into Sunday a.m
Shovels, METV Roadrunner ice 🧊 melt
Snow ❄️ Blowah 💨 w/batteries 🔋 charging
Bring it on Mother Nature
1MikeM WillyFromPhilly 4 days ago
"Be prepared! It's the Boy Scout marching song!"
Sunday should melt. Bigger problem is Tuesday/Wednesday.
Good thing the Super Bowl is in Naw Lins!
Yet another great Idea for a Sven double feature with John Carradine, Acquanetta, Evelyn Ankers and Millburn Stone https://www.bing.com/videos/riverview/relatedvideo?&q=captive+wild+woman+1943&&mid=B2AB6BF6E457658828D7B2AB6BF6E457658828D7&&FORM=VRDGAR
A prisoner in solitary confinement was given the opportunity for release if he'd just watch this movie. He begged for another 6 months in the hole.
Sven has actually shown that a few times. It has been a while since the last time, though.
Sven actually showed all three "wild woman" films in a row. A lot of cool players in these (John Carradine, Evelyn Ankers) and our classic blog line, "Awwww, it's a gyp." (A timid suggestion -- use the Search on the Home page for film titles?)
WillyFromPhilly 4 days ago
saw the new Svengoolie tee earlier, its cool 😎 but I think this would be Super Cool 😎
Rolling Headstones, perhaps...? 🎸🪦
"Some girls make me happy (Gwengoolie) .........."
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NoPersonalChicks 4 days ago
61 years ago today, about 3,000 fans watch Pan Am Flight 101 arrive at New York's newly renamed JFK International Airport. The British Invasion is on.
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MrsG 1MikeM 4 days ago
Nah , didn’t want to mess up the ’doo ~ His hair was perfect *_^ 🧡
Jack 1MikeM 3 days ago
At the Hollywood Bowl, 197 days later...
MrsG Jack 3 days ago
WOW great find Jack *_* 💙
1MikeM Jack 3 days ago
Thanks Jack!
CountCurt 4 days ago

Love the new t-shirt.
It would be fun if Sven did a Sven Squares skit. Unfortunately there won’t be Paul Lynd for the block.
CrazyK CountCurt 4 days ago
That’s a cool shirt 😎
Really similar to the pics on the Svengoolie Collector Box that I got for Christmas along w/some other cool stuff!
Tygercat CountCurt 4 days ago
All in the Hollyweird Squares...
MrsG CrazyK 4 days ago
WOW *Santa* knew what You really , really wanted !
🖤 🤶 ♥️
CrazyK MrsG 4 days ago
Yes she did, well I WAS really good last year 🤪 😂
MrsG CrazyK 4 days ago
I know that’s right ^_* 💜
CountCurt CrazyK 3 days ago
That’s fun packaging!
CountCurt Tygercat 3 days ago
You can say that again
PARANORMA 4 days ago
Opinions on the new Peter-Max-meets-Brady-Bunch shirt?
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CountCurt PARANORMA 4 days ago
Now they would be a fun addition. Doug would have some good zingers. Anita could answer in Morse code toots on her sax.
TheKodakKid PARANORMA 4 days ago
Instead of Hollywood Squares, I thought of the Brady Bunch. So maybe “The Svengoolie Bunch?”
PARANORMA TheKodakKid 3 days ago
Yeah, see, that's what struck me first too. Definitely got potential.
CountCurt MrsG 3 days ago
MrsG that is an amazing t-shirt
Good morning all you Sven-Fans it is Super Bowl Sunday
I’ll wager $$$ that those 3 will win😆😆
RobBarnes Klaatu 4 days ago
I've got my square, I wonder if the Blockheads would bet? I'd wager Larry would as he was frequently seen reviewing a Horse Racing Form in a few of the behind the scenes pics.
Kick of Destiny ? ! @_@
Better than Lucy vs Charlie Brown, anyway!
I want to give credit to the Marx brothers and their football antics. Like quarterback Chico chanting "Hey diddle diddle, da cat and da fiddle, next time I t'ink we go t'roo da middle..."
Duhlmann0406 4 days ago
At last, a good cartoon this morning.
RobBarnes Duhlmann0406 4 days ago
Ya gotta kiss a lot of frogs to find a Prince, hey Dale?
Duhlmann0406 RobBarnes 4 days ago
Well-put, Rob 😂!
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