It’s a Deep Dark Secret -the Realm of “The Mole People”- Tonight!

Posted on April 22, 2023

Tonight on MeTV, it seems appropriate that, on Earth Day, we will be heading below the surface of the earth -going to deep depths with some archeological explorers who actually begin heading upwards- only to end up deep down in the realm of an underground civilization – surrounded by its pale population, as well as- the "Mole People"!

The movie begins in way that might remind you of a high school educational film -as Dr. Frank Baxter provides a lengthy and somewhat lethargic lecture about the various theories of what lies below the earth’s surface. Once this mercifully concludes, we follow an expedition where a handful of archeologists make an unexplainable discovery- a shard of pottery that seems completely out of place up in a high-altitude mountain range. The confusion grows when it’s revealed that it came from a mountain peak that is even higher up!

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The explorers decide head up to that peak, in spite of the treacherous climb, in order to try to find a solution to this riddle – and, after painfully working their way upwards (via a heaping helping of stock footage), they are stunned to find the remains of some ancient uncharted city! Even with their vast knowledge, the archeologists can’t explain how such a place exists at that lofty an elevation. As they wander the area, one of their party falls through the crumbling rock surface into a chasm so deep, his associates can't even see the bottom!

They decide to rappel down into the chasm- with the descent proving fatal to one member of the party. More bad luck- once down there, a cave-in traps the remaining group far below the earth’s crust. The survivors try to discover some sort of passage that might lead them back up to the surface. They wend their way through the subterranean tunnels in darkness- until they come face to face with an unknown underground race, who take them prisoners!

They discover their captors are descendants of the ancient Sumerians. Their eons of existence so far underground without any light has caused them to evolve into an albino state- with pale skin and eyes totally unable to stand bright light. They have conquered a mutant race of mole men who have most likely always been subterranean dwellers- but now have become slaves to the Sumerians, who constantly mistreat the bizarre creatures, and have forced them to labor endlessly.

The leaders of the pale folk threaten the unfortunate visitors, but the wily surface dwellers cleverly pull off the ruse that they are actually emissaries of the gods, sent from the heavens far above. This halts the brusque treatment by the Sumerians, who cautiously treat them with some respect, unwilling to risk upsetting their gods, though they are harboring suspicions about these emissaries of their deities. The explorers also prove their godliness with the awesome weapon they possess- a flashlight!? Yes, that most frightening of all weapons whose bright beam is actually painful to the underground race and causes great apprehension among them.

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To appease these immortals from above, the Sumerians offer a feast of their underground comestibles, heavy on the mushrooms, as well as offering them the gift of a servant girl the men have defended. Her name is Adel (or, Adad, if you read the credits) -an attractive young woman they refer to as “marked”, since she is far less pale than the others- and seems to be the only blonde in their underground civilization (which must not have an equivalent of Miss Clairol).

Explorers Roger and Jud, in their assumed identity of being on a mission from gods, explore the underground city, trying to learn as much as they can about the civilization- and, even more importantly, a way to escape from it. They witness a grisly sacrificial rite- in which victims are offered to the gods by being placed in a compartment where they are exposed to “the Eye of Ishtar”- which leaves those sacrificed as charred husks!

Meanwhile, the High Priest has serious doubts about whether they truly have any connection to the gods. He is also worried about losing the power he has over the populace to these brash newcomers- leaving him with only one alternative-stealing their flashlight. Sounds more like revenge at summer camp, but more danger arises for our archeologist pals when additional proof surfaces that they are NOT immortals! Will the surface dwellers survive this revelation-and will the class differences between the Sumerians and the mole men erupt into an underground civil war?

The title creatures of this 1956 film certainly join Universal’s Gill Man as the most recognizable of the 50s Universal monsters. We’ll discuss the cast of familiar actors- including John Agar, “Leave It to Beaver’s” Hugh Beaumont , “Batman” butler Alan Napier, and veteran Gill Man nemesis Nestor Paiva. We’ll discuss the make-up design for the mole people, and, as part of our Sven shtick- present the beloved “Svensurround” version of “Leave It to Beaver” (using footage from this flick)!

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In addition, you’ll see a vintage interview we did with actor Lance Henriksen from a Flashback Weekend event- in which he has some fun with me by giving me a hard time! And, yes, some auditions for the Spawn of Svengoolie- and even more!

"The Mole People” surfaces on MeTV tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central- if you need to find the exact time and channel in your neck of the woods, feel free to check your local TV listings or go to www.metv.com and click on "where to watch". Thanks to our fans on Twitter, we have been trending high among the most discussed topics Saturday nights during the show- and you can join in! Tweet along in real time using the hashtag #svengoolie ! Chicago viewing area fans get a second look at “This Island Earth” at 11am on our main local station, CW26.

Make sure you check out the latest new merchandise in the Svengoolie store- some awesome hot and cold beverage tumblers- and be watching for even more super summer Sven stuff coming soon!

Meanwhile, join us tonight to see how low you can go -with the Mole People!

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2706 Comments

 during show

daleuhlmann 11 months ago
The monster action is fine--not so the scenes focusing on the humans and the extraterrestrials. The dialogue is ludicrous!
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Just be glad there's no mist around
that mountain top!
ihaveamigraine 11 months ago
Maybe instead of trying to be the first person to post on the new blog, I will try to be the last person to post on the current blog......................much easier.
Kyle ihaveamigraine 11 months ago
It has been tried.

There is always someone laster.
Mikeyyy 11 months ago
Hmm, wondering how many times Godzilla will be mentioned during the next week??
PatS Mikeyyy 11 months ago
A Godzillion?
daleuhlmann PatS 11 months ago
Good one, Pat!
Carl_N_Brown 11 months ago
1968 gave us 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY and DESTROY ALL MONSTERS.
It was a banner year for scifi.
PatS Carl_N_Brown 11 months ago
Half a dozen others too (see my satire, next blog, for commentary). Actually the U.S. didn't get DESTROY ALL MONSTERS until 1969.
Kyle 11 months ago
Anyone have any movie food/snack ideas?

I am coming up blank on this one.
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Cartoondave Kyle 11 months ago
I just got my usual popcorn and pop
Kyle Cartoondave 11 months ago
I think that might be the way to go.

Weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow.

Do stuff outside until movie time, then crash with some popcorn.
Mikeyyy Cartoondave 11 months ago
Thats what I usually have too
PatS Klaatu 11 months ago
Klaatu -- possibly pesto pasta? Just pasta, basil, garlic, olive oil and parmesan. (Steak for the dedicated carnivores.) Maybe near-miss puns on monster names like Minilla ice cream.
Aceman2 11 months ago
Before The Mole People depart, I found this poster which has great coloring. Enjoy.
Klaatu 11 months ago
I’ve got an inkling to watch the Tales From Crypt movie Demon Nights. How much would we need to pay MeTV to air that on Svengoolie?
Kyle Klaatu 11 months ago
Never seen it.

I'd be in for $20.
Klaatu Kyle 11 months ago
I’ll quadruple that. But all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn’t afford the license fee.
MrsG Klaatu 11 months ago
Liked the series too Klaatu 💀
Cartoondave 11 months ago
I think B A would pity the fool who requested 2 hours of M*A*S*H beginning Monday huh!
Kyle Cartoondave 11 months ago
At least I got home in time to catch this last one!
MrsG Cartoondave 11 months ago
Will miss A-TEAM !
ihaveamigraine 11 months ago
Klaatu ihaveamigraine 11 months ago
We should make a new version of this movie called “Destroy All Politicians “🤣
VanGooliac Klaatu 11 months ago
Wasn’t that Independence Day?
Klaatu VanGooliac 11 months ago
Oohhh, that’s what the movie was about?🤣🤣
Kyle VanGooliac 11 months ago
Between that and Mars Attacks, I have a hard time picking a favorite.
Klaatu ihaveamigraine 11 months ago
Geez I love that movie👍! My wife can’t stand it😢. Oh well.
abc123 Klaatu 11 months ago
love the "before he was famous" jack black roll
NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
Theoretically, easiest decision ever.
CountCurt NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
Don't give into temptation! Lol
Kyle NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
I gotta get me a bottle of Rare Breed one of these days. I do like the 101.
Klaatu NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
I love the two signs, juxtaposing each other. One sign invites “sinnin” while the other sign invites prayin’ for your sins😆
NoPersonalChicks Klaatu 11 months ago
My uncle used to say never trust a town that has more churches than bars, as my mother frowned. He also had many other expressions, none of which I can post here. I'm still trying to process the Jack Daniel's distillery is a Tennessee county's largest employer and source of revenue, and it's dry.
Klaatu NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
Ha, go figure🤔🤔.
Jack NoPersonalChicks 11 months ago
It may have changed since we toured it in the early 1970s, but Bardstown, KY, and Nelson County were both dry. A few years ago, the county I mostly grew up in turned wet. Previously, the county seat was wet but the remainder of the county was dry. Folks would brown bag it at fancy restaurants. Last weekend, the first—and only—brewery celebrated its fifth anniversary.
https://www.richmondregister.com/news/dreaming-creek-celebrates-its-fifth-anniversary/article_1c2ac7fe-deed-11ed-9aad-1f08afbebbe8.html
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
If this beastie's hands look familiar, it's because they belonged to one of the Mole People! Universal-International makeup and costume artist Jack Kevan used the same cast molds for the hands (as well as those for the Metaluna Mutant's feet) for the Gill-man-inspired creature he designed for THE MONSTER OF PIEDRAS BLANCAS. This was an independently made film that he and his business partner, Irvin Berwick, co-produced in 1959. It has since gone on to become a cult favorite among horror film fans.
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CountCurt daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Holy Hand Model. It is too bad that the Mole People did not take inspiration from nature. Moles have two thumbs on their paws.
daleuhlmann CountCurt 11 months ago
Yes, the movie's mole people costumes were far from anatomically correct.
Jack daleuhlmann 11 months ago
So, we won’t discuss their lack of bacula?
1MikeM daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Don Sullivan and Jeanne Carmen are both in this motion picture. I can't remember if Don Sullivan does any songs in this one. He does "The Mushroom Song" in THE GIANT GILA MONSTER.
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Ugh--Daffy Duck and Speedy Gonzalez coming up!
CountCurt daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Meep Andale Meep Andale
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Post-Code Betty Boop. Many of these later cartoons feature Betty either tending to her house or as a secretary, exchanging her pre-Code, independent-flapper-party girl image for a more conventional gender role female persona.
Mikeyyy daleuhlmann 11 months ago
She was partying the night before!!
TheKodakKid Mikeyyy 11 months ago
That’s why she’s having to clean up the house, and put the lampshades back on the lamp.
daleuhlmann Mikeyyy 11 months ago
True, although we never see the partying.
daleuhlmann TheKodakKid 11 months ago
Yes, that's true, although, again, the partying is only referenced, not shown.
Catbat 11 months ago
Maybe she shouldn't have guests over that don't know how to behave
TheKodakKid Catbat 11 months ago
So you’re saying that she couldn’t host a The Big Blogcast Viewing Party?
Catbat 11 months ago
Toony is hilarious trying to zen 😂
daleuhlmann Catbat 11 months ago
He sure is!
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
One of the few times Bugs's schemes backfire on him.
Catbat 11 months ago
A dumb animal of the forest 😂
daleuhlmann 11 months ago
Elmer, the wildlife hypnotist.
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