It's More Dan Curtis Fright in "Dead of Night"-Tonight!

Tonight on MeTV- we offer for your approval what might have been director/producer Dan Curtis’ version of “The Twilight Zone”- in an anthology of three stories- much like his “Trilogy of Terror”- that range from time-travelling sentimentality to frightening horror- in tales that come alive in the “Dead of Night”!

This 1977 made-for-TV film is, much like “Trilogy of Terror”, another collaboration of Curtis and Richard Matheson- who either wrote or adapted each story. Curtis had originally done a one-episode pilot for a “Dead of Night” series back in the late 60s that never got picked up- and this film, along with “Trilogy”, was his last attempt to sell a “Dead of Night” series.

We begin with a story of a young man who loves vintage cars- who obtains and restores a 1926 roadster. On his first trip in the car, he somehow travels through time, back to the 20s! After an odd encounter, he finds himself back in the present day-and realizes his trip to the past has a major effect on his future in the tale of “Second Chance” !

Story number two takes us to an old European village, where a doctor’s young wife seems to be a continuing victim of -a vampire! He refuses to believe that such a thing is the reason for her illness- and recruits a young friend to try to solve the mystery of what’s going on-which leads to a shocking conclusion in “No Such Thing as a Vampire”!

The final story is almost as eerie and frightening as the final story of “Trilogy of Terror”! A distraught mother grieves the death of her young son who drowned- and, in spite of her husband’s warnings, goes to extreme supernatural lengths to bring the child back. Black magic succeeds in reaching that goal- but the boy doesn’t seem to be the same as before- as his mother finds out with the return of “Bobby”!

This anthology progresses from what could be a heart-tugging “Twilight Zone”-ish episode to more and more horror. It features a lot of familiar faces in the cast- Ed Begley Jr., 1960s “The Avengers” Patrick MacNee, Joan Hackett, and even Elijah Cook Jr. among others. We’ll introduce you to all of them, provide background information on the production, and you’ll see me check out another famous time-travelling automobile, plus a Nostalgiaferatoo visit, another “Too Drawn Out” guessing game, some vintage clips involving creepy kids, a new interview with the lovely Cerina Vincent of “Cabin Fever”- and more!

“Dead of Night” comes a little earlier in the evening- 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time. As always, you are invited to join in on the Tweeting during the show on Twitter- just make sure to add the hashtag #svengoolie to your Tweets. Our Chicago area viewers can spend a “little” time this morning catching the rerun of “The Incredible Shrinking Man” at 11 am on our main local station, WCIU, the U !

Remember that the new Svengoolie comic book “Day of the Doorbell Demons” will come out next week! Also coming up- a new Sven decoration, and more anniversary goods!

Meanwhile,join us tonight for some fright in the “Dead of Night”!