Meet Jack as Drac-as Palance Shows His Fangs in "Dan Curtis' 'Dracula'"- Tonight!

Posted on March 23, 2024

Tonight on MeTV- we have a different version of a familiar story- brought to us by Dan Curtis, who has chilled viewers with so many amazing horrors- from “Trilogy of Terror” to “Dark Shadows” and ‘The Night Stalker” and more! This time, he heads back into the archives for his take on the novel that began the tale of the most famous vampire of all- in “Dan Curtis’ ‘Dracula’!”

This 1974 made-for-TV production, starring Jack Palance, was originally called “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”- but is now identified with the Dan Curtis monicker to avoid confusion with the Francis Ford Coppola 1992 film- and also because Coppola actually bought the exclusive rights to the title “Bram Stoker’s Dracula”! Regardless, this was really the first version of the Dracula story to touch upon the Vlad the Impaler history of the Count, and to adhere more closely- but not entirely- to the original novel.

We are whisked back to 1897- where residents of a Transylvanian village seem fearful upon hearing that real estate solicitor Jonathan Harker ( NOT Renfield in this version- in fact, there is no Renfield in this story) is on a business mission at Castle Dracula. After an eerie trip to the castle, accompanied along part of the way by a pack of wolves, Harker meets with the Count, who is looking for some property in England. He is interested in the least desirable offering Harker has- the decaying Carfax estate. Dracula also shows great interest in a photo Harker has of his fiancée Mina’s best friend- the lovely Lucy.

Harker soon finds himself a prisoner of Dracula, after encountering his undead wives and realizing the Count is a vampire! He is forced to remain at the estate, while the Count makes his way to England and, not long after, Lucy comes down with an unexplained illness-and her beloved, Arthur, not knowing where to turn, calls on a doctor- who else but Van Helsing?!

The doctor begins to suspect the truth about Lucy’s illness- with even more shocking proof stunning poor Arthur- and soon Mina has become the object of the fiendish Count’s attentions- with the story leading back to Transylvania for a final showdown!

This film, written by the great Richard Matheson, was the reuniting of Jack Palance and Dan Curtis, after having worked together on a TV version of “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”- with Palance, of course, in the lead role. We’ll discuss him and the rest of the cast, with some background on the production, and present such notable nonsense as Nostalgiaferatoo for the defense of Dracula, a new product that’ll spread all over England, a song, and a vintage Sven bit you will not want to miss!

“Dan Curtis’ ‘Dracula’ ” emerges from its MeTV coffin tonight at 8 pm eastern/pacific, 7 central time- and, as always, that’s when the live-Tweeting will begin during the show on Twitter/X. Make sure you use the hashtag #svengoolie in your Tweets! Again, last week, we were trending among the most-Tweeted-about topics during our time slot. Chicago area viewers can get an encore look at the all-star funeral farce “Comedy of Terrors” this morning at 11 am on CW26.

Voting is currently underway for the annual Rondo Awards- the fan-chosen honors for horror and sci fi in various media (yes, I am nominated again under “favorite horror host”). You can make your vote count- for whoever your favorites are- by checking the ballot at www.rondoaward.com . Make sure you follow all the rules, or your vote won’t count- including only voting once. We may remind you bout it on air before the deadline (midnight April 16) hits.

We have been getting a lot of great feedback on new Sven products like the Sven lunchbox and the black and white Sven figure from Super7. In the works- some new items celebrating my 45 years as Sven! Keep checking in the store for them!

Please join us tonight for one of the most chilling portrayals of Count Dracula ever- courtesy of horror masters Dan Curtis and Richard Matheson!

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4523 Comments

 during show

6 months ago
Well, I just got to see "The Grave" with Lee Marvin taking on the Twilight Zone.
Next up? "It's a Good Life", possibly the best TZ show ever. Y'all disagree? Out to the cornfield with you😁.
Smilodon 6 months ago
Billy Mumy was the consummate child actor, made Lost in Space what it was, and as an adult made Babylon 5 as Lenier, the Mimbari consul.
But the TZ "It's a Good Life" just slays. Imagine being that good at six yoa...😸
6 months ago
Reading a review of Godzilla x Kong in the Minneapolis StarTribune, chick doesn't seem to get it. Downs the movie with "oh-so-jaded" already seen it all-ism.
I don't want deep societal commentary and meaningful political dialogue from a Kaiju film. Oh, no. There goes Tokyo.
I want Godzilla wreaking havoc to music I might not have yet heard. I want destruction and corny lines and, well, a Kaiju film. I want social commentary, I'll watch CNN.
Smilodon 6 months ago
Chick called Godzilla x Kong "tiresome"; missed the point complete, methinks🦖💥🐒
1MikeM 6 months ago
...and dat was Ma and Pa Kettle Meet da Mummy...and dat's da name a dat tune!
ihaveamigraine 6 months ago
[image=https://weigel-comments.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/aFGlO-1711771014-countdown.gif]
Katink ihaveamigraine 6 months ago
Sort of hypnotic, Ihavea!
1MikeM ihaveamigraine 6 months ago
...after it gets to #1 I think of the theme from Lost and Space the episodes that were in color.
6 months ago
Hiya on Good Friday my Svenfriends!
Drang 6 months ago
I suppose I'll miss the horse race again.
Good luck, all, break a leg.
Oh, wait, that's not horse racing...
Carl_N_Brown Drang 6 months ago
If you break a leg skiing you get to recooperate in the ski lodge with the snow bunnies.
Svenboy 6 months ago
It hasn’t been my night. I try to watch a service live stream at 530pm and it gets suspended about 30 min into due to YouTube video. I try another service at another institution and the stream cuts off on me. Planning on trying again tommorow, found the service that cut out on me on YouTube.
Svenboy 6 months ago
Sorry to hear this Svenboy😞
PatS Svenboy 6 months ago
Aw shoot... or perhaps I should say "trouble shoot." Hope you can make it work!
Svenboy PatS 6 months ago
I hope so too!😀hope all is well with you and nice to hear from you as always!
Svenboy Smilodon 6 months ago
Me too! The joys of tech! One of the downfalls of not going in person. With my eyesight, this is the best way to do it though.
Svenboy 6 months ago
As a real good people, it will work out for you, Svenboy. Good comes to good, and Happy Easter to ya!🐰😸
Svenboy Smilodon 6 months ago
Happy Easter!
Cartoondave 6 months ago
I heard that the original 1979 Muppet Movie will be re-released in select theaters on June 22nd and 23rd for a limited time for its 45th anniversary boy do I feel old
Drang Cartoondave 6 months ago
As if you're... Gone with the Schwinn?
Cartoondave Drang 6 months ago
Grover monster laugh: hahaha I know
Katink Cartoondave 6 months ago
Love that movie, Dave!
Cartoondave 6 months ago
Sgt Schultz and Col.Klink the laurel and hardy of Germany
abc123 6 months ago
How does Southwest Chicken Tortilla Soup sound for dinner/snack?
BEATNGU2 abc123 6 months ago
Sounds Good to me 😋
Katink abc123 6 months ago
Sounds like a wonderful choice, abc!
Katink Katink 6 months ago
We are going to play off of some gargoyles at Notre Dame Catherdral with something French. Also going to use eggs for the gargoyle eggs and Easter🥚
PatS abc123 6 months ago
Very appropriate! Much of the movie was filmed near Carlsbad NM.
Drang 6 months ago
Where was this meme last week?
BEATNGU2 Drang 6 months ago
So Cute !!!!
BEATNGU2 6 months ago
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BEATNGU2 6 months ago
Purchased tickets today to surprise my wife with a cultural day out, she’s an adjunct Art History Professor at CUNY and designs sets for bway & off bway shows. Leo is her Favourite Italian renaissance man , hey I thought I was ! Anyway I think she’ll enjoy this exhibition.
RobBarnes BEATNGU2 6 months ago
I thought Leonardo was a Ninja Turtle?
BEATNGU2 RobBarnes 6 months ago
MY ninja turtles
Michaelangelo, Donatello,
Raphael, Leonardo
BEATNGU2 BEATNGU2 6 months ago
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abc123 6 months ago
I give Godzilla x Kong a Yes! Not as good as Minus One, but still good.
Katink abc123 6 months ago
Wonderful, abc! Hubby and I will try to get to our local showhouse on a bargain Tuesday!
Bill_K 6 months ago
This is what I meant about shots needing people!
Bill_K 6 months ago
Good Evening, Folks!

Played Hookey today. Had lunch a saw a play in DC then went down to the Tidal Basin and saw the last vestiges of the Cherry Blossoms

Normally, I try not to get people in my shots but with the Sun reflecting off the water, the shots called for it!

.
HoneyBee456 Bill_K 6 months ago
Bill_K they’re beautiful
MrsG Bill_K 6 months ago
Man You Know How To play hooky Bill_K ~ SpringTacular !
🌸_🌸
Bill_K HoneyBee456 6 months ago
Hi, HoneyBee!

It’s good to see You!
Bill_K MrsG 6 months ago
Thanks, Mrs. G!

And I like Your new avatar, too!
HoneyBee456 Bill_K 6 months ago
Good to see you too. Thank you
abc123 Bill_K 6 months ago
I read they are going to have to rip out some of those trees to correct some draining issues? What was the timeline to get new trees planted?
Bill_K 6 months ago
This comment has been removed.
WillyFromPhilly 6 months ago
hiya all, looking forward to tomorrow’s film, have not seen gargoyles in a long time, maybe when it was on brodcast tv here on chan 29
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