TF1 in France
Christmas-Carol- A-Thon 2024, Balladeer’s Blog’s Fifteenth Annual such event, continues with one of the most visually enticing versions ever made. Unfortunately, it’s become virtually impossible to obtain for people who lack the nearly psychotic drive necessary to track down these things.
TF1 Television in France first aired this version of A Christmas Carol, which could be described as a Carol for the arthouse crowd. Not a put-down OR a compliment, just an observation.
The performances are even more low-key than in the George C. Scott version and the direction, by Pierre Boutron, is very inventive, bordering on a surrealist approach. The overall effect is like A Very Jean Cocteau Christmas or something. As with the Spanish Leyenda de Navidad this French production keeps the story in 1843 London and stars Michel Bouquet as Scrooge and Pierre Olaf as Bob Cratchit.
This 90-minute version of the Carol is one of the tiny handful that depict Scrooge at Marley’s funeral, like the 1969 Australian cartoon version. Marley’s Ghost has the look of a bearded badass but delivers his warning to Scrooge with a cold and calculating air that is almost more chilling than the impassioned delivery of most other Marleys. Continue reading
L’INFERNO (1911) – My review of the epic silent film adaptation of Dante’s Inferno. This production blew me away given its time period. And it was filmed in Italy just a few years before the horrors of World War One. Click 
INDEPENDENT ACTION AND HORROR FILMMAKER LEN KABASINSKI REMEMBERS THE LATE LEO FONG – The one and only Kabasinski was gracious enough to leave a few memories about international action star Leo Fong here at Balladeer’s Blog. Click 
TRANSGRESS WITH ME: APRIL EIGHTEENTH EDITION – Are you daring enough for this? It’s an ongoing series going back several years. Click 
Balladeer’s Blog’s Forgotten Television feature wraps up its look at 
Covering the myths and deities of the various peoples of Madagascar is a pretty sizeable job to undertake. I decided to use the same approach I’m using with the Americas and take things on a tribe-by-tribe basis. 
SILENT MOVIES ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS – On Easter Sunday I reviewed silent films that were relevant to the holiday. The movies dated from 1898, 1899, 1903, 1906, 1912, 1916, 1917, 1923, 1927 and 1928. Click 
THE LEGEND OF FRANCOIS VILLON – The life and legend of this 1400s poet and outlaw from France. Follow his saga as a lauded poet who was often on the run in between crimes. Click 
SPACE MONSTER WANGMAGWI (1967) – A South Korean attempt to jump on the Godzilla and Gamera bandwagon as invading aliens unleash their enormous monster called Wangmagwi on the world. Hilariously bad. Click 
MOONSHINE MOUNTAIN (1964) – An example of Hicksploitation. H.G. Lewis of all people wrote and SANG for this movie. A country western singer, tired of the artificial feel of mainstream Nashville music, spends some time with his North Carolina relatives to soak up some authentic atmosphere. 
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