Author Archives: balladeer

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About balladeer

I am passionately interested in college sports, ancient Greek comedies, bad/weird movies, mythology, the American Revolution, Puck Magazine, World War I, U.S. Presidential history, silent movies, the English Civil War, epic, lyric and comic poetry, U.S. Supreme Court history, the Revolutions of 1848, the Philippine War and old pulp heroes like The Moon Man, Pilot G8, Silver John and The Rio Kid.

JON MALIN’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (2019)

Balladeer’s Blog continues its TENTH Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon!

Ghost of Christmas PresentJON MALIN’S CHRISTMAS CAROL (2019) – We can all have A Very Malin Christmas with this audio play version of A Christmas Carol. Unfortunately, Cecil stars as Scrooge so with his Buddy Hackett voice he gives this Carol an annoying nails on chalkboard feel.  

Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog will remember Jon Malin from Graveyard Shift Volume Two, covered earlier this year. Rest assured this Yuletide production is very holiday-ish, lest Malin’s association with the monsters from Graveyard Shift cause raised eyebrows (except by Malin himself, of course, who is often ribbed for supposedly not having any).  

masc graveyard newProductions of A Christmas Carol are all about who plays Scrooge, naturally, and Cecil, duck-voice and all, ruins this version. But on the bright side this Carol is being done for charity, raising money for some wonderful people. No, not the Malin Militia, but the good people at Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

Moving on to the Carol itself:  Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: FINAL THREE CHAMPIONS CROWNED

NAIA

Morningside MustangsNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The defending champions – the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS – fought it out with the MARIAN UNIVERSITY KNIGHTS for the NAIA crown last night. This was a tale of two Halves, as the Mustangs led 21-7 by Halftime and threatened to run away with the game.

In the 3rd Quarter the Knights cut the Morningside lead to 33-21 and in an action-packed 4th pulled to within 33-31. From there the defending champs went up 40-31, with Marian then falling just short as MC won the game 40-38. * THE MUSTANGS ARE NAIA CHAMPIONS

NCAA DIVISION TWO

West Florida Argonauts helmetNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS were not only THE story of the D2 playoffs once again but this time they sealed the deal against their opponents the MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS! A 14-14 1st Quarter tie turned into a 38-21 Argonauts lead by the Half.

The 3rd Quarter ended with West Florida on top 45-29 and in the 4th the Mavericks pulled closer but not close enough as UWF won it 48-40. * THE ARGONAUTS ARE NCAA DIVISION TWO CHAMPIONS *      Continue reading

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BEST OF JUNE 2019

Balladeer’s Blog’s year-end retrospective continues with this look at June’s best:

Dark ShadowsDARK SHADOWS: A review of the Phoenix storyline from Dark Shadows HERE plus the Leviathan Cult and more HERE 

THE CHOICE OF THE WORKING CLASS AND THE POOR – The title says it all. CLICK HERE

FLASHMAN’S GUIANA – Harry Flashman on the hunt for gold in the part of British Guiana being fought over by Great Britain and Venezuela. CLICK HERE

Killraven 1KILLRAVEN: WAR OF THE WORLDS – The first part of my ongoing look at the 1973-1976 Marvel Comics science fiction series about heroic rebels fighting Earth’s alien conquerors. CLICK HERE  

FACULTY LOUNGE FASCIST ROUNDUP: JUNE 6th – Another look at the Theater of the Absurd called the American “educational” system. CLICK HERE

Gladiator 2GLADIATOR: AN OPERA VERSION OF THE 1930 PHILIP WYLIE NOVEL  – An opera about a man granted paranormal abilities by science. CLICK HERE 

FIRST BATTLE OF MACHIAS – A forgotten Revolutionary War action. CLICK HERE

HARRISON FLOYD: A MARTIN LUTHER KING PERSON OF COURAGE – A courageous iconoclast. CLICK HERE Continue reading

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2015)

Balladeer’s Blog’s TENTH Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues with this review!

Colin Baker Christmas CarolA CHRISTMAS CAROL (2015) – This 59 minute rendition of the Dickens Yuletide classic is often referred to as “the Colin Baker version.” Too bad Baker can’t sue somebody over that, since he had nothing to do with this laughable production beyond portraying Charles Dickens and narrating the story.

CHARLES WHO? – Colin “Doctor Who” Baker plays an elderly Charles Dickens serving as the story’s narrator … and misquoting much of his own work since this is one of those versions where the filmmakers feel they can “improve” on what Dickens wrote.

It’s one thing to try to colloquialize the Victorian prose which some viewers find challenging but it’s something else again to insert bland nothings in place of the original dialogue. Dickens’ exchanges often flow smoothly, with one character’s line perfectly setting up another character’s response. Here we have conversations as boring and unmemorable as those in real life. (That’s not a compliment.)  

Baker is introduced in a clever (I’m being charitable) bit of business in which his image is as fuzzy as an old silent movie and he sounds tinny, like in Thomas Edison’s oldest recordings. I guess it’s done to capture an “old-timey” feel but the novel came in 1843, long before even such primitive recording equipment was available.

masc chair and bottleSoon the image improves to conventional standards (well, sort of) and the sound improves to 1950s television levels. Unfortunately, this is a 2015 production, not a 1950s presentation, and the weak, amateurish sound work will plague this Carol the rest of the way.

Colin Baker is the best part of this production and his effortless charm and captivating delivery make it clear how badly the other players lack the acting ability and the strong voices needed to be effective in their roles.

ANTHONY D.P. MANN – Mann IS Tim Conway’s Mr Tudbole as Ebenezer Scrooge! Well, without the moustache. Mann has a history of placing himself in the starring roles of his productions and never fails to put me in mind of Conway. Continue reading

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A JOURNEY WITH THE FLYING FISH “PROMETHEUS” (1870)

Prometheus aircraftMEMOIRS FROM A JOURNEY WITH THE FLYING FISH “PROMETHEUS” (1870) – Written by Danish author Vilhelm Bergsoe. I shortened the title in the heading for this blog post. Some editions shorten it even more, to just Flying Fish Prometheus

This story was originally serialized in three issues of Illustreret Tidende from January 9th to January 23rd of 1870. Memoirs … Prometheus is a piece of speculative science fiction set in the “far off year” 1969. William Stone is the main character and narrator of the tale.

Stone is Danish and works for a company digging an underwater tunnel connecting Sweden and Denmark. Our main character receives an invitation (as a professional courtesy) to fly to Panama to witness the opening of the Panama Canal. You have to smile when speculative sci-fi is actually pessimistic about how long certain accomplishments will take. Remember the Russian sci-fi story setting the first moon landing in the year 2017?

Mascot new lookWilliam’s American colleagues send the new airship Prometheus to fetch him. The Prometheus is cigar-shaped (like so many UFOs would be described decades later) and sports wings plus propellors. Our man Stone boards the airship in Koege, along with other passengers including his love interest Anna Blue.       Continue reading

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POLL: FIFTY-SIX PERCENT OPPOSE IMPEACHMENT; INDEPENDENT VOTERS OPPOSE BY DOUBLE-DIGITS

Mascot with demo and repub headsIndependent Voter site Balladeer’s Blog remains the only site on the web that criticizes BOTH Democrats AND Republicans. Just as I still believe Bill Clinton did not deserve to be impeached I still believe Donald Trump does not deserve to be impeached.

Poll results (link below) show 56% of the VOTERS opposing impeachment, with Independent Voters (voters who grew up and abandoned the now-useless Democrat vs Republican paradigm) opposing it by double-digits. Many other polls reflect majority opposition to impeachment by varying percentage points.

#WalkAwayThis may be why the Democrats are now threatening to refuse to send the impeachment articles they voted on over to the Senate. This refusal takes the already disgusting kangaroo court they’ve been running and making it an absolute atrocity. Democrats are reducing impeachment to a partisan threat to hold over a sitting president’s head.

If you want to talk BI-PARTISANSHIP, there were a few Democrats who courageously voted NO on the impeachment articles plus Democrat Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard merely voted “present,” refusing to dignify the Democrats’ sham that’s been hopelessly tainted by what Gabbard calls its “partisan” nature. Continue reading

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MAY OF 2019: THE BEST OF BALLADEER’S BLOG

Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year review continues with this look at May’s Best:

Yellowhair and the Fortress of GoldYELLOWHAIR AND THE FORTRESS OF GOLD (1984) – A review of this movie’s attempt to cross Indiana Jones with Spaghetti Westerns. CLICK HERE

INTERVIEW WITH THE FOOL KILLER – It’s an Interview with the Vampire-style letter from the Fool Killer to Balladeer’s Blog. CLICK HERE and HERE

HOMBRE: SPAIN’S POST-APOCALYPSE HERO FROM THE 1980s – A look at the unjustly overlooked hero from Spain’s adult comic books. Mad Max meets The Walking Dead meets Wolverine in this riveting series. CLICK HERE

FLASHMAN OF ARABIA – Harry Paget Flashman’s adventure on the Arabian Peninsula alongside the famous explorer Richard Burton. CLICK HERE

Medal of Honor picEVEN MORE MEDAL OF HONOR WINNERS FROM THE PHILIPPINE WAR (1899-1902) – Another installment of Medal of Honor winners from a forgotten war. CLICK HERE

TRANSGRESS WITH ME: MAY 3rd – Another journey into transgressive thoughts and ideas. CLICK HERE

FOOL KILLER: MAY INSTALLMENTS – For the O Henry and Joel Chandler Harris takes on the Fool Killer, CLICK HERE . For James L Pearson’s Fool-Killer, CLICK HERE , HERE , HERE , HERE

DEMOCRAT ATROCITY ROUNDUP: MAY 15th – The latest look at the historical and recent outrages from the infamous gang of white-collar criminals. CLICK HERE

All Star 22GOLDEN AGE JUSTICE SOCIETY – Reviews and recommended revisions to the 1940-1945 run of the very first superhero team in history: The Justice Society of America. CLICK HERE 

BALLADEER’S BLOG’S CLASH WITH THE TECHNO-FASCISTS – My own run-in with the zealous censors of Silicon Valley. CLICK HERE

Chancellor ManuscriptTHE CHANCELLOR MANUSCRIPT – My review of the Robert Ludlum novel. CLICK HERE

FOUR NEGLECTED MILITARY UNITS FROM AMERICAN WARS – A Memorial Day tribute to some overlooked units from assorted American wars. CLICK HERE Continue reading

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL: INUIT CARTOON VERSION (1988)

Balladeer’s Blog continues its TENTH Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon!

inuit broadcasting corporationTAKUGINAI (December 1988) – As always I enjoy reviewing some of the most obscure and/ or neglected versions of the Carol that I can find.

Takuginai was (and is) broadcast by the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The half-hour program is a clever and energetic children’s show.  

In December of 1988 Takuginai‘s usual blend of puppetry and live-action squeezed in a cartoon version of A Christmas Carol as well. The animation is very VERY limited: think Clutch Cargo then strip away all the dazzling technical prowess. (Yes, it’s THAT limited.)   Continue reading

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BEST OF APRIL 2019

Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year review continues:

Chinatown ConnectionCHINATOWN CONNECTION (1990) – A review of one of the most hilariously lame “buddy cop” movies ever made.

Starring Lee Majors’ son. CLICK HERE

FOOL KILLER PART FOUR – The neglected Nineteenth Century folk figure takes on the Ku Klux Klan and political corruption in the Reconstruction South this time around.

The greatest impact comes from the fact that this is from 1870. CLICK HERE 

POLITICIZING THE WORD “INTELLECTUAL” – The title of this particular piece pretty much says it all. CLICK HERE 

Curse of the Crying WomanCURSE OF THE CRYING WOMAN (1961) – My review of this Mexican horror film, just in time for the release of La Llorona. CLICK HERE 

SECRET EMPIRES: HOW THE AMERICAN POLITICAL CLASS HIDES CORRUPTION AND ENRICHES FAMILY AND FRIENDS – Peter Schweizer’s latest book on American political corruption. – CLICK HERE

POLO: THE 2019 U.S. OPEN – Polo is the world’s oldest team sport and had already been around for centuries when Alexander the Great’s men played it. One of the reasons I cover contemporary polo is because of the way men and women can play on the same team. CLICK HERE 

Ellen RipleyAMERICA AS PART OF THE ALIEN FRANCHISE – A humorous look at the similarities. CLICK HERE

SLAUGHTER HIGH (1986) – A review of the April Fool’s Day themed slasher film with horror icon Caroline Munro. CLICK HERE

FACULTY LOUNGE FASCIST ROUNDUP: APRIL 10th – The latest edition. CLICK HERE   Continue reading

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KILLRAVEN TWENTY-ONE: RED DUST LEGACY

FOR PART ONE OF BALLADEER’S BLOG’S EXAMINATION OF THIS OLD, OLD MARVEL COMICS STORYLINE CLICK HERE  The revisions I would make are scattered throughout the synopsis below.

Killraven Red Dust LegacyAMAZING ADVENTURES Vol 2 #36 (May 1976)

Title: Red Dust Legacy

Synopsis: Windsor Forest, GA. December, 43 years in the future. Killraven and his Freemen continue their guerilla war against Earth’s alien conquerors – Zetans in my revisions, Martians in the original, just because of the tenuous War of the Worlds connection.

NOTE: The cover reaches DC levels of deception with its depiction of Carmilla Frost, the scientist of the Freemen, trying to slay Killraven while he is restrained by the tentacles of some of the aliens. You’ll see what really happens below.

Synopsis: IN THIS STORY KILLRAVEN AND HIS REBELS INFLICT THEIR GREATEST BLOW AGAINST THE ALIENS SINCE DEATH-BIRTH. December, 43 years in the future. Killraven kneels in the red dust of the alien homeworld of Earth’s conquerors. Craig Russell’s art is incredible, and Don McGregor’s narration starts us off with:

“He had touched the blade of grass … and it turned into red dust beneath his hands. The sand sifts through his fingers now, and Killraven knows for a certainty that the desert he kneels upon is located on the homeworld of his alien foes. He is alone with that truth, and the truth is staggering! But not as staggering as the events yet to occur.” Continue reading

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