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.

BLACK PIT OF DOCTOR M (1958)

Halloween Month continues with this look at the Mexican horror gem The Black Pit of Dr M. For Balladeer’s Blog’s extensive look at over a dozen Mexi-Monster films click HERE 

Black Pit of Dr M

The Black Pit of Dr M

THE BLACK PIT OF DR M (1958) – The Dr M of  our title is Dr Masali, who runs an insane asylum in the very early 1900’s with his colleague, Dr Aldama. The two make a pact stating that whichever one of them dies first will contact the survivor from the other side with the secret of returning to life.

Aldama passes away and, true to his word, returns from the beyond and uses his long lost daughter to serve as the catalyst that sets Dr M on the road to returning to the flesh after death. He also includes a warning that our title doctor naturally ignores. 

Elmer Black Pit of Dr MHanged for a murder he didn’t commit, Dr M does indeed return to the flesh, but as Heavenly punishment for violating the Divine Order his soul is trapped in the body of his asylum’s hideously deformed and homicidally violent resident, Elmer.  Continue reading

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SEMISONIC: CLOSING TIME

Balladeer’s Blog’s Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead returns with this look at Closing Time by Semisonic. 

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THE PRISONER: ONCE UPON A TIME

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the 1967 science fiction/ existential drama The Prisoner. For Part One, in which I examined the themes and concepts at play in the series click  HERE

Once Upon A TimeEpisode Title: ONCE UPON A TIME … This installment is PART ONE OF THE TWO-PART SERIES FINALE.

This time around we at last learn why the Prisoner resigned from British Intelligence, PLUS the significance of the Penny-Farthing Bicycle symbolism is explored.

NOTE: This episode is sometimes confused with The Girl Who Was Death because that episode began with a child’s story-book being opened and the title Once Upon A Time understandably puts some viewers in mind of that opening.

THE STORY:

pennyfarthing bicycle no wordsLeo McKern returns as the same Number Two he portrayed back in The Chimes of Big Ben. The Number Twos are the rotating series of executives who manage the prison-city called the Village. The midget Butler (Angelo Muscat), the only character besides Patrick McGoohan to appear in every episode of the series, serves McKern breakfast right there in Number Two’s office inside the Green Dome.

Number Two is too fidgety to eat and continues studying the viewscreen, with live surveillance footage of the Prisoner pacing like a caged tiger in his residence. At length McKern reacts to Number Six’s unflagging intensity and indefatigable sense of purpose by calling him on the cordless phone.

Prisoner behind bars“Why do you care?” he asks our protagonist when he answers. (I’d have preferred the more specific question “Why do you STILL care?”) McGoohan makes it clear he recognizes the voice and when Number Two asks the same question again he tauntingly replies “You’ll never know.”

Number Two settles back into controlled fuming as he continues watching our hero pacing. As I mentioned in another recent episode the advantage in the war of nerves between the Prisoner and the Villagekeepers has definitely shifted to Number Six at this late stage. Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RANKINGS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

Based on the Glitternight Index:

garden-city-broncbusters-helmet-newNJCAA – 1. GARDEN CITY COLLEGE BRONCBUSTERS   ###    2. EAST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE LIONS (Defending National Champions)   ###    3. LACKAWANNA COLLEGE FALCONS    ###     4. IOWA WESTERN COLLEGE REIVERS    ###     5. NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI RANGERS    ###    

Hutchinson Blue Dragons6. HUTCHINSON COLLEGE BLUE DRAGONS    ###     7. SNOW COLLEGE BADGERS    ###     8. EASTERN ARIZONA COLLEGE GILA MONSTERS    ###     9. BLINN COLLEGE BUCCANEERS    ###     10. ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS    ###     Continue reading

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HORROR STORY: THE TOP BEST MAN (1832)

Mascot FOUR original pics

Balladeer’s Blog

THE TOP BEST MAN (1832) – Halloween Month continues! Published anonymously in 1832 this long-ish short story centers around a man found on a long-lost ship called the Top Best. This vessel was a ship out of Maine that is found trapped in ice in far northern waters.

The ship that has found it, the Dartmouth Lady, has likewise become trapped in ice and its crew has spotted another ice-bound craft off in the distance when it finally stops snowing. An away team travels to the other craft hoping to find survivors or at least equipment which can help cut a way out of the ice for both ships.

Despite the size of the vessel only one man is found on board and he seems to be frozen to death. The away team manage to get a fire started from some of the Top Best‘s own wood and resolve to warm up just a bit before heading back to the Dartmouth Lady with the equipment taken from the derelict.

The fire has warmed the surroundings sufficiently for the sole survivor’s cold body to be taken along as well, including the ship’s log he apparently died clutching to his chest. The crew of the Dartmouth Lady succeed in cutting their way through the ice and return to Maine. By the time they reach their home port it turns out the body has thawed and the Top Best man is miraculously still alive. Continue reading

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MOTHER JONES: MORE FAVORITE TRUMP LINKS

mother-jonesMary Harris Jones aka “Mother” Jones has once again reached out posthumously to Balladeer’s Blog. She’s as big a fan of President Donald Trump as ever and despite my efforts to rein in her enthusiasm she once again praised him for saving the economy and for helping the working class and the poor of all colors just like she did.

She also let loose with another selection of her favorite Donald Trump links:

MAGA 2020 & beyondSUPERVERSIVE PRESS: MAGA 2020 & BEYOND – Mother Jones: “This is a terrific anthology from more than a dozen contributing authors! It features fiction and some non-fiction essays about President Donald Trump, who is the new FDR, JFK and Harry Truman in one.”

Others say “MAGA 2020 & Beyond is the best alternative to all of the over-the-top anti-Trump press and social media out there.” CLICK HERE 

Jesse Lee PetersonJESSE LEE PETERSON: ANOTHER PERSON OF COLOR WHO SUPPORTS TRUMP – Mother Jones: “Mr Peterson is very eloquent and capably deconstructs the Democrats’ false claims that they and they alone are fit to define “Social Justice.”

Peterson is another of the COUNTLESS people of color supporting de facto Third Party President Donald Trump.  CLICK HERE

Mark Zuckerberg dead inside

“I’M DEAD INSIDE.”

SIGN THE PETITION CALLING FOR A STOP TO SELECTIVE ONLINE CENSORSHIP – Mother Jones: “If you’re tired of techno-fascists at Facebook, G**gle, Twitter and elsewhere abusing their influence in blatantly partisan ways sign the online petition to hold them accountable. It may be time to treat them as public utilities.”

To sign it CLICK HERE Continue reading

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Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

MOCK HEADLINES: OCTOBER 8th

mascot new look donkey and elephant headsDEMOCRATS RENEW THEIR VOW TO “MAKE CALIGULA LOOK SANE!”

NANCY PELOSI DEMANDS THAT WOMEN “JUST SHUT UP AND VOTE FOR US DEMOCRATS!”

SENATE DEMOCRATS TELL DI-FI “THIS IS ANOTHER FEINSTEIN MESS YOU’VE GOTTEN US INTO!” 

PRIVILEGED WHITE WOMAN ALYSSA MILANO HATES IT WHEN BLACK PEOPLE DISOBEY HER WHEN SHE ORDERS THEM TO STOP SUPPORTING TRUMP

ocasio cortezALEXANDRIA OCASIO-CORTEZ SAYS HER SURNAME IS FROM THE SPANISH FOR “CRAZED CHIPMUNK”

DEMOCRATS INSIST THE U.S. CONSTITUTION IS MEANINGLESS BUT A FRAGMENT OF POETRY ON THE BASE OF THE STATUE OF LIBERTY IS LEGALLY BINDING

MAXINE WATERS SAYS “LAWS SHOULD ONLY BE ENFORCED AGAINST POLITICAL ENEMIES OF US DEMOCRATS!”

FIRST LADY MELANIA TRUMP STILL SPEAKS MORE LANGUAGES THAN BOTH OBAMAS COMBINED Continue reading

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TALES OF THE ZOMBIE 4

masc graveyard newHalloween Month continues here at Balladeer’s Blog! It’s hard to believe there are still 1970s Marvel Comics characters who have NOT been adapted for the big or small screen yet. Simon Garth, former plantation owner cursed to return from the grave as a zombie is one. Here is the cover to one of his battles with the vile Mister Six.

FOR MY FULL-LENGTH REVIEW OF THIS SERIES CLICK HERE

Tales of the Zombie 4 Continue reading

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL RESULTS FROM OCTOBER 6th

HEADLINES

West Florida Argonauts helmetDIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE – The UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA ARGONAUTS, from NCAA Division Two, traveled to take on Division ONE’s UNIVERSITY OF NORTH ALABAMA LIONS yesterday. A 10-10 Halftime tie became a 17-13 edge for the Argonauts in the 3rd Quarter and ultimately a 24-19 upset! This is like when a 1aa team topples a 1a team for you newbies.

Rocky Mountain CollegeKNOCKING OFF NUMBER TWO – Over in the NAIA the 21st ranked ROCKY MOUNTAIN COLLEGE BATTLIN’ BEARS welcomed the number 2 team in the nation – the SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS (should be the Sea Gulls). After a scoreless 1st Quarter the Battlin’ Bears put SOU on Upset Alert with a 17-14 lead at the break. In the 2nd Half Rocky Mountain College outscored the Raiders 17-7 for a 34-21 triumph.

University of New England Nor'eastersFIRST-EVER WIN FOR U.N.E. – Moving to NCAA Division Three, the UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENGLAND NOR’EASTERS are in their very first year of intercollegiate football. On Saturday they took on the visiting CURRY COLLEGE COLONELS and came back from a 14-7 1st Quarter deficit to go on top 28-21 by the midpoint. From there the Nor’easters had to hold on for a 44-42 victory, the FIRST in program history. Continue reading

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THE PRISONER: IT’S YOUR FUNERAL

Balladeer’s Blog continues its examination of the 1967 science fiction/ existential drama The Prisoner. For Part One, in which I examined the themes and concepts at play in the series click  HERE

It's Your FuneralEpisode Title: IT’S YOUR FUNERAL … In the ongoing debate over the exact ordering of the 17 episodes of The Prisoner I place this one 3rd from the last. 

*** So after this review all we have left is the two-part series finale. ***  For those readers who have requested SPOILERS on who wins in a given episode our hero the Prisoner wins this round.

pennyfarthing bicycle no wordsIt’s Your Funeral centers around an assassination attempt in the Village and features how our main character’s rebellious nature has begun inspiring assorted other Villagers to commit their own subtle acts of defiance to the Villagekeepers.

I’ll also take a brief look at The Stranger/ Stranded in Space, a failed pilot movie for a Prisoneresque sci-fi series in 1973. Cameron Mitchell even delivers a speech straight out of The Prisoner at one point.

THE STORY: Continue reading

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Filed under Forgotten Television, Prisoner (tv series)