Since I’m into mythology I often get asked how I feel about Ancient Astronauts/ Ancient Aliens theories.
I don’t find any of them convincing, and in fact there is a terrific three hour documentary examining the omissions and misleading statements of the famed Ancient Aliens program. Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
2020 TEXAS GLADIATORS (1982) – HAPPY NEW YEAR! Balladeer’s Blog’s Weirdness at the End of the World welcomes in the year 2020 with a look at what Texas will be like in a few months. There are changes coming your way, Texans!
Actually, it’s not really Texas and there are NO gladiators in this film but at least it is now officially 2020!
When reviewing other post-apocalypse movies I’ve often made references to 2020 Texas Gladiators. The fact that I call it my favorite bad post-apocalypse movie has often prompted readers of Balladeer’s Blog to ask why I hadn’t reviewed it yet. The answer was always that I was saving it up for New Year’s Day of 2020.
Just because this is my favorite bad post-apocalypse film does NOT mean I consider it to be the worst one. That designation would be reserved for unwatchable trash like Empire of Ash III and the like.
2020 Texas Gladiators is my favorite bad entry in the genre because of how it defeats itself at every turn, because of its lame attempts to pretend it’s being filmed in America instead of Italy and because of how joyously tasteless it is. Tell the Hekawi tribe from F-Troop to move over! They’ve been replaced as the fakest-looking Native Americans in entertainment history by the post-apocalypse Indians in this flick, portrayed by obvious Italian extras!
Their black wigs with built-in headbands are one thing, their less than authentic vests are another thing, their Tonto way of speaking still another, but the POST-APOCALYPSE TEEPEES they live in will bring a smile to the lips of any true fan of really bad exploitation movies.
Taking things from the top, Al D’Amato directed 2020 Texas Gladiators under one of his countless aliases. For all I know he may have even directed a film using MY name. The following year Warrior of the Lost World, another Italian ripoff of Mad Max, would reuse this movie’s Nazi-esque uniforms and riot shields for the bad guys and many of this flick’s supporting cast. Hell, the largest vehicle in 2020TG even shows up as Mega-Weapon in that same movie. Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year retrospective concludes with this look at November’s best:
A NEW LIST OF HILARIOUSLY WRONG PREDICTIONS FROM PSYCHICS – Cannibalism in Pennsylvania? A Civil War in the 1980s?
All that and more. CLICK HERE
ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION: The People of the Moon (1895) HERE , The Dominion in 1983 (1883) HERE , A Fantastical Excursion Into The Planets (1839) HERE
THE RUSTIC – My look at this ancient Greek Comedy by Epicharmus. CLICK HERE
ALLEGRO NON TROPPO – A review of the 1977 Italian film. CLICK HERE
IRON SIGHTS: TWO PSYCHOS – Comic book giant Richard C Meyer’s latest graphic novel featuring all-out action against the Mexican drug cartels. CLICK HERE
CONGRESSWOMAN TULSI GABBARD CALLS OUT HER PARTY – The heroic role model once again displays her courage. CLICK HERE
THE BLACK TULIP: SWASHBUCKLER – An action-filled adaptation of the Alexandre Dumas novel from 1850. CLICK HERE Continue reading
Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year retrospective continues with this look at September’s best:
POLEIS (CITIES) 422-419 B.C. – A look at the ancient Greek political comedy written by Eupolis. CLICK HERE
TRANSGRESS WITH ME: SEPTEMBER 23rd – Are you brave enough to share some more transgressive thoughts? CLICK HERE
ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION – Messages From Mars (1892) HERE , The Queen of Appalachia (1901) HERE , Babylon Electrified (1888) HERE , Looking Forward (1899) HERE , The Automatic Maid (1893) HERE
HEROIC WOMEN FIGHTING OPPRESSION IN THE MUSLIM WORLD – The title says it all. CLICK HERE
WOI EPIC – A Liberian epic myth about gods and demons. CLICK HERE
ISAIAH WASHINGTON – And yet another Martin Luther King Person of Courage to profile – CLICK HERE Continue reading
Balladeer’s Blog takes another look at some very strange movies from the cinematic hinterlands. Enjoy these four to help get over any post-Christmas blues.
INVASION OF THE BEE GIRLS (1973) – William “Big Bill” Smith from biker films and the old western series Laredo stars as a government agent investigating the mysterious deaths of scientists working on Top Secret projects.
Turns out a female mad scientist is creating a race of human/queen bee hybrids out of female subjects. These Bee Girls then go forth and slay their male targets by literally “loving” them to death. Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies
Balladeer’s Blog’s year-end retrospective continues with July’s best:
GANG OF ROSES (2003) – A very detailed review of the action western about a gang of four African-American women and one Asian woman shooting things up in the Ollllld West. CLICK HERE
FAQ’s ABOUT SJW’s – The title speaks for itself on this one. CLICK HERE
MOCK HEADLINES: JULY 12th – The popular comedy bit returned for this July 12th installment. CLICK HERE
NEGLECTED GUNSLINGERS: RUSSIAN BILL AND FARMER PEEL – For gambler/ gunslinger “Farmer” Peel click HERE and for expatriate Russian nobleman and gunslinger Russian Bill click HERE
HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY 2019 – A light-hearted look at other July 4ths in U.S. history. CLICK HERE
APOLLO 11 AND AMERICA’S OTHER MOON LANDINGS – For the 50th anniversary of America’s first moon landing here’s a look at all the Apollo moon trips. CLICK HERE
TRANSGRESS WITH ME: JULY 19th – Another exploration of transgressive thinking. CLICK HERE
BREAKHEART PASS (1975) – A review of this classic Charles Bronson western for what was Frontierado Season back in July. CLICK HERE Continue reading
Balladeer’s Blog’s year-end retrospective continues with this look at June’s best:
DARK 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: 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: 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
Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year review continues with this look at May’s Best:
YELLOWHAIR 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
EVEN 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
GOLDEN 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
THE 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
Filed under Bad and weird movies, humor, Neglected History, opinion, Superheroes
Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year review continues:
CHINATOWN 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 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
AMERICA 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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Filed under Bad and weird movies, Neglected History, opinion, Polo, Superheroes
Balladeer’s Blog’s look back at 2019 continues:
THREE NEGLECTED SWASHBUCKLER NOVELS FROM ALEXANDRE DUMAS – Reviews of Georges, in which a master swordsman fights slavery in Mauritius; Captain Pamphile, another anti-slavery tale from Dumas, this one about a pirate captain; and La Dame De Monsoureau, about a 16th Century rogue and his bed & battle adventures. CLICK HERE
DISSENTER.COM, FIGHTING FOR FREE SPEECH ONLINE – A look at Dissenter.com and its underdog battle with the Techno-Fascists at google, facebook and twitter. CLICK HERE
MARDI GRAS MASSACRE (1978) – A review of a classically bad seasonal slasher movie which featured human sacrifices and inept police work during Mardi Gras. CLICK HERE
AMERICAN COMEDIANS: INSULTING BEGGARS TO MAKE KINGS LAUGH – 21st Century American comedians would much rather serve as sycophantic court jesters for the powers that be instead of siding with the underdogs. CLICK HERE
POST-APOCALYPSE MOVIES – Balladeer’s Blog’s reviews of 1980s imitations of Mad Max.
It’s Endgame, about a futuristic gladiator leading mutant fugitives to freedom; and the Empire of Ash Trilogy, three films featuring sufferers of an atomic blood disease hunting down healthy victims to extract their bone marrow. CLICK HERE and HERE
MARK ZUCKERBERG LOOKS AT POETRY – A comedy bit about humanoid Techno-Fascist Mark Zuckerberg using algorithms to translate poetry. CLICK HERE
ADAM WARLOCK, THANOS, GAMORA AND DRAX – A review of the 1975 tale of Adam Warlock tangling with the Magus and his 1,000-world empire. Featuring the VERY FIRST appearance of GAMORA. CLICK HERE , HERE and HERE
COURAGEOUS MEGAN HARRIS – A look at another brave woman of the 21st Century. CLICK HERE
THE FOOL KILLER – Balladeer’s Blog’s exhaustive examination of 19th and 20th Century Fool Killer folklore, beginning with the Fool Killer Letters in the Milton Chronicle in the 1850s.
A look at a fascinating yet neglected folk figure. CLICK HERE Continue reading
Filed under Bad and weird movies, humor, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES
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