Balladeer’s Blog
It’s the start of Balladeer’s Blog’s yearly retrospective, in which I randomly sprinkle in some highlights from earlier in the year for new readers who may have missed them. I review from January to September only, so just nine posts scattered throughout the month of December. My usual blog posts continue all the while.
ANDROMEDA NEBULA (1967) – My review of this pioneering science fiction film from Russia about organized space travel in the far future. Sort of a combination of Dune, Star Trek and Alien. CLICK HERE.
N.E.T. PLAYHOUSE – A season by season review of the programming on this milestone production of National Educational Television. Many productions from the U.S. and the world. CLICK HERE, HERE, HERE, and HERE.
ARIZONA’S RED GHOST (1883-1893) – My look at the sightings of the monstrous “Red Ghost” creature that was reported around Arizona for ten years and the very real resolution of the mystery from examination of its remains. CLICK HERE.
THE GRAND DETECTIVES (1975) – A French television series in the tradition of Rivals of Sherlock Holmes and which presented other fictional detectives solving mysteries. Classy production. Featured American detective Nick Carter, French detective Monsieur Lecoq, Belgian Inspector Wens, Irish detective Slim Callaghan and, of course, Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes. CLICK HERE.
THE MOST REPULSIVE DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS OF 2022 – The title says it all. Click HERE.
SPACE COMMAND (1953-1954) – Forgotten television from Canada as a pre-Star Trek James Doohan and others starred in this series about Earthlings exploring interstellar space. William Shatner guest-starred in one episode. CLICK HERE.
NEW YEAR’S DAY (1989) – My review of this early film featuring David Duchovny. Directed by Henry Jaglom. CLICK HERE.
JANUARY THIRTEENTH IN HISTORY – A look at some of the tragic and triumphant events from previous January 13ths over the centuries. CLICK HERE.
JOE BIDEN SCANDALS OVERFLOWING – To say the least. CLICK HERE.
WHEN HERCULES JOINED THE AVENGERS – Following in the footsteps of his friend Thor, Hercules himself joined the Avengers for a time, helping them take on the Enchantress, Ares, the Tesseract, Dragon Man, Diablo, the Red Guardian, the Mandarin, Magneto and others. CLICK HERE. Continue reading
CARRY ON CHRISTMAS (1969) – Balladeer’s Blog’s 14th Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues with this 50-minute British television version of the Carol starring most of the Carry On regulars. The Carry On movies were long before my time and weren’t my kind of humor for the most part. (I’m more of a Monty Python, Blackadder, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Absolutely Fabulous sort of guy.) 
“We’ve been used and abused for so long by that party, they don’t value our vote,” Fisher said. “Their policies are basically racist policies. I believe it’s a racist party. Donald Trump is just the opposite.” 
“My message that I preach and that I tell is unity. It’s a message of unity, unity driven,” Fisher said. “I want to bring together all the marginalized groups from the margins and bring them to the center because we’re stronger together as … one nation under God, indivisible…” 
Reactions to Balladeer’s Blog’s reviews of silent movies have been positive enough that I’d like to offer a quick take on a few multi-part documentary series on the subject. Both were from British Film Historian Kevin Brownlow, who did a better job of depicting the Age of Silent Movies than any Americans ever did. 
PART ONE – From Vaudeville to Movies: Brownlow and his colleagues scoured the best available footage remaining from Buster Keaton’s silent comedies. (For newbies to silent film history I’ll mention that countless movies from that period are lost forever due to decomposition prior to efforts to preserve them.)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2006) – This computer-animation version of the Dickens classic was produced by BKN and distributed by Genius Entertainment, Kidtoon Films and Image Entertainment. Ric Machin directed. The 48 minute film had a brief theatrical run in November of 2006 before being released on home video. 
ROUND TWO: GAME ONE – This shootout saw the COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES visit the UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA-WESTERN BULLDOGS. The Coyotes owned the opening Half, leading 28-7 by the break. From there the Bulldogs mounted a rally, pulling to within 35-21 in the 3rd Quarter before College of Idaho held on in the 4th for a 49-42 win. 
ROUND TWO: GAME TWO – The defending national champions – the NORTHWESTERN (IA) COLLEGE RED RAIDERS – hosted the DORDT UNIVERSITY DEFENDERS yesterday. The 1st Quarter ended in a 7-0 Red Raiders lead. And then … the defenses dominated so thoroughly that no more points were scored the rest of the way, making 7-0 the final – if flukish – tally. 
As for why Deneen Borelli called Trump’s rising numbers among voters of color “Democrats’ worst nightmare”, well, even the Democrats themselves admit that they need their usual roughly 90% approval from black voters to win nationwide elections. This is one more way that Trump threatened the status quo of America’s corrupt political parties. Click 
FANTASTIC FOUR Vol 1 #44 (November 1965) 
Through a comic book coincidence, the Human Torch gets caught in the middle of a fight between the super villainess called Medusa and her fellow Inhuman called Gorgon. 
If it’s the Friday after Thanksgiving, then regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog know it’s the day when I kick off my annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon in which I review several versions of A Christmas Carol. I look at movies, television shows, radio shows and books which adapt the Dickens classic. Every year I present new reviews with a few old classics mixed in since newer readers will have missed them. 
THE PASSION OF SCROOGE (2018) – This 62-minute offering which is out on video is one of the opera versions of A Christmas Carol, NOT the x-rated version which is titled The Passions of Carol. I want to avoid any confusion, right off the bat. 
