For Balladeer’s Blog’s review of the very first episode of this 1971-1973 series about London by Gaslight detectives from both the Victorian and Edwardian Ages you can simply click HERE
Episode: THE SECRET OF THE MAGNIFIQUE (February 19th, 1973)
Detective: Mr J.T. Laxworthy, created by the incredibly prolific Edward Phillips Oppenheim. The first Mr Laxworthy story was published in 1912.
Comment: In J.T. Laxworthy’s adventures he wasn’t so much a rival of Sherlock Holmes as a detective, but more in terms of the handful of Holmes stories in which he served as a spy. However, while Holmes was motivated by patriotism, Laxworthy was largely interested in the money he could make from his espionage activities.
Synopsis: The enigmatic but well to do Mr J.T. Laxworthy (Bernard Hepton) recruits two men fresh out of prison – the handsome and smooth conman Sydney Wing (Christopher Neame) and the brawny safe-cracker & thief called Anderson (Neil McCarthy).
After a six-month period in which the two ex-cons acclimate themselves to their restored freedom AND refine themselves into useful agents for Laxworthy, the trio kick off an illicit operation on the Cote d’Azur. Continue reading
A report on how poorly U.S. elections are run compared to other countries 
MARIO PUZO’S THE GODFATHER CODA: THE DEATH OF MICHAEL CORLEONE (2020 re-edit) – That title is almost as awkward as Can Heironymous Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe and Find True Happiness? starring Anthony Newley and Joan Collins. In December Francis Ford Coppolla’s re-edited version of The Godfather Part III: The Death of Michael Corleone became available for viewing. This was done to mark the 30th anniversary of the original release of the much-criticized third installment of the Godfather franchise. 
AFTER FERRAU THE MUSLIM HAD BEHEADED THE SLEEPING PRINCE ARGALIA, he once again mounted his horse and rode off eastward through the Forest of Arden, continuing his search for the fleeing Princess Angelica. Roland the Paladin was likewise scouring the forest for this woman who had bewitched so many men back at the court of Charlemagne. 
Regular readers of Balladeer’s Blog are used to my posts about spectacularly failed predictions. Many of this blog post’s batch of predictions from 1975 came with no set date so they may possibly still come true. 
MYSTERIOUS PLANET (1982) – Written, produced and directed by Brett Piper, this was his first film ever and it manages to be bad in every conceivable way, running the gamut from fun-bad to boring-bad to incomprehensibly bad and even rising to “how could you NOT be ashamed to release this under your real name” bad at times. 
As the story opens, some kind of space fleet is informing all of its ships that no take-offs will be permitted until an “asteroid storm” passes through. Most of the captains are content to obey, but not Commander Rogan (Paula Taupier), the combined captain and science officer of the medical transport ship. (If you can make out the name of the vessel you’ve got me beaten, and I replayed most of the dialogue several times to pick out what nuggets of information I could.) 
HAPPY NEW YEAR! With the Christmas holiday season behind us Balladeer’s Blog moves into 2021 with these twenty-one wry sayings. 
Balladeer’s Blog’s year-end retrospective comes to a close with this look at November’s best. Hunker down with some Iron Smoke Bourbon to help you ring in the new year. 
THE THIN MAN (1934) – My review of Dashiell Hammett’s final novel, a murder mystery set between Christmas and New Year’s. Click 
SIX-HUNDRED & SIXTY SIX (1972) – A combination science fiction/ post-apocalypse/ horror/ religious flick starring cult actor Joe Turkel, best known for his role as Lloyd the Bartender in The Shining. Click 
For the second year in a row America’s de facto Third Party President Donald Trump is 2020’s most admired man per the Gallup Polling organization. (link below) I will point out again that Trump has done more to help the working class and the poor OF ALL COLORS than any other president of my lifetime. 
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