Balladeer’s Blog’s month-long celebration of Halloween continues:
THE WOLF IN THE GARDEN (1931) – Written by Alfred Hoyt Bill. This neglected novel is ideal for people who go in for horror tales set long ago. In this case the 1790s.
New Dordrecht, a town in New York’s Hudson Valley, becomes the home of the fallen Count de Saint Loup, a French aristocrat fleeing the guillotine during the French Revolution. Anyone who remembers that “loup” is French for wolf will immediately know that this figure will be our title werewolf. (Though his deadly hound DeRetz is a red herring at first.)
The Count transferred much of his wealth before fleeing his homeland so he is initially welcomed as a prominent new citizen in New Dordrecht. Unfortunately Count de Saint Loup soon displays the overbearing, snobbish airs that drove the French underclasses to overthrow the aristocrats in the first place.
People who get on the wrong side of the former “aristo” start to turn up dead after getting attacked by a monstrous wolf-like creature. Continue reading
Democrats do not understand the meaning of the word “debunked.” The Biden scandals are not “debunked” just because Joe and Hunter Biden have given their side of the story. An excuse from accused criminals does not “debunk” the accusations. On top of which Joe and Hunter keep getting caught in lies, with Hunter even contradicting his father’s claim that they never talked about Hunter’s influence-peddling scam in the Ukraine. 
NCAA Division Two: 1. VALDOSTA STATE BLAZERS ### 2. MINNESOTA STATE MAVERICKS ### 3. TARLETON STATE TEXANS ### 4. NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS ### 5. OUACHITA BAPTIST UNIVERSITY TIGERS ### 
6. GRAND VALLEY STATE LAKERS ### 7. FERRIS STATE BULLDOGS ### 8. UNIVERSITY OF INDIANAPOLIS GREYHOUNDS ### 9. COLORADO SCHOOL OF MINES OREDIGGERS ### 10. UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL MISSOURI MULES ### 
BRIGHTBURN (2019) – This mid-level budget movie has been criminally underrated in my opinion. Its horror twist on the usual superhero story (especially Superman) is well-handled and should have been just the thing audiences flocked to for a change of pace from the flood of superhero movies in recent years. 
As always part of the fun comes from the way the Fool Killer – in this case James Larkin Pearson’s version in his monthly publication – took aim at politicians from both parties and at other “fools” of the day. March of 1921’s targets: 
Like John F Kennedy long ago, de facto Third Party President Donald Trump is clashing with the cesspool of corruption that masquerades as the United States government. Now we’re in the middle of another anti-Trump circus presented by America’s loathsome intelligence agencies and career criminals who occupy elected office. 
A March For Trump is scheduled for October 17th and yours truly will be there just like I was at the #WALKAWAY March on Washington last year. Trump is not really a Republican and not really a Democrat, and is not a career politician, which is why his boat-rocking has made him a target of our Banana Republic swamp in Washington D.C. 
DIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE – The KENTUCKY STATE THOROBREDS from NCAA Division 2 traveled to face Division 1’s JACKSON STATE TIGERS. The Thorobreds trailed the Tigers 10-6 in the 1st Quarter before doubling up on them 20-10 come Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with Kentucky State up 33-10 but the Thorobreds had to hold on tight in the 4th for a 33-25 Upset triumph. 
DIVISION TWO OVER DIVISION ONE, THE STUNNING SEQUEL THEY SAID COULDN’T BE MADE – In another D2 over D1 Upset D2’s UNIVERSITY OF CHARLESTON (WV) GOLDEN EAGLES visited D1’s VALPARAISO UNIVERSITY CRUSADERS. A 7-7 1st Quarter tie turned into a 13-10 Crusaders lead at the Half. The Golden Eagles shut out Valparaiso from there and won the game 19-13. 
NINETY-EIGHT – Meanwhile, in the NJCAA, the ASA COLLEGE (NY) AVENGERS took it on the road against the NEW JERSEY WARRIORS. The Avengers proceeded to fold, spindle and mutilate the Warriors, outclassing them on both sides of the ball. In the end ASA College won it NINETY-EIGHT to NINE! 
I have been getting a lot of readers asking me to review some of the more recent releases from major studios. Balladeer’s Blog regulars know that I tend to focus on incredibly obscure items or hilariously bad movies from decades ago. 
SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY – Thankfully someone FINALLY addressed the elephant in the room of the Star Wars universe: the origin of Han Solo’s last name. 
THE AUTOMATIC MAID-OF-ALL-WORK. A POSSIBLE TALE OF THE NEAR FUTURE (1893) – Written by female author M.L. Campbell. Obviously I shortened the title for my blog post headline. Balladeer’s Blog’s look at “ancient” science fiction continues with this 1893 robot story. 
