GOLDRAIDERS (1982): BAD MOVIE REVIEW

Balladeer’s Blog reviews another psychotronic film starring the one, the only Robert Ginty! FOR MORE ROBERT GINTY REVIEWS CLICK HERE

goldraidersGOLDRAIDERS (1982) – A plane carrying two hundred million dollars in gold (in 1980s money) gets shot down over Thailand and lands in the jungle. A blandly-dubbed Robert Ginty plays Mark Banner, part of a hastily-assembled team sent in to recover the gold. Sarah Langenfeld is our hero’s leading lady this time around. 

Naturally other parties are after the bullion bonanza, too, like drug dealers, a man who needs gold to make a gold dress to win his intended bride (?) and a corrupt communist General. The commie with decidedly capitalist leanings is one of the most memorable villains in B-Movie history! Continue reading →

12 Comments

Filed under Bad and weird movies

JUSTICE SOCIETY 17: THE COMPOSER

batman golden ageSuperhero fans want more JSA, so here we go with this latest look at the world’s OLDEST superhero team: DC’s Justice Society of America. FOR PART ONE CLICK HERE 

I will review the original issue and then detail how I would “script-doctor” the story for modern audiences.

All Star 19ALL STAR COMICS #19 (November 1943)

Title: CRIMES SET TO MUSIC

Heroes: WONDER WOMAN (Original), STARMAN, THE ATOM (Original), DOCTOR FATE, SANDMAN, THE SPECTRE, HAWKMAN (Original), DOCTOR MIDNITE AND JOHNNY THUNDER

Villain: THE COMPOSER

Doctor FateSynopsis: The Composer (Hector Bauer) kidnaps Hawkman and commits a series of music-related crimes. The Justice Society members try to thwart his crime spree and free their captured teammate.

Our heroes prevent the Composer from destroying a priceless Stradivarius violin, restore the voice of an opera singer after the Composer mutes him and stop the villain from cutting off the fingers of a pianist. They also save another composer from the supervillain’s attempt to inflict brain damage on him to rob him of his talent.   Continue reading →

10 Comments

Filed under Superheroes

“EMPIRE” HATE CRIME

blank

PHOTO OF THE ALLEGED ATTACKERS IN THE “EMPIRE” HATE CRIME.

Dateline, Chicago – A Lithuanian-American (name withheld to protect him from reprisals) was walking down the street in Chicago recently when a gang of thugs wearing hats and t-shirts advertising Empire, a television show starring Jussie Smollett (NOT a gag name) attacked him. 

The unidentified thugs, apparently trying to beat the Lithuanian-American pride out of him, supposedly shouted pro-Empire slogans like “Seriously, homey, you should binge-watch Empire” and called it “Can’t-miss television” while pummeling their unfortunate victim.

Startlingly enough, it has come to light that, though the whiney, possibly lying Lithuanian-American claimed the attack and the slogans were overheard by his manager via his cell-phone, the Lithuanian-American refuses to provide his cell phone to prove his very shaky claims.

Reasonable people are doubting the event ever happened since no corroboration – NOT EVEN FROM SECURITY CAMERA FOOTAGE FROM THE TIME OF THE ATTACK – can support the outrageous claims made by the so-called “victim.” 

Authorities seem to be suspecting that the entire complaint is false and various reasonable people might be thinking the whole thing was a hoax to score cheap political points and generate publicity for the Lithuanian-American. Continue reading →

14 Comments

Filed under humor, LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, opinion

SIXTEEN OVERLOOKED SECRETARIES OF STATE

masc chair and bottleWith President’s Day coming here’s a look at some of the men and women who proved pivotal to the administrations of the Presidents of the United States. Many of those Secretaries may not be household names here in the 21st Century but they would definitely stand out on any staff. Here is an examination of sixteen such figures in chronological order. Figures like James G Blaine, William Seward, and Henry Kissinger are so well-known that they are not included on this list.

Timothy Pickering1. TIMOTHY PICKERING (1795-1800)

Served under: Presidents George Washington and John Adams

Noted for: Conspiring with Alexander Hamilton to undermine some of the policies of the Washington and Adams administrations. When Adams discovered this he ordered Pickering to resign, but Pickering refused, forcing Adams to fire him. Pickering remains the only Secretary of State to officially be fired by the President.

Henry Clay2. HENRY CLAY (1825-1829)

Served under: President John Quincy Adams

Noted for: Fighting a duel with Senator John Randolph, one of Clay’s critics who felt he had struck a “corrupt bargain” with Adams to get this prized cabinet position. Also for completing the first commerce treaties between the young United States and the various nations in Scandinavia and Latin America.

John Forsyth3. JOHN FORSYTH (1834-1841)

Served under: Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren

Noted for: Obtaining long-disputed reparations from France for U.S. commercial losses suffered during the Napoleonic Wars. Also for threatening to resign early in Van Buren’s administration before his relationship with the new president improved. Continue reading →

30 Comments

Filed under Neglected History

COLLEGE BASKETBALL RANKINGS FROM BALLADEER’S BLOG

Per the Glitternight Index:

bethel pilots NEWNCCAA – 1. BETHEL (IN) COLLEGE PILOTS (Riverboat Pilots)    ###    2. OKLAHOMA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY EAGLES    ###     3. WARNER UNIVERSITY ROYALS    ###    4. EMMANUEL COLLEGE LIONS    ###     5. CAMPBELLSVILLE UNIVERSITY TIGERS    ###    

MidAmerica Christian U Evangels6. MID-AMERICA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY EVANGELS    ###    7. COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS BOBCATS    ###     8. SOUTHWESTERN ASSEMBLIES OF GOD UNIVERSITY LIONS    ###    9. CEDARVILLE UNIVERSITY YELLOW JACKETS    ###    10. BLUEFIELD COLLEGE RAMBLING RAMS    ###    Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under College Basketball

QUATERMASS II PLUS QUATERMASS AND THE PIT COMING FROM SCREAM FACTORY

QuatermassMay 14th will see the Scream Factory releasing Blu-Ray editions of Quatermass II: Enemy from Space plus Quatermass and the Pit. NOTE: These are the THEATRICAL RELEASE versions. If you want the original 1950s British television versions of the Quatermass Serials they are available but sometimes just on Region 2 DVD.

To pre-order these Blu-Ray editions:  Continue reading →

6 Comments

Filed under Bad and weird movies

DEMOCRATS CLAIM LIKING THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS IS “WHITE SUPREMACY”

New England PatriotsWhenever I think the slobbering, intolerant fascists who call themselves Democrats can’t possibly sink any lower with their tiresome, endless race-baiting they slither even lower than ever.

Now Democrats are claiming that liking the phenomenally successful New England Patriots football team means that the fan is a “white supremacist.” Hmmm. And let me guess … Soon Democrats will be saying  that ANYONE WEARING PATRIOTS HATS OR T-SHIRTS, ETC SHOULD BE REFUSED SERVICE IN RESTAURANTS & OTHER BUSINESSES OR BE HARRASSED IN THE STREETS OR BE FORBIDDEN TO WEAR SUCH ITEMS TO SCHOOL ON THE GROUNDS THAT WHITE LEFTIST FOOLS WILL CLAIM THAT THOSE ITEMS MAKE “MARGINALIZED PEOPLE” (as defined purely by white leftists, of course) FEEL “UNSAFE.”

Trump and Tom BradyI never used to be into the Patriots or their coach or players but if they upset brain-dead Democrats that much then I am now a Patriots fan! I say stock up on Patriots gear and wear it proudly! Is there ANYTHING people can do that the pieces of trash called Democrats will not fall to pieces over?

HEY DEMOCRATS, LET ME KNOW WHAT OTHER SPORTS FRANCHISES UPSET YOU TOTALITARIANS SO I CAN BE SURE TO PRAISE THEM DAILY TO SEE WHAT YOU MORONS HAVE TO SAY ABOUT IT!

MAGA hat alyssa milanoI never wanted a MAGA hat before, either, because such hats just aren’t my thing. However, since I’M PRO-CHOICE ON THE HAT ISSUE (“Headwear Freedom” as the simpering Left would no doubt describe it) AND SINCE DEMOCRATS THINK THEY CAN ORDER PEOPLE NOT TO WEAR THEM, I may wind up buying several. One for myself and more for others who are getting sick and tired of the Democrats playing Lifetime Hall Monitors with everyone.  

YOU DEMOCRATS NEED TO CHANGE YOUR PARTY’S NAME TO GET AWAY FROM ITS TIES TO SLAVERY, THE KKK, JIM CROW, ETC BEFORE YOU TRY TO POLICE THE REST OF US. My biggest regret in life is that I used to belong to that increasingly deranged political party.  Continue reading →

16 Comments

Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion

BLACK PANTHER: PANTHER’S RAGE

 

Black PantherHere’s Balladeer’s Blog’s examination of Don McGregor’s 1973-1975 Black Panther story Panther’s Rage. I’m no comic book expert but in my opinion Panther’s Rage surpasses much of the work done by the overrated and overpraised Alan Moore.

As always, since I’m neither a liberal nor a conservative I was surprised by some of the intense political reactions to my reviewing this Black Panther story. Many people who call themselves conservatives seem to think this Marvel Comics character has some connection to the hate group called the Black Panthers.

Actually this figure came BEFORE the Black Panthers. In fact Marvel flirted with changing the character’s name a few times – once to just simply “the Panther” and once to “the Black Leopard” – to keep their character separated from the racist hate group.

Erik Killmonger

“Memes … memes, everywhere.”

On the other side many people who call themselves liberals huffed and puffed indignantly that I was covering a 13-part story written by (GASP) a white guy about a black character! Hey, a white guy even CREATED the character. I wonder if that invalidates the Black Panther entirely in their narrow minds.   

Anyway, here are chapter by chapter links to my review –

ONE: PANTHER’S RAGE – Prince T’Challa, the Black Panther, returns to his isolated African kingdom of Wakanda to try to put down a violent rebellion led by a Wakandan calling himself Erik Killmonger. CLICK HERE 

TWO: DEATH REGIMENTS BENEATH WAKANDA – The Black Panther battles Venomm, the supervillain in charge of Killmonger’s operation tunneling toward Wakanda City while simultaneously mining and stealing the nation’s vibranium reserves. CLICK HERE 

THREE: MALICE BY CRIMSON MOONLIGHT – Killmonger sends a super-powered woman called Malice to help Venomm escape from the Royal Palace’s prison on the same night that T’Challa is undergoing his renewal of the Panther Herb ritual. CLICK HERE   Continue reading →

9 Comments

Filed under Pulp Heroes, Superheroes

THE CARS: JUST WHAT I NEEDED

Balladeer’s Blog’s recurring feature Give Them A Shoutout Before They’re Dead returns with this nod to the Cars and their song Just What I Needed. 

Leave a comment

Filed under opinion

THE CRIMES AND SINS OF AMERICA ARE LARGELY THE CRIMES AND SINS OF DEMOCRATS

Democrat slogan

“OPPRESSING PEOPLE WHILE POSING AS THE OPPRESSED!”

It’s been said that the “crimes and sins of America” are largely the crimes and sins of the Democrats. Their political party has been responsible for so many national atrocities that the sleazy politicians of the Democrat Party then blame on the nation as a whole. They go on to lecture the rest of us for the wrongs done by THEIR political party.

Don’t let Democrats get away with their White Supremacist claim that “That was long ago. We Democrats are different now and all the racist, hatemongering Democrats of the past would not be Democrats now. You know that because we Democrats say so and we order you to believe it.”

February is the month set aside for honoring the people who heroically resisted Democrat oppression and for marking the long, long list of atrocities perpetrated by that party of hatred and division.

At any rate, the hypocritical Democrats love to COMMIT the atrocities that they then go on to blame THE REST OF US FOR! They love to act like THEY can just move on and forget their role in slavery, Japanese internment, the Trail of Tears and so much else, but the rest of the country bears some absurd collective guilt over those things for the rest of eternity.

Hatred and violence are in the DNA of the Democrats.

Imacon Color ScannerTRAIL OF TEARS: Democrat President Andrew Jackson openly ignored a Supreme Court decision and subjected Native Americans to the hardships and large-scale deaths in forcibly moving them along what became infamous as the Trail of Tears.

THE SPOILS SYSTEM: Democrat Presidents Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren became synonymous with the Spoils System, under which political hacks would be placed in high positions. Those positions were ideal for graft and other corruption and for abusing authority to force their subordinates to serve the Democrats, NOT the public.

Plantation slavesSLAVERY: Anyone who knows American history knows that the Democrats fought to preserve and extend their beloved “Peculiar Institution” of slavery just as obstinately as they fight today to preserve and extend Islam’s Gender Apartheid and their beloved Peculiar Institution of Sharia Law.  

Hell, slavery meant SO much to Democrats that they callously divided the nation in a Civil War to try preserving it. In typical Democrat fashion they watched wave after wave of young men die for their hate-filled cause. It would not be the last time. 

Roger B TaneyTHE DRED SCOTT DECISION: In the years leading up to the Civil War DEMOCRAT Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Roger B Taney was responsible for the Dred Scott Decision which claimed that African-Americans were not people and therefore had no rights. Democrats still blame the rest of us for this outrage, too.

THE KU KLUX KLAN: Democrats were so resentful that other Americans freed their slaves that they formed the KKK to torment, terrorize and harass freed African-Americans. A century later they would perfect the practice of pretending moral superiority over the rest of us for what THEIR party was responsible for.    

And yes, Democrats, I know your standard excuse will be “That was a long time ago. We’re better people now.” Well if YOU PEOPLE can say it, then it also applies to THE REST OF US, TOO. So get down off your soap boxes and quit lecturing the rest of us about the “diversity” your political party opposed for so long. 

Jim Crow LawsJIM CROW: Democrats used every underhanded legislative and judiciary trick their bigoted minds could come up with to keep violating the rights of African-Americans. They did this for a century, then gave into the inevitable and embraced the long-active Civil Rights Movement.

Most of the hard and dangerous work in that Civil Rights Movement had already been laid out by the point in the 1960s when the Democrats co-opted it. Over the years, the Democrats would try to take credit for the entire Civil Rights Movement even though THEY were the ones the Civil Rights Movement was FIGHTING for so long. (Martin Luther King, Jr – like Abe Lincoln – was a Republican.) Continue reading →

16 Comments

Filed under LIBERALS AND CONSERVATIVES, Neglected History, opinion