BAD MOVIE – PULGASARI (1985): THE MONSTER MOVIE MADE BY THE LATE KIM JONG IL

Pulgasari (1985)Kim Jong Un has North Korea in the news again for all the wrong reasons. He’s continuing his insane and despotic family’s policies like starving his own people, constantly threatening nuclear activity against other nations, having his secret police abduct countless people in the middle of the night and running a barbaric prison system. 

So here’s a helping of my review of the lone venture into the area of filmmaking that Kim Jong Un’s equally crazed father Kim Jong Il engaged in. Of course I’m talking about Pulgasari, the only kaiju movie produced by a man who combined the insanity of Idi Amin with the paranoia of Josef Stalin and the cinematic mastery of Ed Wood.

PULGASARI (1985) – Category: Bad enough and with a classically weird premise but not fun-bad enough for my highest rating     North Korea’s thoroughly deranged dictator Kim Jong Il was responsible for this film and even gives himself a producer’s credit. It’s the least he could do for himself after having his underlings literally KIDNAP SOME FILMMAKERS from South Korea and forcing them to take part in this bizarre film venture. If you doubt me just use a search engine to find out about the making of this movie. He even made those unfortunate people rot in one of his prisons for four years before he finally got around to setting them to the task he had kidnapped them for in the first place.

It was all part of Krazy Kim’s desire to initiate North Korea’s entry into the kaiju monster film market. (Their previous attempt decades earlier resulted in the equally laughable film Yongary, Monster From The Deep ) The story of the kidnapping and the filmmakers’ subsequent escape would have made a much better movie than this monster flick.

Pulgasari (No, Dennis Rodman, not Pao Gasol, Pulgasari. NBA fans will get it) is the title monster in Kim Jong Il’s attempt to imitate Godzilla and Gamera and other Japanese monsters. Since the story is Continue reading →

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NCAA DIVISION TWO ELITE EIGHT RESULTS FROM MARCH 28TH

* NCAA D2 ELITE EIGHT *

Metro State RoadrunnersMETRO STATE TO THE FINAL FOUR – NCAA Division Two’s tournament uses eight separate regions instead of four, so that means eight number 1 seeds. SEVEN of those 1 seeds made it to the Elite Eight in this year’s very odd “All chalk, all the time” tourney. The only non-1 seed was a 2 seed, so no Cinderellas for 2013. The (1) METRO STATE ROADRUNNERS advanced to the Final Four with a 78-65 victory over fellow 1 seeds the FRANKLIN PIERCE RAVENS. The Roadrunners “beep-beeped” their way past the Ravens with an astonising 16 to 2 run during the final four minutes of the game.

West Liberty Hilltoppers logoGIVE US WEST LIBERTY OR GIVE US DEATH – In what has become a Tournament of 1 Seeds the WINONA STATE WARRIORS stood out as a 2 seed in the Elite Eight. The WEST LIBERTY HILLTOPPERS battled the Warriors for the right to move on to the Final Four. Offense was no problem for either team and an 11-0 run to close out the 1st half put the Hilltoppers up 50-41 at the break. In the 2nd half West Liberty left Winona State coughing in their dust and led by as many as 31 points for a time. The game ended with the Hilltoppers having scored a Century Club- level 110 points to the 84 scored by Continue reading →

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BLACK CONDOR CAPTIONING FUN STRIKES AGAIN!

Awhile back I designated the 1940’s superhero the Black Condor as the Official Superhero of Balladeer’s Blog. I did that because of the character’s sheer awesome level of weirdness. Here’s another bit where I caption one of the covers from the Black Condor’s adventures in the appropriately named Crack Comics. For my original look at this hero’s goofiness click Continue reading →

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COLLEGE HOCKEY CHAMPIONS FOR 2013

There are still two more divisions of college basketball that have yet to play their championship game, but all five divisions of college hockey covered here at Balladeer’s Blog are done for the season. Here’s one last round of congratulations for these 2013 college hockey champs!

eauclaireNCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) DIVISION THREE 

Champions – WISCONSIN-EAU CLAIRE BLUGOLDS

Runners Up – Oswego State Lakers (again) 

2012 Champions – Saint Norbert College Green Knights

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Williston-State-College-2AEF2A67NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association)

Champions – WILLISTON STATE COLLEGE TETONS (as in the Native American tribe)

Runners Up – Continue reading →

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HERE COMES THE SUN: SUN GODS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

Balladeer’s Blog’s mythology posts are among the most popular parts of this site. As a change of pace from my examinations of multiple deities from a single mythological pantheon this time I’ll do a light-hearted look at solar deities – both male and female – from around the world. Given the familiarity of the Greco- Roman sun god I’ll omit him and deal with less well-known deities.

Seqinek11. SEQINEK

Pantheon: Inuit

Lore: Also called Malina, Seqinek’s home was in Udlormiut, the land that was on the other side of the sky. In Inuit cosmology the sky was the roof of the enormous ice- house (igloo) that enclosed the world and Udlormiut lay on the other side. By day Seqinek would leave her home and run across the sky, with the sun itself being the flame from the torch she carried as she ran. The goddess was forever fleeing her brother, the moon god Tatqim, whose partially burnt- out torch was the moon.

For more Inuit deities – https://glitternight.com/inuit-myth/

10. SURYA

Pantheon: Hindu

Lore: The sun was Surya’s chariot racing across Continue reading →

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MARCH MADNESS CONTINUES: MORE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

* NJCAA1 CHAMPIONSHIP *

Central Florida PatriotsRED WHITE AND BLUE CHAMPIONS – In an “All Florida, All the time” battle for the National Championship in NJCAA Division One the 3rd seeded COLLEGE OF CENTRAL FLORIDA PATRIOTS faced the upstart 9 seeds, the NORTHWEST FLORIDA STATE RAIDERS, for the 2013 title. As they have so often this season the Patriots got the better of the Raiders (and nobody can blame the Tuck Rule – I’m kidding) once again. CCF completely shut down the Raiders standout player Chris Jones in the 1st half – and I mean shut down as in HE GOT ZERO POINTS. Meanwhile, Patriots star and tournament MVP Eugene McRory led his team with 23 points. CCF led 43-33 at the break and in the 2nd half withstood a spirited charge from the Raiders to win by a score of 74-69. Congratulations Patriots!    

* NJCAA2 CHAMPIONSHIP *

Rend Lake College WarriorsWARRIORS TAKE THE TITLE – In the NJCAA Division Two Championship Game the 4th seeded REND LAKE COLLEGE WARRIORS got off to a 19-3 lead over their opponents, the 7th seeded MORAINE VALLEY COLLEGE CYCLONES, and never looked back. The Cyclones, who had excelled in spotting postseason  opponents leads only to come storming back (see what I did there), finally dug themselves too big a hole to get out of. By halftime the game was a yawner, with Rend Lake College sporting a 48-26 advantage. The Cyclones performed Continue reading →

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MORE BLACK CONDOR CAPTIONING FUN

The 1940’s Black Condor (secret identity Senator Thomas Wright) has been serving as the Official Superhero of Balladeer’s Blog. I gave him that designation because of the sheer weirdness of his origin and the hilariously stupid secret behind his alter ego Senator Wright. Here’s another bit where I caption one of the covers from the Black Condor’s adventures in the appropriately named Crack Comics. For my original look at this hero’s goofiness click here: https://glitternight.com/2013/03/11/the-black-condor-the-official-superhero-of-balladeers-blog/ 

BLACK CONDOR: I've saved you, you poor little thing! Now to catch your brother over there and deliver the two of you to a nice safe hospital!

BLACK CONDOR: I’ve saved you, you poor little thing! Now to catch your brother over there and deliver the two of you to a nice safe hospital!

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D3 PLUS NJCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION FROM MARCH 22ND

*D3 ELITE EIGHT *

Mary Hardin baylor CrusadersTHE CRU ADVANCES – In the NCAA Division 3 tournament the UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN BAYLOR CRUSADERS aka “the Cru” upset the (11) ST MARY’S (MD) SEAHAWKS last night. The Seahawks actually held a 32-26 halftime advantage but UMHB refused to quit. In the 2nd half they came storming back and ultimately won a 69-66 Instant Classic.

STTHOMASTOMMIESTOMMIES TRIUMPHANT – The top seeded UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS TOMMIES battled the 8th seeded WILLIAMS COLLEGE EPHS (pronounced “eephs”) for the right to advance to the Final Four. The Ephs seemed primed for an upset and had seized a 47-39 lead by the break. The Tommies regrouped and Continue reading →

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PULP HEROES – THE MOON MAN: STORIES 25-27

Moon ManI’m continuing my look at Frederick C Davis’ pulp hero the Moon Man. In reality police detective Stephen Thatcher, the Moon Man stalked the night-darkened streets of fictional Great City clad in his black costume and his helmet made of one-way Argus glass. Armed with an automatic pistol plus limitless courage and ingenuity the Moon Man captured or killed Great City’s most dangerous criminals –  both white collar and blue collar – and robbed them of their ill-gotten booty. He would then distribute that money to the city’s Great Depression-ravaged poor. All this made him hunted by both the crooks AND the cops. For more on the Moon Man and other neglected pulp heroes click here: https://glitternight.com/pulp-heroes/

25. THE DIAL OF DOOM – This tale opens with the Moon Man pulling off a robbery of a crooked traveling carnival that has been fleecing the good citizens of Great City. Through an unfortunate twist of fate the cops, led by our hero’s most determined pursuer, Lt Gil McEwen, learn where the Moon Man and his sidekick Angel have stashed their latest loot while fleeing the police.

With a police stakeout around the safe containing the hidden booty our heroes must somehow recover the cash for the suffering poor of the city without getting caught by the Continue reading →

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COLLEGE BASKETBALL: NJCAA TOURNAMENT ACTION FROM LAST NIGHT

* NJCAA1 ELITE EIGHT * 

Vincennes University TrailblazersVINI VEDI VINCENNES – I know, that’s a lame joke, but what can I tell you? In the NJCAA Division One tournament the 5th seeded VINCENNES UNIVERSITY TRAILBLAZERS played the unlucky 13th seeded HOWARD COLLEGE (TX) HAWKS. Yes, it was a non- NBA Trailblazers vs Hawks matchup. The Hawks were hot in the 1st half and by the break had compiled a 37-29 lead. With a trip to the Final Four on the line the Trailblazers dug deep and made a comeback in the 2nd half. The final score in this memorable affair was Trailblazers  70 Hawks  65.   

Northwest Florida State RaidersTHE TOP SEED TAKES A FALL – The IOWA WESTERN REIVERS came into the tournament as the 1 seed and made it to the Elite Eight, where they ran into the 9th seeded NW FLORIDA STATE RAIDERS. This may well have been the game of the tournament so far. The Raiders matched the Reivers blow for blow throughout the 1st half and held a slender 37-36 lead at halftime. In the 2nd half the level of play remained high for both squads and the Reivers wound up tying the score at 72 apiece to force Overtime. In the Continue reading →

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