Tag Archives: Balladeer’s Blog

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF RESULTS

* CCCAA *

City College of San FranciscoCHAMPIONSHIP GAME – The CITY COLLEGE OF SAN  FRANCISCO RAMS took on the SADDLEBACK COLLEGE GAUCHOS for the CCCAA title. The Rams notched a 6-0 lead in the 1st Quarter but neither team scored in the 2nd. The 2nd Half saw CCSF make it a 13-0 game headed into the 4th Quarter. The Gauchos outscored the Rams 14-13 in that Quarter, but CCSF won the game 26-14. * THE RAMS ARE CCCAA CHAMPIONS. *

* NCAA DIVISION TWO *

Northwest Missouri BearcatsFIRST SEMIFINAL – The storied NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE BEARCATS seized a 10-0 1st Quarter lead over the visiting UNIVERSITY OF WEST GEORGIA WOLVES. The Bearcats expanded that to a 24-6 advantage by Halftime. In the 3rd Quarter the Wolves pulled to within 24-20, but with the pressure on, Northwest Missouri State exploded in the 4th for 14 points to the 3 scored by West Georgia. The Bearcats advanced to the title game by a score of 38-23. Continue reading →

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1947): LEYENDA DE NAVIDAD

Leyenda de NavidadWelcome to another installment of Balladeer’s Blog’s annual orgy of versions of A Christmas Carol. This version was produced in Spain in 1947 (and was remade for Spanish television in 1966 ) and the Spanish language title is Leyenda de Navidad ( Legend of Christmas, of course).

The film was written and directed by Manuel Tamayo (who wrote the screenplay for the 1955 feature Tarde de Toros) This is a wonderful version for several reasons, not the least of which would be its well-done (for the time period) sets of 1843 London.

We’ll take the differences and similarities to other versions in order – 1. Scrooge has several people working for him for some reason, not just Bob Cratchit and NONE of them get Christmas Day off from this Scrooge  …

2.  Marley’s Ghost steps out of a life-sized portrait of the man that adorns the wall above a fireplace, and returns to that portrait after his standard warning about the 3 Ghosts …

3. Transportation through time with Continue reading →

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PRECIOUS FIND (1996) AND ENIGMA (1982) – TWO MORE BAD MOVIES SET AT CHRISTMAS TIME

Precious Find goodPRECIOUS FIND (1996) – This is a hilariously bad attempt to do a science fiction version of The Treasure of the Sierra Madre. That description makes this movie sound much, MUCH better than it really is.

In the far future a lunar colony called Moon City is the jumping-off point for prospectors who travel to various asteroids trying to strike “precious finds” in the form of valuable metals and precious stones. The Christmas background adds to the fun in this UN-intentional comedy.

Rutger Hauer, whose performances run the quality gamut from Lawrence Olivier to Nicolas Cage, is very firmly in Cage territory in this bomb. Hauer plays Armond Crille, a former prospector who has given up hard work for the more lucrative trade of fleecing bored prospectors at the card-playing tables. Watching Rutger Hauer dance with the two hookers his character wins in the opening scene will have you rolling in the aisle with laughter.   

Brion James specializes in playing good-hearted simpletons and menacing simpletons. This time around he’s the good-hearted simpleton Sam Horton, whose eclectic musical tastes are his standout feature. 

Joan Chen portrays Camilla Jones, a spaceship captain with all the personality of the doorknob Chen’s character on Twin Peaks wound up getting her soul trapped in. Chen is around just because the filmmakers apparently decided they had to throw in a love interest, even though the film they’re imitating didn’t waste time with such nonsense. Continue reading →

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL: LATEST PLAYOFF AND BOWL RESULTS

* NJCAA CHAMPIONSHIP *

Northwest Mississippi Rangers helmet NEWMISSISSIPPI BOWL – The number 1 NORTHWEST MISSISSIPPI COLLEGE RANGERS clashed with the 2nd ranked ROCHESTER TECH YELLOW JACKETS for the NJCAA title. The Rangers held the Yellow Jackets scoreless until the 4th Quarter while scoring at will themselves. At the Half Northwest Mississippi led 35-0 on their way to a 66-13 annihilation of Rochester Tech. * The Rangers are NJCAA Champions for 2015.* 

* NAIA *

Southern Oregon RaidersFIRST SEMIFINAL – The SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS – the defending champions of NAIA football – visited the MORNINGSIDE COLLEGE MUSTANGS yesterday. The Raiders led 6-0 in the 1st Quarter but trailed the Mustangs 7-6 at Halftime. The 3rd Quarter ended with SOU on top 23-21 and in the 4th the Raiders outscored the Mustangs 7-6 for a 30-27 victory and a return trip to the title game on December 19th. Continue reading →

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL (1948)

Rufus Rose working on one of his handmade puppets.

Rufus Rose working on one of his handmade puppets.

Balladeer’s Blog’s Sixth Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues! This lost version of the Dickens classic from the days of live tv featured beautifully crafted marionettes as all of the characters.

It’s a shame this baby was in black & white since the costumes for the marionettes could have really dazzled in color I’ll bet. It also makes you wonder why more puppet versions of the Yuletide tale weren’t mounted during the Golden Age of Television. 

ABC broadcast this holiday treat on December 24th, 1948 when televisions were still comparatively rare. Manipulation of marionettes is not easy but the legendary Rufus Rose Marionettes were the perfect choice for the task in that era. Rufus, best known as Howdy Doody’s off-camera operator directed this program along with his wife Margo.

Dickens’ Christmas Carol was an Continue reading →

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SCROOGE (1935) ON THE TEXAS 27 FILM VAULT

Scrooge 1935Before MST3K there was … The Texas 27 Film Vault!

In the middle 1980s, way down on Level 31 Randy Clower and Richard Malmos, machine-gun toting Film Vault Technicians First Class hosted this neglected cult show.

Balladeer’s Blog continues its celebration of the program’s THIRTIETH  anniversary year.

SCROOGE (1935)

ORIGINAL BROADCAST DATE: December 14th, 1985

Flash Gordon Conquers the UniverseSERIAL: Before showing and mocking the movie our members of the Film Vault Corps showed and mocked a chapter of Flash Gordon Conquers the Universe (1940). In that serial Ming the Merciless unleashes a disease called the Purple Death on Earth, prompting Flash Gordon, Dale Arden and Dr Zarkov to fly to the planet Mongo to find a cure and defeat Ming for good.

HOST SEGMENTS: None have been unearthed for this episode yet. As always if any other fans of this show have any info they would like to share feel free to contact me at Thtcom15 at aol dot com    

We’ve come a long way toward tentatively reconstructing a tiny bit of this show’s history over the past few years so hopefully more memories will be jogged.

MOVIE: This is the notoriously cheapjack and rushed adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Continue reading →

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL: INUIT CARTOON VERSION (1988)

Balladeer’s Blog continues its annual look at various versions of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol!

inuit broadcasting corporationTAKUGINAI (December 1988) – As always I enjoy reviewing some of the most obscure and/ or neglected versions of the Carol that I can find. Takuginai was (and is) broadcast by the Inuit Broadcasting Corporation in the Northwest Territories of Canada. The half-hour program is a clever and energetic children’s show.  

In December of 1988 Takuginai‘s usual blend of puppetry and live-action squeezed in a cartoon version of A Christmas Carol as well. The animation is very VERY limited: think Clutch Cargo then strip away all the dazzling technical prowess. (Yes, it’s THAT limited.)   Continue reading →

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AMERICAN KAIJU: THE AMAZING COLOSSAL MAN VS THE DEADLY MANTIS

The Deadly Mantis

The Deadly Mantis

Episode Five of cult director Eddie Wozniak’s hot new cable show American Kaiju airs tonight! This time around Glenn Manning, the 60-ft tall Colossal Man, will spar with another famous “big bug” from the 1950s.

The Colossal Man’s foe in tonight’s episode will be the 200-ft long praying mantis from the 1957 film The Deadly Mantis. The enormous prehistoric creature thaws out in northern Canada and goes on a destructive rampage.

The Canadian government asks the U.S. to send their operative Glenn Manning up north to stop the giant mantis, prompting the folks at the Area 51 headquarters of the Colossal Man to come up with some fast cold weather duds for the huge fellow. Continue reading →

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CHRISTMAS CAROL-A-THON 2015 CONTINUES: VARIATIONS

Balladeer’s Blog continues its annual look at various versions of the Dickens classic A Christmas Carol! This particular item will examine episodes of television shows where the Carol was adapted to incorporate the program’s regular cast of characters.

wkrpWKRP IN CINCINNATI

Episode Title: Bah, Humbug

Original Broadcast Date: December 20th, 1980

Comment: Mr Carlson (Gordon Jump), the station owner, is the Scrooge stand-in in this fairly good sitcom version of the Carol.

Eating some of DJ Johnny Fever’s drug-laced brownies Carlson dreams about visits from the Ghost of Christmas Past – sexy Jennifer (Loni Anderson), Present – black DJ Venus Flytrap (Tim Reid) and Yet to Come – Dr Johnny Fever (Howard Hesseman).     Continue reading →

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS AND BOWL RESULTS

* NAIA *

Southern Oregon RaidersDEFENDING CHAMPS SURVIVE – The SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY RAIDERS – the defending champions of NAIA football – traveled to face the BAKER UNIVERSITY WILDCATS in this 2nd Round game. A 7-0 1st Quarter lead for the Raiders became a 14-10 Halftime advantage. The 3rd Quarter ended with Southern Oregon up 21-13 and from there the champs held on to win the game 24-19.  

St Francis (IN)A TALE OF TWO HALVES – The UNIVERSITY OF SAINT FRANCIS (IN) COUGARS hosted the MONTANA TECH OREDIGGERS in a Jekyll and Hyde affair. The 1st Quarter ended in a 7-7 tie and at the break the Cougars and Orediggers were knotted up at 14-14. In the 3rd Quarter St Francis exploded for 28 points and went on to win by a final score of 42-20. Continue reading →

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