Here at Balladeer’s Blog I’ve made no secret of the fact that I’m an enormous fan of Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Scott Spiegel, Josh Becker, Robert Tapert and all the rest of the Michigan gang who hit the jackpot with the original The Evil Dead (1981, 1983). Ever since then they’ve starred in, written, and directed countless other movies and television projects like Hercules the Legendary Journeys, Spider-Man, Adventures of Brisco County Jr, you name it.
Even before The Evil Dead, the gang had been making amateur Super-8 short films emphasizing the kind of cornball, slapstick humor you’d expect of creative teens goofing around with their very first movie productions. Like many fans I first caught glimpses of the shorts in the Sam Raimi episode of The Incredibly Strange Film Show which also featured Within the Woods, the Evil Dead proof of concept short.
CLEVELAND SMITH: BOUNTY HUNTER (1982) – This last of the Michigan Mafia’s short films is among the most accessible and enjoyable. I review the older ones below. As the title indicates, this 9-minute flick was one of the earliest Raiders of the Lost Ark parodies ever made.
The talent of those involved triumphed over the tiny budget and lame special effects as Bruce Campbell portrayed the mustachioed Cleveland Smith, heroic man of action. This short opens in mock-Republic Serial fashion, pretending this is Chapter 36 of Smith’s adventures.
Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter plays like a live-action Warner Brothers or Woody Woodpecker cartoon and is a fun watch on that level. The Michigan gang’s infectious enthusiasm carries the comedy short, helped by the “cool” factor of knowing what the gang members went on to achieve in the years ahead.
Sam Raimi played a Nazi villain and Evil Dead costar Cheryl Guttridge played Sally, Cleveland Smith’s pith-helmeted girlfriend. Scott Spiegel, Ted Raimi, Robert “Mr. Lucy Lawless” Tapert and Bridget Hoffman portrayed the native jungle tribe like the one in the Indiana Jones movie. Continue reading
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I was happy when Lizard Planet started selling Murph Merchandise comparatively recently. We got Murph calendars for different rooms but if calendars aren’t your thing there are magnets, mugs, hoodies, cards, throw pillows, shopping totes and more! 
NBC OPERA THEATRE (1949-1964) – Believe it or not, television networks used to regularly broadcast presentations of operas. Gradually, declining public interest drove operas off the networks and onto educational television. 
These are the legends about Charlemagne and his Paladins, not the actual history, so there will be dragons, monsters and magic. 
IF YOU WERE A TREE – The SUNY COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & FORESTRY MIGHTY OAKS welcomed the JEFFERSON COLLEGE CANNONEERS. The Mighty Oaks seized control early, leading 47-31 by Halftime and ultimately defeating the Cannoneers by a final score of 96-74. Patrick Emery led SUNY-ESF with his 27 points. 
USCAA OVER D2 – The USCAA’s NEWPORT NEWS APPRENTICE SCHOOL BUILDERS (Shipbuilders) played host to NCAA Division Two’s CHEYNEY UNIVERSITY WOLVES. The Wolves led 41-38 at the midpoint but the Builders outscored them 47-34 from there for an 85-75 victory over the higher division team. Adrion Wall’s 22 points led the Apprentice School. 
THE CAT – Greer Nelson caught on to a conspiracy to take over the world via armies of women clad in superpower-granting costumes. She donned the prototype and called herself the Cat before taking down the entire sinister organization. 
TIGRA THE WERE-WOMAN – After the Cat’s series got canceled from low sales Marvel added Greer Nelson to their 1970s horror characters as Tigra. The Cat was mortally wounded in a battle with Hydra, but Marvel’s race of cat-people saved her life by granting her an amulet that turned her into Tigra the Were-Woman. 
As an appreciative shoutout to James Woods, one of the wildfire victims in California, here’s a Balladeer’s Blog look at 8 of his films. 
VIDEODROME (1983) 
BABYLON ELECTRIFIED (1888) – Written by Albert Bleunard. In the tradition of his fellow Frenchman, Jules Verne, Bleunard crafted this work of science fiction with an international cast. 
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