Tag Archives: Best of 2021

Balladeer’s Blog wraps up its end of year retrospective with this look at October’s best. In 2022 I’m going to limit the retrospective to just January through September. 

LARAINE NEWMAN’S CANNED FILM FESTIVAL (1986) – After Elvira’s Movie Macabre, concurrent with The Texas 27 Film Vault and a few years before MST3K came this short-lived Movie Host show that presented bad and campy movies from the 1930s to 1960s. Click HERE. 

HORROR FILM: THE NEST OF THE CUCKOO BIRDS (1965) – I review this neglected horror film about a nude female slasher in a mask, human taxidermy and a sinister, isolated Florida hotel which lets you check in but not check out. Click HERE.

FAUST: THE PRE-SPAWN VERSION OF SPAWN – A look at the 1987-2012 horror hero whose comic book adventures featured over the top violence and pornographic sexuality so extreme that the book was banned in various countries around the world. Click HERE.  

MUSICAL MUTINY (1970) – My review of this bizarre film. Iron Butterfly themselves appear and do performances of several songs including In A Gadda Da Vida. Featuring a ghostly pirate, a mad scientist in his 20s and the defunct amusement park called Pirates World. Click HERE. 

DUNE AS AN OPERA CYCLE – Frank Herbert’s first few Dune novels presented as a cycle of operas.

Click HERE.

EVERYBODY BELIEVES THEY ARE ON “THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY” – Claiming to be on the right side of history is as meaningless as claiming you have God on your side. Click HERE.

GRAVEYARD SHIFT – A review of the first three volumes of the Malin/ Poulton team of monster superheroes. Meet Professor Blood, the Monster, the Bride, Ghost in the Machine, Monster Girl and Sea Urchin. For villains you have the likes of Lady Shoggoth, Killer 99 and the Crimson Guard. Click HERE.

TWO OVERLOOKED HORROR TALES FROM JULIAN HAWTHORNE (1888 and 1893) – Nathaniel Hawthorne’s son and two of his forgotten horror stories. In this case the short stories deal with Egyptian mummies on the loose and a female vampire. Click HERE. Continue reading →

Balladeer’s Blog continues its end of year retrospective with the Best of July:

THREE BIZARRELY WATCHABLE MOVIES – My review of the neglected movies Darker Than Amber (1970), Bloodbath (1975) and Circle of Power (1981). Very odd but very watchable. Click HERE.

ANALOG HORROR: I AM SOPHIE IS OVER – The creators of the unfiction piece I Am Sophie brought it to an end. Click HERE.

“DO YOU NOW OR HAVE YOU EVER OWNED A LEGO SET?” – Even as political witch hunts go, this is pathetic. Click HERE.

RYAN DRAKE NOVELS BY WILL JORDAN – Balladeer’s Blog’s look at the series of Ryan Drake spy novels written by the one and only Will Jordan. Click HERE.

DALLAS STOUDENMIRE: NEGLECTED GUNSLINGER – A Frontierado look at this old west figure. Click HERE.

DEMOCRATS STORM THE CAPITOL AND SET OFF EXPLOSIVES – Click HERE.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: THE ORIGINAL TEAM – I examine the Guardians’ stories from 1969-1977. Click HERE. 

And STAR-LORD: HIS 1970s ADVENTURES – Click HERE.

FRONTIERADO PARTY ESSENTIALS – The official list. Click HERE.

JOE BIDEN: DISASTER UPON DISASTER – Click HERE.

FOOL KILLER: JULY 1912 – The Fool Killer targets abuses by the monied class and follies by America’s political establishment. Click HERE.

THE APACHE KID – Another neglected but fascinating figure from the old west. Click HERE.

AND EVEN MORE NEGLECTED BATTLES FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – Some lesser known battles from 1778. Click HERE. Continue reading →

Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year retrospective continues with the Best of June:

PRIME CUT (1972) – My review of this neglected gangster movie about a Chicago enforcer sent to nip in the bud an incipient rebellion from a defiant Kansas crime boss who is technically subordinate to Chicago. Click HERE.

JUNETEENTH: THE DAY DEMOCRATS LOST THEIR SLAVES – The Democrats and their long love of their “peculiar institution” of slavery. Click HERE. More HERE.

TEN TELEVISION FLOPS – Balladeer’s Blog’s look at ten bizarre, failed attempts at launching a television series. Click HERE.

FIRST SIXTEEN FIGHTING YANK STORIES FROM THE 1940s – The early tales of the patriotic Nedor superhero. Click HERE.

ESTABLISHMENT FEAR OF POPULISM – America’s notoriously corrupt political establishment has always feared and attacked great populist leaders like William Jennings Bryan, Eugene Debs and Donald Trump. The white-collar criminals who run our political system condemn populism with ever-changing slurs. Click HERE.

LIGHT SPEED ESPER (1967-1968) – An overlooked science fiction television series from Japan about a heroic boy who fights off invading aliens with the high-tech suit he wears. Click HERE.

THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION IN THE SECOND MADAGASCAR CONFLICT – A look at the Legion’s 1894-1895 participation in the French invasion of Madagascar. Click HERE.

I WOKE UP EARLY THE DAY I DIED (1998) – My review of the Billy Zane movie based on the legendary unproduced script written by THE Ed Wood. Click HERE.

AUSTRALIAN NEWS SAYS THE WORLD NEEDS MORE TRUMPS AND FEWER BIDENS – Click HERE.

SHANG-CHI: HIS FIRST TWELVE ADVENTURES – An examination of Shang-Chi’s first 12 stories in the 1970s. Click HERE.

MORE NEGLECTED AMERICAN VICTORIES IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR – A look at several overlooked battles from late 1775 and most of 1776. Click HERE.

THE YEAR 2440 (1771): ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION – In this old forbidden book which was owned by both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, we readers get a glimpse of life on Earth in the title year. Click HERE.

THE PEOPLE VS JOE BIDEN – The corrupt yet senile Joe Biden is even worse than the repulsive George W Bush. Articles covering Biden’s many crimes against the rest of us are right HERE, HERE, and HERE.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR: PRIVATEER ACTION IN SEPTEMBER OF 1778 – The title says it all about one of the busiest months for American Privateers during the war. Click HERE. Continue reading →

Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year retrospective continues with this look at May’s best.

BEYOND THE UNIVERSE (1981) – My review of the tenth and final hilariously bad science fiction film from 1980 and 1981 by the Anne Spielberg, Robert Emenegger and Allan Sandler team. Yes, ten films in two years.

This one is set in the year 2081 as the Earth is facing the end and struggles to contact Higher Intelligences in the universe to come to the rescue. Click HERE.

THE REAL DIVIDE IN AMERICA: DEMOCRATS VS THE REST OF US – A piece about how the real divisiveness in America is not black vs white, rich vs poor, gay vs straight, etc. It’s really Democrats vs the rest of us. *** Remember, the people who call others White Supremacists do not speak for all black people, they speak for DEMOCRATS, some of whom happen to be black.

*** People who insist other people must lose their jobs and/or be driven from an entire profession for expressing opinions that supposedly “offend” or “marginalize” entire groups do not speak for those entire groups, they speak only for DEMOCRATS.

*** People who oppose voter i.d. do not represent all people of color, they represent DEMOCRATS.

*** People who pretend to represent educators do not represent all educators, they represent DEMOCRATS in the education field. Democrats file complaints about or otherwise harass anyone who expresses dissenting opinions.

*** People who insist that “some males menstruate” or “some men can become pregnant” (and want everyone who disagrees to be utterly destroyed) do not represent all trans-people. They represent DEMOCRATS, who relate to every issue ONLY in terms of how much hatred and division it can be used to spread. FOR THE WHOLE ITEM CLICK HERE.

ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION – Remarkable Experiences In Another World (1899) HERE, In The Year 10,000 (1890) HERE.

AMERICAN FORCES FIGHTING IN RUSSIA: SEPTEMBER 1918 to JANUARY 1920 – The often forgotten veterans who fought in actions on Russian soil. Click HERE.

FIRST TWENTY BLACK CONDOR STORIES FROM THE 1940s – The Quality Comics superhero in action. Click HERE.

FEW THINGS ARE MORE TRUE THAN ITEMS THAT WERE HYSTERICALLY CALLED “TRUMP LIES”- Click HERE.

WITH THE FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION IN SYRIA (1928) – A memoir from a Legionnaire about the war in Syria during the 1920s. Click HERE.

SEVEN BURIED TREASURES THAT HAVE YET TO BE FOUND – Click HERE.

AMERICAN TELEVISION 1940 – Highlights of U.S. broadcasting in 1940. Click HERE.

FACULTY LOUNGE FASCIST ROUNDUP: MAY 22nd – Click HERE.

MARVEL COMICS IN THE 1940s – When they were called Timely Comics.

           All Twenty All Winners Comics issues from the 1940s. Click HERE.

           Marvel’s Forgotten 1940s Superheroes – Click HERE. Marvel’s One-Appearance Heroes of the 1940s – Click HERE. Continue reading →

Balladeer’s Blog’s end of year retrospective continues with a look at April’s best.

EIGHT JAMES WOODS MOVIES – My reviews of James Woods films like Videodrome, Salvador, The Hard Way and others. Click HERE.

BAKARIDJAN KONE – A neglected epic myth from Africa. Click HERE.

THE SCARLET PLAGUE (1912) – Jack London’s often forgotten science fiction work about a world ravaged by class divisions and a deadly disease. Click HERE.

JIM HENSON’S PROTO-MUPPETS WILKINS AND WONTKINS (1957-1961) – A fascinating look at Henson’s early work. Click HERE.

QUALITY COMICS SUPERHEROES – A look at the 1940s and 1950s superheroes from Quality Comics. Figures like Phantom Lady, Margo the Magician, Uncle Sam, Black Condor, etc. Click HERE.

JOE BIDEN: AUSTRALIAN NEWS ON BIDEN’S STUPIDITY BEING A THREAT TO THE WEST – Biden has been even worse than expected. Click HERE. And HERE.

CAMERONE DAY – The French Foreign Legion’s most hallowed military action. Click HERE.

AGON: ATOMIC DRAGON (1964) – The often forgotten giant Japanese kaiju monster. Click HERE.

TRUMP VINDICATED YET AGAIN – And another anti-Trump lie was exposed, adding to the long, long list. Click HERE.

FOOL KILLER – March 1912, as he targeted corrupt lawmen and lawyers, Click HERE … April 1912, as he targeted the Steel Trust, political corruption rings and more. Click HERE.

ANTIFA SETS FIRE TO OCCUPIED BUILDING – Hate squads are gonna hate squad. Click HERE.

THE CLOCK: His first 1930s adventures. Click HERE.

ANCIENT SCIENCE FICTION – Steam Man of the Prairies (1868) HERE, Are The Planets Inhabited? (1913) HERE, and Cavern of Fire (1888) HERE.
Continue reading →

Because December is the time for end of the year retrospectives, here is a look at Balladeer’s Blog’s Best of February 2021.

LIFEPOD (1981) – My review of another of the 10 cheapjack Robert Emenegger/ Allan Sandler science fiction movies from 1980 and 1981. In my view this is the best of the bunch. For the review click HERE.

ANALOG ARCHIVES & CHANNEL 7 – Balladeer’s Blog’s review of two of the internet’s best works of “Unfiction” (all-video ARGs mixed with elements similar to Creepypastas). These two are complete and can be viewed in their entirety. Click HERE.

THE DEFENDERS: THEIR FIRST TWENTY 1970s STORIES – The opening tales of the Defenders, back before they were the mere street-level heroes that fans consider them today.

Members included Hulk, Dr Strange, Sub-Mariner, Valkyrie, Silver Surfer and more. Click HERE.

1912: BATTLE OF THE THREE PRESIDENTS – The memorable race of 1912, pitting Theodore Roosevelt against Woodrow Wilson and William Howard Taft. Click HERE.

FOOL KILLER: NOVEMBER 1911 – Click HERE.

RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE MOABITE CIPHER – My review of the final episode of the 1971-1973 BBC series, this one featuring a Dr Thorndyke mystery. Plus a look at the subsequent radio series about Holmes’ rivals. Click HERE.

TRUMBO (2015)- My review of the movie that proves Democrat hypocrisy is hilarious. We need 3rd Parties. Click HERE.

FOURTEEN FAILED PREDICTIONS BY SCIENTISTS – Women buying embryos to get implanted? Moon colonies by the year 2000? Soldiers with Anti-Grav belts? Japan and China facing mass starvation? Click HERE.

AUSTRALIA POINTS OUT JOE BIDEN’S SENILITY – Click HERE. Continue reading →

December is the time for end of the year retrospectives, so here is a look at Balladeer’s Blog’s Best of January 2021.

MYSTERIOUS PLANET (1982) – My review of this forgotten science fiction bomb which vaguely parallels the Jules Verne novel Mysterious Island. This unintentionally hilarious flick is one of the worst movies ever made. Click HERE. 

SIXTEEN FAILED PREDICTIONS FROM 1975 – Four provinces seceding from Canada to join the United States? Indonesia trying to conquer Australia? A military junta in France? All this and more with a look at predictions which were WAY off. Click HERE.

THE GODFATHER CODA (2020 Edit) – My review of Francis Ford Coppola’s December 2020 re-edit of Godfather III. I look at the reshuffling of scenes, the omission of some and different takes for others. Click HERE.

DYSTOPIA NATION: TECHNO TYRANTS – A fanciful tale of Big Tech tyranny which has in many ways come true. Click HERE.

RIVALS OF SHERLOCK HOLMES – Episodes of the 1970s series. Duckworth Drew HERE, Charles Dallas HERE, J.T. Laxworthy HERE, and Professor Van Dusen HERE.

ANNE SPIELBERG – Steven’s sister was involved with some very bad science fiction flops in 1980 and 1981. My reviews of them are HERE.

BEST OF BIDEN GOOFS AND GAFFES – The hilarious mock commercial for a collection of Joe Biden’s blithering idiocy. Click HERE. Continue reading →