ANDROMEDA NEBULA (1967) – This movie was adapted from the 1957 novel Andromeda: A Space Age Tale by Ivan Yefremov. Unusual for sci-fi writers in the Soviet Union under Stalin, Yefremov courageously defied some of the political limitations that the blood-soaked dictator and his regime placed on fiction. Ivan is credited for, among other things, breaking free of the Soviet policy that limited futuristic tales to just a few years in the future. He continued that trailblazing in his works after Stalin died.
And that brings us back to Andromeda Nebula. The story is set over a millenium in the future, when an Age of World Unification (under a Soviet system, of course) was followed by the establishment of the Ring aka the Great Circle. The Ring is a loosely affiliated assortment of planets who exchange scientific and cultural information and try to facilitate each other’s efforts to colonize space.
In the universe of Andromeda Nebula, faster than light travel does not yet exist, so communication between planets takes between decades and centuries. This imposes certain limits that similar fictional planetary alliances don’t have to deal with, and the movie focuses on the dramas that could unfold within those confines. Continue reading
THE AMOROUS FLEA (January 6th) – Majestic Productions put together this operatic comedy adaptation of Moliere’s play School for Wives. A young woman raised in virtual isolation is competed over by her much older patron and the son of that patron’s best friend. Lew Parker starred in this 90-minute presentation, repeating his stage role as the older suitor Arnolphe. 
KNOCKING OFF NUMBER ONE – The TALLAHASSSEE COLLEGE EAGLES (should be the Laddies) hosted the number 1 team in the nation – the CHIPOLA COLLEGE INDIANS. At Halftime the score was knotted up at 24-24 but after the break the Eagles made their move, ultimately toppling the Indians 62-54. Tallahassee’s Addison Patterson led the victors with 13 points. 
CENTURY CLUB – Teams notching 100 or more points in Regulation: The ARIZONA WESTERN COLLEGE MATADORS downed the PHOENIX COLLEGE BEARS 109-80 ### Meanwhile, the LEE COLLEGE REBELS won 111-78 at the JACKSONVILLE COLLEGE JAGUARS ### And the INDIAN RIVER STATE PIONEERS routed their hosts the STATE COLLEGE OF FLORIDA MANATEES 103-69. 
Anyway, the Marvel Comics Captain Marvel, who debuted in the 1960s, was an alien Captain of the Kree Starfleet ships sent to conquer the Earth for the Kree Empire. His real name is conveniently Mar-Vell so when he identified himself in his early adventures the media mistook “Captain Mar-Vell” for Captain Marvel, hence his superhero moniker. 
N.E.T. PLAYHOUSE (1966-1972) – This anthology series from National Educational Television presented dramas, comedies, fantasies and musicals. Many were produced by N.E.T. themselves, others were produced overseas and a very few were movies theatrically released before being shown on N.E.T. Playhouse. 
TEN BLOCKS ON THE CAMINO REAL (October 7th) – Martin Sheen starred as the downtrodden ex-boxer Kilroy in this 90-minute episode adapted from the play by Tennessee Williams. Janet Margolin, Albert Dekker and Lotte Lenya also starred.
ARIZONA’S RED GHOST – From 1883 to 1893 Arizona was the home to multiple sightings of a monstrous four-legged creature with red fur ridden by a skeletal man or ghost. Unlike most legends that center around ghosts or cryptids, this one ends with physical remains and a rational explanation grounded in history. 
When the two husbands returned, they saw the woman’s remains and followed the tracks until they petered out, finding red fur in bushes and tree branches along the path of whatever had killed the unfortunate wife. The Mohave County Miner newspaper stated that the coroner’s report found that the death had happened by “some manner unknown”. 
SPACE COMMAND (1953-1954) – Long, long before the recent television series of this name came Canada’s Space Command. James “Scotty” Doohan was Phil Mitchell, Robert Barclay played Frank Anderson, the 20-something young man who was the ostensible star of the show, Harry Geldard portrayed Captain Steve Cassell and Austin Willis was Dr. Fleming. 
ONE HUNDRED FORTY-FIVE – Both teams made the Century Club in this game between the BLUEFIELD STATE BIG BLUES and their guests the JOHNSON & WALES UNIVERSITY (NC) WILDCATS. Defense was not an option, apparently, as the Big Blues led by the unbelievable score of 82-46 at Halftime before going on to win the game 145-106. Malik Lacewell led Bluefield State with 25 points, Malik Tidwell logged 20 points and Khamaury McMillan registered a Double-Double of 12 points and 10 rebounds. 
INSTANT CLASSIC – The MIDATLANTIC CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY MUSTANGS took the court against the VIRGINIA PENINSULA COLLEGE GATORS. At the Half the Mustangs were clinging to a tight 32-30 edge. After the break MACU kept the Gators at arm’s length the rest of the way enroute to a 70-68 victory. Noah Richardson-Keys led the victors with 22 points. 
Balladeer's Blog 