With Venezuela’s announcement that they want to annex Guyana we all got another reminder that centuries-old issues can turn hot again at any moment. The 19th Century situation when Venezuela and Great Britain nearly went to war over what was then called (and spelled) “British Guiana” was fodder for my “What if” speculations about another Harry Flashman adventure never completed before George MacDonald Fraser’s death.
IF HE WAS BRITISH, LEE HORSLEY WOULD HAVE MADE A PERFECT HARRY FLASHMAN.
Projected Title: FLASHMAN’S GUIANA
Time Period: 1876-1877
NOTE: The title Flashman’s Guiana is a play on “Booker’s Guiana,” as the colony of British Guiana (19th century spelling) was often sardonically referred to in the 1800s. That reference came about from the way the Booker business empire virtually ran the colony. From a 21st Century standpoint we might look on it in a sinister Weyland-Yutani way.
… Strictly for storytelling purposes, of course, if you’re a lawyer representing the Booker Group. Honest. Really. (Although after this latest merger I don’t know if anybody would still care.) Anyway, as you readers have requested, this time I’ll establish the action then go back to detail the setup.
The Action: Sir Harry Flashman and his wife Elspeth visit British Guiana right after their American Tour ended in August 1876. A combination of Her Majesty’s Government’s interests and Flashman’s own hunger for large amounts of filthy lucre to sustain his and Elspeth’s grand new lifestyle wind up launching the British blackguard into his latest adventure.
Sword and pistols in hand, Harry leaves Elspeth back in the capital city of Georgetown while he takes part in a covert search for gold in the jungle region disputed by Great Britain and Venezuela. Continue reading
THE KEEP (1983) – My review of this love-it-or-hate-it movie directed by Michael Mann. Part horror, part fantasy, The Keep could have been a classic but wasn’t. During World War Two, Nazis uncover a site which holds a demonic entity, and while it’s fun watching it prey on the S.S. troopers the entity goes on to prey on innocent people as well. 
RAFAEL SABATINI NOVELS – Balladeer’s Blog’s review of several books by the writer of many, many swashbuckling, sword-swinging tales of pirates, rebels, knights and cavaliers. In addition to well-known Sabatini classics like Captain Blood, Scaramouche, The Sea Hawk and The Black Swan I also reviewed overlooked works like The Tavern Knight, Love at Arms and Venetian Masque. CLICK 
THUNDER WARRIOR: ALL THREE MOVIES – The trilogy of movies in which cult actor Mark Gregory starred as a combination of Rambo and Billy Jack, waging all-out war on corrupt law enforcement, corrupt businesses and corrupt politicians in unrealistic but kickass ways. CLICK 
HOLLYWOOD (1980) – A week ago Balladeer’s Blog took a look at the classic documentaries 
THE PIONEERS – A look at the era when movie production was predominantly in New York and New Jersey, until expenses and encroachments by organized crime forced the industry to migrate to Hollywood, CA, a place then known mostly for its lemon groves. Featuring footage from The Great Train Robbery (1903) on up through films from the mid-teens and the 1920s like Ben-Hur (1925), The Black Pirate (1926), The Fire Brigade (1927) and The Wind (1928). 
SINGLE BEDS AND DOUBLE STANDARDS – Stories from the raucous, hard-partying years of Hollywood’s silent movie era. As 
WKRP IN CINCINNATI 
FIRST QUARTERFINAL – The COLLEGE OF IDAHO COYOTES were on the road at the GRAND VIEW UNIVERSITY VIKINGS (should be Zebras). Grand View U. was on top 3-0 in the 1st Quarter and 9-0 come Halftime. The Coyotes cut their deficit to 17-14 in the 3rd Quarter on their way to a 31-17 comeback victory.
SECOND QUARTERFINAL – Up next the GEORGETOWN (KY) COLLEGE TIGERS hosted the INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY WILDCATS. Neither team scored in the opening Quarter but the Tigers took a 21-0 lead with them into the Half. The Wildcats outscored GC 21-10 after the break, but the Tigers won 31-21. 
ADVENTURE COMICS Vol 1 #461 (February 1979) 
Synopsis: Bill Jensen, a corrupt former D.A. just released from prison, has been gifted with superpowers like the ability to shoot mystic energy blasts, conjure up unearthly fire, walk up walls, produce a force field and more. He refuses to reveal how he has gained these powers. 
ANDROMEDA NEBULA (1967) – My review of this pioneering science fiction film from Russia about organized space travel in the far future. Sort of a combination of Dune, Star Trek and Alien. CLICK 
THE GRAND DETECTIVES (1975) – A French television series in the tradition of Rivals of Sherlock Holmes and which presented other fictional detectives solving mysteries. Classy production. Featured American detective Nick Carter, French detective Monsieur Lecoq, Belgian Inspector Wens, Irish detective Slim Callaghan and, of course, Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes. CLICK 
NEW YEAR’S DAY (1989) – My review of this early film featuring David Duchovny. Directed by Henry Jaglom. CLICK 
CARRY ON CHRISTMAS (1969) – Balladeer’s Blog’s 14th Annual Christmas Carol-A-Thon continues with this 50-minute British television version of the Carol starring most of the Carry On regulars. The Carry On movies were long before my time and weren’t my kind of humor for the most part. (I’m more of a Monty Python, Blackadder, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore and Absolutely Fabulous sort of guy.) 
Reactions to Balladeer’s Blog’s reviews of silent movies have been positive enough that I’d like to offer a quick take on a few multi-part documentary series on the subject. Both were from British Film Historian Kevin Brownlow, who did a better job of depicting the Age of Silent Movies than any Americans ever did. 
PART ONE – From Vaudeville to Movies: Brownlow and his colleagues scoured the best available footage remaining from Buster Keaton’s silent comedies. (For newbies to silent film history I’ll mention that countless movies from that period are lost forever due to decomposition prior to efforts to preserve them.)
A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2006) – This computer-animation version of the Dickens classic was produced by BKN and distributed by Genius Entertainment, Kidtoon Films and Image Entertainment. Ric Machin directed. The 48 minute film had a brief theatrical run in November of 2006 before being released on home video. 
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