Villain of the Week- Ruggedo, AKA Roquat, the Nome King

From Wiki- The character called the Nome King is originally named Roquat the Red. Later, he takes the name Ruggedo, which Baum first used in a stage adaptation. Even after Ruggedo loses his throne, he continues to think of himself as king and the Oz book authors politely refer to him that way.   In Baum's universe, the Nomes are immortal rock fairies who dwell underground. They hide jewels and precious metals in the earth, and resent the "upstairs people" who dig down for those valuables. Apparently as revenge, the Nome King enjoys keeping surface-dwellers as slaves—not for their labor but simply to have them.  The Nomes' greatest fear are eggs. Upon seeing Billina, Roquat is terrified, declaring that "Eggs are poison to Nomes!" He claims that any Nome who comes in contact with an egg will be weakened to the point that he can be easily destroyed unless he speaks a magic word only known to a few Nomes. back to me: 

1052. The real Revenge of the Creature review!

One really feels bad for the poor Creature.  They could have left him alone, especially if he was the last of his kind.

Slade - Cum On Feel The Noize | Live on Disco (1973)

This is NOT a live version of the song, though being charitable it can be called a live performance.

1051. The merry Micronauts 09-12 review!

This show should have been broadcast.  It is pretty good.

1050. The arty Agatha All Along 03-04 review!

This is a really good show, almost halfway in, that is!

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-23-1986

Social commentary in later Calvin strips was not unusual, with people whining about it.

1049. The wild War of the Monsters review!

Yeah, I have talked about this movie before.  It is still above Zigra, though!

Flipper 1963

From Wiki- Flipper is a 1963 American adventure film written by Arthur Weiss^[3] based upon a story by Ricou Browning and Jack Cowden. Produced by Ivan Tors and directed by James B. Clark, the film centers on a 12-year-old boy living with his parents in the Florida Keys who befriends an injured wild dolphin. The boy and the dolphin become inseparable, eventually overcoming the misgivings of the boy's fisherman father.  back to me:

1048. The haunting Halloween Tree review!

This is quite good, and I want to read the original novel now.  Then possibly review both!

1047. The Paul Lynde Halloween Special review!

At least I have a reason for not posting this yesterday, since I had one earlier in the day.  Yay excuses!

1046. Patrick Stewart in Memoriam

Damn it, I did not expect to do another one of these so soon.  Especially about Sir Patrick Stewart.

1045. The dashing Diamond Eye 17- 20 review!

They figured out the formula, but alas, it appears to be a bit too late.

Classix Nouveaux - Guilty (Long Version)

This showed up recently, though I think it is a remixed video of the song.  The LP version, which is great, is added to a "live" performance.

1044. The visual VisionQuest 03 Reboot review!

The show is cooking right along, and this time we get episode specific pictures!

Villain of the Week- Berg Katse

From Wiki- The second-in-command of Galactor is an androgynous, masked antagonist named Berg Katse, who is later revealed to be a gender-shifting, genetically engineered mutant acting on the orders of the head of Galactor, Leader X, an alien Artificial Intelligence that is hell-bent on destroying the human race. The mechas produced by Galactor are often animal-based.^[5] They appeared in every episode to carry out the plans of Galactor for world domination. They are later revealed to have been manipulated to join Galactor by X in order to become his pawn.  Back to me:

1043. The fun Frankenstein meets the Wolf Man review!

Saw this one several times as a kid, and with all the info out now, it makes more sense.

1042. RIP Walter Koenig 1936-2026

Here's my small tribute to this great actor, whom I met personally over 45 years ago.

1041. The modular Micronauts 05-08 review!

We learn how Oberon came to be in the form he currently has, and that cats still rule.

RIP Walter Koenig

 Pavel Chekov, Alfred Besterm just two of the characters Walter played in his life.  I didn't realize he was 90.

Calvin and Hobbes 03-22-1986

The first appearance of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs!  I am still surprised that no cereal company marketed these.

1040. The rad Riders to the Stars review!

This is a true hard science fiction movie, and sadly... well, it is good, but not great.

Gold Key Club News from September of 1970

I miss comic books like this, that were on newsprint and had all kinds of interesting pages in them.

1039. The chaotic Kamen Rider The First review!

I did review this years ago on the site here, but my thoughts are pretty much the same now.

The Phantom Cruiser!

What a great looking ship!  Space ships in the 60s were so great looking.

1038. The 7 Creature Song Friday 10-23-26!

What fun this one was!  Who knew there were so many songs about our beloved Creature?

Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man Official Trailer

This movie could have been a lot more fun had the studio let it be.  And there was only one battle between the creatures.

1037. The deft Diamond Eye 13-16 review!

oh, NOW YouTube thinks that the opening to Diamond Eye should be excised from the episode.

Good advice from Mom

Raiko's mom is not wrong about this.  Too bad his taste in women is rather questionable.

1036. The vivid VisionQuest 02 review!

Boy this episode sure made me happy with ONE picture.  You can see it on this very blog as well.

Villain of the Week- The White Witch

 

From Wiki- Jadis was born on an unknown date long before the creation of Narnia. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe she is identified by a character as a descendant of giants and Adam's first wife (Lilith):

She'd like us to believe [that she is a human], and it's on that that she bases her claim to be Queen. But she's no Daughter of Eve. She comes of your father Adam's ... first wife, her they called Lilith. And she was one of the Jinn. That's what she comes from on one side. And on the other she comes of the giants. No, no, there isn't a drop of real Human blood in the Witch. (8.35)

Jadis died in battle in Narnian year 1000, meaning that she lived for well over 1,000 years.

1035. The crafty Curse of the Aztec Mummy review!

The second movie in the Aztec Mummy series is pretty entertaining- the short run time does help!

1034. The apt Agatha All Along 01-02 review!

I like the show so far.  Even if they want us to believe Wanda is actually dead.

"Agatha All Along" song (from WandaVision)

Boy, I was SHOCKED to find out Agatha Harkness was the real villain in this show.  This stems from me knowing the comic book Agatha pretty well.

1033. The mighty Micronauts 01-04 review!

I do love that I have a Micronauts label here.  No idea what I have used it for.

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-21-1986

I never cared much for tire swings.  I do wonder how Calvin figured out he could take a tire off a car.

1032. This Island, Earth, revisited!

Well... another movies I want to like more than I do.  Don't ask me why (apologies to Paul Simon).

Kamen Rider: The First

Rewatching this for the first time in over fourteen years.  I remember some of it, but not a lot.

1031. The same Shaolin Hand Lock review!

Well, proof that I don't love every Shaw Brothers movie I watch.

Agatha All Along

Since I started watching VisionQuest I realized I had better catch up on this show as well.

1030. It's the Great Pumpkin again review!

One is a classic, and one SHOULD be, but it is not.

Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1956) trailer

This is a great movie, but it is not one I love.  It is the first part of Svengoolie tomorrow.

1029. The dire Diamond Eye 09-12 review!

The show is moving along nicely, but the plot is not quite clear enough.

At last! Xenorama #76 is almost ready!

I have so many issues nearly finished, I have to have more discipline.  Time flies by, and the podcast does take up a bit of it.  However, I do think there will be more issues next year.  I didn't realize how long it had been since the last one!
 

1028. The vivid Vision Quest 01 thoughts!

Yeah, I couldn't resist doing this.  I learned a few things, and will be addressing those.

Villain of the Week- Z-1

From The DC Database: Z-1 was an extraterrestrial robotic missile that had been dumped on the planet Space Junkyard 9. A solar flare reactivated him and he began to feel lonely. He tried to build a wife out of the surrounding junk, but he was unable to as he kept creating mindless replicas of himself, dubbed as Missile Men. Z-1 then decided if he cannot build a companion he will find one. Z-1 decided that Platinum of the Metal Men would become his wife.^[1]  He sent his mechanical army of Missile Men to Earth to find her and capture her. The Missile Men destroyed Tin and Mercury, but were later rebuilt. Doc Magnus used a machine to magnetize the Missile Men into each other. They formed a giant metal ball that sank to the bottom of the ocean.^[1]  Back to me:

1027. The wild Wolf Man review!

What a great and highly influential movie this is!

Poison - Talk Dirty To Me - Unplugged - 1990

The sign of a good to great song is the ability to play it without gadgets and in different styles.

1026. The specterific Space Ghost 19-20 Finale!

It is a sad day here in Fossil Bed, since the Space Ghost reviews are at an end.  Ever so sad.

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-20-1986

I would still be in my room if I had ever tried this at Calvin's age.

1025. it's the most Munster Go Home review!

This is a movie I am so familiar with, the characters all seem like old friends.

Space Ghost and the Black Widow

Yeah, I am thinking the Black Widow has more than a passing interest in Space Ghost.

1024. The manic Magnificent Butcher review!

I really thought I liked this movie a lot, but now that I have watched it again...

Black Widow is obssesed...

Tell me she is not thinking about Space Ghost ALL THE TIME.

1023. 7 Bat Song Friday!

Pity poor Russia, they are blocked from seeing this wonderful video!

Berserk! (1967) Theatrical Trailer

Sorry, but this does not look appealing to me at all.  And I have sat through TROG!

1022. The dark Diamond Eye 05-08 review!

Four more episodes of this rather interesting show.

The Magnificent Butcher 1979

This is a Sammo Hung movie very much in the mold of Drunken Master.  It's kinda dire, though.

1021. The salient Sea Monsters of Long Ago review!

A review of two books!  One got more attention than the other one!

Villain of the Week- The Gryphon (Millie Cruikshank)

The Gryphon is the mastermind behind a smuggling ring in England.  Spoiler alert: She is picture here.

1020. The bold Batman vs. Dracula review!

This is a made for video movie from The Batman series.

Epoxies- Stop Looking at Me

Boy I love this band.  They deserved to be much more successful.

1019. The civil Space Ghost 16-18 review!

We wrap up season one with this episode, but there is one more episode!

1018. The Wonders of The Wizard of Oz!

A short episode with a few thoughts about how great this movie is.

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-19-1986

Another slight interaction with Moe.  I kinda feel sorry for Moe.

1017. The innate Invisible Man Returns review!

Here is a direct sequel to the original movie, and it is pretty good overall.

Dino Boy vs. Turu!

This sort of thing happened several times in the Dino Boy episodes.  They remind older eyes of scenes in certain Ray Harryhausen movies, though Dino Boy was released the same year as One Million Year, BC.

1016. The surprise Ultraman The Adventure Begins review!

A failed pilot for a US based Ultraman series.  It works pretty well, even if very predictable.

The Impossibles Puzzle

These sort of puzzles were popular, I think, from the 60s to the 70s.  I never saw any of them that were this cool.

1015. The 1001 Arabian Nights Magoo review!

This is a pretty fun little movie, though very familiar.  Some interesting wordplay, which is quite funny.

The Invisible Man Returns (1940) Official Trailer

Some "nine" years later, the formally unknown brother of Griffin turns an innocent man invisible.

1014. The dizzy Diamond Eye 01-04 review!

This is a very interesting Toho TV series.  I have always wanted to see it subtitled!

Le'ts all go to the Lobby

These were for double features, usually at the drive-ins.

1013. The wacky World of Oz book review!

I cannot believe I have had this book for about 40 years now.

Villain(s) of the Week- Zensei Majin(前世魔人)

From Villains Wiki- The Kaijin that appeared in the 1973 tokusatsu, Diamond Eye. They’re called Zensei Majin(前世魔人 Zensei majin) and are a clan of demons who nest in the evil spirit world. Almost all of them have the ability to disguise themselves as human beings while performing crimes in the human world in an attempt to conquer all of Asia. In the first seven episodes, Diamond Eye faced against a member from the seven different clans of the Zensei Majin in each episode. Afterwards, different members of the same clan would repeatedly appear with the exact same appearance as the ones he first fought.  Back to me:

1012. The eye-conic Invasion of the Saucer-Men review!

This is a very memorable movie due to the titular aliens.  I never did see it growing up, though.

The Runaways- Cherry Bomb

I am still sort of surprised this band didn't make it bigger in the States, though hearing all the backstory, well... 

1011. The smart Space Ghost 13-15 review!

And yes, SHE returns for revenge!

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-18-1986

This is the first time Dad is "up" in the polls.  I wonder how Calvin learned about this and decided to use it against his dad.

1010. The languid Land that Time Forgot review!

Heh, once again I forgot to schedule this.  If I ever get sent away for assignment, I will have to write things down...

Invasion of the Saucer Men poster

From Wiki-  Invasion of the Saucer Men (U.K. title: Invasion of the Hell Creatures; working title: Spacemen Saturday Night), is a 1957 black-and-white comic science fiction/comedy horror film produced by James H. Nicholson for release by American International Pictures. The film was directed by Edward L. Cahn and stars Stephen Terrell, Gloria Castillo, Raymond Hatton, and Frank Gorshin. The alien costumes were designed by Paul Blaisdell, who played one of the creatures in the film, along with dwarf actor Angelo Rossitto and Blaisdell's friend Bob Burns III. Special effects were handled by Howard A. Anderson and Alex Weldon, and Don Ament was Art Director.^[1]

The screenplay by Robert J. Gurney Jr. and Al Martin was based on the 1955 short story "The Cosmic Frame" by Paul W. Fairman. Invasion of the Saucer Men was released as a double feature with I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957).^[2]  back to me:

1009. The sane Santo vs. The Witches review!

Here's an oddball movie I have finally watched after having it in my collection for 20 plus years.

WE WILL ALL GO TOGETHER WHEN WE GO (By Tom Lehrer)

A collaboration with Thomas Benjamin Wild Esq, Tom Carradine and Honest 2 Betsy.  It is so well done and hilarious.

1008. The Sly Science Fiction Double Feature review!

This is a test.  This is only a test.  Comments are appreciated.

The Witches Attack Santo!

This is one oddball lucha movie.  I have thoughts.

1007. The strong Superman 21-24 review finale!

Here is the final review of the first season.  It ends with an exciting episode, though one may wonder about all the stock footage in it.

The Navy vs. The Night Monsters is headed your way!

I doubt Sven will ever air this, unless a better copy shows up.  The print I watched sixteen years ago is still awful.  I see there is a Blu Ray out, so I may have to make a change to my podcast plans...
 

1006. The fatal Five Eville Women review!

This is what happens if you have to wing an episode overall.

Santo Attacks the Witches

Really, it should have been The Witches attack Santo, since that is what they do.

Villain of the Week- The Space Phantom

From Wiki- Immortus traps individuals who become lost in Limbo, and due to the nature of that plane, they begin to forget their former lives and change into misshapen beings. Immortus conditions these into servants who can perpetuate his schemes and manipulations of historical events. The Phantoms can assimilate anyone, even to the point of torture and escaping notice of even mind-readers.  The first Space Phantom is introduced in The Avengers #2, where he assumes the form of Giant-Man, Iron Man, and Hulk. During his battle with the Avengers, he first copies the Hulk, and battles Iron Man. He transforms into a flying insect to escape, but Iron Man continues to battle the Hulk. The Space Phantom attacks the Wasp in his insect form, and then transforms into Giant-Man. After fighting Iron Man, he takes Iron Man's form. The Space Phantom finally attempts to copy Thor and is returned to Limbo because his powers cannot affect Asgardians.^[12]  Back to me:

1005. The intense It The Terror from Beyond Space review!

I forgot I had a Mars label!  That was a nice to see!

Twin Temple "Doomed Lovers"

I quite enjoy this band.  They haven't received a lot of press, but they are cool.

1003. The sharp Space Ghost 10-12 review!

Here's a fun set of episodes from Space Ghost!  Dino Boy doesn't fair so well, though.

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-17-1986

Every kid in the world has been in this position.  Usually it is for something truly minor, but major for the kid.

1002. The mobile Magician (1973) review!

This was not the easiest review.  I thought I really liked this show.

a Ghost Wolf?

Surprisingly, no.  However, this plot will show up again in a future series review.

1001. The batastic Batman (1966) review!

What did you think was gonna be the topic of this episode?

Don Knotts 'That a boy Luther'!

This was a running joke in the movie.  People sure do love this film.

1000. Super Spectacular Josie and the Pussycats review!

YouTube made this 18+ for some reason, DuJour means gotta be old enough!

999. The static Superman 17-20 review!

Here is the penultimate review of Superman episodes from that first season!  These are a bit odd, but overall enjoyable.

Eight movies on two tapes!

I don't think I ever did business with Video Yesteryear back in the day, but I am sure I knew about them.  If they sold movies like this, they made some money, for sure.  No prices are included in this ad!

998. The Dinosaur National Monument exploration!

This was a wonderful place to visit, and get a record of it!  I am so glad it is preserved!

Vilain of the Week- Chicxulub asteroid

Yes, I know that is not the actual name of the asteroid, but it is close enough, since Chicxulub is where it landed.

997. The Magnetic Monster (1953) mystery review!

Here's a fun movie that sort of made a series out of the OSI.  What is the OSI?  Watch and find out!

Kiss - 2,000 Man (Live On MTV Unplugged) 1995

It is hard to believe this was almost 31 one years ago.  I love these live performances of songs you rarely hear.

996. The spooky Space Ghost 07-09 review!

Our third review of Space Ghost includes a special surprise appearance!  Best. Episode. Ever.

Calvin and Hobbes Monday- 03-16-1986

Wasn't it just snowy three days ago?  Spring hits fast wherever Calvin lives!

995. The dizzy Dogora (1964) review!

The first Toho monster-comedy movie?  I certainly believe it was.

Diamond Eye break!

Some wonderful fans subtitled this show.  I love the character design, and hope to enjoy the show.

994. The digital Dororo (2007) review!

You can see my original review from several years ago.  Pretty much the same!

cool costume, Jan!

I don't usually look for coloring errors in cartoons, but this is a good looking version of the twins' costume.

993. The Utah Field House tour!

This is a great museum to visit.  Though it has been ten years since the last visit!

Dororo (2007) ORIGINAL TRAILER [ENG SUB]

This was a pretty fun, if long, movie.  I have reviewed it here before, some time ago.

992. The meh Monster of Piedras Blancas review!

Early morning was the trick!  At least today!

I bet this 200 feet of film was a lot easier to watch and far more exciting than the actual movie is. 

992. Field House Dinosaur Merch!

At least works, you know?  I wonder how you can check the hotel's wifi...

Villain of the Week- The Hood

From Wiki- The Hood's precise origins are unknown. While it is known that he is the half-brother of Kyrano, the details of their relationship – such as which parent they share or which of them is the elder – remain a mystery, as does the cause of his hypnotic powers. Not even his real name is known; throughout the series, he is addressed only as "Agent Seven-Nine" or "Six-Seven-One", and each of these codenames is used in only one episode (Agent Seven-Nine in "Martian Invasion", and Six-Seven-One in "Edge of Impact"). His "Hood" name comes from tie-ins and spin-off media.  What is known for certain about the Hood is that he possesses a significant reputation among the less ethical groups of the world, as he is shown to be in contact with militaries and spy agencies that are seeking information or looking to have targets eliminated. He resides in a temple in a Malaysian jungle.^[6] It contains a statue of Kyrano (in front of which the Hood stands when communicating telepathically with his brother) as well as other hi-tech equipment that he uses to monitor his enemies and develop his plans. Back to me:

Xenorama is live!

This was an interesting experiment!  I am still learning, but I could do this more often!

Tim Curry - I Do The Rock

I remember hearing this song on the radio while going to school.  My memory is we were on the bus.

989. The spectral Space Ghost 04-06 review!

This show is amazing, and kind of groundbreaking for the time.  Brand new hero, original, nothing like him before!

Calvin and Hobbes 03-15-1986

Poor Calvin.  Anything to get out of doing a book report.

988. The thin They Came from Beyond Space review!

Well, this was sure something.  There are spoilers below.

Dororo 2007

I watched this about 16 years ago (how did that happen) and enjoyed it more than I thought I would.  I have also watched the original cartoon.

987. The 好 Heroes Two (1974) review again!

This is to honor the late Chen Kwan Tai.  What a great movie, that's all I can say!

Good?

This is a handy reference...

986. A Boy Named Charlie Brown (1969) review!

Classic movies are harder to review, I'll tell you what...

They Came from Beyond Space (1967) ORIGINAL TRAILER

I have never seen this Amicus movie, nor even heard of it.  Looking at the trailer I think Doctor Who should have shown up.

985. The sinister Superman 13-16 review!

Did Superman plan this "taking care of villains" or not?  Let me know what you think!

Snoopy is very expressive

This shot is from a Boy Named Charlie Brown.  Snoopy has a large role, and gets some of the funniest shots.

984. The sublime Sentai 06-07 review!

The last two issues of Sentai are quite good, and I like to think it would continue to get better.

Villain of the Week- A.J. Arno

A.J. Arno is the main antagonist of the Dexter Reilly (renamed Dexter Riley) trilogy. He is a corrupt businessman and leader of several illegal operations in the town of Medfield, Massachusetts. He is the archenemy of Dexter Rilley, the protagonist of the franchise. 

983. The alert Atomic Kid (1954) review!

This sort of has a fun premise, but it sure doesn't make a lot of sense.

Eurogliders - Another Day In The Big World

This is from MTV's New Year's Eve Show (1984/85).  I had this tape, but I only remember the two "hits" from it.  This song is really good.

982. The super Space Ghost (1966) 01-03 review!

I had way too much fun with this first episode, but to hear it, you will have to watch past the first half!

Calvin and Hobbes Monday 03-14-1986

This is the last appearance of Pete The Barber.  For a change, Calvin is not wrong.

981. The nice Now You See Him... (1972) review!

Yet another Disney screwball comedy, but in COLOR!  What a great cast this has.

The Heat Thing- What a monster!

The first episode of Space Ghost featured this strange creature from one of Jupiter's moons.

980. The honest Hercules in the Haunted World review!

This is a movie that is pretty highly regarded in fan circles, mostly because Mario Bava directed it.

Now You See Him, Now You Don't

I really enjoyed this movie, and the others in the "Dexter Riley" series.

979. The magical Muppet Treasure Island review!

This was not the easiest movie to review right now, but damn, I am glad to have been alive at the same time as Tim Curry.

It is a really great movie, too!
 

Muppet Treasure Island (1996) Theatrical Trailer

Yes, I know, I am very late to the boat (hah!) here.  Like thirty years.

978. The savage Superman 09-12 review!

Man, Superman was different in the early 50s.  Still closer to those very early days when he would not suffer villains at all!

RIP Tim Curry

This is another sad one, though also not surprising.  Tim was so great in all his roles.  He will be missed.

977. The scenic Sentai 05 review!

I do think this was a valiant attempt to present Japanese genre shows and movies in a great light.

Villain of the Week- Franklin M. Hart Jr

From Wiki- Franklin M. Hart Jr., a Vice President of Consolidated Companies who is the boss of Judy, Violet, Roz, and Doralee. Despite being married, he is not shy about flirting or sexually harassing other women, especially Doralee, and refers to the secretaries on his floor as his "girls". He also steals an idea from Violet and tries to embezzle from Consolidated.

976. The silly Shaggy Dog (1959) review!

I forgot to schedule this last night.  Fun movie, overall.

RIP Dolly Parton

 

Did I listen to her music all the time?  No.  However, I do enjoy her as a person, and hope her family is doing well at this time.