2024 WEEK IN REVIEW - WEEKS 6 AND 7

 LOL THESE ARE GETTING POSTED LATER AND LATER AREN'T THEY. WEEK 8 ENDS TOMORROW, MAYBE I SHOULD'VE WAITED AND DID A THREE WEEK POST. I HAVE A LITTLE TIME RIGHT NOW AND AM ALL CAFFIENATED UP SO NOPE, DOIN' IT NOW. STARTING WITH THE MOVIES BECAUSE I NEED SOME WRITING INERTIA AND THAT'S THE EASIEST PART TO WRITE. 

MOVIES I WATCHED AT SOME POINT THIS MONTH

#15 THE PRIVATE EYES

A SILLY SHERLOCK HOLMES/INSPECTOR CLOUSEAU GOOF STARRING DON KNOTTS AND TIM CONWAY. I WATCHED THIS A BUNCH WHEN I WAS A KID AND I KNEW IT WAS KINDA DUMB EVEN BACK THEN BUT I SAW IT ONLINE AND FELT LIKE REVISITING IT. IT'S STILL REALLY DUMB BUT KNOTTS AND CONWAY HAVE GREAT CHEMISTRY AND THE HUMOR IS SO BROAD THAT AS LONG AS YOUR EXPECTATIONS AREN'T TOO LOFTY YOU'LL GET SOME CHUCKLES OUT OF IT. THE HUMOR IS VERY 70S WITH LOTS OF POOP JOKES AND A BUFFET OF STEREOTYPES BUT THE CAST IS CHOCK FULL OF GREAT CHARACTER ACTORS THAT MAKE THE MOST OF IT LIKE BERNARD FOX, JOHN FUJIOKA AND IRWIN KEYES. I WAS ALSO DUMBFOUNDED WHEN I REALIZED THE NANNY WAS PLAYED BY  GRACE ZABRISKE IN ONE OF HER FIRST FILM ROLES. I DID NOT EXPECT TO SEE SARAH PALMER IN MY CHILDHOOD MYSTERY SPOOF. HAPPY TWIN PEAKS DAY BY THE WAY

#16 MILLION DOLLAR LEGS
I SAW THIS FILM HAD W.C. FIELDS AND HUGH HERBERT AND WAS ALL IN. IT'S SOMETHING YOU DON'T SEE EVERY DAY - AN OLYMPICS THEMED COMEDY. A BRUSH SALESMAN FALLS IN LOVE WITH THE DAUGHTER OF THE PRESIDENT (FIELDS) OF A SMALL BANKRUPT COUNTRY AND COMES UP WITH A SCHEME TO ENTER THE NATION INTO THE 1932 LOS ANGELES OLYMPICS TO SOLVE THEIR FINANCIAL PROBLEMS. IT'S EXTREMELY SILLY AND WORKS THANKS TO FIELDS' GRUMPY STRONGMAN PRESIDENT CHARACTER SQUARING OFF WITH HUGH HERBERT IN A RARE VILLAINOUS ROLE. THERE'S ALSO BEN TURPIN POPPING UP HERE AND THERE BEING COMPLETELY RANDOM! IT'S VERY VAUDEVILLE AND SLIGHTLY SURREAL. IF YOU LIKE EARLY MARX BROTHERS STUFF YOU MIGHT ENJOY THIS ONE

#17 THE OLD DARK HOUSE

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE FILMS AND WHEN I SAW IT POP UP IN MY YOUTUBE RECCOMENDATIONS I WATCHED IT IMMEDIATELY. THIS MOVIE NAMED AN ENTIRE GENRE OF FILMS WHERE HAPLESS PROTAGONISTS GET STUCK IN A CREEPY HOUSE FULL OF LUNATICS. BORIS KARLOFF IS THE OBVIOUS STAR OF THE SHOW AS HIS SINISTER BUTLER CHARACTER CAUSES ALL SORTS OF MISCHIEF BUT THE REAL FUN IS FROM THE REST OF THE FEMM FAMILY. EVERY CHARACTER IS SO UNIQUELY BIZZARE. EVE MOORE'S SCOLDING REBECCA, BREMBER WILLS' PYROMANIAC SAUL AND ELSPETH DUDGEON'S GENDERBENDING PORTRAYAL OF SIR RODERICK ARE  PERFORMANCES YOU WON'T FORGET ANYTIME SOON. I QUOTE ERNEST THESIGER'S "HAVE A POTATO" ON A WEEKLY BASIS. AND MELVYN DOUGLAS! LILIAN BOND! RAYMOND MASSEY! CHARLES FREAKIN' LAUGHTON! THE WHOLE THING IS DELIGHTFUL AND PROBABLY THE FUNNIES HORROR MOVIE YOU'LL EVER SEE

#18 SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE LAST VAMPYRE
JEREMY BRETT IS MY FAVORITE SHERLOCK HOLMES AND I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF A REWATCH OF THE SERIES WHEN I HAD TO CANCEL MY BRITBOX SUBSCRIPTION. I HAD NOT YET GOTTEN TO THIS ONE AND DECIDED TO WATCH WHEN I SAW IT ONLINE. THIS EPISODE IS SOMEWHAT INFAMOUS FOR BEING A POOR EXAMPLE OF THE SERIES AND I SEE HOW IT'S GOTTEN THAT REPUTATION. IT'S BASED ON THE ADVENTURE OF THE SUSSEX VAMPIRE AND WHILE IT RETAINS THE BASIC GIST OF THE PLOT, IT ALSO ADDS AN UNNECCESSARY NEW CHARACTER THAT ONLY MAKES EVERYTHING NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED IN ORDER TO PAD THE STORY OUT TO FEATURE LENGTH. NOT GREAT, BUT EVERY FAVORITE TELEVISION SERIES IS BOUND TO HAVE A FEW STINKERS

#19 THE HOUSE OF FEAR
I WAS STILL IN A SHERLOCK HOLMES MOOD SO I WATCHED A BASIL RATHBONE FILM TO GET MY FIX. I LOVE RATHBONE BUT THIS REMINDED MY WHY I DON'T LOVE RATHBONE'S HOLMES FILMS. IT'S A REALLY GOOD STORY, EXTREMELY LOOSELY BASED ON DOYLE'S THE FIVE ORANGE PIPS. RATHBONE IS GREAT AND THE STORY IS COMPELLING BUT I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT STAND NIGEL BRUCE'S POTRAYAL OF WATSON. DUMB AS A POST AND FAR LESS USEFUL. I GET THAT WATSON'S ROLE IS TO BE THE SOMEWHAT CLUELESS ASSISTANT AND SOMETIME COMEDY FOIL BUT AN ACTUAL CLOWN WOULD BE LESS IRRITATING THAN BRUCE. UUUUGH. IF YOU CAN STAND BRUCE IT REALLY IS A VERY CLEVER STORY

#20 CRIMES AT THE DARK HOUSE

CONTINUING THE DARK HOUSE MYSTERY THEME, WE HAVE A NICE LITTLE POTBOILER STARRING TOD SLAUGHTER. TOD IS A GOLDEN ERA HORROR ICON RIGHT UP THERE WITH LUGOSI, KARLOFF AND CHENEY JR. HE STARRED IN A BUNCH OF BRITISH MELODRAMAS AS THE COMPLETELY OVER THE TOP EVIL VILLAIN. THINK OF THE MOST STEREOTYPICAL MUAHAHA TOP HAT AND TWIRLING MUSTACHE VILLAIN YOU CAN AND TOD LEAVES THAT FOOL IN THE DUST. HE IS SO FUN TO WATCH AS HE DOES DEVILISHLY WICKED THINGS AND BEING UNREPENTANTLY EVIL. IN THIS ONE, HE MURDERS THE HEIR TO A FORTUNE IN ORDER TO IMPERSONATE THEM BUT DISCOVERS THAT HIS EXPECTED INHERITANCE IS ACTUALLY A BIG PILE OF DEBT. HE THEN HAS TO TRICK A WEALTHY HEIRESS TO MARRY HIM SO HE CAN STEAL HER MONEY ALL WHILE BUMPING OFF ANYONE WHO CAN EXPOSE HIS LIES. IT'S A REAL PULPY HOOT WITH A GREAT ENDING. TOD'S BEST KNOWN WORK IS SWEENY TODD: THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET SO IF YOU'RE UNFAMILIAR WITH HIM AND INTERESTED IN SEEING TOD AT HIS FINEST CHECK THAT ONE OUT FIRST

#21 NOTHING BUT TROUBLE
NOT THE INSANE 1991 DAN AYKROYD NIGHTMARE BUT THE 1944 LAUREL AND HARDY FLICK. L&H ARE THEIR USUAL INCOMPETENT SELVES, THIS TIME BEING A COOK AND A CHEF THAT ARE IN HIGH DEMAND SINCE MOST SERVANTS ARE OFF FIGHTING THE WAR. IT RIFFS ON THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER AS A YOUNG FOOTBALL-OBSESSED KING BEFRIENDS THE TWO WHEN THEY AGREE TO REFEREE A GAME SO THE KID CAN PLAY. MEANWHILE THE KING'S UNCLE IS TRYING TO MURDER HIM AND A LOT OF PLOT SHENANIGANS HAPPENS BUT IT'S LAUREL AND HARDY, YOU'RE HERE FOR THEIR NONSENSE, NOT THE PLOT. LATER LAUREL AND HARDY FILMS AREN'T THEIR BEST BUT AS IS THE CASE WITH MOST CLASSIC COMEDY TEAMS, IT'S BETTER THAN MOST OTHER COMEDIES FROM THE TIME. THERE'S A REASON WHY I SPECIFICALLY WATCHED THIS FILM BUT YOU'LL FIND OUT ABOUT THAT IN ABOUT 6 MONTHS WHEN THE POST GOES UP

#22 DRACULA 1972 A.D.
I LOVE HAMMER HORROR, ESPECIALLY THE DRACULA SERIES. THIS ONE WHERE DRACCY SHOWS UP IN MODERN LONDON AFTER BEING RESURRECTED BY A BUNCH OF DIRTY HIPPIES IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE ONE OF THE WORST IN THE SERIES. BUT THE OTHER TWO, THE SATANIC RITES OF DRACULA AND THE LEGEND OF THE 7 GOLDEN VAMPIRES ARE TWO OF MY FAVORITES SO I'VE BEEN WANTING TO CHECK THIS ONE OUT FOR FOREVER. I FOOLISHLY PASSED ON BUYING IT AT AN ANTIQUE STORE YEARS AGO AND IT'S NOTORIOUSLY IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ON STREAMING BUT I FOUND A COPY OF A VHS RECORDING OF THE BALTIMORE CBS LATE SHOW COMPLETE WITH VINTAGE COMMERCIALS ON A WEBSITE THAT, AHEM, 'ARCHIVES' SUCH THINGS AND FINALLY WATCHED IT. I CAN SEE WHY DRACULA PURISTS HATE IT, THE MODERN SETTING ISN'T USED PARTICULARLY WELL, THE PLOT IS NOTHING SPECIAL AND THE WHOLE HIPPIES/MODS/WHATEVER THESE COLLEGE AGED HEATHENS ARE THING WAS ALREADY SEVERAL YEARS PAST ITS EXPIRATION DATE WHEN IT CAME OUT. IT'S STILL GOT LEE AND CUSHING DOING THEIR THING THOUGH AND ANY FILM WITH CAROLINE MUNRO IS ELEVATED BY HER AWESOMENESS. I WILL ADMIT THAT WATCHING THE VINTAGE COMMERCIALS HELPED THE EXPERIENCE IMMENSELY, I REALLY WISH I COULD FIND THE AMAZING ACE CANNON SAXOPHONE PARTY ALBUM COMMERCIAL SOMEWHERE ONLINE SO I COULD SHOW IT OFF TO YOU ALL 

I'VE ALSO BEEN LISTENING TO MST3K IN THE BACKGROUND QUITE A BIT LATELY AS THEY HAVE BEEN RUNNING A MARATHON OF RANDOM EPISODES ON YOUTUBE. WHILE IT'S CALLED FOREVERTHON, I THINK THERE'S A NEW LIVESTREAM EVERYDAY AND YOU CAN FIND IT THROUGH THEIR YOUTUBE CHANNEL

OK, CARD STUFF NOW. I AM STILL IN THE PROCESS OF TRYING TO GET ALL MY SHIZZ SORTED OUT SO HERE'S THE

CARD STUFF (AKA 'ORGANIZING') I DID THIS WEEK

THIS PILE WAS MUCH MORE IMPRESSIVE ON MY DESK BUT I PHOTOGRAPHED IT AT A FLAT ANGLE AND YOU CAN'T SEE HOW BIG IT IS. IT'S ABOUT FIFTYISH CARDS FROM MY WANTLISTS I FOUND IN YET ANOTHER BOX OF JUNK I HAVE HAD LYING AROUND TAKING UP SPACE. THIS ONE WAS FIRST PUT TOGETHER BACK WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE IF YOU CAN BELIEVE THAT, ALTHOUGH SOME LIKE THE JETER ON THE TOP WERE ADDED LATER. THERE WAS A PRETTY GOOD MIX OF EVERYTHING IN THERE BUT THE BIGGEST PILE WAS SOME 1993 LEAF THAT I THOUGHT I HAD BUT COULDN'T FIND. INCLUDING A PILE OF SIX MIKE PIAZZAS AFTER I HAD JUST BOUGHT ONE A FEW DAYS BEFORE. OOPS

THIS PILE WAS GOOD BUT THOSE PIAZZAS GOT ME A BIT FRUSTRATED BY HOW MESSED UP MY WANTLISTS WERE. NEXT TO MY DESK THERE WAS A STACK OF SMALLER BOXES FILLED WITH CARDS THAT NEEDED TO BE SORTED AND PUT AWAY THAT I'VE BEEN AVOIDING FOR QUITE A WHILE. I EMPTIED A SHOEBOX AND STARTED SORTING AND UPDATING THOSE WANTLISTS AND ENDED UP WITH THIS:

EVERYTHING UPDATED AND ALL IN ONE PLACE. I STARTED PUTTING THINGS AWAY IN MY FLEER AND DONRUSS 80S BINDERS FIRST BECAUSE THEY'VE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR A WHILE. I DO NOT HAVE A BOOKSHELF FOR THEM TO LIVE ON SO THEY'RE ALL STACKED UP ON TOP OF EACH OTHER IN THE CORNER. THESE CARDS HAVE BEEN PILING UP FOR A WHILE, ESPECIALLY THE DONRUSS SINCE THOSE BINDERS ARE ON THE BOTTOM. THIS RESULTED IN A WHOLE LOT OF COMPLETED PAGES IN THE DONRUSS BINDERS

1981 

1983

1986

1988

AND A REALLY GOOD 1989 PAGE

THIS MADE ME FEEL GOOD ABOUT MY DONRUSS COLLECTIONS SINCE I HAVE GOTTEN ALL THE WANTLISTS UPDATED. BUT THIS PART OF THE WANTLIST STARTED GNAWING AT ME

I AM SO DAMN CLOSE ON THESE DUMB SETS BUT THESE CARDS KEEP ELUDING ME. SOME OF THESE CARDS WERE ALSO ALREADY MARKED OFF THE WANTLIST IN THE PAST AND THEN TURNED UP MISSING WHEN I ADDED STUFF TO THE BINDER. ESPECIALLY THAT DAMN ANDY VAN SLYKE CARD. I WAS SO HAPPY TO FINISH THAT SET ONLY TO FIND ANDY'S DUMB FACE NOT STARING BACK AT ME IN THE BINDER. AFTER MAKING ALL THAT PROGRESS I GET FED UP AND RAIDED MY DONRUSS DOUBLES BOXES TO SEE IF I COULD FIND ANY. IT TOOK ME MOST OF THE RUNTIME OF MST3K'S SANTO VS THE VAMPIRE WOMEN BUT WHEN IT WAS ALL SAID AND DONE THIS TIME WAS SPENT WISELY

THERE'S ANDY'S DUMB FACE! I KNEW I HAD IT!!! I WENT THROUGH THE 1991'S FIRST BECAUSE THAT BOX WAS ON TOP AND I HAD SHUFFLED THROUGH ALMOST THREE FULL ROWS IN A MONSTER BOX BEFORE THAT GUTHRIE POPPED UP. DEAR READER, I YELPED. IT WAS A VERY LOUD AND SQUEAKY YELP. SO NOW AS WITH THE 1990 SET, 1991 SERIES ONE IS COMPLETE PENDING REALITY CHECK. THOSE BOXES ARE DOWNSTAIRS THOUGH SO THAT'S EXTRA WORK FOR ANOTHER DAY. I'M HOPING THAT BY THE TIME I WRITE THE NEXT ONE OF THESE THAT TO BE ADDED BOX IS EMPTY ENOUGH FOR ME TO CONSIDER REPURPOSING THE BOX TO ANOTHER USE. LORD KNOWS I COULD USE A DOZEN MORE EMPTY BOXES AT THE MOMENT 

NOW THAT THE WORK IS DONE, IT'S TIME FOR THE GOOD STUFF

THE BEST CARD I BOUGHT THIS WEEK(S)

LIKE 90% OF HUMANITY I WATCHED THE SUPER BOWL. WELL ACTUALLY I DID NOT WATCH ANYTHING OTHER THAN THE USHER HALFTIME SHOW. AFTER WATCHING WEIRD STUFF LIKE UP WITH PEOPLE AND CHUBBY CHECKER DURING THE HALFTIME SHOW WHEN I WAS A KID IT FELT SO, SO GOOD TO BE THE ONE BEING  PANDERED TO FOR ONCE IN MY LIFE. I SPENT THE WHOLE SHOW ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT WAITING FOR YEAH AND WHEN LUDA CAME OUT I TEARED UP. 🎵WE WANT A LADY IN THE STREET BUT A FREAK IN THE BED! THAT SAY YEAH🎵 THE ACTUAL GAME, WHO CARES. I LISTENED TO URINATINGTREE'S LIVESTREAM IN THE BACKGROUND WHERE HE FULFILLED HIS DREAM OF DOING PLAY BY PLAY. IT WAS FUN ENOUGH BUT WHEN THE NINERS GOT UP ON THE CHIEFS AND KYLE SHANAHAN WAS ALL 'RUNNING THE BALL IS FOR SUCKERS' I KNEW HOW THAT MOVIE WAS GONNA END. IN ANOTHER OVERTIME GAME AS WELL! GOTTA LOVE THE NFL FOR MAKING ME RELIVE ALL MY PAST TRAUMAS. THEN THE CHIEFS WON AND WE HAVE A NEW DYNASTY TO GET SICK OF, HOORAY! I ENJOYED ALL THE OBLIGATORY POST-CHAMPIONSHIP GAMES SHENANIGANS ON TWITTER WHEN ONE OF THE GEORGIA ACCOUNTS I FOLLOW MENTIONED THAT THE WINNING TOUCHDOWN WAS CAUGHT BY A GEORGIA PLAYER! THE NFL CAN GO SCRATCH BALLS BUT BULLDOGS WINNING CHAMPIONSHIPS IS WHAT I LIKE! WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF! I WENT ON COMC AND FOUND AND NICE PATRIOTIC CARD OF MECOLE FOR FORTY-TWO CENTS. IT'S A SHINY PRIZM CARD TOO!   

TIME FOR THE GRAND FINALE: 

THE BASEBALLCARDSTORE.CA WEEKLY ROUND UP

WEEK 6 TOTALS BY CATEGORY:

WANTLIST CARDS FOR SETS: 9
BRAVES/HAWKS/DAWGS/ETC: 3
INSERT CARDS: 9
STAR/PC CARDS: 2
SHIIIIIINY CARDS: 2
ALLEN & GINTER: 15

I WAS A VERY GOOD BOY THIS WEEK AND KEPT IT DOWN TO ONE PACK OF 40 CARDS. I WAS REALLY FOCUSED TOO, MOST WERE WANTLIST CARDS. EVERN THE INSERTS WERE MOSTLY OFF WANTLISTS INCLUDING THIS JACK MCDOWELL GOLF LEAF STARS. I HAVE ALMOST A MASTER SET OF 1994 LEAF WITH INSERTS EXCEPT FOR THE GOLD LEAF STARS. JACK HERE IS NOW MY SECOND FROM THAT SET.  I ALSO HIT THE ALLEN & GINTER CARDS PRETTY HARD. I'VE GIVEN UP TRYING TO COMPLETE THE SETS BUT I DO STILL LIKE HAVING A NICE LITTLE SAMPLE OF GOOD PLAYERS FROM THE MORE RECENT SETS

WEEK 7 TOTALS BY CATEGORY:

WANTLIST CARDS FOR SETS: 31
BRAVES/HAWKS/DAWGS/ETC: 28
INSERT CARDS: 29
STAR/PC CARDS: 9

ROOKIES: 4
SHIIIIIINY CARDS: 2
ALLEN & GINTER: 5

ODDBALLS: 5

AUTOGRAPHS: 1

NON-SPORTS: 5

CHRONICLES: 1

I WAS A BAAAAD BOY THIS WEEK. ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN CARDS! SO YEAH I WENT A LITTLE OVERBOARD, PART OF THE REASON WAS BECAUSE OF THIS:

I HAD QUITE A FEW CARDS PUT ASIDE SPECIFICALLY FOR ME AND THEY'RE ALL PRETTY FANTASTIC. I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHOWING THEM OFF IN THE FUTURE. I CAN'T BLAME MY EXCESSES ON THIS THOUGH AS IT WAS LESS THAN 10 PERCENT OF THE CARDS I PICKED UP. THERE WERE JUST A LOT OF GREAT CARDS POSTED THIS WEEK! AND DUE TO A FLUKE I HAD ENOUGH MONEY FOR THREE PACKS AND I TOOK ADVANTAGE. I'M BROKE NOW SO I'M TIGHTENING MY BELT A BIT, BUT CHECK OUT THIS SIMULATED PAGE OF CARDS I GOT ON THE 13TH

CATEGORIES IN ORDER: WANTLIST, WANTLIST, WANTLIST, WANTLIST, ROOKIE, SHINY, LOL, AUTOGRAPH, WANTLIST. HOW AM I TO RESIST SUCH TEMPTING CARDS. WHILE I GOT A TON OF GREAT STUFF INCLUDING TWO STARS FOR MY 1994 TOPPS SET, THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL PREDICTOR I'LL EVER NEED, A BUNCH OF ROOKIE SENSATIONS AND A DAN ISSEL MINI CARD THE ACTUAL BEST OF THE BUNCH IS NOT IN DEBATE

THE BEST CARD I GOT THIS MONTH AND POSSIBLY THIS YEAR:

BO N🚫  CAINE. TURN YOUR BACK ON CRACK! HOW HAS A BLOG WHOSE TAG LINE IS DO CARDS, NOT DRUGS NOT FEATURED THIS CARD BEFORE. FANTASTIC