Dissecting Dragons

Episode 53: The Wizard of Oz to Wicked - Adaptations and Reimaginings in Speculative Fiction

 

The dragons are delighted to welcome Hamish Steele back to the show this week, to talk about adapting and readapting speculative fiction for different media and audiences. Hamish is a freelance animation director and illustrator, who is currently working on several projects - annoyingly hush-hush - as well as the co-host of new podcast 'Box not Included'.  His graphic novel 'Pantheon' - about the humourous mythology of the Egyptian gods - is due for release soon. This week's episode focuses on what makes an adaptation or a reboot work? What's the difference? Why do some just not work? In the petri dish this week The Wizard of Oz (and many of it's adaptations), Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland, Phantom of the Opera, War of the Worlds, Howl's Moving Castle and many more

 

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Episode 52: Dragons, Wyverns and Wyrms - Happy Anniversary

 

This week the dragons are celebrating their one year on air anniversary by actually talking about dragons. As well as dragon type beasties - including wyverns, sea serpents, wyrms and winged snakes. Looking at myths, legends and folklore as well as popular fims and books, the SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan, seek out the meaning behind one of the most enduring archetypes of all time. On the slab this week - How to Train your Dragon, Anne McCaffrey's Dragons of Pern, Fantastic Beasts and Where to find them and many more.

 

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Episode 51: Happily Ever After

 

This week SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan take a look at the tiny subsection of films that Disney Studios is best known and loved for - the Princess animated feature films. Comprising just a bear 24 (with a bit of license) of the 56 animated feature films produced by the studio, this is only a small slice of the total of all the films ever produced by the studio. So what is it that makes those films so enduring, appealing across divides of age, gender and generation? Find out as the dragons take a trip from 1937 to 2016, from Snow White to Moana.

 

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Episode 50: Dreamscapes and Nightmares - Writing the Unconscious

 

This week, the dragons examine that murky area of the mind - the subconscious - with a look at how our unconscious desires and fears manifest in dreams, and how this is reflected in speculative fiction. Just what are the schools of thought on dream sequences and what makes a dream sequence good or bad? Find out by joining SFF writers M.E.Vaughan and J.A.Ironside for this week's dissection. On the slab this week - Stephen King, J.K.Rowling and Stephanie Meyer, Mary Hoffman's Stravaganza series, Inception and many more.

 

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Episode 49: Barghests, Bogey Beasts and Black Shuck - Black Dogs of the British Isles.

 

This weeks the dragons delve into the many myths of ghostly black hounds found in Britain. From Black Shuck to the Barghest, Garmr to the Gallows Hound, Kirk Grim to Lean Dog, our sff authors discuss how this archetype came about and what exactly Black Dogs represent to the human mind. Looking at The Whitby Witches by Robin Jarvis, Dracula by Bram Stoker, The Hound of the Baskervilles and many example from folklore, the dragons unpick this strange phenomenom. 

M.E.Vaughan also enjoys putting J.A.Ironside on the hot seat again since Black Dogs feature in her forthcoming novel 'I am the Silence' - release date 19th January 2017. So there will be a fair bit of dissecting of the Unveiled Series to date and a bit of behind the scenes info on Book Two (no spoilers - promise!)

 

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Episode 48: Mermaids, Sekies and Sirens - Legends of the Sea

 

SFF authors J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan return with the New Year and a whole host of topics, old and new, in the quest to find what makes good speculative fiction. Kicking the New Year off, a look at the folklore and legend surrounding part human creatures of the sea and what this says about our feelings towards the water as a provider and as a fearful destructive force. The dragons will also be taking a look at how water represents the sub-conscious in myth and legend, the transformative power of the sea and several aspects of Mermaid folklore. On the slab this week Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mermaid and Song of the Sea among many other examples.

 

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Episode 47; 2016 - The Best Bits

 

The Dragons would like to wish all their listeners a very Happy New Year!

 

We can probably all agree that in many ways 2016 has been a big pile of excrement, however the Dragons are determined to look back on it, and look forward to 2017, with enthusiasm for everything good the year did bring. SFF authors M.E.Vaughan and J.A.Ironside share their favourite books, films, TV series and moments of 2016 and talk about their hopes, plans and the new release they are looking forward to in the new year. In the petri dish this week Fantastic Beasts and where to Find Them, Rogue One, The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury, Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton and many, many more. See 2016 produced a lot of good art! Join us in looking back on the best bits.

 

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Episode 46: Winter Festivals - Traditions and Stories in the Dark

 

Welcome to the Dragons' winter holiday episode in which they will be looking at a variety of Winter traditions both old and new. Everything from Santa Claus' origins to why we build snowmen, the idea of a white Christmas and the pagan origins of the rebirth of the year king. Join us for a festive episode that explores just why we need to come together and celebrate in the darkest time of the year. On the slab this week, several Christmas films and stories but in particular Dicken's classic A Christmas Carol compared with the Muppets Christmas Carol.

 

Wishing all out listeners a Very Merry Christmas, A Happy Solstice, A cool Yule or other Winter Festival/ Non-denominationa holiday of choice! 

 

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Episode 45: Time and Tide and the Rose-tinted Glasses - Our Fascination with the Past

This week, the Dragons examine the popular and tangled issue of time travel and the temperol mechanics of narrative. Just why is there such a fascination with leaving our own time to go forwards or back? Why the endless questions on whether we would change an aspect of history? What makes time travel such a good narrative vehicle? SFF authors M.E. Vaughan and J.A.Ironside tackle those question and more. In the petri dish this week Back to the Future, Outlander, Dr Who, Madeleine L'angle's Swiftly Tilting Planet and Ray Bradbury's A Sound of Thunder.

 

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Episode 44: Writing Sex Scenes - it's not as Hard as You Think

 

This week our intrepid dragons tackle a somewhat grey area in fiction writing. Like scenes of violence or fight scenes, sex scenes can help to move a narrative along and expose a lot about a character (no pun intended) but just how do you make a sex scene pull its weight? How can you avoid accidental funnies or dry biological description? Looking at some examples across the board in fiction, including some examples of things you definitely want to avoid, J.A.Ironside and M.E.Vaughan attempt to answer these questions in a light but informative show. On the slab this week Outlander, A Court of Mist and Fury, The Butcher's Hook by Janet Ellis and many more.

 

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