What’s all the fuss behind this YA series turned epic Netflix show? Why haven’t we seen many Slavic fantasy stories? And why are the magicians called Greg?

Extras:

trailer, Shadow and Bone (2021)

interview, Leigh Bardugo

article, history of Eric Heisserer showrunning

article, guide to Slavic fantasy

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We’re on vacation this week, so please enjoy this gem of an episode from the ILLITERATE Vault (episode 39!) The film that took two decades (and a million favors) to make, and the book about a detective with Tourette’s. Also, the secret man who ran New York for 50 years. The film Motherless Brooklyn is by Edward Norton, and the book by Jonathan Lethem.

Watch/read/listen:

(WATCH): the trailer for Motherless Brooklyn

(WATCH): the trailer for the doc Twitch and Shout

(WATCH): a doc about the NBA player with Tourettes

(LISTEN): to the Radiohead version of the main song

(LISTEN): to the Jazz version of the main song

(LISTEN): to Prince’s extended version of Kiss

(READ): the guest list for Radiohead’s concert

(READ): An Anthropologist on Mars neurology book

(READ): The Power Broker about Robert Moses

(READ): an article about the road through Washington Square Park

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FINISH HIM! Learn the literary and cinematic origins of this game-turned-movie, the controversies, and why so many people like these characters.

Extras:

red band trailer, Mortal Kombat (2021)

bts footage, Mortal Kombat character creation

full film, The Streetfighter (1974)

film scene, “fatality” from The Streetfighter

video, comparison of 1995 and 2021 films

article, history of Mortal Kombat game creation

trailer, Zu: Warriors from the Magic Mountain (1983)

interview, director Simon McQuoid

short film, Mortal Kombat Rebirth

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How did this endearing, comforting fantasy tale come to be? Learn why the book is so different in the telling, and the life and journey of William Goldman in turning books into films.

Extras:

trailer, The Princess Bride (1987)

document, the “missing scene” from the book

book, Adventures in the Screen Trade (memoir)

article, making of the film

book, on the life of William Goldman

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(Spoilers! Don’t listen until you’ve seen!) Learn the history of the genre, the many literary and film references, and the origin from ancient Greece.

Extras:

trailer, Promising Young Woman (2020)

screenplay, Promising Young Woman

interview, Emerald Fennell and Carey Mulligan

SNL satire, Welcome to Hell

article, I May Destroy You (HBO)

trailer, The Night of the Hunter (1955)

article, the story of Cassandra in Greek mythology

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Learn the history of riding on the open range, the Kentucky Derby, urban horse-stables, and the original Lone Ranger. Concrete Cowboy is on Netflix, based on the book Ghetto Cowboy by G. Neri.

Extras:

trailer, Concrete Cowboy

article, history of Black cowboys

video, US Marshall Bass Reeves bio

fundraiser, Fletcher St Urban Riding Club

fundraiser, Philly Urban Riding Academy

photo series, Fletcher St stables

org, Neighborhood Film Co.

TED talk, Ricky Staub

doc, Federation of Black Cowboys

doc, Compton Cowboys of LA

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Learn the mighty origins of the massive movie classics, which came first, and why they’ve been fighting for so long.

Extras:

trailer, Godzilla vs Kong (2021)

video, on the original Gojira film

film clip, Grass (1925)

concept art, Kong vs Frankenstein

comparison, US vs Japanese King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)

US trailer, King Kong vs Godzilla (1962)

trailer, Frankenstein Conquers the World (1965)

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Who was Gardner Fox, the mastermind writer behind the superhero genre? Why is it so hard to make a Justice League movie? And what the heck is a Multiverse?

Extras:

trailer, Zack Snyder’s Justice League

article, history of Justice League film

video, commentary on the cancelled 1997 TV pilot

video, history of the Justice Society of America

book, Gardner Fox biography

site, Gardner Fox’s 160 novels

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Learn the origins of the incredible story of Lee Isaac Chung, and his family’s farm in Arkansas. What is Minari, and who is Willa Cather, and how did a voice in a coffee shop lead to six Academy Award nominations?

Extras:

trailer, Minari

interview, Youn Yuh-Jung and Bong Joon Ho

interview, Lee Isaac Chung and Bong Joon Ho

article, writing of Minari

article, Youn Yuh-Jung’s career

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Come learn about the Riot Grrrl movement, the history of women in stand-up and television comedy, and the parenting guidebook that Mean Girls is based on.

Extras:

trailer, Moxie

song, the Linda Lindas perform “Rebel Girl”

playlist, inspired by the Riot Grrrl movement

doc, Women in Comedy on PBS

doc, The Punk Singer, Kathleen Hanna

stand up, Moms Mabley

book, Queen Bees and Wannabees

book, Moxie

book, We Killed: The Rise of Women in American Comedy

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