Illiterate

Learn the history of gothic horror, ghosts, and the works of Henry James. The Haunting of Bly Manor (Netflix) is based on The Turn of the Screw and the works of Henry James.

Extras:

trailer, The Haunting of Bly Manor // 3 min

Bly Manor listing on Zillow // article

other adaptations to watch & read // article

comparison of Quint “ghost” in film // 4 min

history of gothic fiction // article

“The Haunted Castle” 1896 first horror film // 3 min

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What’s the deal with these spooky stories? Why do people like them? And how is it more than just gruesome gore? Books of Blood is on Hulu, based on Clive Barker’s anthology series, The Books of Blood.

Extras:

trailer for Books of Blood (Hulu) // 3 min

recent clip of Clive’s writing advice // 3 min

Clive on writing fiction (from 1990) // 6 min

Clive on “Open to Question” show // 35 min

documentary on Clive Barker (from 1995) // 51 min

artwork from comic of “In the Hills, the Cities” // photo

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How did one of the highest grossing films of the 1980’s never get a sequel? What on earth was the book about? And why’s it so important to “bump the lamp?” Who Framed Roger Rabbit is based on the book, Who Censored Roger Rabbit? by Gary K. Wolf.

Extras:

the original trailer // 3 min

the 1983 early pencil test footage // 8 min

the 1985 Zemeckis and Williams proof of concept test // 1 min

the 1998 sequel CGI test // 1 min

a making-of documentary // 35 min

Richard Williams’ Oscar animation, “Prologue” // 7 min

explanation of “bumping the lamp” // 8 min

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Dive into the mystery of Sherlock Holmes’ secret sister. Learn about - all the things people get wrong about Sherlock, obscure copyright laws, and what the heck a “pastiche” is. Enola Holmes is on Netflix, based on a book series by Nancy Springer.

Extras:

trailer for “Enola Holmes” // 3 min

Conan Doyle’s book “The Coming of the Fairies” // book

what isn’t actually in the books // article

the lawsuit against Enola Holmes // article

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This week, we discuss the journey to creating the intimate story of growing up as a black gay man in Liberty City. Moonlight is based on the unreleased play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue” by Tarell Alvin McCraney.

Extras:

trailer for “Moonlight” // 2 min

interview with Barry and Tarell // 17 min

Borscht’s “Adventures of Christopher Bosh in the Multiverse!” // 11 min

Barry’s first film, “My Josephine” // 8 min

Barry’s PBS short, “Remigration” // 20 min

Barry’s Borscht short, “Chlorophyl” // 17 min

the story of the Borscht Corporation

“Tongues Untied” doc by Marlon Riggs // 54 min

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Dive headfirst into the novel, nonlinear take on what makes us human. Is it horror, thriller, or just an existential question? I’m Thinking of Ending Things is by Iain Reid, now a film on Netflix by Charlie Kaufman.

Extras:

trailer for i’m thinking of ending things (2020) // 2min vid

the references to other work in the film // article

interview with author Iain Reid // article

interview with Reid and Kaufman // article

youtube explainer of Synecdoche NY // 5hr vid

explanations of the film by Kaufman // article

Kaufman’s script for A Scanner Darkly // script

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Blade Runner. Minority Report. Total Recall. Just a few of the many stories by an almost-overlooked sci-fi legend - Philip K Dick left us a catalog of mind-warping works, but what did it take to create them? And what happened to the android version of his head after he died?

Extras:

on Philip K Dick’s Hollywood resurgence // article

on Philp’s paranoia // article

the lost android head of PKD // article

the appeal of PKD’s works // 6min video

the book on PKD’s life: The Shifting Realities // book

speech of PKD from 1978 about reality // speech

BBC doc about PKD // 55min video

PKD’s speech on simulated “matrix” reality // 4min video

Blade Runner making-of documentary // 3hr video

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Evan and Taylor are off this week! Please reach out with a message if there’s a movie or book connection you want us to cover next time.

Thank you all so much for listening and learning with us every week.

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How did the hit Nickelodeon show come to be? What made it so revolutionary? And why is it all up in the news again? Avatar: The Last Airbender was created by Bryan Konietzko and Mike DiMartino, based on the folklore and cultures of Chinese, East Asian, South Asian, Indian, Mesoamerican, and Inuit peoples.

Extras:

original trailer for Avatar: The Last Airbender // 1 min

documentary on Bryan and Mike about the show’s creation // 32 mins

podcast interview with Bryan & Michael (series creators) // 40 mins

original test pilot episode for Avatar // 11 mins

Joseph Campbell on The Power of Myth // 56 mins

cultural influences in the world of Avatar // 12 mins

master list of influences on the Avatar series // article

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Frances Hodgson Burnett was the bestselling American female novelist of her lifetime. How did her legacy end up becoming an often-forgotten children’s book? The film is now on HBO Max, based on the book The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

Extras:

trailer for The Secret Garden (2020) // video

trailer for The Secret Garden (1993) // video

the differences from the novel // article

the history of the Fauntleroy suit // article

Frances’ essay, My Robin // article

the Unexpected Life of the Author of the Secret Garden // book

The Secret Garden full book text // book

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