In episode 19, Alan & Nisha tackle a MONSTER of an episode (we're so sorry) -- Frankenstein!

Among the most influential novels of all time, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley's 1818 novel Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus has informed not just the gothic and horror genres but echoes throughout all of pop culture history. With over 400 films and numerous TV Shows adapting, lampooning, or otherwise referencing Frankenstein and/or his Monster, it is one of the most adapted works of all time.

We explore how James Whale's 1931 Universal monster classic has taken on a life of its own separate from its source novel, beginning an ever-referential universe of films across nearly a century. Its sequel, 1935's The Bride of Frankenstein, expanded these possibilities even farther.

Often cited as the most accurate major adaptation, Kenneth Branagh's 1994 film Mary Shelley's Frankenstein takes big swings and manages to connect a lot of them, but is it enough to stand tall among its peers?

Finally, this conversation comes just one week after the release of Guillermo del Toro's new Frankenstein adaptation, starring Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, & Christoph Waltz. On paper, this film feels like a culmination of the story's rich history and evolution, made by a director so deeply inspired by this character. Is it able to accomplish its lofty goals and live up to its inevitably high expectations?

From the classics, to B-movies, to sex comedies, to bad sci-fi, we cover it all in this episode.

Join us as we delve into one of the all-time greats and find out... is the book really better than the movie?

In episode 18, Alan and Nisha ring in spooky season with one of the classics... The Exorcist. 

The 1973 film, based on a 1971 novel by William Peter Blatty, has become the stuff of legends. Directed by the great William Friedkin with a screenplay adapted by Blatty himself, the film helped bring horror to the mainstream and revolutionized the genre for years to come. 

When it released, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon. Theaters experienced long lines that often turned to half-empty auditoriums by the end of showtimes. Audiences had arguably never before experienced the daring levels of grotesque special effects and heavy subject matter in a mainstream film. Coupled with strange occurrences on and around set leading many to believe the film was cursed, it looms large as a major cultural touchstone. 

How does such a shocking piece of media hold up over 5 decades later? How did the film approach adaptation with the book's author at the helm? Could the film really be cursed?

Join us as we discuss this and much more on In Contrast!

In episode 17, join Alan & Nisha as they discuss The Wild Robot, first a book published by Peter Brown in 2016. The rights for a film adaptation were bought almost immediately by Dreamworks Animation, and the film was released in 2024 to critical acclaim.

Brown's novel explores some familiar themes, but does so in creative ways that do not shy away from the realities of nature. How does an even more visual medium manage to remain kid-friendly while maintaining these heavier concepts?

Join us as we discuss this and much more!

NOTE: We had some audio issues while recording this episode. While most of it seems to have been fixed in post, we do apologize to you and your ears if there are any issues!

In episode 16 of In Contrast, Alan & Nisha do the one single thing you're not supposed to do.. talk about Fight Club.

Fight Club was the debut novel of author Chuck Palahniuk, originally published in 1996 and adapted to film by David Fincher in 1999. Both the book and film have remained a solid piece of the cultural zeitgeist ever since.

Why has this story remained so popular since its release? What about it draws so many people to its orbit? How does each medium communicate its at times complicated message, and how do audiences receive it?

Join us as we tackle one of the most famous (or maybe infamous) explorations of masculinity and societal ennui at the eve of the 21st century.

In episode 15, Alan & Nisha have their first foray into the timeless mysteries of Agatha Christie with 1934's Murder on the Orient Express. Among Christie's most well-known novels, this story finds longstanding detective Hercule Poirot wrapped up in a bizarre murder mystery aboard a stranded train.

This and other Christie stories have been adapted in numerous forms over the years, but we stick with the major film adaptations for this discussion. First, the 1974 film directed by Sidney Lumet, as well as the 2017 film directed by and starring Kenneth Branaugh.

These films both get an excellent chance to make use of an ensemble cast to give life to its characters, but how do they fare? Are they able to properly capture the brilliance and odd tendencies of Poirot? How does the mystery and its ultimate reveal translate to screen?

Join us to find out!

In Episode 14, Alan & Nisha discuss the much-acclaimed psychological thriller Shutter Island ! They talk about the 2003 novel by Dennis Lehane, and the 2010 film adaptation directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio.

At the time of publishing this book, Lehane was already well-known for his crime mysteries, but how did he inject a new psychological twist into his typical work. The story relies on misdirection and confusion, so how did Scorsese manage to capture this on screen?

Join us as we discuss this and much more!

World Dracula Day is this month!

To celebrate, Nisha put together a special bonus episode where she talks about 10 of the weirdest people characters Dracula has appeared with across the years.

Welcome to Episode 13, which means we are kicking off our second year of In Contrast!

For this episode, Alan & Nisha discuss Nisha's birthday pick: Water for Elephants! They discuss the 2006 novel by Sara Gruen and its 2011 film adaptation by the same name.

Join us as we delve into this period piece romance and discuss how Gruen's own character are evident in her writing.

In episode 12, Alan & Nisha discuss another classic of gothic horror: Edgar Allan Poe's The Masque of the Red Death! They marvel at how well this story holds up even 180 years later, and even still has some notable parallels to our modern world.

For the film adaptations, they focus on the most well-known version put to film: the 1964 film of the same name, as well as the early 1919 silent film The Plague in Florence. The first film is one of many Poe adaptations directed by Roger Corman and starring the legendary Vincent Price, while the latter was notably an early writing credit for Fritz Lang!

With the most recent version of this tale being over 60 years old, how do these stories hold up? Why has Poe remained such a celebrated figure in writing? Join us as we discuss these and other topics!

In episode 11, Alan & Nisha once again visit with pod favorite H.P. Lovecraft to discuss his 1927 short story, The Colour Out of Space. Often cited as perhaps the favorite work of Lovecraft himself, this story has been adapted numerous times over the years and inspired countless more.

For the discussion, they also focus on two films: The 2019 film The Color Out of Space starring Nicholas Cage, and the lesser-known 2010 film Die Farbe (The Color), a low-budget German-language adaptation.

One of these was a fairly successful mainstream sci-fi, the other a work of love appreciated by dedicated fans. How do these films stack up against the original writings? Join us as we discuss this and more, including the rippling effects of this nearly century-old classic.