Cover to Credits
Arts
TV & Film
Ian George and Adina Hilton
Cover to Credits is a bi-weekly podcast that analyzes books and their movie adaptations. Hosts Ian George and Adina Hilton cover a variety of genres, critiquing both the film and novel it's based on, while trying to understand what makes a good adaptation. Stories are also frequently viewed from a feminist lens, where representation, gender roles, and other elements are often times explored.
The Queen's Gambit
This episode Ian finally gets to talk about chess with The Queen's Gambit, the hit Netflix show directed by Scott Frank and based on the novel by Walter Tevis. We look at this story's intersection of sex and chess, the Russian villain trope, and smothered males(?)
01:34:2820/01/2021
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
We return to Hogwarts this episode with a quick detour into bureaucracy and governmental incompetence! This fifth installment in the series, written by J.K. Rowling and adapted in 2007 by David Yates, explores themes of civil disobedience, trauma, and snogging!
01:44:5906/01/2021
Die Hard
We get together and have a few laughs this episode with Die Hard, the 1988 film by John McTiernan, based on the novel Nothing Lasts Forever by Roderick Thorp. We discuss action film tropes, random grandchildren in the novel, and of course we ask the age-old question: Is this a Christmas movie?
01:27:2623/12/2020
Inkheart
This episode, books come to life (and we're not just talking about the film adaptation) with Inkheart, written by Cornelia Funke and adapted in 2008 by Iain Softley. Tune in for kidnapping advice, discussions on the magic of books, and our attempt to determine if Meggie is a god by the end of the film.
01:31:1709/12/2020
Rebecca (1940)
Is it a ghost, or is it the patriarchy? This episode we dream of returning to Manderley in the novel Rebecca, written by Daphne Du Maurier and adapted in 1940 by Alfred Hitchcock. We talk unnamed narrators, unnerving housekeepers, and why you should never surprise anyone ever.
01:25:4725/11/2020
The Martian
Earth may be a disaster right now, but Mars doesn't seem much better. Join us as we discuss The Martian, a survival tale like no other, written by Andy Weird and adapted by Ridley Scott in 2015. This episode we get into potatoes, science, Childish Gambino, online publishing, and most importantly, potatoes.
01:31:3511/11/2020
Lovecraft Country
This episode we tackle this dense and topical HBO series, show-run by Misha Green, and based on the novel by Matt Ruff. We talk monsters, racism, and some Indiana Jones bullshit.
01:38:0928/10/2020
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
It's time for the fourth installment of the Harry Potter series with The Goblet of Fire, written by J.K. Rowling and adapted in 2005 by Mike Newell. We look at how this series expands the scope of the Wizarding World, the scope of haircuts, and the scope of half-baked slave analogies. Also, we drop our hottest take yet in the Harry Potter series.
01:37:1507/10/2020
Room (2015)
This episode, hope and horror combine with Room, written by Emma Donoghue, and adapted in 2015 by Lenny Abrahamson. We discuss the unique writing of the novel, the amazing cast of the film, and the biggest question left unanswered, where did Old Nick get a wardrobe from?
01:25:1423/09/2020
The Devil Wears Prada
We take a look at the cult classic comedy The Devil Wears Prada, directed by David Frankel in 2006, and the novel it was based on by Lauren Weisberger. We discuss the challenges of first jobs, the real life inspirations of the story, and every glorious line that comes out of Meryl Streep's mouth.
01:34:0409/09/2020
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
This episode looks at the coming-of-age tale, Perks of Being a Wallflower, written in 1999, and then later directed in 2012, by Stephen Chbosky. We enjoy getting to discuss our home city of Pittsburgh, as well as the traumas of high school, getting high, and share what our personal tunnel songs are.
01:32:4826/08/2020
Into the Wild
This episode, we discuss the true story of Christopher McCandless, as told in John Krakauer's book Into the Wild and the 2007 film adaptation by Sean Penn. We look at how both mediums attempt to fill in the gaps of Chris' final years and how his legacy continues well into the present.
01:32:2812/08/2020
The Little Prince (2015)
We go planet hopping this episode with The Little Prince, a short book with big impact by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and the 2015 film adaptation by Mark Osborne. We explore the absurdist humor, deeper meaning, and lasting legacy of this story, and the film's unique approach to bringing this tale to life.
01:20:3229/07/2020
Malcolm X
We take a look at one of America's most prolific figures during the civil rights movement with The Autobiography of Malcolm X, and the film adaptation directed by Spike Lee in 1992. Malcolm X's remarkable life is captured from Zoot Suits and drugs in Harlem to his pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. We talk about the civil rights movement, hair conking, and Spike Lee's amazing work behind the camera.
01:28:2915/07/2020
The Sisters Brothers
We hit the dusty trail this episode as we look into The Sisters Brothers, a 2011 novel by Patrick DeWitt and 2018 film directed by Jacques Audiard. This oddball western, set against the backdrop of the California gold rush, follows two hitmen brothers, but is full of unexpected turns.
01:25:3101/07/2020
Dr. Strangelove
In this episode, we discuss the Stanley Kubrick classic Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb *deep inhale* based on the novel Red Alert by Peter Bryant. We explore the unusual scenario of how this detailed cold war thriller was turned into a dark satire that's appeared on many Best Movie lists over the years.
01:28:3717/06/2020
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
The Harry Potter series gets a shakeup in both the novels and films with Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, written by J.K. Rowling and adapted in 2004 by Alfanso Cuaron. We discuss MORE forms of wizard transportation, the films' new Dumbledore (Dumble-coy?) and a finale so dense it takes half the episode to discuss.
01:38:0503/06/2020
The Disaster Artist
Oh, hi Mark! This episode we see how one of the all-time worst movies ever was created with The Disaster Artist, written by Greg Sestero and Tom Bissell, adapted in 2017 by James Franco. We discuss the absurd hijinks depicted in this adaptation, as well as the darker elements left out of the film.
01:30:0720/05/2020
Little Fires Everywhere
Things heat up this episode as we delve into Little Fires Everywhere, the novel by Celeste Ng, adapted for Hulu by Liz Tigelaar. We discuss how race is brought to the forefront of this show, the courtroom conflict of the novel, and how Reese Witherspoon manages to break the sound barrier in the last episode.
01:35:2406/05/2020
The Kite Runner
This episode we discuss The Kite Runner, written by Khaled Housseini and adapted for the screen by Marc Forster. We spend the episode trying to make heads or tails of Kite Fighting, discussing the unique narrative, and discovering the sad history of how this sad movie was made.
01:25:0322/04/2020
Pride and Prejudice (2005)
The characters may be respectable, but we won't be while discussing the 2005 adaptation of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. We cover all aspects of this 1800's novel, from the cousin marrying to the "shades of Pemberley" and how the film trades high collars for deep V's.
01:37:2308/04/2020
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
The saga of "the boy who lived" continues with Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, written by J.K. Rowling and directed by Chris Columbus in 2002. We discuss how this book expands on the themes of the series, what are ghosts in this universe, and how Harry's stage fright almost gets him killed by wizard crack heads.
01:29:3925/03/2020
The Great Gatsby
It's the 20's again, so we're going back in time to discuss the quintessential 1920's novel The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and the film adaptation form 2013 directed by Baz Luhrmann. We talk about shoddy CGI, literary themes, and Tobey Maguire's ridiculous straw hats.
01:29:2211/03/2020
To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You
We return to the complex love life of Lara Jean this episode as we discuss the sequel to To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You, written by Jenny Han and adapted by Michael Fimognari. We cover the problem with basic dude names, lush senior living centers, and the entire game of Assassins the movie forgot.
01:23:0626/02/2020
Alias Grace
Our entire understanding of "truth" gets completely rocked this episode as we discuss Alias Grace, the novel by Margaret Atwood and its Netflix adaptation directed by Mary Harron. This historical fiction is based on the 1800's murderess, Grace Marks, as she is being interviewed by a psychologist attempting to understand if she is guilty, innocent, or something in between.
01:25:2011/02/2020
Just Mercy
Things get real this episode as we discuss Just Mercy, the true story of Bryan Stevenson and his fight to free an innocent death row inmate, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton. We dig into the more sobering aspects of this adaptation, while also addressing the insanity of this case and our lack of any and all legal knowledge.
01:20:1329/01/2020
Jaws
We take a look at Jaws, the iconic movie directed by Steven Spielberg which some say birthed the summer blockbuster, and the novel it was based on by Peter Benchley. We discuss the movie's problematic shoot, the novel's absurd affair subplot, and the cultural impact of this story as a whole.
01:23:4615/01/2020
Little Women (2019)
We start 2020 off right with the newest adaptation of the classic novel Little Women. Originally written by Mary Louis Alcott, and adapted and directed for the screen by Greta Gerwig, we look at how this story is both true to the source material while simultaneously making large changes (and of course we talk about everyone's favorite boy-next-door, Timothée Chalamet)
01:24:5401/01/2020
The Host
In a world where aliens have taken over all of humanity, one girl will evade all interesting themes and narratives to deliver yet another YA romance story! Written by Stephanie Meyer and directed by Andrew Niccol, this novel/movie combo leaves a lot for us to unpack, including identical white love interests, missed foursome opportunities, and a very suggestive alien extraction.
01:31:1318/12/2019
Watchmen (2009)
Who watches the Watchmen? Well, we did, and we're here to tell you all about this acclaimed graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and its 2009 film adaptation by Zach Snyder. We do our best to address as much as we can about this superhero, noir mystery steeped in heavy topics, and the film adaptation that is extremely accurate, if only on the surface.
01:32:1504/12/2019
Doctor Sleep
This episode, we unravel one of the most intricate adaptations we've ever discussed with Doctor Sleep, the Stephen King novel that follows The Shining, and the film adaptation that not only returns to Kubrick's Overlook hotel, but also pulls from original King novel as well. Break out your yarn and cork-boards for this one.
01:28:4120/11/2019
Little Children
We get transported to a hot, hot summer in the suburbs this episode with Little Children, written by Tom Perrotta and directed by Todd Field in 2006. This story of infidelity and community tackles a wide variety of topics, from race to internet porn (with varying degrees of success) but one thing is for certain, and that's that you catch a glimpse of Patrick Wilson's balls.
01:19:3006/11/2019
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
While we wait for our very late letters from Hogwarts, we decided to talk about the first adaptation of the iconic Harry Potter franchise! Written by J.K. Rowling and directed by Chris Columbus, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (or Philosopher's Stone to our international listeners) kicked off both historically popular franchises. We discuss these amazing characters and the actors that would grow to define them, along with quidditch, which houses we belong in, and whether Harry learns anything his first year.
01:24:4123/10/2019
Cloud Atlas
We're journeying across time and space with Cloud Atlas to discuss six stories all wrapped up in themes of reincarnation. Written by David Mitchell and directed by Tom Tykwer and the Watchowski's, these stories are woven together in two very different ways between mediums, and cover themes from humanities growth and decay, to the fight against oppression. Also, we learned a new term this episode: Yellow face. And its' as bad as it sounds.
01:32:2209/10/2019
The Last Unicorn
We venture into strange new territory this episode as we discuss The Last Unicorn, written by Peter S. Beagle and directed by Rankin Bass in 1982. We discuss the humor of the novel, the unique animation of the film, and we're also moved by the spirit of song in this one, so don't miss it!
01:23:3525/09/2019
IT Chapter 2 (2019)
We wrap up this series on Stephen King's epic saga of childhood trauma and fear with IT Chapter 2, the second film in the Andy Muschietti adaptation. Stephen King proves to be just as brilliant as he is frustrating in the adult portions of this novel, but does the film manage to improve on this concept at all? Does Henry Bowers serve any purpose at all in this half? And what's up with Stephen King and nipples?
01:44:5911/09/2019
IT Chapter 1 (2017)
We faced our own worst nightmare this episode as we tackled Stephen King's 1,100+ novel IT, and the first of two movies directed by Andy Muschietti that adapt this story. We may only be talking about half of the entire story, but there's plenty to discuss; from picking our favorite kids, to pointless backstories, and of course THAT SCENE which is not in the film for obvious reasons. And tune in Sept. 11 for our episode on Chapter 2 and the remainder of the novel!
01:43:4904/09/2019
Arrival
This episode we delve into our first ever short story adaptation with Arrival, the 2016 Denis Villeneuve film, based on the short story Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang. We pull from many insightful sources for this episode to examen how this movie came to be and what themes it pulls from the short story. We also discuss whether Amy Adams can be trusted, and what Amazon reviews might sound like for the book she publishes at the end.
01:16:2521/08/2019
Me Before You
This episode we discuss the film Me Before You, directed by Thea Sharrock in 2016 and based on the novel by Jojo Moyes. We'll address many of the topics relating to this tragic love story, including the representation of people with disabilities, figuring out how shitty her sister is, and of course the "did they bang?" qualification.
01:26:5907/08/2019
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
This episode we turn to Netflix for the smash hit, YA rom-com, To All The Boys I've Loved Before, directed by Susan Johnson, and the novel that inspired it written by Jenny Han. We're here for the great cinematography, strong family bonds, and major Mark Ruffalo vibes. Also, wondering how evil the little sister from the book really is.
01:20:5224/07/2019
Breaking Dawn
The Twilight Saga comes to a close with a massive 750+ page book by Stephanie Meyer and a 2 movie finale directed by Bill Condon, and we're here to discuss both in a suitably long episode! We'll cover Bella's arc from baby carrying martyr to best-vampire-ever, the missed opportunity of Jacob's section of the book, and a team of superhero recruitment scene just in time for the end of the series. Not to mention a lengthy discussion on vampire "fluids".
01:42:4610/07/2019
The Shining
Cover your eyes and count to ten, because this episode we're discussing The Shining! Stephen King's famous horror novel, written in 1977 and elevated to cult status in 1980 by Stanley Kubrick, gives us much to discuss. This story of a family enduring the unnatural horrors of the Overlook hotel tackles issues of isolation, parenthood, and trauma. We'll also manage to cover conspiracy theories, stories within stories, and even why Room 217 became 237 in the movie (spoiler alert, it's not about the moon landing).
01:25:4526/06/2019
Good Omens
It's the end of the world and we've never laughed harder. This episode we explore the new Amazon series Good Omens, created by Neil Gaiman who wrote the novel it's based on with the late Terry Pratchett. This doomsday comedy explores themes of morality and human nature as we follow the angel and demon duo of Crowley and Aziraphale (our OTP) as they try to prevent the apocalypse. There's also space aliens, witch hunters, and the goodest hell hound to ever walk the earth.
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01:27:2912/06/2019
10 Things I Hate About You
It's a FIRST for Cover to Credits as we discuss an adaptation of a play, namely 10 Things I Hate About You which was based on The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare. Never has the wild hijinks of Shakespeare felt more at home than the halls of a late 90's high school, full of deception, wooing, and balloons filled with paint. And of course we'll discuss the elements of the play which have not aged well, to say the least.
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01:21:2929/05/2019
Murder on the Orient Express (2017)
It's time gather your clues and get down to the bottom of the mystery: is Agatha Christie's 1934 Murder on the Orient Express outdone by Kenneth Branagh's 2017 film adaptation?! We present the hard evidence, from pre-WWII European racism, to absurd black and white flashbacks and everything in between (namely a passionate, kung-fu using Count and Countess).
We are also releasing an exclusive bonus episode for all of our Patron's where we discuss the adaptation from 1974 starring Albert Finney, which has more than its share of quirks as well!
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01:20:2815/05/2019
Carol
It's time for a 1950's road trip full of sexual tension, because this week we're discussing Carol (or The Price of Salt) written by Patricia Highsmith and brought to the screen in 2015 by Todd Haynes. We dive deep into this story of a blossoming romance between two women who pursue their love despite all of the stupid, horrible men that surround them, not to mention the cutest movie child of all time.
01:21:4301/05/2019
I Am Legend
Board up your homes and hide your dogs, because this episode we look at I Am Legend, the Richard Matheson novel and its film adaptation directed by Francis Lawrence. We'll break down the significance of this 1950's novella and the widespread influence it brought to the horror and sci-fi genres, while examining if the Will Smith vehicle that has minimal overlap with the book is a worthy adaptation.
01:19:5217/04/2019
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
To celebrate our 50th episode, we explore a world of espionage, hacking, seduction, and open faced sandwiches as we discuss The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. The novel, written by Stieg Larson, was brought to the screen by David Fincher in 2011 (sorry Swedish adaptation fans) and is Adina's all-time favorite adaptation, but which will we deem the better version in our totally serious "which is better" segment?
01:24:1903/04/2019
Children of Men
In honor of our 50th episode, this week we're discussing Ian's favorite movie Children of Men, directed by Alfonso Cuaron in 2006, and the novel it was based on by P.D. James. We analyze what makes this film so unique while questioning some of the novel's more than questionable plot points (spoiler alert: we did not care for the novel).
Below is a link to the Cinefix video referenced in the episode:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLFHdagIw6o
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https://www.patreon.com/covertocreditspod
01:25:2720/03/2019
Howl's Moving Castle
For the first time, we're discussing the magical world of Studio Ghibli and Hayao Miyazaki with the film Howl's Moving Castle, and the novel it was based on by Diana Wynne Jones. No stone will be left unturned as we talk about succulent looking Miyazaki food, Howl 'birding' around, and a book subplot so wild that it was left from the film.
01:24:2906/03/2019