Book Vs. Movie: 12 Angry MenThe 1954 Teleplay Vs. the 1957 Classic FilmThe Margos close out a month of theatre vs. films with 12 Angry Men, which began as a teleplay in 1954 and was adapted to film by Sidney Lumet, with Henry Fonda serving as the lead actor and producer of the 1957 movie. The story centers on a young man who is accused of stabbing his father to death, and a group of 12 jurors must decide if he is guilty of premeditated murder, which carries a death sentence. Writer Reginald Rose came up with the idea while serving jury duty in New York City and found the process “solemn” and “impressive.” The first airing on Studio One was September 20, 1954, with stars Robert Cummings, Franchot Tone, George Veskovec, Joseph Sweeney, and Norman Fell. Rose won an Emmy Award for his screenplay. Henry Fonda produced the wok in 1957 with Sidney Lumet, and the low-budget affair failed to make a profit. Until he died in 1982, Fonda never received any money for his work or performance. But he rightly considered it one of his best. The film stars some of the best character actors of the time and earned multiple Academy Award nominations (Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay) but competed in the same year as The Bridge on the River Kwai, which swept all of the major awards in 1957. In this episode, the Margos discuss the significant differences between the teleplay and the movie and try to decide which we like better. In this ep the Margos discuss:The backstory of the original TV productionThe strict demands of filming on one setThe case being tried and how it is picked apartThe cast: Martin Balsam (Juror 1,) John Fielder (Juror 2,) Lee J Cobb (Juror 3,) E.G. Marshall (Juror 4,) Jack Klugman (Juror 5,) Edward Binne (Juror 6,) Jack Warden (Juror 7,) Henry Fonda (Juror 8,) Joseph Sweeney (Juror 9,) Ed Begley (Juror 10,) George Voskovek, (Juror 11,) and Robert Webber as Juror 12.Clips used:The first count12 Angry Men 1957 trailer The knife sceneKids these daysThese daysMusic by Kenyon HopkinsBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynMargo www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: CasablancaThe 1940 Play Vs. the 1942 Classic FilmThis January, we are saluting plays that were turned into films, and this episode covers one of the most beloved and celebrated films of all time--Casablanca. Yes, it was a play first by playwrights Murray Burnett and Joan Allison, who was offered $20,000 in 1940 (over $300,000 in today’s costs) for their story about a cafe in Africa helping refugees seek asylum in America during WW2. The timing between the movie’s release in 1942, as the war effort in Northern Africa, was gaining and America was no longer playing neutral in the international crisis with Germany and Japan, was not a coincidence. The film was rushed into production to promote America’s armed forces and the people fleeing Europe from the Nazis. Everybody Comes to Rick’s has the basics of the film’s plot, with two former lovers meeting again at Rick’s cafe. Rick and Lois met in Paris before the Germans invaded France and became illicit lovers. Two years later, Rick has a “gin joint” in Casablanca (Rick’s Cafe) and assists people looking to exile into America. His friend is a piano player who goes by the name “Rabbit,” and he gets visits from former Parisian residents like Luis Rinaldo. Lois is married to a man named Victor Lazlo, and they are fleeing from the Nazis. They have a song, As Time Goes By, and reminisce about their affair in Paris. In the end, Rick helps Lois and her husband leave Casablanca while he takes off for parts unknown with Italian buddy Luis Rinaldo. Burnett and Alison could not find a Broadway producer for the play, so they sold the rights and went on with their lives, not realizing the movie would go on to be a Hollywood classic, winning several awards and with a screenplay people quote 80 years later. Worse, their contributions would not be recognized. Eventually, they were able to put on their play in 1991. The film stars Humphrey Bogart as Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman as his love interest--Ilsa Lund. The rest of the cast includes dozens of immigrants and refugees who felt passionate about the project. Casablanca is considered one of the best examples of propaganda in American film. We feel silly justifying how wonderful it is, but that is what we do at Book Vs. Movie! In this episode, the Margos discuss the significant differences between the book and the play and try to decide which we like better. (It’s not going to be close!) In this ep the Margos discuss:The backstory of the play and movieThe international cast and what the world was like during filmingThe differences between the play and the movieThe cast: Humphrey Bogart (Rick,) Ingrid Bergman (Ilsa,) Paul Henreid (Victor Lazlo,) Claude Rains (Captain Louis Renault,) Conrad Veidt (Major Heinrich Strasser,) Sydney Greenstreet (Signor Ferrari,) Dooley Wilson (Sam,) and Peter Lorre as Signor Ugarte.Clips used:Rick meets up with Ilsa in CasablancaCasablanca trailer “Everyone Comes to Rick’s,” an international castRick’s backstory by RenaultLazlo and Ilsa arrive at Rick’sIlsa asks Sam to play “her song.”Peter Lorre scenePlay it again, Sam“Die Wacht am Rhein” vs. “La Marseillaise” Rick sends Ilsa and Lazlo awayAs Time Goes By, music and lyrics by Herman Hupfeld and sung by Dooley Wilson Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Biloxi BluesThe 1984 Neil Simon Play Vs. the 1988 Mike Nichols FilmThe Margos continue their month of plays in January (we have “Musicals in March”) with Neil Simon’s middle offer of the “Eugene Chronicles” with 1984’s Biloxi Blues. The story is a fictionalized version of the life of Simon about Eugene Morris Jerome of Brooklyn, NY, and his time as an enlisted soldier in Biloxi, Mississippi. Starring Matthew Broderick (who played the role of Eugene in every chapter), the play was an instant hit earning Tony Awards for Best Play and Best Featured Player to Barry Miller (Arnold Epstein.) Broderick was awarded his first Tony Award as Eugene Jerome in Brighton Beach Memoirs in 1983. Miller also won the Theatre World Award and the Drama Desk Award in 1985 for Biloxi Blues, which may be why he was NOT invited to the movie. Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert would later pan the film for not hiring Miller. The critics loved the comedy and performances, as well as Simon’s outward discussion of the treatment of Jewish people at the time. Mike Nichols directed the 1988 film that was a huge hit as part of a wave of 1980s films set in the military. (See Stripes, Private Benjamin, and Good Morning, Viet Nam.) In this episode, the Margos discuss the significant differences between the book and the movie and try to decide which we like better. In this ep the Margos discuss:The work of Neil Simon & the “Eugene Trilogy.”The controversy of not casting Barry MillerThe significant differences between the play and the movieThe 1985 Broadway play: Matthew Broderick (Eugene Jerome,) William Sadler (Sgt. Toomey,) Barry Miller (Arnold Epstein,) Penelope Ann Miller (Daisy,) Randall Edwards (Rowena,) Matt Mulhern (Wykowski,) Alan Ruck (Carney,) Geoffrey Sharp (Hennesey) and Brian Tarantina as Selridge.The 1988 film: Matthew Broderick (Eugene Jerome,) Christopher Walken (Sgt. Toomey,) Markus Flanagan (Selridge,) Matt Mulhern (Wykowski,) Corey Parker (Epstein,) Casey Siemaszko (Carney,) Michael Dolan (Hennesey,) Penelope Ann Miller (Daisy) and Park Overall as Rowena)Clips used:Opening ClipBarry Miller wins a TONYBiloxi Blues original 1988 trailerDetail AttentionEpstein combats Toomey’s methods.Eugene meets DaisyToomey threatens EpsteinThe “bet scene.”Biloxi Blues epilogueMusic by Pat Suzuki “How High the Moon”Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf The Edward Albee 1962 Play Vs. the 1966 Mike Nichols FilmThe three-hour anger fest that is Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf is one of the most celebrated and controversial of the 1960s. Edward Albee’s 1961 play is about middle-aged couple George & Martha, who have been drinking and battling for years, and one unfortunate evening they have with new friends Nick & Honey. It caused a stir at the time for its “racy” language, the three-hour runtime, and its intense performances by Uta Hagen, Arthur Hill, Ben Piazza, and Melinda Dillon. The play was a sensation and broke box office records. So much, so that afternoon performances were added to meet the demand. It won the Tony Award and the New York Drama Critics Circle in 1963. The same year, it was up for a Pultizer Prize for Drama but lost due to its “profanity and sexual themes.” (There was no prize given that year.)Mike Nichols directed the 1966 film with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, who ate up each scene with their unique partnership of love, hate, and movie-star charisma. (Their real-life love story is another whirlwind of multiple marriages, addiction, and pain.) George Segal and Sandy Dennis play Nick and Honey, and the entire cast and most of the production received Academy Award nominations. (Taylor and Dennis won) Jack Valenti of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) said this was his first controversial film under his reign. Words like “screw” and “hump” were considered scandalous and had to be deleted from the script. The story of George and Martha is one of the significant cultural landmarks of the 20th Century, with several productions over the past 60 years and several parodies, from The Carol Burnett Show to The Simpsons. In this episode, the Margos discuss the original play and the 1966 adaptation and try to decide which we like better. In this ep the Margos discuss:The work of Edward AlbeeThe legend behind the title of the playThe significant differences between the play and the movieThe 1966 cast: Elizabeth Taylor (Martha,) Richard Burton (George,) George Segal (Nick,) and Sandy Dennis as HoneyClips used:Opening ClipWho's Afraid of Virginia Wolf? 1966 trailerMartha degrades GeorgeGeorge “shoots” MarthaMartha and Nick danceNick talks about boxing“I swear if you existed, I would divorce you!”One day it snaps…Music by Alex NorthBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: "The Poseidon Adventure" (1971)The differences between the super gross book and the entertaining movie (We are not going to hide our bias here!)At Book Vs. Movie, whenever people say, "Duh--the book is always better than the movie!" the Margos would say, "yeah--have you ever read Jaws?" Well, now we have another book-to-movie adaptation that features a horrible, racist, sexist, homophobic, and misogynistic novel that became a fun hit film. Sportswriter Paul Gallico helped many stories become excellent films, including Pride of the Yankees, The Snow Goose, and the musical stage Carnival! He wrote over 40 books, numerous short stories, and dozens of T.V. and movie scripts. He began his career working for the New York Daily News sports desk and later became a prolific travel writer spending 10,000 miles on the road in the U.S. for Reader's Digest. In 1969, he published The Poseiden Adventure to little fanfare. The tale of a wayward ship sunk while traveling to Africa features some of the most loathsome characters we have ever had the displeasure of reading. (The audiobook featuring narration by actor Dylan Baker makes it slightly more palatable.)Trigger warning: This story features a character being raped who then comforts her attacker and wishes she was pregnant by him. (Seriously!) The movie by producer Irwin Allen and director Ronald Neame became an instant classic which began a slate of many disaster films in the 1970s. It would become the highest-grossing film of 1973, grossing over $125 million worldwide. It won an Academy Award for best special effects and best original song "The Morning After." Our lead actor is Gene Hackman as Reverand Frank Scott who is a renegade preacher who turns into a hero for the passengers of the S.S. Poseidon (partly filmed on the RMS Queen Mary.) at the time, he was a hot property after the success of The French Connection, and his performance is very passionate. Co-star Shelley Winters won the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Belle Rosen--a middle-aged swimmer who gives her life to protect the survivors. (Spoiler!) Please listen to find out our real feelings between the book & movie, as this one will go down as one of our biggest takedowns of a horrible piece of work. In this ep the Margos discuss:The writing career of Paul GallicoHow genuinely terrible this book is and why you should not read it.The special effects of the film and how it changed disaster films of the futureThe cast: Gene Hackman (Reverand Frank Scott,) Ernest Borgnine (Mike Rogo,) Red Buttons (James Martin,) Carol Lynley (Nonnie Parry,) Roddy McDowell (Acres,) Stella Stevens (Linda Rogo,) Shelley Winters (Belle Rosen,) Jack Albertson (Manny Rosen,) Pamela Sue Martin (Susan Shelby,) Eric Shea (Robin Shelby,) and Leslie Nielsen (Captain Harrison)Clips used:The Poseidon Adventure trailerA tidal wave hits the shitThe immediate aftermath of the ship turning overStella Stevens's "panties" scene"Lindaaaaaaaaaa!!!"Reverend Scott sacrifices himself for the good of the groupThe group is rescuedClosing music, "The Morning After," written by Al Kasha & Joel Hirschorn and sung by Maureen McGovernJoin our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/ Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/

Book Vs Movie: “The Homecoming: A Christmas Story” (1971)The Basis of the Waltons TV Series Started as a TV Movie!The Margos decided to get into the Depression-era holiday spirit with a look at “The Homecoming: A Christmas Story,” which was written by author & creator of The Waltons TV series--Earl Hamner, Jr. Hamner has a fascinating career as a writer with several scripts of “The Twilight Zone” including the famous The Bewitchin’ Pool, (the very last episode of the original American series.) He also created the 80s TV nighttime soap Falcon Crest!) In between, he wrote the 1961 novel Spencer’s Mountain, which became a movie starring Henry Fonda and Maureen O’Hara as Clay and Olivia Spencer. They play a couple living in the Grand Teton Mountains in Wyoming, and their eldest son “Clay-Boy” is set to become the first in his family to go to college. Ten years later, he wrote “The Homecoming,” which told a similar story with a twist--the Walton family was based in the Blue Ridge mountains during the depression. The TV movie was on December 19, 1971, in the U.S. and was such a big hit--it was immediately turned into a TV series. Hamner narrated every episode, which ran for almost ten years, and started the phrase “goodnight John-Boy!” In this episode, the Margos talk about the author, his original novella, and the 1971 TV movie, and try to decide which we like better. Have a listen! In this ep the Margos discuss:The interesting life of Earl Hamner, Jr.The casting of Patricia Neal as Olivia Walton and why she was not hired for the seriesThe major differences between the movie and the novellaThe cast: Patricia Neal (Olivia Walton,) Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton,) Edgar Bergen (Grandpa Walton,) Dorothy Stickney (Grandma Walton, ) Cleavon Little (Hawthorne Dooley,) Andrew Duggan (Big John Walton,) and Judy Norton (Mary Ellen Walton.)Clips used:The Homecoming trailerAn early ad for The HomecomingOlivia Walton is suspicious of John-BoyEarl Hamner, Jr opening scene narrationJoin our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/ Twitter @bookversusmovie Email us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/

Book Vs. Movie: The Little MermaidThe Hans Christian Anderson Story Vs. the 1989 Disney ClassicThe Margos continue “Disney in December” with the all-time classic 1989 animated feature The Little Mermaid, which began as a fairy tale by Danish author Hans Christian Anderson in 1837. The film was responsible for bringing Disney studios back into animation leaders after decades of so-so films and losing top artists to rival companies. The original story is about a mermaid who lives in an underwater kingdom with her sisters, her father (a Mer-King), and her grandmother, who instructs her that when she is 15 years old, she can swim to the surface to see the world above. Her sisters (who are all older than her) can visit the land for only one day per year. The mermaid (who is never given a name) longs to visit more often and is obsessed with a statue of a human man on the ocean floor. When she finally rises, the Mermaid can see a man (a prince!) on shore, and she falls in love. As luck would have it, his ship wreaks, and she can save him from drowning. As she waits for him to wake up on the shore, a young woman from a nearby temple comes over. She is given credit for saving him, and the Little Mermaid becomes despondent. This is when we learn that mermaids can live up to 300 years undersea, and then they turn into sea foam--without a soul to go to heaven. The Little Mermaid visits a sea which tells her she will give her human legs if she trades with her beautiful voice. Mermaid makes this deal and goes to land. Unfortunately, her new legs feel like daggers as she walks, and the prince likes her well enough, but he loves the woman from the temple whom he thinks saved him from the shipwreck. The Little Mermaid is told by her sisters (who gave up their long hair to the sea witch to get the formula to bring her back underwater) if she visits the prince and his new bride on their honeymoon on a ship, she can stab him in the heart and she will become a mermaid again. Instead, she throws a knife into the water and becomes an “Air Fairy,” If she does good deeds for 300 years, she will go to heaven. The Disney version retells the tale with one of the best villains EVER--Ursula, voiced by the fabulous Pat Carroll and supposedly based partly on the late drag performer Divine. This mermaid is named Ariel, and Alan Menken's music and Howard Asman's lyrics are some of the most memorable in film history. (Try getting “Kiss the Girl” out of your head!) It made hundreds of millions at the box office, and little girls have been cosplaying Ariel for decades. She’s not exactly a feminist icon--but the film is a delightful confection and the last of the handpainted Disney films. In this episode, we get into the history of the 1989 film and the children’s fairy tale and discuss their differences. Then we choose which we each like better!This episode is sponsored by:Kensington Books and the Rebecca Zanetti novel You Can Hide. Set up against the backdrop of the Pacific Northwest, FBI agent Laurel Snow strives to navigate her complicated family life when her newly discovered sociopathic half-sister becomes the target of a dangerous killer. The Blacklist meets The Profiler meets Justified is how it is described as laurel believes her sister (Abigail) was behind the mysterious disappearance of their father. Abigail shows up to claim someone is out to kill her, and then dead bodies turn up in the icy Sauk River--her sister seems to be the only connection. This book has romance (in the form of Fish and Wildlife Captain Huck Rivers), action, family drama, suspense, and thrills. You can follow Rebecca Zanetti on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.In this ep the Margos discuss:Hans Christian Anderson’s interesting lifeThe significant differences between the book and the movieDisney's post-Little Mermaid success and how it changed the perception of animationThe 1989 cast: Jodi Benson (Ariel,) Christopher Daniel Barnes (Prince Eric,) Pat Carroll (Ursula,) Kenneth Mars (King Triton,) Samuel E. Wright (Sebastian,) Jason Marin (Flounder,) Buddy Hackett (Scuttle,) Paddi Edwards (Flotsam and Jetsam,) Ben Wright (Sir Grimsby,) Edie McClurg (Carlotta,) Will Ryan (Harold,) and Rene Auberjonois as Chef Louis.Clips used:Opening Clip with King TritonThe Little Mermaid original 1989 trailerAriel sees Eric for the first timeKiss the GirlAriel and UrsulaSebastian and King TritonUnder the SeaMusic by Alan Menken and Howard AshmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie (2019 Replay) The Polar ExpressThe Margos take a wild ride into the classic 1985 children’s book and compare it to the 2004 Robert Zemeckis Film. It’s our last new episode of the year, and we had to celebrate with one of our most requested titles ever--The Polar Express from author/illustrator Chris Van Allsburg. The book has sold millions of copies since its 1985 release (one million by 1989 alone!), and it's only 32 pages, so we only have a few beautiful things to say about it. But what about the 2004 film starring Mr. Tom Hanks? We have feelings about this movie, kids--and we want to know what YOU think in the comments below. So between the book & movie--which did we like better? Have a listen to find out! In this ep the Margos discuss:Chris Van Allsburg's amazing careerThe basic differences between the book & movieThe cast of the movie Tom Hanks ( Hero Boy, Father, Santa Claus, Conductor, and Hobo,) Leslie Zemeckis (Mother, Sister Sarah,) Eddie Deezan (Know-It-All,) Nona Gaye (Hero Girl,) Peter Scolari (Billy-Lonely Boy,) and Micheal Jeter (Smokey.)Clips Featured:The Polar Express trailer“When Christmas Comes to Town” (Glen Ballard & Alan Silvestri)“Rocking on Top of the World” by Steven TylerOutro music “Believe” by Josh GrobanJoin our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/ Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com Email us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/

Book Vs. Movie: The Bishop’s WifeThe 1928 novel by Robert Nathan Vs. the 1947 Classic Cary Grant FilmIt’s December at Book Vs. Movie, and we are excited about covering holiday-themed films, including this selection--The Bishop’s Wife. The original novella was written by Robert Nathan in 1928 and is the story of a preacher, Henry Boughman, who dreams of building a huge cathedral at the expense of his relationship with his wife, Julia. An angel, Michael, appears to help Henry and his family learn that family & love is more important than status. In the meantime, Michael Falls in love with Julia and is distraught to hear they can never have a “mortal love.” Julia decides to try for another baby to fulfill her needs. The book is an exploration of faith with vivid conversations between the preacher and a Jewish businessman and Professor Wutheridge, who both wish to find out the source of why he is so single-focused on religious expression. The movie features child actors from the recently released It’s a Wonderful Life. It took some liberties from the book and focused more on the possible romance of Julia and “Dudley” (Cary Grant in a typically amazing performance).” The film was directed by Henry Koster and stars David Niven and Loretta Young. So, which did we prefer between the original story and the movie? This episode is sponsored by Kensington’s newest romance novel by acclaimed South African author Therese Beharrie, And They Lived Happily Ever After, about a romance novelist, Gaia Anders,  who has an active dream life. Everything she dreams she puts into her stories doubles as her love life. Gaia’s waking life can’t compare to her dreams. Her childhood was incredibly lonely, and she is very shy about romance until she meets her best friend’s brother, Jacob Scott. Jacob is a workaholic with no time for relationships, but he crushes hard for Aiden and wonders how to get her attention. Jacob has his demons to conquer as he begins to share his dreams with Gaia literally.Can they find love while uncovering personal hard truths? The story takes place in modern-day Cape Town, South Africa, and you can follow her on ThereseBeharrie.com. Follow the hashtag #OwnVoices Rom-Com to learn about Therese and other romance authors of color. In this ep the Margos discuss:The life of writer Robert Nathan and his famous relativesThe theme of religious devotion in the early 20th Century in the U.S. The main differences between the novella & film. Starring: David Niven (Bishop Henry Brougham,) Loretta Young (Julia,) Cary Grant (Dudley,) Monty Woolley (Professor Wutheridge,) James Gleason (Sylvester,) Gladys Cooper (Mrs. Agnes Hamilton,) Elsa Lanchester (Matilda,) Sarah Haden (Mrs. Duffy,) Karolyn Grimes (Debby,) and Robert J. Anderson. Clips used:Cary Grant meets DebbyThe Bishop’s Wife  trailerThe kids play snowballDudley flirts with JuliaPreacher Henry gives a sermonMusic by The Robert Mitchell Boys Choir Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs. Movie: Snow WhiteThe Grimms Fairy Tales Version Vs. the 1937 Disney ClassicIn December, we cover Disney and what better adaptation to discuss than one of the greatest feature-length animated films of all time? 1937’s Snow White is considered a masterpiece of storytelling by Walt Disney, who believed in the future of animation and created a studio empire with the popularity of the film’s release. The original story starts with Grimm’s Fairy Tales, a collection of 1800s and earlier stories that were passed down from generation to and were often violent and today might be labeled “too scary” for kids. The Brothers Grimm (Jacob & Willhelm) Their first collection was published in 1812, and the brothers fought for decades to teach and discuss German history and folklore and unified the German language. Their active years were from 1812-1858. For context, France invaded Germany at the time, and the brothers wanted to save their culture and traditions. Later, they were seen as a building block for Germany which attempted to rule the world twice in the 20th Century. Snow White’s origin story is that of a little girl with a stepmother jealous of her beauty. The stepmother is an evil Queen and sends a huntsman to kill her (she is seven years old, by the way) and bring back her lungs and liver as proof. The huntsman loses his nerve and instead sets her free in the woods. She spent the next ten years taking care of seven dwarves. When the Evil Queen discovers Snow is alive, the queen (who practices black magic) schemes to kill her through a few different methods, finally having a poisoned apple as a successful weapon. The dwarves put Snow in a glass coffin and guard her. Eventually, she meets a Prince who saves her life, and they wed. Disney first saw the story as a silent film in 1915 and was determined to bring it to the big screen. The effort took hundreds of people, dozens of $5 “gags,” millions of film cells. The movie was called “Disney’s Folly” for its rumored $1.5 million budget. However, it was a smash hit from the start and is now considered one of the greatest movies of all time. So between the Fairy Tale and the 1937 film? Have a listen to find out!Kensington Books and the novel Colorado Country by Diana Palmer sponsor this episode!New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer takes readers to Christmastime in Colorado with two of her celebrated novellas in one collection featuring solitary, silent cowboys who find their restless hearts tamed by women of uncommon grace and strength. This a gift for readers who love heartwarming contemporary romance, gorgeous rugged cowboys, and fans of Carolyn Brown, Linda Lael Miller, and Delores Fossen. Meadow Dawson is struggling to manage the enormous ranch she just inherited. Too bad she’s not on speaking terms with the one man who can help her out. Cattleman Dal Blake wishes Meadow’s dog would quit digging under his fence—and that his pretty neighbor wasn’t just as good at getting under his skin. . . Widowed schoolteacher Katy is starting over with her young daughter, and she knows the perfect place—her grandmother’s Colorado ranch. A runaway Palomino brings reclusive horse wrangler Parker to her door. Parker knows all there is to know about horses, but with Katy, he’s learning about the gift of family.Diana Palmer is the author of over 100 books and was voted one of the top 10 romance writers with over 40 million books in print. She is known as the “queen of desperado quests for justice and true love” (Publisher’s Weekly) You can find her at Diana Palmer.com. In this ep the Margos discuss:Grimm Brothers and antisemitism The major differences between the book and the movieWalt Disney and his first big feature hitThe 1937 cast: Adriana Caselotti (Snow White,) Lucille La Verne (Evil Queen,) Harry Stockwell (The Prince,) Pinto Colvig (Grumpy & Sleepy,) Scotty Mattraw (Bashful,) Billy Gilbert (Sneezy,) Eddie Collins (Dopey,) Moroni Olsen (The Magic Mirror) and Stuart Buchanan as the Hunstman. Clips used:Snow White meets the dwarfsSnow White and the Seven Dwarfs 1937 original trailer with DisneyEvil Queen finds out Snow White is aliveEvil Queen offers poisoned apple“Heigh-Ho”Music by Frank Churchill, Paul J. Smith, Leigh Harline, and Larry Morey.Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie“It’s a Wonderful Life”(2018 replay ep) The Margos get out their hankies and talk about another holiday classic“No man is a failure who has friends.” The Margos wanted to fit in one more holiday movie this year, and what better way to celebrate than with the number one weepie of all time--It’s a Wonderful Life? (Yes, it was based on a short story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern and you can read it for yourself in under 15 minutes.)The Greatest Gift is the story of a man named George Bailey who wants to commit suicide. An unnamed stranger gives George his wish to see what life would be like if he had never been born. In the end, he chooses life. Van Doren Stern wrote this short story (which took him several years to finish) in 1944; at first, he could not find anyone willing to publish it. Eventually, he self-published 200 pamphlets and sent them as Christmas cards to family and friends.Director Frank Capra eventually landed the property and decided to completely revamp the story to include George’s childhood and more. It is now considered a classic film, but at the time, it was a bit of a box office failure, and Capra never really had the opportunity to see how his work influenced generations of storytellers for decades now.In this show, we discuss the differences between the short story and the film. Which version did the Margos like better? Check out the link below to find out!In this ep the Margos discuss :The backstory of author Phillip Van Doren Stern and how his holiday pamphlet turned into a beloved movie.Director Frank Capra and his hard work getting the film madeThe stellar cast includes Jimmy Stewart (George Bailey,) Donna Reed (Mary Bailey,) Lionel Barrymore (Mr. Potter,) Thomas Mitchell (Uncle Billy,) Henry Travers (Clarence,) Gloria Grahame (Violet), and Beulah Bondi (Mrs. Bailey.)Clips used:It’s a Wonderful Life  trailerGeorge and Mary sing “Buffalo Gals”Mr. Gower hits young GeorgeClarence explains being “Angel Second Class”George wants to live againOutro Music: Buffalo Gals by The Pickard FamilyBook Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004RMargo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama http://thechingonahomesteader.weebly.com/

Book Vs. Movie: Freaky FridayThe Mary Rogers Children’s Classic Vs. the 1976 & 2003 Disney AdaptationsIn December (because we have covered just about every holiday-themed Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving, and Hannukah film we can find)! The Margos turn our attention to all things Disney, and this year we begin with the classic Freaky Friday by Mary Rogers, which has been adapted a few times since its 1972 publication. Rogers, whose father was composer Richard Rogers, had a full career as a composer, screenwriter, and children’s novelist with successes on stage like Once Upon a Mattress which ran on Broadway in 1959 and later toured the world. In 1972 she contributed to the Marlo Thomas album Free to Be You and Me (William’s Doll) before completing Freaky Friday. The story of 13-year-old Annabel Andrews, who switches bodies with her mother only to discover being a parent is much harder than it looks. Annabell finds out her father is sexist and runs her mother ragged with demands on home life. Ultimately, she discovers that it was her mother the whole time who caused the body switch to show Annabel that she has her best interests in mind. The 1976 film stars Jodie Foster as Annabel and Barbara Harris as her mother, Ellen, with a screenplay by Rogers. One big difference is that the movie takes place in California versus New York City. Oh, and the racism casually featured in the book. (It’s a big yikes there!) It was a huge hit that garnered several Golden Globes Awards nominations. In 1995, Shelly Long and Gaby Hoffman lead in the second adaptation. The 2003 film stars Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan and was a huge hit that is problematic today. So between them all--which did we like better? Have a listen to find out!Kensington Books and the novel Colorado Country by Diana Palmer sponsor this episode!New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer takes readers to Christmastime in Colorado with two of her celebrated novellas in one collection featuring solitary, silent cowboys who find their restless hearts tamed by women of uncommon grace and strength. This a gift for readers who love heartwarming contemporary romance, gorgeous rugged cowboys, and fans of Carolyn Brown, Linda Lael Miller, and Delores Fossen. Meadow Dawson is struggling to manage the enormous ranch she just inherited. Too bad she’s not on speaking terms with the one man who can help her out. Cattleman Dal Blake wishes Meadow’s dog would quit digging under his fence—and that his pretty neighbor wasn’t just as good at getting under his skin. . . Widowed schoolteacher Katy is starting over with her young daughter, and she knows the perfect place—her grandmother’s Colorado ranch. A runaway Palomino brings reclusive horse wrangler Parker to her door. Parker knows all there is to know about horses, but with Katy, he’s learning about the gift of family.Diana Palmer is the author of over 100 books and was voted one of the top 10 romance writers with over 40 million books in print. She is known as the “queen of desperado quests for justice and true love” (Publisher’s Weekly) You can find her at Diana Palmer.com. In this ep the Margos discuss:The interesting life of the author Mary RogersThe casual racism in the story and how it differs from the various adaptationWhich version do we like best?The 1976 cast Jodie Foster (Annabel,) Barbara Harris (Ellem,) John Astin (Bill,) Patsy Kelly (Mrs. Schmauss,) Dick Van Patten (Harold Jennings,) Sorrell Booke (Mr. Dilk,) and Sparky Marcus as Ben. The 2003 cast Jamie Lee Curtis (Tess Coleman,) Lindsy Lohan (Anna Coleman,) Harold Gould (Alan Coleman,) Chad Michael Murray (Jake,) Rosalind Chao (Pei Pei,) Mark Harmon (Ryan,) Stephen Tobolowsky (Mr. Elton Bates,) and Willie Garson as Evan.Clips used:“I Wish I Could Change Places with You” 1976Freaky Friday 1977 TV AdAnnabelle & Ellen switchAnnabel in the diner with her friends1976 car chase sceneFreaky Friday 2003 trailer2003 Pei Pei “Let’s Hit Her!” Tess and Anna in the car (french fries)Music “I’d Like to Be You for a Day”Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie Christmas With the KranksYes, the 2004 movie is based on a book!The Margos have more holiday spirit than Luther & Nora Krank, the main characters of the John Grisham novel Skipping Christmas. Luther & Nora normally go all out during the holidays in equal zeal with their neighbors, who seem to think Christmas celebrations are THE most important thing in the world. (One Margo liked the movie more than the other!)But with their daughter spending the holidays in Peru for the Peace Corps, they decide to forgo decadent spending and take a vacation on a cruise instead. Mayhem ensues. The movie (titled Christmas With the Kranks) stars Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis as Luther & Nora Krankd and even though the film has been out for 15 years now--neither Margo has seen it before! So between the book & movie--which did we like better? Have a listen to find out!In this ep the Margos discuss:John Grisham’s incredible life story and success in publishingThe basic differences between the book & movie. The cast of the movie including Dan Aykroyd (Vic Frohmeyer,) M. Emmet Walsh (Walt Scheel,) Cheech Martin (Officer Salino,) Jake Busey (Officer Treen,) Felicity Huffman (Merry,) Caroline Rhea (Candi,) and Tom Poston (Father Zabriske.) Our favorite scenes from the movieClips Featured:Christmas with the Kranks trailerNora Krank gets the hamBlair Krank (Julie Gonzalo) comes home for the holidaysLuther Krank surprises neighbor for ChristmasOutro music Run DMC Christmas in HollisJoin our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 

Book Vs. Movie Podcast"A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickensthe 2009 Jim Carey Animated MoviePlus, the Margos Pick Their "Top 5 Scrooge Performances"The Margos continue their holiday celebrations with the all-time classic "A Christmas Carol"  by Charles Dickens. There have been hundreds of adaptations on the theme of Scrooge and his ultimate salvation, but only one features stop-motion animation and Jim Carey so we pair the discussion with Disney's A Christmas Carol, directed by Book Vs. Movie favorite Robert Zemeckis.We had SO much fun recording this episode!  Topics we cover here:The Margos each pick our favorite "Scrooge" adaptationThe incredible life story of Charles Dickens and the reasons he wrote A Christmas CarolHow England changed how they celebrate Christmas after the publicationOur favorite adaptations of the workJim Carey’s frenetic performanceClips used:Sir Patrick Stewart readingJim Carey as the Ghost of Christmas past & ScroogeVanessa Williams's “Sleigh Ride”Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Find us in Apple Podcasts.Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama http://thechingonahomesteader.weebly.com/

Book Vs. Movie: The Year Without a Santa ClausThe Rankin/Bass 1974 Classic Special Based on a Light Verse Book For many 70s kids, the Rankin/Bass specials with their catchy music and stop motion animation, were high art. From Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Santa Claus is Coming to Town, their specials garnered big ratings and helped popularize holiday music. One of their most iconic specials was based on a 1956 Phillis McGinley book, The Year Without a Santa Clause which told the story of a burnt-out Kris Kringle who wanted to take leave for one Christmas. McGinley (1905-1978) was a master of the “light verse” and used humor to describe everyday life. Throughout her writing career (as a poet and children’s author) she loved to talk about humility and living a simple, suburban life. She was not aligned with Sylvia Plath or Betty Friedan who questioned the purpose of being a woman in the 20th Century. McGinley was a lonely child who married at 32 (late for the time) and lived a Mad Men kind of life in Larchmont, NY. The Year Without a Santa Claus was first printed in Good Housekeeping magazine and was later published as a book. Boris Karloff recorded a version for Capitol Records shortly before his death in 1969. In the story, Santa has a bad cold just before the holidays and feels like he is no longer important to kids. When the world's children learn this, they gladly send him their toys to finally give him the Christmas of his dreams. Knowing he is loved sends him back to his old Santa ways.The TV special adds elves Jingle & Jangle, who, along with reindeer Vixen, look for children who still care about Santa. They are shot down (!) by competing Snow & Heat Misers who want to control the weather. In the southern part of the United States, they get into all kinds of trouble with some incredibly catchy tunes and performances by Shirley Booth, Mickey Rooney, and Dick Shawn. Does the spirit of Christmas win out? Duh! So, which did we prefer between the original story and the classic TV special? In this ep the Margos discuss:The incredible career of Phyllis McGinleyThe holiday specials of the 1960s and 1970sStop-motion used a form of animation.  Starring: Shirley Booth (Mrs. Claus,) Mickey Rooney (Santa Claus,) Dick Shawn (Snow Miser), and George S. Irving as the Heat Miser.Clips used:Boris Karloff reads The Year Without a Santa ClauseThe Year Without a Santa Clause  trailerHeat MiserCold Miser Santa rescues the elvesMusic by Maury LawsBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine 

Book Vs. Movie: Last ChristmasThe George Michael Classic Song Vs. the 2019 Holiday FilmHappy Holidays!The Margos have covered so many Christmas-themed episodes in the past that we had to reach out and use a classic holiday song, Last Christmas, written and produced by the late great George Michael, and talk about the adorable 2019 film adaptation written by the revered Emma Thompson.The song is one of those “earworm” ditties that you either hate or love (similar to Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmas Time) that several major artists have sung since its debut in 1984. It’s a holiday story about love and longing that anyone can relate to, and if you hate it, you might as well skip this episode!Before he passed away on Christmas day in 2016 (the irony!), Michael said he would only accept Thompson as the screenwriter if it were ever made into a film. The result is a delightful mixture of wonderful acting (Emilia Clark, Henry Golding, and Michelle Yeoh,) direction by Paul Feig, a bevy of Michael’s best tunes, and gobsmacking London locations that will melt the biggest Scrooge into a puddle of holiday happiness. Clarke plays Kate Andrich, a Yugoslavian immigrant who is having a rotten time in life. She works as an “Elf” at a year-round Christmas shop, has no place to live permanently, and is strained from her family. Eventually, she befriends Tom, a nice man who mysteriously shows up to help her learn to grow up, be more responsible, take care of her health (Kate had a heart transplant!), give back to her community working at a shelter, and finding out that her dream man is an angel who saved her life. SWOON!Most critics don’t get it, but who cares? It’s a sweet confection! Which did we like better, the song or the movie? Listen to find out!Kensington Books and the novel Colorado Country by Diana Palmer sponsor this episode!New York Times bestselling author Diana Palmer takes readers to Christmastime in Colorado with two of her celebrated novellas in one collection featuring solitary, silent cowboys who find their restless hearts tamed by women of uncommon grace and strength. This a gift for readers who love heartwarming contemporary romance, gorgeous rugged cowboys, and fans of Carolyn Brown, Linda Lael Miller, and Delores Fossen. Meadow Dawson is struggling to manage the enormous ranch she just inherited. Too bad she’s not on speaking terms with the one man who can help her out. Cattleman Dal Blake wishes Meadow’s dog would quit digging under his fence—and that his pretty neighbor wasn’t just as good at getting under his skin. . . Widowed schoolteacher Katy is starting over with her young daughter, and she knows the perfect place—her grandmother’s Colorado ranch. A runaway Palomino brings reclusive horse wrangler Parker to her door. Parker knows all there is to know about horses, but with Katy, he’s learning about the gift of family.Diana Palmer is the author of over 100 books and was voted one of the top 10 romance writers with over 40 million books in print. She is known as the “queen of desperado quests for justice and true love” (Publisher’s Weekly) You can find her at Diana Palmer.com. In this ep the Margos discuss:The life and career of George MichaelThe durability of the song and how hard it is to write a Christmas classicThe plot twist of the movieMargo D’s attempt to “sing” on the Troubled Waters podcast The cast: Emilia Clarke (Kate,) Henry Golding (Tom,) Emma Thompson (Petra Andrich,) Boris Isakovic (Ivan Andrich,) Lydia Leonard (Maria Andrich,) Michelle Yeoh (Santa,) Ritu Arya (Jenna,) Jade Anouka (Alba,) Patti Lupone (customer,) and Rob Delaney as the theater director. Clips used:Kate talks about her heart transplant to TomLast Christmas 2019 original trailerMargo D on the Troubled Waters podcastKate forgets to lock up the storeKate’s family argumentsTom drops truth bombsKate finds out about TomKate at the Christmas concertMusic by George MichaelBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Eyes Wide ShutThe 1999 Classic Stanley Kubrick Film Vs. The 1926 Short Story by Arthur Schnitzler Do you know the password? The inside password? The Margos look at the 1999 Stanely Kubrick film Eyes Wide Shut, which was released after the director’s death in March and at the SAME time as The Blair Witch Project and is one of the most debated of his works. A sex drama about an impossibly beautiful couple (then married Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman), the film explores the themes of marriage, fidelity, identity, consequences, and …masks? This is either one of the best films of Kubrick’s career or the dullest. Let’s get ready to discuss! Having bought the rights to the German author Arthur Schnitzler’s novella Traumnovelle/Rhapsody: A Dream novel in 1968, Kubrick wanted to create a masterpiece about love, sex, and identity but often felt he was not ready to film the version in his mind. When he met Cruise and Kidman in 1996, he finally met his essential “Bill and Alice Hartford,” two extraordinarily beautiful people who can convey insecurity and lust. (He tried filming with Harvey Keitel and Jennifer Jason Leigh, but they both had to leave production when he took longer than they had time to commit to the project.) The shooting began officially in November 1996 in England as Kubrick (a Bronx native) moved there in the 1970s to avoid flying to any set. It finally wrapped in June 1998, becoming one of (if not THE) longest film production of all time. Kubrick was able to show his final version before his death, and from there, we get controversies about how “final” this version was. The 1925 original story is very close to the filmed adaptation about a couple who attend a masquerade ball and then confess/or deal with urges to confess infidelity. The masks, orgies, and walking around in a stressful state of being are similar to the 1999 film, as is much of the original dialogue. Which did we like better, the 1926 novella and the 1999 film? You have to listen to find out!!In this ep the Margos discuss:The films of the late Stanley Kubrick and why Eyes Wide Shut was so controversialCritic's reaction to the film (including Roger Eberts’s outburst at an Eyes Wide Shut critic’s screening) The chemistry between the leadsThe explicit sex scenes and nudityWhat is this story really about?The cast: Tom Cruise (Dr. William “Bill” Harford,) Nicole Kidman (Alice Hartford,) Sydney Pollack (Victor Ziegler,) Todd Field (Nick Nightingale,) Marie Richardson (Marion Nathanson,) Sky du Mont (Sandor Szavost,) Rade Serbedzijja (Milch,) Thomas Gibson (Carl,) Vinessa Shaw (Domino,) Fay Masterson (Sally,) Alan Cumming (Hotel Desk Clerk,) Leelee Sobieski (Milch’s daughter,) Julienne Davis (Mandy,) Madison Eginton (Helena,) Abigail Good and Gary Goba (naval officer.) Clips used:“What’s the second password?” Eyes Wide Shut original 1999 trailer.Dr. Bill and Alice, before the partyBill & Alice flirting at the partyAlice confessors her secret Danish crush Domino meets Dr. BillAlice has a bad dreamAlan Cumming!Mr. Milliach, after the partyDr. Bill and Alice at the endRoger Ebert in 2000Music by Jocelyn Pook and Chris Isaak Bad Bad Thing Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Searching for Bobby FischerThe true story of a chess prodigy Josh Waitzkin, his father’s New York Times article, and the 1993 film The Margos gently enter into the world of chess (a game neither of us knows very well so, please be patient!) with Searching for Bobby Fischer. Josh Waitzkin was considered a chess prodigy when he played in tournaments around thew country as a young child. In 1985 his father, Fred Waitzkin, wrote an article for The New York Times “Fathering a Chess Prodigy” about the struggle to raise a son who is gifted in a sport/game. Fred wants his son to achieve his dreams, but he is fearful Josh won’t be a normal kid (Josh eventually became an International Chess Master at 16.) The book Searching for Bobby Fischer came out in 1988 and the 1993 film was directed by Steven Zaillian and earned praise for its cinematography and performances. Bobby Fischer led a very complicated (and frankly, sad) childhood as a chess champion which later turned him into a hermit. Did the chess bring on his mental illness, or was that always going to happen? Why is he an ardent antisemite and an enemy of his country? Why did he disappear for so long? Between the 1985 article and the film--which did we like better? You have to listen to find out!!In this ep the Margos discuss:The controversial Bobby Fischer (1943-2008)Josh Waitzkin & his father’s Fred’s writing career What it means to raise a child prodigyThe cast: Joe Mantegna (Fred Waitzkin,) Max Pomeranc (Josh Waitkin,) Joan Allen (Bonnie Waitzkin,) Laurence Fishburne (Vinnie,) Ben Kingsley (Bruce Pandolfini,) David Paymer (Kalev,) William H. Macy (Tunafish father,) Dan Hedaya (tournament director,) and Laura Linney as Josh’s teacher.) Clips used:Max learns about the word “contempt.”Josh Waitzkin selling his book The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance (video) Bobby Fischer on Dick Cavett's show August 5, 1971Searching for Bobby Fischer original trailer 1993Josh and his dad have a chatJosh’s teacher thinks chess is like penocleMusic by James HornerBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: PersepolisMarjane Satrapi's Comic Autobiography Vs. the Animated Feature The Margos this week delve into the complicated history of Iran via the life story of artist and writer Marjane Satrapi who wrote several comics under the banner of Persepolis from her early childhood to her later years as an activist. The original work was published in French as Satrapi is part French and Iranian and spent much of her adult life in France. She had a first-hand look at the Islamic Revolution in 1979 when her family members were jailed for being activists. Satrapi vividly recalls being forced to wear a veil, how women’s rights were taken away quickly during this time, and how this affected her education, her family situation, and the eventual war with Iraq. The 2007 film was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 80th Academy Awards. Between the 2000 novel and the film--which did we like better? You have to listen to find out!!In this ep the Margos discuss:The life story of Marjane SatrapiWhat the Margos were taught about Iran in the 1970s and 1980s The controversy around the book being taught in schoolsThe American cast: Amethyste Frezignac (child Marjane,) Gena Rowlands (Grandmother,) Sean Penn (Father,) Iggy Pop (Uncle Anoush,) and Mathilde Merlot as Tina. Clips used:Marji in art classPersepolis 2007 trailerThe revolution brings home AnoushThe Eye of the TigerMusic by Olivier Bernet Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Witches Roald Dahl’s 1983 Children’s Novel Vs. the 1990 Nicolas Roeg Cult Classic FilmThe Margos finish October’s month of spooky books and movies with 1983’s The Witches by Roald Dahl (a favorite of this podcast!) This is one of his last works before his death in 1990 and is based on his love for his mother, Sofie Dahl. Stephen Roxburgh edited the work, and Quentin Blake’s illustrations received great praise at the time though the story was thought to be “misogynistic.” It’s now known as a modern classic. The story of an unnamed boy who lives with his Norweigian grandmother after his parents are killed and learns about witches who are ALL female and eat children is---intense. He learns that witches all over the world behave differently and that his being sent to an English school might make him vulnerable to the Grand Vulnerable High Witch of All the World. The story has kids turning into mice, magic potions, wigs, pea soup, and so much more weirdness, and an ending that might be more off-putting than encouraging. Nicolas Roeg directed the 1990 film that was considered a box office disappointment because it had a different ending than the book (happier, which Dahl completely hated and should not be a surprise considering what we knew about him) but is now considered a classic. Between the 1983 novel and 1990--which did we like better? You have to listen to find out!!This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and A Ghost in Shining Armor, the novel by Therese Beharrie.ROM-COM WITH A TOUCH OF MAGIC: This Cape Town-set rom-com is the second in a duology about two South African sisters who were separated as children when one was adopted and the other went into foster care. After reuniting as adults, they learn they’ve each developed unique abilities. The previous book focused on the sister who can manifest her dreams. This book revolves around Gemma, who can see and communicate with ghosts. FOR FANS OF: This #OwnVoices romantic comedy is ideal for fans of authors who have found success blending romance, comedy, and more weighty real-world issues, such as Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, Helen Hoang, & Alisha Rai. Readers who enjoy authors bringing new perspectives to the world of romance, such as Talia Hibbert and Erin Sterling will also be pleased. Once haunted . . . Gemma Daniels has never been quite the “down to earth” woman her adoptive parents raised her to be. She even has a unique gift: she can see ghosts and likes helping them settle their unfinished business. But the hotter-than-hot stranger she impulsively kisses on a bet is not only a phantom; he's determined to help her. And the only way Gemma can explain his presence is to pretend they’re a real-life couple. Twice shy . . . Levi Walker lived—and died—to save his sister. Now he’s got a second chance at life if he assists Gemma in reuniting with her long-lost sibling . . . and then never sees Gemma again. But as he starts to enjoy her irrepressible personality, he’s finding it hard to abide by any rules at all . . . Gemma is thrilled to be getting to know her sister, but it causes a family rift she may be unable to heal. On top of that, she’s falling for a ghost with a dilemma. Levi must decide what loyalty—and living—is truly all about. Gemma and Levi must risk being real with each other to fix their mistakes if they are ever to claim true love.Visit her online at Therese Beharrie and on Twitter @ThereseBeharrie.In this ep the Margos discuss:The life of Roald DahlThe plot of the story versus the 1990 filmThe controversy around the movie and why it is considered a classic filmThe cast: Anjelica Huston (Ena Ernst/The Grand High Witch,) Mai Zetterling (Helga Eveshim,) Jasen Fisher (Luke Eveshim,) Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Stringer,) Brenda Blethyn Mrs. Jenkins,) Charlie Potter (Bruno) and Jane Horrocks as Miss Susan Irvine. Clips used:“Maximum Results!!”The Witches 1990 trailer “Hello Little Bruno”The baby carriage sceneLuke becomes a mouseThey all eat the soupMusic by Stanley MyersBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Rosemary’s BabyThe Ira Levin Novel Vs. 1968 Classic FilmIt’s October, and the Margos are filling the month with scary, spooky films based on creepy books, and few have a more sinister premise than Rosemary’s Baby by Ira Levin. The story of a 1960s housewife who is married to a struggling actor who will make a deal with the devil himself in order to succeed. Released in 1967, the story is set in NYC, where Guy and Rosemary settle into the Gothic Bramford apartment building with a strange history of murder and witchcraft. The nosy, older neighbors, Minnie and Roman Castevet, start to meddle in their lives, and soon enough Guy is becoming a successful actor, and Rosemary becomes pregnant. What should be the happiest time in her soon becomes a hellscape of pain, tannis root drinks, creepy sex, and “chocolate mouse.” Is Rosemary carrying the spawn of Satan? The movie stars Mia Farrow, is directed by the deeply problematic Roman Polanski, and is now considered a classic thriller. So between the book & movie, which did we like better?In this ep the Margos discuss:The life and work of Ira Levin & Roman PolanskiHow closely the film resembles the bookThe controversy around the movie The cast: Mia Farrow (Rosemary Woodhouse,) John Cassavetes (Guy Woodhouse,) Ruth Gordon (Minnie Castevetes,) Sidney Blackmer (Roman Castevets,) Maurice Evans (Hutch,) Ralph Bellamy (Dr. Saperstein,) Angela Dorian (Terry Gionffrio,) Charles Grodin (Dr. Hill,) and Tony Curtis as Donald Baumgart.)Clips used:Guy Woodhouse is THE WORSTRosemary’s Baby (1968 trailer) Morning after baby nightRosemary’s pain endsRuth Gordon wins the Academy AwardRosemary meets her sonMia Farrow sings the closing music by Krzysztof Komeda.Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Don’t Look Now The Daphne DuMaurier Short Story Vs. the Nicolas Roeg FilmIt’s October, and the Margos are feeling excited about watching spooky movies! This week we talk about the ever-amazing Daphe DuMaurier, and her short story Don’t Look Now, which was published in 1971 and later adapted by director Nicolas Roeg and starring Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. The story and film are considered classic tales of horror for the tale of parents dealing with the loss of a child while on vacation in Venice. John and Laura are on holiday trying to escape their grief from the death of their daughter, who died from meningitis (in the book), when they meet identical twin sisters who are older and have psychic abilities. One of the sisters is also blind. They warn the couple that their son, Johnnie, has “second sight” and will be killed if they stay in Venice. The movie has many of the same beats as the original story but is controversial for a sex scene between the leads that may or may not be “real.” The movie is considered a classic in horror and a “must-see” for its editing and acting. This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and A Ghost in Shining Armor, the novel by Therese Beharrie.ROM-COM WITH A TOUCH OF MAGIC: This Cape Town-set rom-com is the second in a duology about two South African sisters who were separated as children when one was adopted, and the other went into foster care. After reuniting as adults, they learn they’ve each developed unique abilities. The previous book focused on the sister who can manifest her dreams. This book revolves around Gemma, who can see and communicate with ghosts. FOR FANS OF: This #OwnVoices romantic comedy is ideal for fans of authors who have found success blending romance, comedy, and more weighty real-world issues, such as Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez, Helen Hoang, & Alisha Rai. Readers who enjoy authors bringing new perspectives to the world of romance, such as Talia Hibbert and Erin Sterling will also be pleased. Once haunted . . . Gemma Daniels has never been quite the “down to earth” woman her adoptive parents raised her to be. She even has a unique gift: she can see ghosts and likes helping them settle their unfinished business. But the hotter-than-hot stranger she impulsively kisses on a bet is not only a phantom; he's determined to help her. And the only way Gemma can explain his presence is to pretend they’re a real-life couple. Twice shy . . . Levi Walker lived—and died—to save his sister. Now he’s got a second chance at life if he assists Gemma in reuniting with her long-lost sibling . . . and then never sees Gemma again. But as he starts to enjoy her irrepressible personality, he’s finding it hard to abide by any rules at all . . . Gemma is thrilled to be getting to know her sister, but it causes a family rift she may be unable to heal. On top of that, she’s falling for a ghost with a dilemma. Levi must decide what loyalty—and living—is truly all about. Gemma and Levi must risk being real with each other to fix their mistakes if they are ever to claim true love.Visit her online at Therese Beharrie and on Twitter @ThereseBeharrie.In this ep the Margos discuss:The life of Daphne DuMaurierThe plot of the story in the original version versus the filmThe controversy around the movie and why it is considered a classic horror taleThe cast: Julie Christie (Laura Baxter,) Donald Sutherland (John Baxter,) Hilary Mason (Heather,) Clelia Metania (Wendy,) Massimo Serato (Bishop Barbarrigo,) Renato Scarpa (Inspector Longhi,) Giogio Trestini (Workman,) Leopoldo Trieste (hotel manager,) David Tree (Anthony Babbage,) Ann Rye (Mandy Babbage,) Nicholas Salter (Johnny Baxter,) Sharon Williams (Christine Baxter,) Bruno Cattaneo (Detective Sabbione,) and Adelina Poerio as the murderer.Clips used:Laura Baxter meets the sistersDon’t Look Now trailer Christine drownsRichard almost fallsRichard searches for the “girl” in the red slicker/MacMusic by Pino DonaggioBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine.

Book Vs Movie Coal Miner’s Daughter The Margos Head to Butcher Hollow to Talk About One of the Top Country Music Artists of All TimeLoretta Lynn is a multi-hyphen: singer, songwriter, musician, wife, mother, and author. The Margos were thrilled to discover that the 1980 movie Coal Miner’s Daughter was based on her 1976 autobiography of the same name. As superfans--we needed to bring this episode to our followers--you are all welcome!Loretta began her life in Butcher Hollow, Kentucky and later became one of the most revered & successful artists in recorded music. She was the oldest of eight children and by the time she was just shy of 16--she married her life mate Oliver “Doolittle” Webb. The film stars an incandescent Sissy Spacek as Lynn, Tommy Lee Jones as “Doo” Lynn, and Levon Helm (of “The Band” fame) as her father, Ted Webb. Sure, you can argue that the movie follows the “music biopic” re the humble beginnings, the creation of the first hit song, drugs, loneliness, and the downside of fame. But dammit if this film isn’t first-class entertainment features incredible live singing performances and a complicated love story. And the hair in this film? To die for! Spacy won an Academy Award for her performance and the film aired on cable TV in the United States repeatedly throughout the 1980ss which means there is an entire generation that knows this movie backward & forwards. Lynn just released her second book Me & Patsy: Kickin’ Up Dust which is all about her friendship with the legendary Patsy Cline. At 87--she continues to be creative and vital. An example of resiliency to us all!So between the autobiography and the movie, which did we like better? Click on the link below to find out!In this ep the Margos discuss:The life story of Loretta Lynn How Sissy Spacek got into character for the part of her lifetimeBehind the scenes tidbits from the setThe cast Sissy Spacey (Loretta Lynn,) Tommy Lee Jones (Doo Lynn,) Levon Helm (Ted Webb,) Phyllis Boyens-Liptak (Clary Webb,) William Sanderson (Lee Dollarhide,) and Beverly D’Angelo (Patsy Cline.)  Clips Featured:Coal Miner’s Daughter  trailerDoo walks Loretta homeDoo and the “studio engineer”Beverly D’Angelo as Patsy ClineDoolittle in the studioOutro music Coal Miner’s Daughter (Performed by Loretta Lynn)Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004RMargo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 

Book Vs. Movie: The Adeventures of Captain Underpants The First Children’s Book by Dav Pilkey Vs. the 2017 Movie The Margos end their Banned Book Month with a children’s media empire, the Captain Underpants series, that has helped millions of kids who were not big fans of reading learn to love books. For some reason, this book and many of its sequels have been banned from libraries in America. In this episode, we try to dig into the popularity, the story behind Dav Pikley’s creations, and why people across America are storming school library meetings to ban books. Dav Pilkey of Cleveland, Ohio, went to elementary school in the 1970s and was diagnosed with hyperactive disorder and dyslexia, making him want to avoid the constrictions of regular school life. He drew comic books, wrote stories, and was usually punished for not being able to sit still. Sitting at a desk alone in the school hallways, he created ‘Captain Underpants,” -a superhero who wore underwear and a cape because that is what most superheroes wear in action. In college, he wrote his first book World War Won, about the U.S./USSR arms scare, and won a national competition for student authors. In addition to Captain Underpants, the “Dragon Gets By” series, Dumb Bunnies, and Dog Man are among his many creations. The original Captain Underpants YA novel is about fourth graders George Beard and Harold Hutchins of Piqua, Ohio. They are best friends who write stories and pull lots of pranks at Jerome Horowitz Elementary School. Their teachers and principal are the main antagonists in their daily life, and their adventures are a naughty delight. We are talking fart, poop jokes galore, and using a hypnotizing ring to make their Principal Benny Krupp turn into Captain Underpants. The movie produced by DreamWorks is directed by Nicholas Stoller and has an incredible cast of comedic actors to bring the story to life. It’s a delight and was such a hit that Netflix has plenty of Captain Underpants content. So between the book and the film, which did we like better?In this ep, the Margos discuss:Dav Pilkey and how he created so many children’s books that click with “tough readers.”Why is this book on the “banned” list so often?The themes of the book The cast: Kevin Hart (George Beard,) Thomas Middleditch (Harold Hutchins,) Ed Helms (Principal Krupp/Captain Underpants,) Nick Kroll (Professor Poopypants,) Jordan Peale (Melvin Sneedly,) Kristen Schaal (Edith,) Brian Posehn (Morty Fyde,) and Dee Dee Rescher as Ms. Tara Ribble.Clips used:The boys in the principal's officeCaptain Underpants: The First Epic Movie 2017 trailerMeet teacher PoopypantsThe principal gets hypnotizedThe boys try to figure out the teacher’s name using Captain UnderpantsWeird Al Yankovic theme song Captain UnderpantsMusic: “Think” by Adam LambertBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Giver The 1993 Classic 1993 Novel by Lios Lowry & the 2014 MovieThe Margos continue their “Banned Book Month” with The Giver by Lois Lowry, one of the most praised young adult novels of the 1990s that is also one of the most challenged books of the last 30+ years. Lowry based the story partly on her “army brat” upbringing with its strictness and her desire to honor life’s journey throughout its ups and downs. We can forget that other people do not have that privilege by wanting to live in a world without pain. In the novel, our lead character, Jonas, lives in a Community where “sameness” is desired, and no one wants to stand out. Everyone has a role designed for them, and there is no music or dancing. Desire and wanting are considered “bad,” and at 12, you are given your “adult” career. Jonas is made a Receiver of Memory by an Elder and is training for the job when he learns that not perfect babies are “released” from the community and taken “Elsewhere.” Jonas learns his father does his job, which enrages him, making him want to leave. In the end, Jonas and “The Giver” decide to have him sneak away with baby Gabriel and try to find life on his own while saving the Community to learn to live with memories and emotions. Lois Lowry won the Newberry Award in 1994 and wrote several sequels to the story. (Jonas lives, by the way.) WHY IS IT BANNED IN SO MANY SCHOOLS????The film stars Jeff Bridges, who wanted direct it with his father, Lloyd Bridges, as the lead. When he died in 1998, the project went into turnaround. It was released by the Weinstein Company (BARF) in 2014.So between the book and the film, which did we like better?In this ep, the Margos discuss:Lois Lowry and her world of young adult fictionBanned Books and recent U.S. issues with this at schools across the nationThe themes of the book The main changes in the film adaptationThe cast: Jeff Bridges (The Giver,) Brenton Thwaites (Jonas,) Odeya Rush (Fiona,) Katie Holmes (Jonas’ mother,) Meryl Streep The Chief Elder,) Alexander Skarsgard (Jonas’ father,) Cameron Monaghan (Asher,) Taylor Swift (Rosemary,) Emma Tremblay (Lily), and Thabo Rametsi as Robbie. Clips used:Jonas & Fiona The Giver 2014 trailer Jonas learns musicTaylor Swift sceneFiona release ceremonyMusic by Marco BeltramiBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Slaughterhouse-Five The 1969 Kurt Vonnegut Masterpiece Vs. the 1972 Filmed AdaptationThe Margos continue “Banned Book Month” with one of the most controversial works by celebrated author Kurt Vonnegut, 1969’s antiwar novel Slaughterhouse-Five: or The Children’s Crusade: A Dirty Dance with Death. Vonnegut’s fictional account of his real-life experience as a prisoner of war and the WW2 Dresden bombing was published at the height of the Viet Nam conflict and appreciated by millions who loved the science-fiction blend of sex, the futility of war, American hypocrisy, and the meaning of life. The lead character of Billy Pilgrim is “unstuck in time” as he moves from different events in life due to his traumatic war experiences. Captured by the Germans after the Battle of the Bulge, the weak Pilgrim and his cohorts are marched to Dresden during the waning days of WW2, not knowing that the allies were planning to bomb the open city that had approximately 25,000 citizens who were not in the military. By staying in a meat locker underground, he and a few others survive only to have to clean up what is left behind. When he returns home, he encounters aliens from Tralfamodore who bring him to their planet to study him. This is when he learns he can time jump and find out exactly when he will die. In the end, he finds that life has no meaning, and…so it goes. George Roy Hill (The Sting, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid) directs the filmed adaptation, which stars Michaels Sacks, Ron Liebman, and Valerie Perrine, which made the author very happy. So between the book and the film, which did we like better?In this ep, the Margos discuss:Kurt Vonnegut and his life’s work plus his love of comedyBanned Books and recent U.S. issues with this at schools across the nationThe themes of the book (or at least we try!)Why this book is/was bannedThe cast: Michael Sacks (Billy Pilgrim,) Ron Liebman (Paul Lazzaro,) Eugene Roche (Edgar Derby,) Sharon Gans (Valencia,) Valeria Perrine (Montana Wildhack,) Holly Near (Barbara Pilgrim,) Perry King (Robert Pilgrim,) Kevin Conway (Roland Weary,) Frederich von Ledebur (German Leader,) Sorrel Booke (Lionel Merble,) Roberts Blossom (Wild Bob Cody,) John Dehner (Professor Rumfoord,) and Richard Schaal as Howard W. Campbell Jr. Clips used:Howard W. Campbell Jr. wants to recruit the WW2 prisonersKurt Vonnegut Jr in Back to SchoolSlaughterhouse-Five trailer Billy caught behind enemy linesDeath of Billy’s wifeSinging on the planeMusic by Glenn Gould Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Chocolate War Robert Cormier 1974 YA Novel Vs. The 1988 Keith Gordon FilmThis September, the Margos are going to cover books that have been placed on “Banned Books” lists at schools and libraries in America over the last 100+ years, starting with The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier, which has consistently been banned in high schools for language, religious questioning, and sexual imagery since its publication. The story of Jerry Renault, a lonely high school freshman at a Catholic school mourning the loss of his mother and trying to figure out how to find his way in life while maintaining his individuality. The main high school clique, the Vigils, run by creepy Archie, wants Charlie to refuse to sell chocolates to make him stand out (badly) to Brother Leon. Leon needs to sell 20,000 boxes of chocolates because he borrowed too much cash ahead of time and the school administration is close to finding this out. When Jerry is “allowed” by the Vigils to sell the chocolates, he continues to refuse to cause an escalation of destabilization and violence at the school. Was it worth it for him to “disturb the universe?” The film, directed by Keith Gordon, was made for a tiny budget (used mostly for the kickass 80s soundtrack featuring Kate Bush and Yaz) and made little impact at the time. It is now having a revival due to the popularity of Bush’s Running Up That Hill feature on the Netflix show Stranger Things. So between the book and the film, which did we like better?In this ep, the Margos discuss:Banned Books and recent U.S. issues with this at schools across the nationThe themes of the book Why this movie may be controversial and why it also strikes a chord with readersThe cast: John Glover (Brother Leon,) IIan Mitchell-Smith (Jerry,) Doug Hutchinson (Obie,) Wallace Langham (Archie,) Corey Gunnestad (Goober,) Brent Fraser (Emile,) Robert Davenport (Brian Cochran,) Jenny Wright (Lisa,) Bud Cort (Brother Jacques,) Adam Baldwin (John Carter,) and Ethan Sandler as David Caroni.Clips used:Jerry refuses to sell the cookies The Chocolate War trailerBrother Leon harassed BaileyLisa meets JerryArchie and John Carter know they need to sell more chocolate. Archie and Carter at the boxing match “Greedy and Cruel”The Chocolate War soundtrack Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Farewell The Lulu Wang Story from NPR’s This American Life & the 2019 FilmThe Margos have a special guest for this episode devoted to an NPR story by writer/director Lulu Wang. Kristen Meinzer (co-host of the By the Book & Romance Road Test podcasts) is a return guest who wanted not only to talk about her new shows but also to share one of her recent favorite films, which is an adaptation of a true story contribution by Wang she shared with This American Life in 2016 (episode 585: In Defense of Ignorance.) In her audio essay called What You Don’t Know, Wang’s family deals with the news that her grandmother has terminal cancer by not telling her she is sick but rather all coming together in China under the guise of a lie. That they are there for a marriage. It’s a hilarious and heartwarming story about what true love means and cultural respect. We won’t give away the ending, but it will surely find a place in your heart! Rakuten Kobo sponsors this particular episode. They want to introduce our listeners to Canadian Chinese romance author Jackie Lau who has just her newest work, the sexy, funny, and unconventional The Unmatchmakers. Plot:From the author of DONUT FALL IN LOVE comes a perfect summer love story set in the forested paradise of Canadian cottage country that asks the question: Can love beat the odds when the odds are two mothers dead-set against it? (This book has Canada-core down! Tim Horton's coffee, butter tarts, kayaks….) SynopsisYou’d think my mother would be trying to set me up with architect Neil Choy, the unmarried son of her best friend. But you’d be wrong. My single mother has always been fiercely independent. Since I was a small child, she’s always told me not to believe in fairy tales and that I don’t need a man. So she’s failed to mention that Neil is a total hottie in glasses. When I see him on a multi-family cottage vacation for the first time in a decade, I’m in for quite a shock. (I nearly fall in the lake, but let’s keep that a secret.) He sure can grill a mean steak and mix a killer cocktail, plus he’s pretty impressive in a kayak. Yes, he’s a little stern and grumpy, but that just makes him more fun to tease—and makes it more satisfying when he quirks his lips in my direction. Even though my mind is spinning romantic fantasies, I’m not entirely sure how he feels. And I’m afraid that if anything happens between us, it’ll screw up the friendship between our staunchly anti-relationship mothers. Especially since they’ve been acting increasingly weird since we arrived—I will never forgive them for the S’mores Incident. I think they’re trying to sabotage my love life, and I’m starting to worry that I won’t make it through this bizarre summer vacation… About the AuthorJackie Lau is a biracial, Asian-Canadian author specializing in contemporary romantic comedies in Toronto/Ontario. The main characters of her books are usually of Asian heritage and often include interracial couples. Jackie has a background in engineering and geophysics and has written many main characters who work in STEM. Follow her at JackieLauBooks.com #AsianRomCom Twitter/Instagram @JackieLauBooks AvailabilityThe Unmatchmakers is available as an eBook and audiobook through Kobo and across our global storefronts. The title is available for Canadian readers under Kobo Plus, our all-you-can-read eBook subscription. It starts with a 30-day free trial, meaning that readers who haven’t started their subscription yet can begin their trial and read it for free (alongside hundreds of thousands of other eBooks). For those who are already Kobo Plus subscribers, this title is available in the catalog and ready to be read! In this ep, the Margos discuss:Lulu Wang’s story and the changes she made to filmThe Chinese tradition of family members keeping medical information secret The process of filming on locationThe cast: Awkwafina (Billi Wang,) Tzi Ma (Haiyan Wang,) Diana Lin (Lu Jian,) Zhao Shu-zhen (Nai Nai,) Lu Hong (playing herself,) Aoi Mizuhara (Aiko,) Zhang Jing (Yuping,) Li Xiang (Aunty Ling,) Yang Xuejian (Mr. Li,) and Jim Liu as Dr. Song. Clips used: The doctor explains in English what is happening to Nai Nai The Farewell trailerBilli wants to stay in ChinaBilli and her mother talk about griefThe different music at the weddingMusic by Alex WestonBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: ElectionThe 1998 Novel Vs. the 1999 FilmThe Margos have had the Tom Perrotta novel Election on their list to cover since the podcast began in 2008, but for some reason--it was not made available until this summer. Who could forget Reese Witherspoon’s performance as Tracy Flick? Matthew Broderick's last line in the Alexander Payne movie? The story is about an ambitious woman who will win her high school presidential campaign no matter what made Witherspoon a star. Her character became an avatar for people who tried too hard and were overbearing. Tracy believes she will easily win the election, not counting one of her teachers (Mr. M.) has it in for her; one of her fellow students is doing it as a goof (nice, but not very bright Paul Warren) while his sister (Tammy) is doing it in retaliation against Paul’s girlfriend Lisa (who used to date Tammy.) The teacher who has sex with Tracy (while his wife is pregnant!) loses his job, which makes Mr. M. angry, and he feels he needs to rob her of an election win. Now that there is a new Perrotta novel, a sequel called Tracy Flick Can’t Win, is it time to have a new look at not only her character but also the plot in the first place? Who were the villains here? Why does Mr. M. hate her so much? The Margos have so much to unpack here!This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and the novel Twice a Quinceaňera by Yamile Saied Méndez.“This book will set your dreams on fire” –praise for Yamile Saied Mendez by Reese Witherspoon for Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez.Instead of losing the deposit on her wedding venue, a jilted bride decides to throw herself a quinceañera (times two) for her 30th birthday in this effervescent rom-com from Yamile Saied Méndez, the acclaimed author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club Pick FURIA. For fans of Never Been Kissed, 13 Going on 30, and The Wedding Singer…con azucar y amor. One month short of her wedding day—and her thirtieth birthday—Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in…well, ever. But that same courage doesn’t translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She’s hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself—with a second quinceañera, a.k.a. Sweet 15! Yamile (pronounced sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is an Argentinian-American Pura Belpré gold medal-winning author of picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she’s a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and Voices of Our Nations (VONA). Her young adult novel, Fusia, was a Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine YA Pick and she’s a founding member of Las Musas, a collective of women and nonbinary Latinx creators. Born and raised in Rosario, Argentina—to a family with roots from all over the world—she now lives in Utah with her Puerto Rican husband, five multicultural kids, two bilingual dogs, and one majestic cat. Visit her online at YamileSMendez.com. You can find her social media @YamilleSMendez In this ep the Margos discuss:The popularity of the movie and early Tracy Flick “memes.”The incredible cast of the movieThe controversy around Andrew PayneThe cast: Matthew Broderick (Jim McAllister,) Reese Witherspoon (Tracy Flick,) Chris Klein (Paul Metzler,) Jessica Campbell (Tammy Metzler,) Phil Reeves (Principal Walt Hendricks,) Molly Hagan (Diane McAllister,) Colleen Camp (Judith Flick,) Nicholas D’Agosoto,) Jeanine Jackson (Jo Metzler) Holmes Osbourne (Dick Metzler,) Mark Herelik,) Delaney Driscoll (Linda Novotny,) Matt Malloy (Vice Principal Ron Ball,) Frankie Ingrassia as Lisa Flanagan,) and Pegi Georgeson as Ballot Lady. Clips used:Mr. M accuses Tracy of vandalizingElection 1999 trailerTracy confronts PaulTammy gives her speechMr. M sees Tracy in DCMusic by Rolfe KentBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: James and the Giant Peach Roald Dahl’s 1961 Children’s Novel Vs. the 1996 Henry Sellick AdaptationThe Margos have covered Roald Dahl several times on this podcast for good reason, he has written dozens of interesting stories in the 20th Century. He is also a polarizing and controversial figure, but his influence on children’s literature is undeniable. James and the Giant Peach is very typical in his storytelling in that it features a protagonist who is a small child that is smart, lonely, and is abused by the adults in their lives. Dahl dedicated it in 1961 to his daughter Olivia who died from complications of measles only a year after the book's publication. James Henry Trotter is an orphan sent to live with two mean Aunts after his parents die. They work him tirelessly until he meets a magician who gives him magic crystals--that he loses almost immediately. But, soon, a giant peach grows on his front lawn, sending him on a grand adventure. The Giant Peach takes James and his friends all the way to New York City, where they find more fulfilling lives. It’s all so, Dahl-ish?!So between the book and the film, which did we like better?In this ep, the Margos discuss:Author Roald DahlThe themes of the book The live-action and animation of the movieThe cast: Paul Terry (James,) Miriam Margolyes (Aunt Sponge,) Joanna Lumley (Aunt Spiker,) Pete Postlethwaite (Narrator/The Magician,) Steve Culp (James’ father,) Simon Callow (Mr. Grasshopper,) Richard Dreyfuss (Mr. Centipede,) Jane Leeves (Mrs. Ladybug,) Susan Sarandon (Miss Spider,) and David Thewliss (Mr. Earthworm.) Clips used:Aunt Sponge & Aunt Spiker James and the Giant Peach trailer“Family song” James and the Giant PeachJames’ NightmareJames in New York (Aunt Sponge & Aunt Spike Show Up)James’ friends show up to save himMusic by Randy NewmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Barefoot in the ParkThe 1963 Neil Simon Play Vs. the 1967 Robert Redford & Jane Fonda FilmThe Margos love a good love story with beautiful people and funny writing. Barefoot in the Park by playwright Neil Simon is a story about two young lovebirds who live in New York City as newlyweds and are trying to find their way in the 1960s. It was Simon's longest Broadway hit and had several adaptations over the years. Corie (played by Jane Fonda in the movie) is a “free spirit” married to Paul (Robert Redford, who originated the role on Broadway) and plays a handsome square/lawyer who wonders if life with Corie ultimately makes sense. Her mother (Mildred Natwick) meets their “upstairs” neighbor Victor and helps Paul see that maybe he can learn to loosen up.So between the two, which did we like more? The play or the movie? This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and the novel Twice a Quinceaňera by Yamile Saied Méndez.“This book will set your dreams on fire” –praise for Yamile Saied Mendez by Reese Witherspoon for Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez.Instead of losing the deposit on her wedding venue, a jilted bride decides to throw herself a quinceañera (times two) for her 30th birthday in this effervescent rom-com from Yamile Saied Méndez, the acclaimed author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club Pick FURIA. For fans of Never Been Kissed, 13 Going on 30, and The Wedding Singer…con azucar y amor. One month short of her wedding day—and her thirtieth birthday—Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in…well, ever. But that same courage doesn’t translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She’s hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself—with a second quinceañera, a.k.a. Sweet 15! Yamile (pronounced sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is an Argentinian-American Pura Belpré gold medal-winning author of picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she graduated from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and Voices of Our Nations (VONA). Her young adult novel, Fusia, was a Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine YA Pick, and she’s a founding member of Las Musas, a collective of women and nonbinary Latinx creators. Born and raised in Rosario, Argentina—to a family with roots from all over the world—she now lives in Utah with her Puerto Rican husband, five multicultural kids, two bilingual dogs, and one majestic cat. Visit her online at YamileSMendez.com. You can find her social media @YamilleSMendez In this ep the Margos discuss:The extraordinary life of Neil SimosThe hotness of Jane Fonda & Robert RedfordThe 1960s rent in NYC versus todayThe cast: Robert Redford (Paul Bratter,) Jane Fonda (Corie Bratter,) Charles Boyer (Victor Velasco,) Midred Natwick (Ethel Banks,) Mabel Albertson (Harriet,) Fritz Feld (Restaurant proprietor,) James F. Stone (delivery man, ) and Ted Hartley as Frank. Clips used:Opening clip at the hotelBarefoot in the Park trailerDelivery men at the apartment1981 HBO production of Barefoot in the Park with Babara Barrie, Bess Armstrong, Richard Thomas, & Hans ConreidCorie gets advice from her motherMusic by Neal HeftiBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Don’t Bother to Knock The Underrated Marilyn Monroe Film Noir Cult Classic Vs the Charlotte Armstrong NovelIn 1952, Marilyn Monroe was a 26-year-old actor with several comedies under her belt but no dramatic parts to show her true range of talent. Don’t Bother to Knock adapted from Charlotte Armstrong’s 1951 novel Mischief gave her a chance to show her range and remains one of her best performances. The story centers on an unstable woman, Nell Forbes (Monroe,) who is hired to babysit for a couple at a hotel set up by her cousin who is taking care of her after a brief stay in a mental hospital in Oregon. While Nell takes care of the child, Bunny, she meets airline pilot Jed Towers (played by Richard Widmark) who soon learns that Nell is unstable and Bunny might be in danger. The cast is rounded out by Anne Bancroft in her first role as a jazz singer and Elisha Cook Jr. who plays Nell’s cousin Eddie. The story has unusual twists and turns as it ultimately becomes a morality play about knowing your nieghbors. And Marilyn is FANTASTIC in it! So between the novel and the film, which did we like better?In this ep the Margos discuss:Author Charlotte ArmstrongMarilyn Monroe’s film careerFilm noir in the 1950s (Post WW2)The amazing cast: Marilyn Monroe (Nell Forbes,) Richard Widmark (Jed Towers,) Anne Bancroft (Lyn Lesley,) Donna Corcoran (Bunny Jones,) Jeanne Cagney (Rochelle,) Lurene Tuttle (Ruth Jones,) Elisha Cook Jr. (Eddie Forbes,) Jim Backus (Peter Jones,) and Willis Bouchey (the Bartender). Clips used:Eddie brings Nell to the hotelDon’t Bother to Knock trailerNell tries to convince Jed to stayJed tries to convince Len to love himRuth knocks out NellMusic by Lionel Newman & Jerry GoldsmithBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Yellow SubmarineThe Beatles Classic Animated Psychedelic TripIn 1968, The Beatles were the biggest band in the world and were eager to finish their United Artists deal (the company that produced A Hard Days Night and Help!) with a film that would uplift their audience (which included kids and adults) and take the animation world to a new level beyond Disney and stop-action holiday specials. Yellow Submarine took a hodgepodge of Beatles classics, new numbers, filler tunes, and a “flower power" mindset to cement their reputations as daring creators. There is simply no easy way to describe the impact the “Fab Four” had on world culture in the 1960s in one show. However, we thought that expanding the idea of a “book” to an iconic song and how they showed their art in a whole new format was as interesting and an adaptation as we could unpack. The story of the residents of Pepperland who are under attack by the Blue Meanies and subsequently rescued by Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearst Club Band (n their yellow submarine) is weird and funny. Directed by Canadian George Dunning and written by Lee Minoff and Erich Segal (of future Love Story fame) it features just a few moments of the lads of Liverpool at the end (thus fulfilling their contract) and is chock full of songs that will make you sing and hum and feel wonderful. It’s now considered a classic in animation, but is it any good? In this ep the Margos discuss:The story of The BeatlesAnimation in the 1960sThe animated voices: John Clive (John Lennon,) Geoffrey Hughes (Paul McCartney,) Peter Batten (George Harrison,) Paul Angelis (narrator/Chief Blue Meanie/Ringo Starr,) Dick Emery (Max/Lord Mayor,) and Lance Percival (“Young/Old Fred”.) Clips used:Blue MeaniesYellow Submarine trailer“The Beatles” voicesJeremy Nowhere ManRobot Chicken versionMusic by The BeatlesBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Chitty Chitty Bang BangThe 1964 Ian Fleming Story vs the 1968 Dick Van Dyke Movie The Margos can’t seem to escape the allure of Ian Fleming with an episode devoted to his only children’s story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which was published in October 1964--two months after his death at the age of 56. He wrote the story for his son Caspar and based many of the characters on his children and their friends with the backstory of “aero-engine racing carts” of the 1920s by Louis Zborowski in London. The story of Commander Caractacus Pott and his adventures with his car “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”--so named for the sound she made when in motion.” The car goes on many adventures around England and France, including the ability to “swim” and “fly” and evade bad guys that kidnap the kids to use them in robberies. Albert “Cubby” Broccoli produced the film which took many liberties with the basic story and added second-tier music from the Sherman Brothers (Disney masters who worked for MGM on this project.) It was nominated for an Academy Award for best song for the title track and was later adapted into a stage musical in 2002. So, which did we like more between the original story and the 1968 adaptation?In this ep the Margos discuss:The life of Ian FlemingThe difference between MGM and Disney musicals The cast: Dick Van Dyke (Caractacus Potts,) Sally Ann Howes (Truly Scrumptious,) Adrian Hall (Jeremy Potts,) Heather Ripley (Jemima Potts,) Lionel Jeffries (Grandpa Potts,) Gert Frobe (Baron Bomburst,) Anna Quayle (Baroness Bomburst,) Benny Hill (Toymaker,) Robert Helpmann (Child catcher,) and Barbara Windsor (Blonde) Clips used:Chitty Chitty Bang Bang trailerMusic by The Sherman BrothersBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: National Lampoon’s VacationThe 1979 Short Story by John Hughes vs the 1983 Chevy Chase Movie The Margos are celebrating summer with a look at one of the most popular “family” vacation movies ever filmed--National Lampoon’s Vacation. Directed by Harold Ramis and starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo, the film is remembered as a classic comedy but due to the National Lampoon magazine influence (we get into THAT history here!) It features crude, blue humor that was normalized by the magazine in the 1970s and is based on a John Hughes short story Vacation ‘58. John Hughes would go on to be THE John Hughes of teen comedies (Pretty in Pink, 16 Candles) and adult “dramedies” (Planes, Trains, and Automobiles & She’s Having a Baby) but at the time of this short story publication (Summer 1979), he was a young adman/copywriter who wanted to break into films. His story revolves around a family taking a road trip to California from Illinois in a station wagon. It’s funny and profane with many of the elements we would see in the adaptation. Harold Ramis directed the film on a tiny budget and made the father versus the son the protagonist. It is known today for its weird sense of humor, Christie Brinkley in a red Ferrari and one the best theme songs ever written (Holiday Road by Lindsey Buckingham.) Also, racism, incest, animal & elder abuse, masturbation, and Randy Quaid. This one is a real hodge podge of everything 80s in the best and worst possible way. So, between the original story and the 1983 adaptation--which did we like more?In this ep the Margos discuss:The incredible (and very short) life of John HughesThe impact of National Lampoon on comedy in the 70s and 80sThe cast: Chevy Chase (Clark Griswold,) Beverly D'Angelo (Ellen Griswold,) Anthony Michael Hall (Rusty,) Dana Barron (Audrey,) Imogene Coca (Aunt Edna,) Randy Quaid (Eddie Johnson,) John Candy (Russ Lasky,) Christie Brinkley (Girl in the Bikini,) Eugene Levy (Ed, the car salesman,) and Jane Krakowski (Cousin Vicki.) Clips used:Clark gets the carNational Lampoon’s Vacation trailerRandy Quaid BBQCar crash sceneJohn Candy Walley WorldMusic by Holiday Road by Lindsey BuckinghamBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Boys in the Band The 1968 Play Vs. the 1970 & the 2020 FilmsThe Margos love the celebrate Pride Month and in the past, we have covered Fried Green Tomatoes, Love, Simon, and Call Me by Your Name among other titles. This time are covering a play that made a splash when it premiered off-Broadway in April 1968. The Mart Crowley story, The Boys in the Band, revolved around several gay men as they navigate life pre-Stonewall New York City. It went on to play over 1000 performances (always off-Broadway because that is how Edward Albee wanted it) and was first adapted into a film directed by William Friedkin. Friedkin, who needed a hit at the time, hired the entire cast for the film and created a work that is remembered for being a milestone in queer cinema. Set in an apartment in Manhattan, a group of homosexual men gathers ostensibly to celebrate the birthday of one of their friends. Instead, the event becomes a tightly wound confrontation between the haves and have-nots. The beautiful and those that live a lie. It’s at times off-putting, verbose, profane, funny, and sad. The original (1970) cast lost many members to AIDS in the 80s & 90s which adds to the melancholy of a current viewing. The 2020 Netflix version features an all-openly gay cast including Jim Parsons, Zachary Quinto, Matt Bomer, Andrew Rannells, and Charlie Carver who play the same characters set in 1968 but with an updated script by Crowley and Ned Martel. It’s produced by Ryan Murphy, Martel, and director Joe Mantello. Between the original play and the 2020 adaptation--which did we like more?In this ep the Margos discuss:The interesting life of writer Mart CrowleyLife in the homosexual community in 1968The 1970 cast: Kenneth Nelson (Michael,) Leonard Frey (Harold,) Cliff Gorman (Emory,) Laurence Luckinbill (Hank,) Frederick Combs (Donald,) Keith Prentice (Larry,) Robert la Tourneaux (Cowboy Tex,) Reuben Greene (Bernard,) Peter White (Alan,) and Maud Adams as a model. The 2020 cast: Jim Parsons (Michael,) Zachary Quinto (Harold,) Matt Bomer (Donald,) Andrew Rannells (Larry,) Charlie Carvery (Cowboy,) Robin de Jesus (Emory,) Brian Hutchinson (Alan,) Michael Benjamin Washington (Bernard,) and Tuc Watkins as Hank. Clips used:“Harold” arrives (1970)The Boys in the Band trailerHarold confronts Michael Tuc calls Larry Donald and Michael at the endMusic by Herb Albert and the Tijuana BrassBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Spy Who Loved MeThe 1962 Novel Vs the 1977 James Bond FilmThe Margos love a good spy novel and James Bond usually makes for a fun, exciting read. We found out that this novel, The Spy Who Loved Me, written very quickly by Ian Fleming at his estate “Goldeneye” in January & February of 1961 turned out to be in the words of his biographer Andrew Lycett, his “most sleazy and most violent story ever.” It was so bad that Fleming received the worst reviews of his career and he tried to eradicate it from his list of work. The story is at first told in the first person by the character Vivian Michel, a woman who has it ROUGH in this story until James Bond comes to save her. We will get into the tawdry details in the show and then gladly move on to the 1977 film adaptation starring Roger Moore as our Bond. Much of the book was left out of the screenplay and the character of “Jaws” was an evil highlight. The theme song by Carly Simon was written by Marvin Hamlish and Carol Bayer Sager. So between the two, which did we like more? The novel or the movie? (Big hint--not even close here!) This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and Unforgiven by Rebecca Zanetti“Zanetti is a master of romantic suspense.” –Kirkus Reviews Run: Gemma Falls never expected to use her game theory expertise to outrun a killer. But for years, that skill is all that kept her one step ahead of a deadly stalker. When Gemma gets the chance to teach at D.C. University, she hopes she and her young daughter have found a safe harbor. The only flaw is the arrogant philosophy professor who’s always underfoot giving unwanted advice—in his sexy British accent . . .Hide: Jethro Hanson has blood on his hands. He’s working within ivy-covered university halls now, but he knows that his work with the Deep Ops team and the deadly acts he once committed for the sake of Queen and country place him beyond forgiveness—until he meets Gemma . . .Seek: Soon, the passion between them stuns them both. But when Jethro discovers a threat is fast overtaking her, he must choose between the redemption he seeks—and releasing the ever-present killer inside . . .Rebecca Zanetti has published over 50 books and has been featured in Entertainment Weekly, Woman’s World, and Woman’s Day magazines. She has ridden in a locked Chevy truck, has asked the unfortunate delivery guy to unlock her handcuffs, and has discovered the best silver mines to hide a human body! You can find her at www.RebeccaZanetti.com & on social media @RebecaaZanetti. In this ep the Margos discuss:The extraordinary life of Ian FlemingThe history of James Bond filmsThe biggest differences between the book and the movieCarly Simon’s amazing theme songThe cast: Roger Moore (James Bond/007,) Barbara Bach (Anya Amasova/XXX,) Curt Jurgens (Karl Stromberg,) Richard Kiel (Jaws,) Caroline Munro (Namoi,) Geoffrey Keen (Sir Frederick Gray,) Edward de Souza (Shiekh Hosein,) George Baker (Captain Benson,) Lois Maxwell (Miss Moneypenny,) Walter Gotell (General Gogol,) Vernon Dobtcheff as Max Kalba,) Desmond Llewelyn (Q,) and Bernard Lee as M. Clips used:Introduction of James BondThe Spy Who Loved Me trailerBond fights with Jaws007 and XXX in the submarine sceneStromberg reveals his plansBond kills StrombergMusic by Marvin HamlischBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: GaslightThe 1938 Play Vs the 1944 FilmThe expression “to gaslight” a person means to question their sanity to the point they lose control of themselves. It came into fashion in the 1940s with the 1944 George Cukor film starring Charles Boyer and is now recognized as a form of abuse. The tale of a manipulative husband trying to steal from his wife started as a play titled Gas Light by Patrick Hamilton in 1938. Hamilton, who also wrote Rope and Hangover Square, was dealing with his mother’s suicide and his own disabilities and disfigurement from being run over by a drunk driver when he wrote this tale in an 1880s setting in London. Jack Manningham is married to Bella and he is so controlling and obnoxious, that he flirts with the staff in front of her. Bella is convinced she is “hearing things” but Jack tells her it is in her imagination. He also disappears for hours at a time but will not tell her where or why he leaves. A detective (Rough) meets Bella and tells her that Jack is, in fact, a murderer and is looking for jewels in an apartment connected to her building. When the “gas lights” flicker, he is searching for the loot but tells Bella later they never went on or off in the first place. She later helps him catch her husband in the act and sends him off to the police. The show moved from London to Los Angeles to New York in 1941 starring Vincent Price and Judith Evelyn with a new title--Angel Street. The show ran for over 1200 performances and was a huge hit. There was a 1940 English adaptation called Gaslight but in this episode, we focus on the more famous version which stars Boyer and Ingrid Bergman. The film was loved by critics and fans with a Best Actress Academy Award going to Bergman. The characters' names have changed but the plat remains the same and for many years “gaslighting” was a popular expression. So between the two, which did we like more? The play or the movie? In this ep the Margos discuss:The stage version and how it became a huge success.The life story of Patrick HamiltonThe different filmed versionsThe cast: Charles Boyer (Gregory Anton/Sergis Bauer), Ingrid Bergman (Paula), Joseph Cotton (Brian Cameron), Dame Mae Witty (Miss Bessie), and Angela Lansbury as Nancy Oliver. Clips used:Gregory angry at PaulaGaslight 1944 trailerPaula & Gregory/Miss Bessie on the trainGregory flirting with NancyJoseph Cotton talks sense into PaulaPaula’s revengeMusic by Bronislaw Kaper Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Seven Year ItchThe George Axelrod 1952 Play Vs. the 1955 Billy Wilder FilmWhen the coronavirus pandemic began, the Margos decided to expand on the very idea of a “book” to movie adaptation to cover weekly. The timing of putting our four episodes a month means we can’t always cover anything longer than 200 pages. This is why we have also talked about magazine articles, songs, and plays on this show. This episode is devoted to The Seven Year Itch which started on Broadway in 1952 with Tom Ewell and Vanessa Brown and was written by George Axelrod (who later adapted Breakfast at Tiffany’s and The Manchurian Candidate which we have discussed on this show before.) The story of a married man, Richard Sherman played by Ewell, whose family spends the summer in Maine while he sweats it out in their Gramercy Park apartment. (And I thought I had problems!) While learning about extramarital affairs from a book he is publishing, he soon begins a friendly relationship with a new neighbor. THE GIRL is never given a name and she is vexing him with her beauty. In the play (spoiler!), they have a brief romantic encounter which leaves him feeling guilty and heading up to Maine and back to his wife. The show features dream sequences and we actually hear Richard’s inner dialog the whole time. Supposedly Ewell worked to change the quirky behavior with each performance (he would go on to win a TONY for best dramatic actor) and at 1,141 performances--it was the longest-running nonmusical play of the 1950s on Broadway. Ewell was pleasantly surprised to be asked to lead in the film adaptation by Billy Wilder. Years later, Wilder would complain that the current Hays Codes ruined the story by not allowing Richard to actually have an affair with THE GIRL (played by a shimmering Marilyn Monroe.) The movie is special for many reasons: Marilyn and the “white dress” moment is a classic, and the original Pennsylvania Station is featured before its horrible destruction in 1963 (a blight on NYC) to name just two things. It’s impossible to talk about Monroe without talking about her chaotic private life which always seemed to create havoc on movie sets. Her husband Joe DiMaggio was NOT happy about the world watching his wife getting her dress blown by a wind machine. Monroe’s battle with anxiety and depression caused her to be late to set. Her legendary ability to forget her lines caused major delays to the film which caused the budget to go to $1.8 million. The movie was a hit and made money but her reputation for being a problem followed her for the rest of her career. So between the two, which did we like more? The play or the movie? In this ep the Margos discuss:The stage version and how it became a huge success.Marilyn Monroe’s life and career in the 1950s.Changes to the film that critics and Wilder dislikedThe cast: Tom Ewell (Richard Sherman,) Marilyn Monroe (The Girl,) Evelyn Keyes (Helen Sherman,) Sonny Tufts (Tom MacKenzie,) Victor Moore (plumber,) Oscar Homolka (Dr. Brubaker,) Marguerite Chapman (Miss Morris,) and Carolyn Jones as Nurse Finch. Clips used:Subway grate sceneThe Seven Year Itch 1955 trailerMeet the new neighborChampagne sceneThe piano scene“My wife never gets jealous…”Music by Alfred NewmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Joy Luck ClubAmy Tan’s 1989 Novel Vs the 1993 Wayne Wang FilmTo finish out AAPI month the Margos talk about Amy Tan and her debut novel The Joy Luck Club which became a sensation when it was released in the late 1980s. The Oakland, California native was raised by Chinese immigrant parents who instilled a strong ethic in her and wanted her to take advantage of being an American while remaining Chinese in her heart and actions. Tan found this very tough, especially after her father & brother died and she wound up in Switzerland at the age of 15. We talk about Tan’s teenage years and her strained relationship with her mother which later became fodder for her first novel. In 1989 the hardcover book sold over 275, 000 copies, and the paperback rights went for $1.2 million. It was just a matter of time to get the book adapted into a film. The Joy Luck Club is the story of four immigrant families who are all based in San Francisco with the daughters struggling to emotionally connect with their strict mothers. The women are complex and have many secrets between them that go all the way back to their time in China. Each has a story about why they wanted to come to America and how challenging it is to raise a child in a new culture while retaining your principles and values. The film was directed by Wayne Wang who hired the best Asian actors in the business to play the Chinese American cast. The film was highly successful but it was still decades before an all Asain cast had a hit film in America (Crazy Rich Asians.) There were several differences between the novel which had eight different stories to tell and the movie which has just over an hour and 30 minutes run time. So between the two, which did we like more? The book or the movie? In this ep the Margos discuss:Amy Tan’s background and the inspiration for her bookThe different women in China and San Francisco and how they all relate to each otherThe changes between the novel and the 1993 movieThe cast: Rosalind Chao (Rose,) Lauren Tom (Lena,) Tamlyn Tomita (Waverly,) Ming-Na Wen (June,) Tsai Chin (Lindo,) Kieu Chinh (Suyann,) Lisa Lu (An-Mei,) France Nuyen (Ying-Ying,) Andrew McCarthy (Ted,) Christopher Rich (Rich,) Michael Paul Chan (Harold,) and Russell Wong (Lin Xiao.) Clips used:Rose confronts TedThe Joy Luck Club 1993 TrailerRich screws up dinnerLena and Harold argue Ted and his mother argueJune and her mother uniteMusic by Rachel PortmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Mulan The AD 6th Century Poem Vs. the 2020 Disney Live-Action FilmThe Margos are celebrating AAPI month and we are very excited about the heroine from the poem Ode to Mulan who was either a real-life Calvary soldier or not. Her bravery (fighting against “nomadic hordes”) in replacing her father in battle by disguising herself as a boy has been told since the 6th Century AD. First transcribed in the Musical Records of Old and New, during the Southern Chen dynasty (according to Wikipedia!) it was first adapted as a play in 1593 and subsequent versions used different names for the lead character. The family name is Hua which means flower and Mulan stands for “Magnolia” in Chinese. The Ballad of Mulan takes place in Northern China with Mulan’s father being asked to fight off the nomadic Rourans. However, he is too old for battle and her brother is too young--so she goes to fight instead. She fights for ten years and is then asked what reward she would like for her efforts. She asks to go home and return to her former life. In the end, she claims women and men fighting next to each other should not be an anomaly. There have been several films and operas based on the story of Mulan and in this episode, we discuss the 2020 live-action version directed by Niki Caro and starring Yifei Liu, Jet Li, and Gong Li. This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and Unstable by Alexandra Ivy. The third in a small town thriller series, which emphasizes the creepiness of small towns that hide a lot of secrets! In New York Times, bestselling author Alexandra Ivy’s third bone-chilling romantic thriller set in Pike, Wisconsin, a small town with more secrets than residents, a cold case expert and her sheriff ex-husband reunite to solve a cold case when footage of a bound a gagged girl is discovered on a mysterious old VHS tape. Alexandra Ivy is the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romantic suspense, paranormal, and erotic romance. You can find her online at AlexandraIvy.com and on social media on Twitter at @AlexandraIvy. In this ep the Margos discuss:The background of the poemWomen “passing” for men in art and storytellingDisney’s changes to the script and the importance of the castThe cast: Yifei Liu (Mulan,) Donnie Yen (Commander Tung,) Gong Li (Xianniang,) Jason Scott Lee (Bori Kahn,) Jet Li (the Emperor of China,) Yoson An (Chen Honghui,) and Rosalind Chao as Hua Li. Clips used:Mulan bathing in the lake scene Mulan 2020 trailerMulan revelation sceneBallad of Mulan by By the Book (YouTube) Mulan Vs XiannaingMusic by Harry Gregson Williams Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: Raise the Red LanternSu Tong’s 1990 Novel Vs. the 1991 Zhang Yimpou’s 1991 FilmThe Margos are celebrating AAPI month with a look at the author Su Tong and his work which has earned him millions of fans all over the world with his writing. His 1990 novel Wives and Concubines won great praise and was adapted into the 1991film Raise the Red Lantern by writer Ni Zhen and directed by Zhang Yimou. The story takes place in China in the 1930s where 19-year-old Lotus needs to become a concubine for a married man (his fourth mistress) when her father loses his fortune and dies by suicide. Old Master Chen Zuoqian is 50 years old and is “afraid of women” which makes babymaking with him a challenge for Lotus. She also has three other wives who hate her to contend with. There is also who 20-something son Feipu who knows how to play the flute. Gradually she loses her mind and we are left wondering if she ever winds up in the “haunted well.” The novella is translated by Michael S. Duke who brings the story to life as we dive right into the story and feel compassion for Lotus while questioning the motive of her Master. The 1991 film was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Film and is a visual and musical delight. The setting is placed in the 1920s with the role of the Master set in the margins. We never see him and just hear his voice. The center of this tale is on the women and how they fight for supremacy and agency. It won the Silver Lion Award at the Venice International Film Festival in September 1991. In this ep the Margos discuss:The author’s background and the controversy surrounding the sexuality of this novellaThe work of director Zhang YimouThe setting of the story (the 1920s Vs the 1930s)The cast: Gong Li (Songlian,) Ha Saifei (Meishan,) Cao Cuifen (Ahuoyun,) Ma Jingwu (Master Chen,) and Kong Lin (Yan’er).Clips used:Raise the Red Lantern trailerThe Third Mistress, Meishan, sings opera Siskel and Ebert review the film in 1992Gong Li loses her sense of selfMusic by Zhao JipingBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The Postman Always Rings TwiceThe James M. Cain 1934 Novel Vs. the 1946 Lana Turner Classic FilmThe Margos are feeling like a couple of femme fatales after reading the 1934 James M. Cain novel and watching the 1946 film The Postman Always Rings Twice for Book Vs Movie. We put on our white turbans and try to decide which is better in this film noir-loving episode. We covered Cain in our past episodes for Mildred Pierce and Double Indemnity and consider ourselves to be Cain fans! In this novel, Frank Chambers is a drifter who finds work in a California burger joint. The owner, Nick Papadakis (The Greek), is married to a beautiful, younger woman named Cora. Frank and Cora have a steamy affair with sex scenes and themes of violence causing it to be “banned in Boston.” It was also a smash hit that began Cain’s literary career. There are those that say the plot resembles Emile Zola’s novel Therese Raquin which neither one of the Margos has read. There are a few adaptations to pick from for this work but we prefer the 1946 Lana Turner & John Garfield version which is plenty sexy and is considered a classic for several legitimate reasons. First of all, Turner is at her hottest and leaves us breathless from her all-white wardrobe to her sly smile. Garfield (who would sadly pass away of a heart condition when he was just 39) is a sweaty mess of a man who looks like he would kill for this woman. In this ep the Margos discuss:The original novel and why it was “banned in Boston”The controversy surrounding this and the 1981 film Key differences between the book and the movieThe cast: Lana Turner (Cora Smith,) John Garfield (Frank Chambers,) Cecil Kellaway (Nick Smith,) Hume Cronyn (Arthur Keats,)Leon Ames (Kyle Sackett,) Audrey Totter (Madge,) and Alan Reed as Ezra Liam Kennedy.Clips used:Cora meets FrankThe Postman Always Rings Twice trailerCora calls for an ambulanceFrank kills NickLana Turner & Phil Donahue hate the 1981 updateThe 1981 trailerMusic George Bassman and Erich ZeislBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: AustenlandThe 2007 Hale Book Vs the 2013 Keri Russell Movie The Margos are feeling romantic in this episode that is about all things Jane Austen and Mr. Darcy. The 2007 novel Austenland by Shannon Hale tells the story of an early 30-something woman named Jane Hayes who dreams of living life as if it were Pride & Prejudice everyday. When a wealthy Aunt leaves her a trip to “Austenland” in England--she believes she will find her own Colin Firth there. Austenland is a place in England where Jane Austen fans can live the life of the Regency era filled with period-appropriate clothes, lavish meals, and chances to partner in an old-fashioned way. Jane takes on the name “Miss Jane Erstwhile” and meets two potential suitors: Martin and Mr. Nobley. Whom will she choose as her “Mr. Darcy?” The movie is written and directed by Jerusha Hess and has Keri Russell as our lead, Jane. It also has Jennifer Coolidge and Bret McKenzie which maybe saves the whole thing. Or does it? So, between the original story and the 2013 film-which did we prefer? In this ep the Margos discuss:The “Mr. Darcy” love is real! The soundtrack for the movieKey differences between the book and the movieThe cast: Keri Russell (Jane,) Jennifer Coolidge (Elizabeth Charming,) Bret McKenzie (Martin,) JJ Field (Mr. Nobley,) Jane Seymour (Mrs. Wattlesbrook,) Georgia King (Lady Amelia Heartwright,) and James Callis as Colonel AndrewsClips used:Jane plays the pianoAustenland trailerJane in the rain with NobleyThe ladies readJennifer Coolidge's “creepy tower” sceneThe last scene with Jane and NobleyMusic Bette Davis Eyes by Kim CarnesBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: MASHThe Richard Hooker book Vs the Robert Altman Film (with some of the long-running TV series mixed in)MASH was one of the most popular and iconic television shows of the 70s and 80s (the reruns are still happening all over the globe!). Richard Hooker(nee Hiester Richard Hornberger) based the 1968 novel on his experiences in the Korean War as a surgeon. The novel filled with crazy antics, drinking, and a satire of the U.S. Army fit well in a time when the Viet Nam War was dividing America. Characters like Hawkeye Pierce, Trapper John, and Hot Lips Houlihan will sound familiar to fans of the series (though they behave differently.) You also meet “the Painless Pole,” Ho-Jon, and Duke Forrest in a series of vignettes that make up the novel. It’s hard NOT to picture adapting this book as you read it. Robert Altman directed the 1970 film and it is a very different beast than what was broadcast on television. Starring Donald Sutherland and Elliott Gould, the film is profane, chaotic, modern-looking, and has some very problematic things attached to it. So, between the original story and the 1970 film-which did we prefer? In this ep the Margos discuss:The popularity of MASH around the worldHow the Viet Nam War is a stand-in for the Korean WarThe differences between the book and the movie and how much the author hated itThe cast: Donald Sutherland (Hawkeye Pierce,) Elliott Gould (Trapper,) Tom Skerrit (Duke Forrest,) Sally Kellerman (Margaret Houlihan,) Robert Duvall (Frank Burns,) Roger Bowen (Henry Blake,) Rene Auberjonois (Father Mulcahy,) Jo Ann Pflug (Dish,) John Schuck (The Painless Pole,) and Gary Burghoff as Radar O’Reilly. Clips used:The “Last Supper” sceneMASH trailerHot Lips gets angry and is mockedFrank Burns is teasedMusic by Johnny Mandell & Mike AltmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: How to Make An American Quilt Whitney Otto’s Debut Novel Vs the Winona Ryder MovieThe 90s were an incredible time for what became known as “Chick Lit”--or just books that featured women writers and characters. Whitney Otto’s How to Make an American Quilt told the multilayered story of generations of women who are in a quilting group in Grasse, California. Our main protagonist Finn is a graduate student who is engaged to her longtime boyfriend but is experiencing cold feet. The book is a mixture of quilting instructions and the life story of several characters with the many ups and downs of their interpersonal relationships. Everything is discussed from cheating spouses, interracial dating, the ennui of motherhood, and having a parent that disapproves of your life choices. The film is a tour de force of incredible actors from Winona Ryder to Ellen Burstyn to Alfre Woodard. It’s sweet, warm, and sexy. It had women behind the scenes and made four times the budget. Yet Hollywood still doesn't produce more of them. Because…show business is sexist. So, between the original story and the 1995 film-which did we prefer? In this ep the Margos discuss:The popularity of the novelStories about women protagonists and why women are attracted to themThe differences between the book and the movieThe cast: Winona Ryder (Finn Dodd,) Anne Bancroft (Glady Joe,) Ellen Burstyn (Hy,) Lois Smith (Sophia Darling older,) Samantha Mathis (young Sophia,) Jean Simmons (Em,) Joanna Going (young Em,) Kate Nelligan (Constance,) Alfred Woodard (Marianne,) Maya Angelou (Anna Neale,) Kate Capshaw (Sally Dodd,) Loren Dean (Preston,) Dermot Mulroney (Sam,) Rip Torn (Arthur Cleary,) and Johnathan Schaech as Leon. Clips used:Finn meets LeonHow to Make an American Quilt trailerAnna Neale’s storyGlady and Hy argue about Rip TornMusic by Thoman NewmanBook Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: The InsiderMarie Brenner’s Vanity Fair Article Vs the Michael Mann FilmThe American news program 60 Minutes has long been considered one of the most trusted news outlets in the media. In the mid-1990s their reputation took a hit when they were accused of joining in the silencing of whistleblower Jeffrey Wigand who worked in the tobacco industry and accused his company, Brown & Williamson, of sneaking addictive chemicals into their cigarettes. The Man Who Knew Too Much by Marie Brenner appeared in Vanity Fair in 1996 where she followed Wigand as he dealt with lawyers wanting him to give testimony against Brown & Williamson and his former employer invoking a nondisclosure agreement threatening his financial stability. Wigand felt pressure to do the right thing but did not feel supported until he met 60 Minutes producer Lowell Bergman. A supremely talented journalist with multiple Emmys to his credit, Bergman, and reporter Mike Wallace thought his testimony was an important story to cover. Wigand claimed while waiting for trial, his former employers were harassing him and he went so far as to go to the FBI with allegations but he was labeled an unstable troublemaker and therefore, unreliable. His marriage fell apart and his paranoia increased when death threats were involved. He trusted 60 Minutes would clear his name but CBS President of News, Eric Ober (named Eric Kluster in the movie) decided not to broadcast Wigand’s interview as they could be sued by Brown & Willamson. Michael Mann’s film deals with the blowback from Bergman and the media at large for what was seen as a cowardly move to protect CBS's upcoming sale to Westinghouse. In the movie, Russell Crowe plays Wigand (playing 20 years older than he was at the time) and Al Pacino as Bergman and The Insider would be a crucial favorite and earned several Academy Award nominations. Alas, it was the same year that American Beauty was nominated for multiple awards for some mind-boggling reason. So, between the original story and the 1999 film-which did we prefer? In this ep the Margos discuss:Marie Brenner’s writing careerThe tobacco industry in America and the lawsuits of the 1990s & 2000sThe differences between the real-life characters and the filmThe cast: Al Pacino (Lowell Bergman,) Russell Crowe (Dr. Jeffrey Wigand,) Christopher Plummer (Mike Wallace,) Diane Venora (Liane Wigand,) Philp Baker Hall (Don Hewitt,) Lindsay Crouse (Sharon Tiller,) Debi Mazar (Debbie De Luca,) Stephen Tobolowsky (Eric Kluster,) Colm Feore (Richard Scruggs,) Bruce McGill (Ron Motley,) Gina Gershon as Helen Caparelli.Clips used:60 Minutes edited segmentThe Insider trailerCBS decides to edit the segmentBruce McGill as the Mississippi lawyerJeffrey calls LowellLowell resignsMusic by Lisa Gerrard and Pieter Bourke Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine

Book Vs. Movie: "Hustlers"The 2015 New York magazine article Vs. the 2019 Jennifer Lopez FilmThe Margos decided to go back to the magazine mill to find a racy true story from writer Jessica Pressler about a group of Scores strippers who drugged and bilked their clients of thousands of dollars. The Hustlers at Scores came out in New York Magazine in December 2015 and became so notorious, Pressler was nominated for a National Magazine Award and the rights to the story were sold to Will Farrell’s production company. The original article talks about the world of Scores, the treatment of women who work there, the abuse by customers who work on Wall Street, and how they were able to steal so much money for a long period of time without getting caught. The movie, Hustlers, was treated as an independent film with a small budget and a 29-day shoot in New York City starring Jennifer Lopez and lead hustler Ramona, Constance Wu as newbie Destiny, and Julia Stiles as “Elizabeth, the journalist.” Starting with its premiere at the Toronto Film Festical in September 2019 it was a (mostly) critical hit and made $157 million worldwide at the box office. Lopex does her own dancing and stunts and she has never been more beautiful. (Many people were bummed when she did not receive an Oscar nomination for her fur-draped performance.) The soundtrack features some amazing women artists including Fiona Apple, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, and Lorde. Does it glamorize stealing? (Does anyone blame movies with men as thieves and villains harshly?) Pressler would go on to further fame with her next article about NYC con artist Anna Sorokin which was turned into a Shonda Rhimes production on Netflix--Inventing Anna. (Anna Chlumsky plays her in that adaptation!) So, between the original story and the 2019 film-which did we prefer? In this ep the Margos discuss:Writer Jessica Pressler and her magazine careerScores in NYC The differences between the real-life characters and the filmThe cast includes Jennifer Lopez (Ramona,) Constance Wu (Destiny,) Keke Palmer (Mercedes,) Lili Reinhart (Annabelle,) Lizzo (Liz,) Cardi B (Diamond,) Julia Stiles (Elizabeth the journalist) Mercedes Ruehl (Mama,) Frank Whaley (Reese,) and Usher (as himself.) Clips used:Ramona advises Destiny on pole dancingHustlers trailerRomona and Destiny in a coatDestiny and Ramona reuniteUSHER!Ramona rationalizes their schemeMusic by Lorde (arrest scene)Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podcast Network. Find more podcasts you will love Frolic.Media/podcasts. Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.comEmail us at [email protected] Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com [email protected] P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ Our logo was designed by Madeleine Gainey/Studio 39 Marketing Follow on Instagram @Studio39Marketing & @musicalmadeleine