Tag: Book vs. Movie

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Podcast 3 days ago

“Book Vs Movie” American Gangster

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Book Vs Movie

The Return of Superfly Vs American Gangster 

The 2000 New York magazine article from Mark Jacobson Vs the 2007 Ridley Scott Film

The Margos are heading back to NYC in the gritty 1970s talking about the New York magazine article The Return of Superfly by Mark Jacobson which appeared in their August 14, 2000 issue and was immediately bought as a film property for Imagine Entertainment/Universal Pictures. It took seven years and went through many different hands before Ridley Scott filmed the 2007 movie starring Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe. 

The story focuses on a heroin dealer from North Carolina (Frank Lucas/Washington) who came to Harlem in the late 1960s and became a million-dollar dealer/drug kingpin taking over 118th Street & 8th Avenue for years before being caught by an undercover team of “not-on-the-take” Newark police headed up by Richie Roberts (Crowe.) 

When Roberts is not investigating Lucas, he is studying to be a lawyer and dealing with a stressful divorce and child custody issue. 

Lucas inherited the territory from noted Harlem gangster Ellsworth “Bumpy” Johnson after his death and used the Viet Nam War to his advantage to get 100% pure heroin that sold on the streets as “Blue Magic.” Thousands become addicted to it and Lucas is now the drug king of New York City. 

What makes this episode extra special is that we interview Erin Hennicke of the Best Neighbors Podcast (Margo D. co-hosts that show!)  Erin was the person who bought the rights to the article for Universal in 2000 and talks about the long journey to the Ridley Scott film. She also talks about the whole process of getting books and magazine articles to screen and offers advice to potential writers out there. 

This is an extra special episode and hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Between the article and film–which did the Margos like better? 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

  • The story behind the New York article 
  • The journey between different actors and directors attached to the project
  • How crafty Frank Lucas was in transporting the drugs straight from Bangcock, Thailand and the multiples of people he was forced to pay off
  • How a chinchilla coat broke his “cover”
  • The really bad makeup job done on actor Joe Morton!
  • The cast which includes: Denzel Washington (Frank Lucas,) Russell Crowe (Richie Roberts,) Chiwetel Ejiofor (Huey Lucas,) Josh Brolin (Detective Trupo,) Lymari Nadal (Eva,) Ted Levine (Lou Toback,) Ruby Dee (Mama Lucas,) Carla Gugino (Laurie Roberts,) Cuba Gooding Jr (Nicky Barnes,) Clarence Williams III (“Bumpy” Johnson,) Armande Assante (Dominic Cattano,) RZA (Moses Jones,) Common (Turner Lucas,) Joe Morton (Charlie Williams,) and Idris Elba (Tango.) 

Clips Featured:

  • American Gangster trailer
  • Frank & his mother argue
  • Frank takes out Tango
  • Music by Anthony Hamilton “Do You Feel Me“

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

 

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


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Podcast June 1, 2020

Book Vs Movie “Double Indemnity”

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Book Vs Movie 

Double Indemnity 

The Novella by James M. Cain & Film Noir Classic from Billy Wilder 

We are heading back to the Film Noir well with writer James M. Cain and the classic novella & later movie Double Indemnity.  The Margos talk about the life of Mr. Cain (who also wrote Mildred Pierce) and find out the true story behind his fictional account of two lovers trying to get away with the perfect murder. 

The novella originally was published in 1936 in serial form with Liberty magazine in 1936 and is based on the real-life crime duo Ruth Snyder and Judd Gray. Snyder wanted her husband dead and asked her lover, Gray, to help her and then split the insurance money. After several attempts, they finally succeeded in killing Albert Snyder. Alas, they were caught right away and both went to the electric chair. 

The movie, directed by one of the most revered filmmakers of the 20th Century–Billy Wilder, was released in 1944 and is considered a classic. (You will usually find on the TMC Network!)  There are quite a few changes between the novella and film and the author preferred their storyline to his own! 

Between the novella and film–which did the Margos like better? 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

Clips Featured:

  • Double Indemnity trailer
  • Neff meets Phyllis
  • Neff tries to escape Keyes
  • Outro music: “Tangerine” by Les Brown & His Band of Renown (Johnny Mercer & Vincent Schertzinger)

 

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


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Podcast May 10, 2020

Book Vs Movie “The Warriors”

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Book Vs Movie 

The Warriors

(Yes, the Cult Classic Film is Based on a Book!)

The Margos are picking out our costumes for this special episode devoted to the cult classic The Warriors (yes, it was based on a book by Sol Yurick.) The movie, directed by Walter Hill, was a hit when it was released in 1979, but the glory of that was marred by real-life gang violence at the time which caused the movie studios to cease advertising the film. It was a staple of syndicated television throughout the 80s and is considered a modern classic and one of the earliest films to bring a comic book sensibility to urban decay. 

Yurick wrote the original story in 1965 and based it on his experience working for the welfare department in New York City after graduating college in the 1940s. He became fascinated by the teenagers he met and how they navigated living in a big city. (At the time, the term “juvenile delinquent” was used to describe young people who got into trouble.)

The basis for the story is a fictional account of gang life and the Greek story Anabasis. 

In the mid-1970s, producer Lawrence Gordon bought the rights to the book and Paramount Pictures became the home of the film adaptation. 

There are several differences between the book and film including the names and costumes of the multitude of gangs and its depiction of women. 

So between the book and the movie, which did we like better? Click on the link below to find out!

In this ep the Margos discuss:

Clips Featured:

  • The Warriors  trailer
  • “Warriors, come out to play!” (David Patrick Kelly)
  • Luther “Can you dig it?” (Roger Hill)
  • The D.J. warns The Warriors (Lynne Thigpen)
  • Outro music: Composer Barry DeVorzon 

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


Check out this NEW episode of Book Vs. Movie!

Podcast May 4, 2020

Book Vs Movie “Matilda”

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Book Vs Movie 

Matilda

The Classic Book from Roald Dahl Vs the 1996 Film Adaptation

The Margos tackle one of the most beloved children’s books of all time–Matilda by Roald Dahl. We have had so many requests over the years for this book & movie and it has certainly lived up to the hype!

Dahl is a fascinating subject all on his own. Born in Wales to Norwegian immigrant parents, the 6’6″ Dahl was larger than life in every imaginable way. A veteran of the Royal Air Force (RAF,) Dahl crash-landed his Gladiator in Marsa Matruh, Egypt, in 1940 and managed to crawl to safety before it blew up. He survived a skull fracture and totally smashed his nose and was blinded temporarily. 

He recovered and eventually worked for the English Embassy in Washington D.C. and went to cocktail parties where he as known as a charmer & dancer. Dahl worked in Intelligence during WW2 and was friends with writers C.S. Forester and Ian Fleming. 

He became a well-known adult & children’s author with several titles being viewed as masterpieces including Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Fantastic Mr. Fox, The BFG, and James & the Giant Peach. 1998’s Matilda was one of Dahl’s last book and it had been included in multiple lists as one of the best children’s books of all time. 

The story of the brilliant but unappreciated by her parents Matilda Wormwood is full of humor and pathos as she learns to use her psychic powers for the forces of good. Characters like Miss Honey, Miss Trunchbull, and Lavender are unforgettable and Danny DeVito’s film makes some interesting choices in the 1996 adaptation. 

So between the book and the movie, which did we like better? Click on the link below to find out!

In this ep the Margos discuss:

Clips Featured:

  • Matilda  trailer
  • Kate Winslet reads Matilda intro
  • Matilda accuses her father of bad behavior
  • Trunchbull throws the girl with pigtails
  • Outro music: Little Bitty Pretty One written by Bobby Day & performed by Thurston Harris

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 

 


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Podcast March 14, 2020

Book Vs Movie “Valley of the Dolls”

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Book Vs Movie 

Valley of the Dolls 

The 1968 Jacqueline Susann Novel Vs the 1967 Camp Classic Film

“Sparkle, Neely Sparkle!”

The Margos are still enjoying the swinging 60s and what better way to celebrate than talking about the amazing Jacqueline Susann  who is the first author to have three consecutive #1 books on the New York Times bestseller list. Though her work was critically panned at the time and she was considered a self-promoting hack by the literary elite (how dare they!) Susann is now an icon for fun-living women who dare to take up space. 

Valley of the Dolls caused a scandal at the time with its frank discussions about sex, sexism in show business, drug use, and cancer. But Susann had a flair for publicity, had a super-sharp wit and a husband (Irving Mansfield) who promoted her work with incredible enthusiasm. This woman practically invented the book tour and became just as famous as Truman Capote and Phillip Roth but for the fun, camp set. 

The movie directed by Mark Robson was rushed into production in 1967 and was seen as a bit trashy and embarrassing at the time. Today it is known as a camp classic. 

In this episode, we talk about the many differences between the original book & the movie to decide which we like better. (P.S. We adore Jacqueline Susann!)

In this ep the Margos discuss:

    • The incredible life story of Jacqueline Susann
    • The world of the 1960s and why her work caused a scandal.

Clips Featured:

    • Valley of the Dolls  trailer
    • BBC Interview with Jacqueline Susann (1973)
    • Neely O’Hara & Helen Lawson fight
    • Neely & Tony Polar “sing” 
    • Outro music “Theme from the Valley of the Dolls” composed by Dionne Warwick

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


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Podcast February 21, 2020

Book vs Movie “The Color Purple”

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Book Vs Movie (Replay)

“The Color Purple”

The Alice Walker Pulitzer-Prize Winning Novel Vs the Steven Spielberg Multi-Academy Award Nominated Film

The Margos finally take on the Alice Walker classic The Color Purple which won both the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the National Book Award in 1983. It went on to be adapted into a film by none of than Steven Spielberg who has appeared on this show several times so we may just have to change our name to the “Steven Spielberg Presents” show soon! (Kidding!)

Celie Harris is our lead character who is African American, poor, uneducated and being raised in America’s south in the early part of the 20th century. Her entire life she is abused by men including her stepfather (from whom she has two children) and then eventually her husband who is only referred to as “Mr” in the book and leaves his three wild children for her to raise.

Celie’s sister Nettie is sent away with a religious couple to a mission in Africa after almost being raped by Mr and the letters they exchange to make up the telling of the rest of the novel.

Spielberg’s movie is sort of the PG-version of what happens in the book with major subplots about lesbianism and the colonialism in Africa barely being hinted or discussed. However, the performances are next-level amazing which counts for its multiple Academy Award nominations.

So what are those changes? Which version did the Margos like better? Check out the link below to hear for yourself!  

In this ep the Margos discuss:

    • The interesting history of the author Alice Walker including years of feminist activism and her controversial political views these days.
    • How the novel is told in an epistolary form and how it makes it challenging to read at times
    • The road to the adaptation by Steven Spielberg and his rather restrained choices about racism, sexism, child molestation, and adult sexuality  
    • The controversy over how the African American male characters are depicted

Clips Featured:

    • The Color Purple (original trailer)
    • Whoopi Goldberg wins the 1986 Best Actress Golden Globe Award
    • Alice Walker gives her opinion on the film adaptation BBC Desert Island Discs May 19, 2013
    • Sofia confronts Celie
    • Celie meets her children for the first time as adults
    • Outro music Miss Celie’s Blues vocals by Tata Vega

Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/

Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama http://thechingonahomesteader.weebly.com/


Check out this NEW episode of Book Vs. Movie!

Podcast February 9, 2020

Book Vs Movie: Steve Harvey’s “Think Like a Man”

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Book Vs Movie (Replay)

Act Like a Lady. Think Like a Man

The 2009 Self-Help Book from Comedian Steve Harvey Vs the 2012 Movie

With Special Guest Kristen Meinzer of the By the Book podcast

Hey BVMers! The Margos are trying their first self-help book, Steve Harvey’s Think Like a Lady. Act Like a Man (2009) along with our special guest this week–Kristen Meinzer of the By the Book podcast. Let’s just say this, for self-identifying feminists –this book was a challenge to get through. 

Harvey is a man with a dozen different jobs including the Steve Harvey Morning Radio Show and as host of the Family Feud. His premise is that dozens of women over the years called into his show to ask for advice on their heterosexual relationships (he is very “traditional”) and he wanted to offer them the best tips for how women can manage their men. 

It involves not giving up “the cookie” for 90s days and basically be happy taking on most of the emotional labor in any relationship you have with a “good man.” (And if be misbehave–maybe YOU did something wrong?)

The movie (Think Like a Man directed by Tim Story) follows the story of several beautiful women who need Steve’s help to figure out their relationships. It’s filled with beautiful people. 

So between the book and the movie–which did we like better? Click the link at the bottom to find out. 

In this ep the Margos and Kristen discuss:

    • Steve Harvey’s life as a comic and thrice-married person and pondering why anyone would ask him for dating tips? 
    • The different types of relationship books released in the last twenty years that caught the American imagination 
    • The biggest differences between the book and movie 
    • Our favorite scenes from the movie

Clips Featured:

    • Think Like a Man trailer
    • Different types of men featured in the movie (as described by Kevin Hart)

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


Check out this NEW episode of Book Vs. Movie!

Podcast December 13, 2019

Book Vs Movie: “A Christmas Carol” Plus, Top 5 Favorite “Scrooge” Adaptations

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Book Vs. Movie Podcast

“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens

the 2009 Jim Carey Animated Movie

Plus, 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 is 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” adaptation
    • The incredible life story of Charles Dickens and the reasons he wrote A Christmas Carol
    • How England changed how they celebrate Christmas after the publication
    • Our favorite adaptations of the work
    • Jim Carey’s frenetic performance

Clips used:

Sir Patrick Stewart reading

Jim Carey as the Ghost of Christmas past & Scrooge

Vanessa Williams “Sleigh Ride”

Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/

Find us in Apple Podcasts

Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama http://thechingonahomesteader.weebly.com/


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Podcast October 27, 2019

Book Vs Movie: “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe

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Book Vs Movie 

The Raven

The Classic Edgar Allan Poe Poem vs the Roger Corman/Vincent Price 1963 Film

The Margos both hear a rapping, rapping at our podcast door but we are not afraid. Because this episode is dedicated to all things “The Raven” by Edgar Allen Poe and the 1963 Roger Corman movie that stars Vincent Price, Peter Lorre, Boris Karloff, and a young Jack Nicholson. 

We first dive into the fascinating and mysterious Poe (who went by Eddie Poe most is his life) who became famous after writing the classic poem in January 1845 but never seemed to make any money to live on. He died under mysterious circumstances on October 7, 1849, at the age of 40 in Baltimore and has since been celebrated as the inventor of the “detective story” with the publication of “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” in 1841. To this day, there are references to Poe and The Raven every year during Halloween (including a very famous 1990 episode of The Simpsons.)

Roger Corman is the “Pope of Pop Cinema” who after a decades-long career as a director, producer, and actor–is still with us and giving hope to independent filmmakers around the world. 

And Vincent Price along with Boris Karloff in a comedy horror film? What is better than that? So, between the poem and the 1963 movie–which did the Margos like better?  

Click the link at the bottom to find out. 

In this ep the Margos discuss:

    • The intense and short  life of Edgar Allen Poe 
    • The legacy of his work that still resonates to this day
    • Roger Corman’s influence on independent films
    • The biggest differences between the poem and movie 
    • Our favorite scenes from the movie

Clips Featured:

    • The Raven  trailer
    • Vincent Price reading “The Raven”
    • Dr. Erasmus (Vincent Price) meets Dr. Bedlo (Peter Lorre) as a raven

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.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

 

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/ 


Check out this NEW episode of Book Vs. Movie!

Podcast October 19, 2019

Book Vs Movie: Stephen King’s “Carrie” (1976) Replay Ep

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Book Vs Movie (Replay)

“Carrie”

The Margos Take On the Stephen King Classic in this Redo Ep

It’s October and the Margos are SO excited to revisit a classic Stephen King tale–Carrie which we originally covered in 2014 (using the old, old way we recorded back in the early days.)  This is not only King’s first movie adaptation but it is also based on his first published novel. There are so many changes between book & movie that we wanted to give it a modern treatment (meaning better sound and lots of clips!)

Just how different is the original novel versus the Brian DePalma masterpiece of horror?  Whoo boy—there were some major changes made (and for very good reason in many instances.)

So which did the Margos like better? Book or Movie? Check out the link below to find out!

Once again, we are SO lucky to have Penguin Books sponsor this episode! The Margos are thrilled to be asked to talk about author Ransom Riggs‘ newest “Miss Peregrine’s story”–A Map of Days which is on sale right now.

This is the fourth novel in the series and lead character Jacob Portman’s life in the United States is the setting for this newest adventure. Get your copy today! (It makes for a great gift, by the way.)

In this ep the Margos discuss :

Clips Featured:

    • Stephen King interviewed by MPR’s “Talking Volumes” in 2009
    • Carrie  1976 trailer
    • Carrie White being told she is a sinner by her mother
    • Miss Collins (Betty Buckley) talks with Tommy Ross and Sue Snell
    • Carrie unleashes her power at the prom
    • Outro Music: Carrie closing credits (Music by Pino Donaggio)

Book Vs. Movie podcast https://www.facebook.com/bookversusmovie/

Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com

Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com

Brought to you by Audible.com You can sign up for a FREE 30-day trial here http://www.audible.com/?source_code=PDTGBPD060314004R

Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com

Margo P. @ShesNachoMama http://thechingonahomesteader.weebly.com/


Check out this NEW episode of Book Vs. Movie!

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