Book Vs Movie Podcast
287 episodes - English - Latest episode: 4 days ago - ★★★★★ - 12 ratingsBook Vs. Movie is the podcast that ponders the question: "Which was better...the book or the movie?" We spoil away the details, uncover the plot points, discuss casting choices and shower with praise (or pummel with snark) as we see fit. Hosts are Margo P. (She's Nacho Mama's Blog) and Margo D. (Creator of Brooklyn Fit Chick.com) and we are not afraid to tell it like it is!
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Episodes
The Philadelphia Story (1940) Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart & George Cukor
April 22, 2024 09:00 - 53 minutes - 75.5 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Philadelphia Story The 1939 Play Vs. the 1940 Movie "The Philadelphia Story" is a romantic comedy play by Philip Barry that became a successful film. Directed by George Cukor, it follows Tracy Lord (played to perfection by Katherine Hepburn,) a wealthy socialite about to marry for the second time. Her ex-husband, Dexter (Cary Grant,) tries to win her back while a magazine sends a reporter (Jimmy Stewart) and photographer (Ruth Hussey) to cover her wedding. As Tracy navig...
Paddington (2014) Ben Whishaw, Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, and Julie Walters
April 15, 2024 09:25 - 41 minutes - 57.7 MBBook Vs. Movie: Paddington The 1958 Children’s Book Vs. the 2014 Movie The Margos are feeling very British in this episode! English author Michael Bond created Paddington Bear, who first appeared in Bond's 1958 book A Bear Called Paddington and has since become a beloved character in numerous books, television series, and films. Paddington is a polite and curious bear from Peru who wears a duffle coat and a floppy hat. He often carries a suitcase with a label that reads, "Please look after t...
Mean Girls 20th Anniversary Celebration (From the Vaults of Book Vs Movie!) Lindsay Lohan
April 12, 2024 09:35 - 1 hour - 84.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: Mean Girls The 2002 Book vs. the 2004 Movie (20th Anniversary Replay Celebration!) "Mean Girls" is a teen comedy film released in 2004 that follows Cady Heron, a high school student who navigates the social hierarchy and mean girls. The film stars Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert. "Queen Bees and Wannabes" is a book by Rosalind Wiseman that explores the dynamics of teenage girls' social cliques. In this episode, we replay our 2018 discussion a...
RENT (2005) Jonathan Larson, Anthony Rapp, Taye Diggs & Puccini's La Boheme
April 02, 2024 09:00 - 1 hour - 85.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: Rent The 1896 Opera Vs. the 2005 Movie (Based on the 1996 Play) "Rent" is a modern adaptation of Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Bohème." It tells the story of a group of struggling artists living in New York City's East Village during the late 1980s and early 1990s, dealing with poverty, love, and the AIDS epidemic. The late Jonathan Larson wrote the book, music & lyrics for the show and tragically died a few months before its Broadway debut on January 26, 1996. The plot revolv...
Matilda: The Musical (2022) Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Roald Dahl, & Tim Minchin
March 25, 2024 15:46 - 57 minutes - 79.2 MBBook Vs. Movie: Matilda The 1988 YA Novel Vs. the 2022 Musical Film "Matilda the Musical" (based on the 1988 Roald Dahl novel) tells the story of Matilda Wormwood, a bright young girl with telekinetic powers. Neglected by her parents and bullied by the tyrannical headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, Matilda finds solace in books and bonds with her kind teacher, Miss Honey. With the support of her friends, Matilda stands up to injustice, ultimately using her powers to bring about change and find a ...
The Opposite Sex (1956) & The Women (1939) June Allyson, Joan Collins, Clare Booth Luce
March 18, 2024 21:34 - 52 minutes - 72.8 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Opposite Sex The 1936 Play V. the 1939 Film Vs. the 1956 Musical "The Opposite Sex" is a musical comedy film released in 1956. It is a remake of the 1939 film "The Women, " directed by David Miller, based on the play of the same name by Clare Boothe Luce. The story revolves around several women's romantic and social lives, with a particular focus on Kay Hilliard (played by June Allyson). Kay discovers her husband's infidelity and must deal with the consequences within her...
Mean Girls (2024) Tina Fey, Renee Rapp, Angourie Rice, Auli'i Cravalho, and Avantika
March 10, 2024 21:34 - 46 minutes - 66.6 MBBook Vs. Movie: Mean Girls The 2002 Book vs. the 2004 Movie vs. the 2018 Musical vs. the 2024 Movie "Mean Girls" is a teen comedy film released in 2004 that follows Cady Heron, a high school student who navigates the social hierarchy and mean girls. The film stars Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert. "Queen Bees and Wannabes" is a book by Rosalind Wiseman that explores the dynamics of teenage girls' social cliques. The "Mean Girls" musical adaptation premiered o...
TOMMY (1975) The Who, Ann-Margret, Roger Daltrey, Tina Turner, Elton John, Jack Nicholson, Pete Townshend and Ken Russell
March 03, 2024 10:45 - 54 minutes - 75 MBBook Vs. Movie: Tommy The 1969 Rock Opera Vs. The 1975 Movie“Musicals in March” "The Who's Tommy" is a rock opera written by Pete Townshend and performed by the English rock band The Who. It was first released as a double album in 1969 and later adapted into various stage productions, including a highly successful Broadway musical. The story revolves around a young boy named Tommy Walker who becomes deaf, dumb, and blind after witnessing a traumatic event. Despite his sensory impairments, T...
The Color Purple (2023) Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, & Danielle Brooks
February 26, 2024 16:41 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Color Purple The 1982 novel Vs. the 2023 movie musical "The Color Purple" is a novel by Alice Walker that tells the story of Celie, a young African American girl in the early 20th century. Celie writes letters to God, sharing her struggles with abuse from her father and later from her husband, referred to as "Mr."The novel tackles racism, sexism, and the societal challenges of the time. Characters undergo personal growth, and the story emphasizes empowerment, self-discove...
The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (1974) Cicely Tyson, Richard Dysart, Rod Perry, & Ernest J. Gaines
February 19, 2024 17:13 - 1 hour - 89.2 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman The 1971 play Vs. the 1974 movie For Black History Month, the Margos visit "The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman." Ernest J. Gaines wrote this novel, which was first published in 1971. The book is a fictional autobiography that spans over 100 years of American history, narrated by Miss Jane Pittman, an African American woman born into slavery and lived through the Civil Rights Movement. The narrative provides a powerful and poignant pe...
Fences(2016) Denzel Washington, Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, & August Wilson
February 12, 2024 17:43 - 1 hour - 88.5 MBBook Vs. Movie: Fences The 1987 play Vs. the 2016 movie For Black History Month, the Margos revisit playwright August Wilson (we covered Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom last year.) Fences premiered on Broadway in 1987 and is a part of Wilson's acclaimed Pittsburgh Cycle, also known as the Century Cycle, a series of ten plays that chronicle the African American experience in the United States throughout each decade of the 20th century. This is a play about Troy Maxson, a former Negro League baseba...
Ethan Frome (1993)Liam Neeson, Patricia Arquette, Joan Allen, Tate Donovan & Edith Wharton
February 04, 2024 22:10 - 1 hour - 87.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: Ethan Frome The 1911 book Vs. the 1993 movie The Margos have decided to cover a proper novel-to-movie adaptation after a few weeks of pushing the boundaries of what constitutes a "book" on their show. Edith Wharton's 1911 novel Ethan Frome tells the story of a sickly man who lives in Starkfield, Massachusetts, with his wife and her cousin. The novel explores how they ended up in this situation. It tells the story of Ethan, trapped in a loveless marriage until the arrival of...
Gone Girl (2014) Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, David Fincher, & Gillian Flynn (2020 replay)
January 26, 2024 10:55 - 58 minutes - 80.2 MBBook Vs. Movie: Gone Girl The 2012 book Vs. the 2014 movie(From the Book Vs. Movie Vaults!) The Margos take an oldie but a goodie out of the vaults this week!! Gone Girl is a thriller by Gillian Flynn. The story follows the disappearance of Amy Dunne, a woman who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary. As the investigation unfolds, the story becomes more and more complex, with plenty of twists and turns along the way. The novel was so successful that it was later adapted into a movi...
JAWS (1975) From our vaults! Roy Scheider, Robert Shaw, Richard Dreyfus, & Steven Spielberg
January 21, 2024 19:41 - 1 hour - 85.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: Jaws The 1974 book Vs. the 1975 movie (From the Book Vs. Movie Vaults!) The Margos take an oldie but a goodie out of the vaults this week!! "Jaws" is a classic thriller that originated from Peter Benchley's novel and was later transformed into a blockbuster film directed by Steven Spielberg. The novel was published in 1974, and unfortunately, it is not very good. You will soon find out the reasons why! However, Spielberg's adaptation, which was released in 1975, focuses more ...
Priscilla (2023) Sofia Coppola, Cailee Spaeny, and Jacob Elordi. Based on the Priscilla Presley 1985 book
January 14, 2024 22:24 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: Priscilla The 1985 Memoir Elvis & Me Vs. the 2023 Sofia Coppola Adaptation The Margos covered Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, pairing it with the 1988 TV movie starring Susan Walters and Dale Midkiff. We loved the fact that she was able to share her truth despite the long-standing canonization of her ex-husband, who died in August 1977. Elvis's pill-popping and extracurricular activities with other women were brought up, as well as how they met when she was ...
An American in Paris (1951) Gene Kelly, Leslie Caron, Oscar Levant, George & Ira Gershwin
January 07, 2024 22:06 - 1 hour - 92.7 MBBook Vs. Movie: An American in Paris The 1928 “Symphonic Poem” Vs. the 1951 Classic Movie The Margos are starting the New Year with a symphonic poem by George Gershwin that evokes France during the Annees Folles (the 1920s era). The piece was also inspired by Maurice Ravel's "unusual chords." After visiting Paris in 1926, Gershwin sought out teachers, but they all told him that there was no one better than Gershwin himself. He told a reporter that this work was an American's first time in ...
The Poseidon Adventure (1972) Gene Hackman, Shelley Winters, Ernest Borgnine (Replay of 2019 ep!)
December 30, 2023 10:25 - 59 minutes - 82.2 MBBook Vs. Movie: "The Poseidon Adventure" (1972) (The Margos are taking this week off for the holidays. Please enjoy this 2019 replay!) 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 excell...
O'Henry's "The Gift of the Magi" & 1978's "The Gift of Love" Marie Osmond & Timothy Bottoms
December 23, 2023 23:26 - 1 hour - 117 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Gift of the Magi and The Gift of Love The Original O’Henry Shorty Story Vs. the 1978 TV Movie O. Henry's The Gift of the Magi is a timeless short story that teaches us the true meaning of love during the holidays. The story follows Della Dillingham, who has only $1.87 to buy a Christmas gift for her husband, James. She decides to sell her beautiful hair to buy him a chain for his watch. However, James has sold his watch to buy her a fancy hair comb. The story shows that ...
Miracle on 34th Street (1947) Maureen O'Hara, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn
December 17, 2023 22:21 - 1 hour - 110 MBBook Vs. Movie: Miracle on 34th Street Valentine Davies’s Story Vs. the 1947 Classic Film "Can you say classic?" In the almost ten years that we have been putting on this show, we somehow missed "Miracle on 34th Street" as one of the most famous adaptations of holiday films. With a story by beloved writer Valentine Davies and direction by his friend George Seaton, the film (released in May of 1947 for some baffling reason!) became a massive hit with filmgoers. Starring Maureen O'Hara as a f...
Dolly Parton's Christmas on the Square (2020) Christine Baranski, Treat Williams, Jenifer Lewis, & Josh Segarra
December 11, 2023 17:51 - 1 hour - 89 MBBook Vs. Movie: Christmas on the Square Dolly Parton’s 2014 song Vs. the 2020 Netflix Movie "Christmas on the Square" is a 2020 movie based partly on Dolly Parton’s 2020 “Blue Smoke” album with the track “Try.” Directed and choreographed by Debbie Allen. The story revolves around a “Scrooge” character, played by icon Christine Baranski, who seeks to evict everyone in her hometown and sell off to Corporate Mall Overlords. Parton plays the angel prepped to save her and be a source of inspirat...
Bell, Book and Candle (1958) James Stewart, Kim Novak, Jack Lemmon, Ernie Kovacs & Elsa Lanchester
December 03, 2023 18:40 - 1 hour - 90.7 MBBook Vs. Movie: Bell Book and Candle The Original 1950 Play & the 1958 Film "Bell, Book, and Candle," released in 1958 and directed by Richard Quine, is a romantic comedy that intertwines the ordinary and the supernatural. The movie revolves around Gillian Holroyd, a beautiful and free-spirited witch who resides in Greenwich Village, New York. Her magical world turns unexpectedly when she develops feelings for her neighbor, Shepherd Henderson. This story takes place on Christmas Eve, making ...
Home for the Holidays (1995) Holly Hunter, Robert Downey Jr., Anne Bancroft, Jodie Foster & Chris Radant
November 26, 2023 22:03 - 1 hour - 115 MBBook Vs. Movie: Home for the Holidays The Short Story by Chris Radant & the 1995 Jodie Foster Film The Margos are getting into the holiday spirit with the cult classic Home for the Holidays, based on a 1991 short story by Chris Radant, directed by Jodie Foster. Radant’s short story appeared in the now-defunct Boston Phoenix and is based on her experience dealing with family issues during the holiday season. (You can listen to it at this clip from the storyteller Kelley Hazen: https://soundcl...
The Old Man and the Sea (1958) Ernest Hemingway, Spencer Tracy, & Felipe Pazos, Jr.
November 19, 2023 21:17 - 58 minutes - 80.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Old Man and the Sea The 1952 Short Story by “Papa” & the 1958 Spencer Tracy Film In this episode, the Margos review Ernest Hemingway's 1952 novella "The Old Man and the Sea" and its 1958 film adaptation featuring Spencer Tracy. The story revolves around an aging Cuban fisherman, Santiago, who embarks on a challenging battle with a massive marlin in the Gulf Stream. The novella has been adapted into several films, the most notable being the 1958 movie directed by John Stur...
Sweet Smell of Success (1957) Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Susan Harrison, Ernest Lehman, & Clifford Odets
November 13, 2023 17:29 - 1 hour - 101 MBBook Vs. Movie: Sweet Smell of Success Ernest Lehman was an accomplished writer and adapter of material for the screen, known for his work on movies such as Hello Dolly!, The King and I, and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? In 1950, he wrote an original short story, "Tell Me About It Tomorrow,” published in Cosmopolitan magazine. This story became the basis of Clifford Odet’s screenplay for the 1957 classic film Sweet Smell of Success, starring Burt Lancaster and Tony Curtis and directed by ...
The Gambler (1980) Kenny Rogers (as The Gambler), Bruce Boxleitner & Lee Purcell
November 05, 2023 21:51 - 57 minutes - 79.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Gambler The 1978 Song & Kenny Rogers as The Gambler TV Movie Yee ha! The Margos' latest episode is all about the Kenny Rogers classic "The Gambler." The song was written in 1976 by Don Schlitz, who was only 26 years old at the time. It took two years before Rogers made it a number 1 hit. The song's lyrics tell the story of a chance encounter on a train between the narrator and a seasoned gambler. The gambler imparts his wisdom about life and gambling to the narrator, of...
Misery (1990) Stephen King, Kathy Bates, James Caan & special guest Alex Steed "You Are Good"
October 29, 2023 21:51 - 1 hour - 136 MBBook Vs. Movie: Misery The 1987 Stephen King Novel Vs. the 1990 Classic Movie The Margos and special guest Alex Steed of the You Are Good film podcast discuss one of the best Stephen King adaptations ever--1990’s Misery. In both the novel and the film, the characters of Paul Sheldon and Annie Wilkes are central to the story. However, there are notable differences in their portrayals. In the book, readers get a more in-depth look at the internal struggles of Sheldon, whereas the film focu...
I Know What You Did Last Summer (1997) The Lois Duncan novel vs. the Jennifer Love Hewitt and Sarah Michelle Gellar movie
October 22, 2023 21:36 - 1 hour - 117 MBBook Vs. Movie: I Know What You Did Last Summer The 1973 Lois Duncan YA Novel Vs. the 1997 Movie "I Know What You Did Last Summer" revolves around a group of friends, Julie, Helen, Ray, and Barry, who accidentally hit a stranger with their car on a dark, lonely road. In a panic, they make a harrowing decision to hide the accident, believing they can escape the consequences. However, one year later, their lives unravel as they receive ominous messages from a mysterious figure who knows their...
Carrie (1976) Piper Laurie(RIP) Sissy Spacek & Amy Irving (Replay of 2018 episode)
October 18, 2023 17:08 - 1 hour - 103 MBIn honor of the recent passing of Piper Laurie, we are replaying our 2018 episode that revisits 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 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 nove...
House of Usher (1960) Vincent Price, Roger Corman, Richard Matheson, & Edgar Allen Poe
October 16, 2023 18:02 - 1 hour - 109 MBBook Vs. Movie: House of Usher The Edgar Allen Poe Short Story Vs. the 1960 Vincent Price Movie The Margos continue our month of scary movies with the 1839 short story, The Fall of House of Usher, by Edgar Allen Poe, and how it was adapted by Roger Corman in 1960 for the Vincent Price classic House of Usher. The story of the Roderick family, consisting of siblings Roderick and Madeline, is a gothic tale about their shared traumatic experiences that haunt them in their home. The narrator, wh...
Wait Until Dark (1967) Audrey Hepburn, Alan Arkin, Richard Crenna, and Frederick Knott
October 08, 2023 22:19 - 1 hour - 114 MBBook Vs. Movie: Wait Until Dark The 1966 Richard Knott Play Vs. the 1967 Audrey Hepburn Film The Margos kick off "Scary Movie Month" by discussing Wait Until Dark, both the play by Frederick Knott and the 1967 Audrey Hepburn film. The movie features one of the best jump scares in cinema history. The original production starred Lee Remick and Robert Duvall as Susy and Roat, respectively. The story revolves around Susy, a blind woman who lives alone in her Greenwich Village apartment, and Ro...
Ghost World (2001) Thora Birch, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, Terry Zwigoff, & Daniel Clowes
October 01, 2023 22:32 - 1 hour - 94.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: Ghost World The 1997 Daniel Clowes Graphic Novel vs. the Terry Zwigoff 2001 Film The Margos are feeling very moody and isolated, discussing the 2001 film Ghost World starring Thora Birch and Scarlett Johansson as best friends Enid and Rebecca, who are perfect early 00’s angsty and unimpressed with the world and was catnip for audiences and critics alike. Based on chapter five’s “Hubba Hubba” by Daniel Clowes, the original 1997 graphic novel series Eightball, the story of t...
The Lorax (2012) Dr. Seuss, Zac Efron, Taylor Swift, and Danny DeVito
September 25, 2023 16:51 - 56 minutes - 77.6 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Lorax The Dr. Seuss 1971 Children’s Book Vs. the 2012 Adaptation The Margos close out “Banned Books Month” with a visit with Dr. Seuss and The Lorax, a tale of environmental conservation and the dangers of rampant deforestation. Theodore Seuss Geisel was known for his colorful characters, accusations of racism, and having some of his books pulled for outdated notions or controversial take on capitalism. The Lorax (first published in 1971) was written after a recent trip...
Bridge to Terabithia (2007) Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb, Zooey Deschanel, & Katherine Paterson
September 17, 2023 17:06 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Bridge to Teribithia The 1977 Classic YA Novel Vs. the 2007 Adaptation Bring out your tissues! The Margos continue Banned Books Month with the 1977 classic by Katherine Paterson--Bridge to Teribithia. The story of Jess Aarons, a fifth-grade kid who grows up lonely and poor but with an artistic temperament that helps him imagine other places and realities. His life changes when he becomes friends with a new kid, Leslie Burke, a fellow dreamer and misfit who encourages his...
Fahrenheit 451: The Ray Bradbury 1953 Novel Vs the 2018 Michael B. Jordan & Michael Shannon Film
September 10, 2023 21:48 - 1 hour - 113 MBBook Vs. Movie: Fahrenheit 451 The Ray Bradbury 1953 Classic Novel Vs. the 2018 HBO Adaptation The Margos turn up the heat (get it?) with a look at the 1953 literary classic Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury--a banned book for decades. Inspired by the Cold War and the House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) investigating actors, artists, and writers claiming communism, Bradbury’s work has been controversial since its publication over its depiction of an America that embraces book burni...
Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (2023) Judy Blume, Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, & Kathy Bates
September 04, 2023 09:35 - 1 hour - 109 MBBook Vs. Movie: Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret JUDY BLUME Y’ALL!!!!! The Margos begin our annual “Banned Books Month” as always, loving the books and hating why we must feature them. Judy Blume is one of the most successful authors of all time, and her books, some of the most requested to be removed from libraries, make our hearts hurt and fill us with rage! Are You There, God? It’s Me Margaret is a story about an 11-year-old girl, Margaret Simon, who is dealing with issues many of...
Smoke Signals (1998) Adam Beach, Evan Adams, Irene Bedard, & Sherman Alexie
August 27, 2023 21:42 - 1 hour - 59.2 MBBook Vs. Movie: Smoke Signals The Sherman Alexie Short Story Vs. the 1998 Movie In this episode, the Margos delve into the acclaimed indie film Smoke Signals, released in 1998. This film was based on a series of short stories by Sherman Alexie in 1993, titled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. The story follows two young men, Victor Joseph and Tom Builds-the-Fire, who grew up on a Spokane Indian Reservation. It explores the interconnectedness of their families, the perception of...
Three Days of the Condor (1975) Robert Redford, Faye Dunaway, Cliff Robertson, & Sydney Pollack
August 20, 2023 19:14 - 1 hour - 125 MBBook Vs. Movie: Three Days of the Condor The James Grady Book Vs. the Robert Redford-Starring Movie The Margos talk about the paranoia-soaked 70s with a discussion about the novel & film Three Days of the Condor starring a dreamy Robert Redford and a luminous Faye Dunaway. The story is about a man who loves to read and works for the CIA and gets sucked into a life-threatening chase between himself and outside forces of the government. Published in 1974 (the same year Richard Nixon resigned...
"But Have You Read the Book?" Special Guest: Kristen Lopez
August 13, 2023 19:11 - 56 minutes - 55 MBBook Vs. Movie: Special Guest, Author Kristen Lopez "But Have You Read the Book?" Our special guest, Kristen Lopez, is the film editor for The Wrap and the author of But Have You Read the Book? In this episode, we talk about her favorite book-to-movie adaptations, how she came across this fun project, the latest on the SAG AFTRA strike, the world of Turner Classic Movies, the hotness of Ben Mankiewicz, and the Warner Brothers private collections. Book Vs. Movie is part of the Frolic Podca...
The Exorcist: (1973) RIP William Friedkin 1935-2023 (Replay of DEC 2018 ep.)
August 07, 2023 19:14 - 1 hour - 58.4 MBBook Vs. Movie “The Exorcist” RIP William Friedkin (1935-2023) Replay of the DEC 2018 episode. The Margos revisit the 1971 novel The Exorcist written by the very interesting William Peter Blatty. Based on a true-ish story about a boy possessed by a demon in the 1950s, Blatty changed some key details to create this fiction classic. Director William Friedkin in 1973 just came off an incredible spate of box office successes, including 1971’s The French Connection earning him an Academy Award ...
The Red Shoes (1948) Hans Christian Anderson, Moira Shearer, "The Archers" & guest Dale Bridges
August 07, 2023 17:29 - 1 hour - 75.3 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Red Shoes The Hans Christian Anderson Fairy Tale vs. the 1948 Classic Film The Margos (and a special guest star!) put on their dancing shoes with the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale “The Red Shoes” along with the 1948 adaptation that is considered a ballet/film classic with some of the most beautiful sequences along with a meditation on “art versus life.” Published in 1845, The Red Shoes appears in “New Fairy Tales” and tells the story of Karen, a vain and selfish gi...
The Swimmer (1968) Burt Lancaster, Joan Rivers, John Cheever, & Marvin Hamlisch
July 30, 2023 22:48 - 1 hour - 74.5 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Swimmer The 1964 John Cheever story vs. the 1968 Burt Lancaster Film Burt Lancaster always claimed that his 1968 film The Swimmer was his best work, and we are here to show you exactly why! The John Cheever short story that appeared in the July 18, 1964 issue of The New Yorker is a surrealistic tale of an alcoholic man (Neddy Merrill) who journeys to his home through suburban New York via swimming pools. Along the way, he realizes that the life he thinks he is leading (h...
Ode to Billy Joe (1976) Bobbie Gentry, Robby Benson, Glynnis O'Connor, and Max Baer, Jr.
July 24, 2023 15:54 - 1 hour - 59.1 MBBook Vs. Movie: Ode to Billy Joe The 1967 Song Vs. the 1976 Movie It was a hot and steamy summer day when we recorded this episode, so we decided to go as far south as we could get here in the USA with the tale of Billie Joe Macallister (named Billy Joe for the movie adaptation) and why he may have jumped to his death off the Tallahacthie Bridge. Mississippi native Bobbie Gentry wrote the song in 1967 for her first album, and it became a huge sensation. The song is written from the view...
The Killers (1946) Burt Lancaster, Ava Gardner, Edmond O'Brien, Ernest Hemingway
July 15, 2023 22:14 - 1 hour - 83.9 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Killers The 1927 Ernest Hemingway Short Story Vs. the 1946 Classic Film The Margos are discussing Ernest Hemingway for the first time on the podcast after nine years of producing, which is shocking! His 1927 short story, The Killers, was first published in 1927 for Scribner’s Magazine and is a return of his character Nick Adams who appears in several short stories. Set in Summit, Illinois, Adams has to deal with a couple of hitmen looking to take out a boxer named “Ole ...
Valley Girl (1983) Nicolas Cage, Deborah Foreman, Martha Coolidge, and Frank & Moon Zappa
July 09, 2023 22:58 - 1 hour - 64.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: Valley GirlsThe Frank & Moon Zappa Song Vs. the 1983 Classic Film We know that Frank Zappa did not authorize using the song Valley Girl (co-written with his 14-year-old daughter Moon Unit in 1982.) But we had to cover this movie because if there was ever a song that influenced the culture of the early 80s --this was it. Moon Zappa is the oldest child of the late Frank Zappa, and after spending most of her childhood waiting for her dad to make time for her, she reached out t...
Rumble Fish (1983) Matt Dillon, Mickey Rourke, Diane Lane, & Nicolas Cage
July 05, 2023 17:48 - 1 hour - 64.7 MBBook Vs. Movie: Rumble Fish The 1975 Novel Vs. the 1983 Movie Rusty James is a 14-year-old kid in Tulsa, Oklahoma, who lives a troubled life in 1975’s Rumble Fish, written by former teen sensation S.E. Hinton who published her first work (the YA classic The Outsiders while a freshman in college in 1967. James spends his days getting into fights, hanging out with best friend Steve, trying to find time for his girlfriend Patty, and, most of all, idolizing his older brother, The Motorcycle B...
The Children's Hour (1961) & These Three (1936) Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, & Lillian Hellman
June 26, 2023 19:25 - 54 minutes - 78.3 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Children’s Hour The 1934 Play Vs. the 1936 ("These Three") & 1961 Adaptation Lillian Hellman’s first play, The Children’s Hour, caused a sensation in 1934 when it debuted on Broadway with the tale of two schoolteachers accused of being lesbians when homosexuality was illegal in much of the U.S. The show was so scandalous that a Chicago run was canceled. Hellman always stated that the play's moral was about the power of lies and how they can affect an entire community. I...
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) Elizabeth Taylor, Paul Newman, Burl Ives, & Tennessee Williams
June 19, 2023 17:24 - 1 hour - 74.4 MBBook Vs. Movie: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof The 1955 Play Vs. the 1958 Classic Film The Margos are feeling very Southern in this episode devoted to the work of Tennessee Williams and his personal favorite work--Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The 1955 play was based on his 1952 short story “Three Plays of a Summer Game” and won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama during its Broadway debut. The story of the Pollitt family in the Mississippi Delta and their personal grievances and torturous secrets was considered i...
Strangers on a Train (1952) Farley Granger, Robert Walker, Alfred Hitchcock, & Patricia Highsmith
June 12, 2023 18:25 - 1 hour - 71.6 MBBook Vs. Movie: Strangers on a Train The 1950 Novel Vs. the 1951 Classic Film The Margos return to Alfred Hitchcock with his classic thriller Strangers on a Train, based on Patricia Highsmith’s debut novel. The story of two men meeting up and deciding to commit double murder in just a few hours may strain credulity--but it is a fun story ride! In the novel, budding architect Guy Haines meets wealthy gadabout Charles Anthony Bruno (called Bruno throughout the book) on a train ride to Texas. ...
The Last Picture Show (1971) Jeff Bridges, Timothy Bottoms, Cybill Shepherd, Peter Bogdanovich & Larry McMurtry
June 05, 2023 17:15 - 1 hour - 75.7 MBBook Vs. Movie: The Last Picture Show The Larry McMurtry 1966 Novel Vs. the 1971 Peter Bogdanovich Film The Margos put on a Texas-sized episode of Book vs. Movie with The Last Picture Show--both the 1966 novel by Larry McMurtry and the 1971 film by Peter Bogdanovich. Both tell the tale of lonely people living in a forgotten Texas city with barely enough room for their hopes and dreams. McMurtry was a native of Archer City, Texas, born in 1936. When he was young, his family did not own man...
Blow-Up (1966) David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles, The Yardbirds, & Michelangelo Antonioni
May 29, 2023 21:40 - 1 hour - 70.3 MBBook Vs. Movie: Blow-Up The Julio Cortazar Short Story Vs. the Michelangelo Antonio Movie The Margos are feeling very mod today with this particular episode. We talk about Michelangelo Antonini, one of the most revered directors of the 1960s & 1970s, with a Palm d’Or, the Golden Lion, the Golden Bread, and the Golden Leopard among his film accomplishments. 1966’s Blow-Up is his biggest English language hit, and it captured the New Wave movement in modern filmmaking. The original story is ...