So much of what makes THE PRINCESS BRIDE a cult classic comes straight out of William Goldman’s novel, but is it worth reading for die hard fans? Or if you’re on the fence about the movie, could it help make you into a fan? In episode 148, Luke & James try to separate fact from fiction in this classic fantasy tale. Topics: the role of S. Morgenstern, reading "Buttercup’s Baby," how much the movie owes to the book, Stephen King as a character, a problem with epic fantasy, the real life traged...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 9 min
What did the original adaptation of Stephen King’s PET SEMATARY get right about the source material? Check out this (former patreon-exclusive) episode to find out! Luke & James have a ton of fun with this version and they breakdown each character and performance, comparing the 80s versions to their 2019 counterparts. Become a Patron to listen to even more content like this! www.patreon.com/inktofilm Email address: inktofilm@gmail.com Sign up for Ink to Film’s Newsletter Follow Ink to Film on...
Aug 06, 2020•36 min
July 2020 Adaptation News Sources: Neil Gaiman on Sandman (Netflix) 3 New Stephen King Adaptations Are Now In The Works Junji Ito on Adapting Stephen King Junji Ito Tomie Adaptation Junji Ito Uzamaki Adaptation Junji Ito Working With Hideo Kojima New Mutants Comic-Con Teaser: https://youtu.be/e-6FGEOTTeU Utopia Teaser: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfMBkiPFh-k Lovecraft Country Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvamPJp17Ds Luke & James Ghost stories time code: 25:11 ------------- Be...
Aug 03, 2020•45 min
Author and educator Dr. Michael Arnzen returns to urge everyone to think critically about William Friedkin’s THE EXORCIST, a movie he says tries to discourage you from doing just that. In episode 147, Luke, James, and Mike explore the “Scariest Movie of All Time” adapted from William Peter Blatty’s iconic novel. Topics Include: the movie’s supposed curse as possible marketing, whether Friedkin gets enough respect, supernaturalism vs. realism, the echoes of the Civil Rights Movement of the 60s, t...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 42 min
Pazuzu commands YOU to listen (to this discussion of William Peter Blatty’s infamous book about demon possession). In episode 145, Luke & James discuss whether the source material lives up to the claim on the cover that it is, “The most terrifying novel ever written.” Topics: real life exorcisms, a genre-defining tale, writing from a place of truth, the skeptic perspective, using “real” horrors, a serpentine penis, the power of coincidence, the fear of women’s sexuality, and the real-life ba...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 15 min
Academy-award winning director Bong Joon-Ho made a genre-bending adaptation of Jacques Lob & Jean-Marc Rochette’s Le Transperceneige , AKA “Snowpiercer: The Escape,” and the result is really something to behold. In episode 144, join Luke & James as they climb aboard and discuss both the nihilistic source and the high-octane adaptation. Movie discussion begins: 33:26 Topics Include: the translation of an important French comic, the merits of a black & white art style, Mama the synthet...
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 32 min
Barry Jenkins, fresh off the success of Moonlight, adapted James Baldwin’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” into an evocative, gorgeous, and emotionally raw film. Black Love takes center stage as Tish and Fonny struggle to live in a society that is trying to crush them. In episode 143, Luke & James discuss filmmaking techniques, behind the scenes insights, and the political climate of today's similarities to that of the material. Topic Include: What makes a Barry Jenkins film, a lesson on mise-e...
Jul 09, 2020•1 hr 15 min
James Baldwin puts Black love front and center in a romance set in Harlem and struggling to persist against systematic oppression, false accusations, and personal tragedy. In episode 142, join Luke & James as they educate themselves with a story written over 45 years ago, yet seems somehow ripped from the headlines of today. Topics include: Love as a force for change, Baldwin’s issue with religion, the problem of white innocence, empathy through art, Baldwin’s voice in the Civil Rights movem...
Jul 02, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Look at me. Barry Sonnenfeld managed to adapt Elmore Leonard’s novel “Get Shorty” into a fun gangster crime-thriller comedy that’s also a satire of the entire film industry. John Travolta, Gene Hackman, Rene Russo, Delroy Lindo, Danny Devito, and James Gandolfini shine as they are caught up in Chili Palmer’s orbit. In episode 141, Luke & James take a ride in a minivan into Hollywood in the 90s. Topics: a surprise Gandolfini, stars playing against type, the value of a faithful adaptation, the...
Jun 25, 2020•56 min
The “Dickens of Detroit,” Elmore Leonard, crafts an ambitious crime story about a fish-out-of-water gangster that plays with metafiction and postmodernism. In episode 140, join Luke & James as they follow Chili Palmer’s adventures in Hollywood trying to get involved in the movie business. Topics: the Tarantino feels, the power of a calm badass, the Literary Lineage of Elmore Leonard, a master of dialogue, avoiding writing that sounds like writing, the Godfather & Scarface similarities, a...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Philip K. Dick’s short story “We Can Remember It For You Wholesale” was adapted by Paul Verhoeven in 1990 into a full-tilt Arnold Schwarzenegger flick filled with so much social satire and action-movie camp that it was bursting at the seams (just like the characters!). Join Luke & James in episode 139 as they explore the short story that started it all before strapping in for the madness of Verhoeven's classic. Topics: Nose injections, PKD misogyny, PKD iconic ideas, Benny being more than th...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 11 min
Ways to Help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/ Black Lives Matter: https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Bail Funds: https://www.communityjusticeexchange.org/nbfn-directory
Jun 04, 2020•4 min
Widely considered one of the best films of all time, winner of all five major academy awards, and chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry, Miloš Forman’s ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST is a masterpiece by most standards, but how does it compare to Ken Kesey’s novel it was based on? In episode 138, Luke and James weigh-in early on which was the superior version, then discuss what makes this movie so notable. Topics: another way to read the source material, security vs. freedom, wha...
May 28, 2020•1 hr 6 min
The Magic Trip comes to an end with the second half of Ken Kesey’s novel, ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST—but how the experience hold up? In episode 137, Luke & James unpack the messages behind the novel that went on to inspire a classic film. Topics include: Ken Kesey’s writing career after his famous escapades, what makes the book postmodern, equating masculinity with freedom, deep-sea shenanigans, gallows humor facing electro shock, and the dangers of the people in power defining what’s “...
May 21, 2020•1 hr 3 min
Ken Kesey is an author with a far-reaching legacy, but it all began with the publication and immediate success of ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST. In episode 136, Luke & James take a psychedelic trip on a school bus across time as they explore Ken Kesey’s effect on the counterculture movement of the 1960s in America before discussing the first half of his debut novel. Topics include: Electric Shock Therapy in pop culture, the dangers of tying personal freedom to masculinity, the “Merry Prank...
May 14, 2020•1 hr 6 min
Richard Matheson’s original post-apocalyptic tale I AM LEGEND laid the foundation for the zombie fiction of today in a book that some regard as the “first modern horror novel.” But how does Frances Lawrence’s film adaptation hold up by comparison? In episode 135, things get a little too real as Luke & James discuss fictional pandemics while living through a real-life one with Covid-19. Topics: The dog disclaimer, Luke’s waterworks report, Will Smith’s unavoidable charisma, keeping up with de...
May 07, 2020•1 hr 18 min
Author Caitlin Starling joins to discuss "The Silence of the Lambs" and cast her vote for which was better: the film directed by Jonathan Demme or Thomas Harris’s novel. In episode 134, Luke, James, and Caitlin discuss one of history’s most notable horror films and the introduction of the iconic Dr. Hannibal Lector as portrayed by Sir Anthony Hopkins. Topics: The Luminous Dead x Silence of the Lambs connection, Caitlin’s impressive knowledge about serial killers, Anthony Hopkins acting with his ...
Apr 30, 2020•1 hr 32 min
Thomas Harris introduced readers to Dr. Hannibal Lecter in his novel RED DRAGON, but the world at large met one of cinema’s greatest killers with the release of "The Silence of the Lambs" by Jonathan Demme. Join Luke & James in episode 133 as they go back to the source for the iconic movie and see what horrors are lurking in its pages. Topics: Dinner with Thomas Harris, the real world Hannibal Lecter, feminism and transphobia, the craft into making the monster, the power of a great title, an...
Apr 23, 2020•1 hr 10 min
“I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” Every journey has an end, and at long last, they’ve come to it with Peter Jackson’s THE RETURN OF THE KING. In episode 132, after many hours reading the book, watching the expanded films, and discussing the adaptations for the podcast, it is time to decide once and for all which was better: the books or the movies of THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy as a whole? Topics include: LOTR vs. Star Wars, the undead menace, WETA workshop’s wizard...
Apr 16, 2020•1 hr 39 min
A return to the Shire. The final chapter. The end of all things “Lord of the Rings” …well, except for the film, which they are covering next week! Join Luke & James in episode 131 as they say goodbye to one of the most beloved fantasy series of all time, yet debate whether it truly deserves the high praise it often receives. Also discussed: Michael Moorcock’s "Epic Pooh", the value of the appendices, what Tolkien’s legacy is with regards to modern fantasy, more great quotes, the philosophy o...
Apr 09, 2020•1 hr 27 min
What is the greatest line in all of “The Lord of the Rings” and therefore a contender for the greatest line in all of fantasy? In episode 130, Luke proposes one possibility. Also discussed: Sauron’s presence felt in some unexpected places, living day to day with a drawn sword, Aragorn’s fulfilment of prophecy, dabbling in some allegory, a questions about Gollum, the trials of Mordor, and how JRR Tolkien’s history fighting in the first World War and living through WWII may have impacted his writi...
Apr 02, 2020•1 hr 15 min
“Oft hope is born when all is forlorn.” Tolkien speaks to us from another age, when the world had just begun to recover from a terrible darkness. Join Luke & James as they look for a little hope of their own as they kick off the final installment of their Lord of the Rings trilogy of projects with the first 6 chapters of THE RETURN OF THE KING. In episode 129, they discuss living with the threat of the coronavirus/Covid 19, the value of having a Hobbit along in a fight, the over-due badasser...
Mar 26, 2020•1 hr 14 min
It’s time to explore the original adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic novel as directed by François Truffaut. James takes this opportunity to educate Luke about the “French New Wave” movement in cinema. They also discuss reality TV, the role of genre fiction, and more in this former patron-exclusive episode. The 2018 HBO adaptation also comes up—so which was the better version? Listen to find out! Become a Patron to listen to even more content like this! www.patreon.com/inktofilm Email address:...
Mar 19, 2020•44 min
The hunt is on for the monster in both the second half of Stephen King’s novel and the last five episodes of the HBO series, and things are changing because of it—for better or worse. In episode 128, Luke and James compare the adaptation to the source before deciding once and for all which version was better: the book or the show! Episodes covered: 6. “The One about the Yiddish Vampire” 7. “In the Pines. In the Pines.” 8. “Foxhead” 9. “Tigers and Bears” 10. “Must/Can’t” Unlock exclusive content/...
Mar 12, 2020•1 hr 25 min
The Doppelgänger, the Evil Twin, el Coco, Bogeyman, Vardyger, the Sack Man, and on the list goes outlining this mirror self. The twin stranger is a long-standing myth and fear, and The Outsider on HBO has brought that terror to life. In episode 127, Luke and James discuss how Stephen King’s work is in good hands with Richard Price, who is crafting an oppressive crime/horror drama that is not to be missed. This episode covers the first five of the series: “Fish in a Barrel” “Roanoke” “Dark Uncle”...
Mar 05, 2020•1 hr 13 min
The King proves he still has it (as if anyone doubted) with a doppelgänger tale like no other. He blends True Crime with the supernatural to create something that feels fresh yet remains solidly Stephen King . In episode 126, Luke and James return to the master of horror with the first half of the novel--the beginning of a 3-week excursion into the unknown. Spoilers Begin: 32:19 Questions: The popularity of True Crime, the validity of audio books, the deeper meaning behind a doppelgänger, the da...
Feb 27, 2020•1 hr 13 min
Where did the prequel to John Carpenter’s 80s classic go right and where did it go wrong? How does Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.’s film hold up? Does it have anything in common with the original source novella, “Who Goes There?” Give this (former patron-exclusive) episode a try as Ink to Film experiments with their first adaptation-adjacent coverage! Become a Patron to listen to even more content like this! www.patreon.com/inktofilm Email address: inktofilm@gmail.com Sign up for Ink to Film’s News...
Feb 20, 2020•45 min
Former Ringling Bros. circus clown, writer, and co-host of the "Writing Easy" podcast Mary Mascari joins the show to give some important context to all-things circus for Frances Lawrence’s adaptation of Sara Gruen’s novel! In episode 125, Mary, Luke, and James cast their votes to determine once and for all which was better, the book or the movie? Topics include: setting the record straight, leading off with ageism, which performance outshined all the others, how much water an elephant drinks, an...
Feb 13, 2020•1 hr 7 min
Sara Gruen’s historical romance about running away to join the circus was a bestseller for a reason, but does it connect with readers new to the genre? In episode 124, Luke & James ride the rails into parts unknown. Spoilers begin: 19:10 Topics include: a NaNoWriMo success story, the “rules” of romances, emotional resonance with Jacob Jankowski, the tragedy of old age, what a bull hook is exactly, paranoia vs. understandable suspicion, a troubling scene with an odd tone, and whether or not S...
Feb 06, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Philip K. Dick’s short story “The Minority Report” led eventually to a Steven Spielberg adaptation nearly 50 years after it was written, but was the adaptation an improvement on the original? In episode 123, Luke & James discuss both versions before coming to a consensus on which was the superior telling of this Sci-Fi thriller of precognition and the existence of free will. Topics Include: PKD’s prose style, what was left unsaid in the story, Spielberg’s homages, the effectiveness of the un...
Jan 30, 2020•1 hr 16 min
