Book Vs Movie
The Silence of the Lambs
Thomas Harris’s 1988 Novel Vs the 1991 Classic Film
The Margos are closing out our Halloween episodes with one of the best films about a serial killer of all time--The Silence of the Lambs. The Thomas Harris book was released in 1988 and is a sequel to 1981’s Red Dragon (which is the basis for the 1986 movie Manhunter and the 2002 remake Red Dragon.)
There is also an origin story about Hannibal Lechter in 2007’s Hannibal Rising and a TV series called Hannibal (NBC TV 2013-2015) which uses many of the original Red Dragon characters but set in more modern times. Confused? Don’t worry, we stick to the Jonathan Demme-directed film for this episode.
The story features FBI trainee Clarice Starling (played by Jodie Foster in this film) who meets convicted killer Hannibal Lechter and with his guidance--finds the serial killer named “Buffalo Bill” before he is to kill Catherine Martin (Brooke Smith.) (Spoiler!)
Anthony Hopkins is (perhaps) the most celebrated version of Hannibal Lechter and the film not only made millions at the box office at a usually quiet time of year (released February 14, 1991) but there were multiple awards for the cast and crew from the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes, and the BAFTAs over a year after its release.
Listen to this episode to hear us talk about the novel & film while we decide which we like better.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The reclusive life of author Thomas Harris
- Major changes between the 1988 book and the 1991 film
- The controversies that still surround the film 30 years later (and how Jonathan Demme felt about the character of Jame Gumb)
- The incredible art direction of the prisons
- The cast: Jodie Foster (Clarice Starling,) Kasi Lemmons (Ardelia Mapp,) Scott Glenn (Jack Crawford,) Frankie Faison (Barney,) Anthony Hopkins (Dr. Hannibal Lechter,) Anthony Heald (Chilton,) Ted Levine (Jame Gumb,) and Chris Isaak (hunky FBI guy.)
Clips used:
- The Silence of the Lambs trailer
- Clarice meets Dr. Lechter
- Jame Gumb with Catherine
- Clarice visits Dr. Lechter at the courthouse/jail
- The last scene
- The Silence of the Lambs score by Howard Shore
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
Psycho
Norman Bates in book & movie forms are discussed here as the Margos talk about the Robert Bloch novel versus the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece
The Margos are here Mother, and we are going to talk about Psycho whether she likes it or not!
The 1960 masterpiece by Alfred Hitchcock is considered one of the best horror films of all time and typecasted Anthony Perkins for decades as the nebbishy killer Norman Bates (though he eventually embraced his most recognizable role.)
The story of Norman and the fate of Marion Crane are a part of movie history but did you know it was a book first? Robert Bloch based his most fictional character on 50s Wisconsin killer Ed Gein (who will also be mentioned in our next episode…)
What else can we say? Listen to this episode to hear us talk about the novel & film while we decide which we like better.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- Author Robert Bloch and his history with pulp novels/magazines
- Changes between the novel and movie
- The incredible art direction and cinematography that makes the move a classic after 70 years
- The cast: Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates,) Janet Leigh (Marion Crane,) Vera Miles (Lila Crane,) John Gavin (Sam Loomis,) and Martin Balsam (Detective Arbogast.)
Clips used:
- Marion and Norman talk about “mother”
- News clip about Paramount promotion for Psycho
- Marion and Norman have dinner
- Lila finds “Mrs. Bates”
- Psycho final scene
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
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Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
The Stepford Wives
Ira Levin’s Terrifying 1972 Novel Vs The 1975 William Goldman’s Screenplay (Or is it?)
Also, the really bad take by Roger Ebert in 1975 (and the sequel!)
The Margos are heading back to the Burbs with our long 70s flowing hair and obsession with waxing kitchen floors in the Ira Levin classic novel The Stepford Wives that was turned into a film in 1975 and directed by Bryan Forbes. Stepford, Connecticut is the fictional setting where families move in and within four months--the wives turn into robots who love, sex, cooking, and cleaning
Joanna Eberhart leaves her beloved NYC for Stepford because her husband wants to experience life in such a surreally lovely setting. He also joins the local men’s group and stays every night. Joanna knows something is messed up but can’t figure out exactly what is going on to the women of Stepford--until its too late.
The 1975 adaptation did modestly well and had some bad reviews by top critics like Paulene Kael and Roger Ebert (he was a bit of a sexist, y’all!) The screenplay was adapted by past Book Vs Movie subject William Goldman (The Princess Bride) and directed by Bryan Forbes who chose his wife as one of the first Stepford wives we meet--which therefore changed the proposed costuming of miniskirts to modest dresses. Many people think is a mistake in the telling of the story. They are wrong and we discuss that in the podcast.
The film was nightmare fuel to so many kids who saw it on TV in the 70s and 80s and revisiting the book brought back was such a fun treat (we originally covered this in 2016.)
So which did we prefer between the book and the movie? Have a listen and find out.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The biography of author Ira Levin
- The main points of the story and the women’s rights movement of the 1960s & 1970s
- Changes between the 1972 novel and 1975 film
- Our theory as to why some top critics at the time (coughs, Roger Ebert, coughs) missed the whole point of the film
- The cast including Katharine Ross (Joanna Eberhart,) Paula Prentiss (Bobbie Markowe,) Peter Masterson (Walter Eberhart,) Nanette Newman (Carol Van Sant,) Tina Louise (Charmaine Wimpiris,) Patrick O’Neal (Dale “Diz” Coba,) Josef Sommer (Ted Van Sant,) Franklin Cover (Ed Wimpiris,) Carol Eve Rossen (Dr. Francher,) and Mary Stuart Masterson (Kim Eberhart)
Clips used
- The Stepford Wives have a “consciousness-raising” discussion
- “The Stepford Wives” trailer (1975)
- Bobbie meets Joanna
- Joanna finds out what really happens to the women
- Music: Michael Small
Join our Patreon page to help support the show! https://www.patreon.com/bookversusmovie
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Twitter @bookversusmovie www.bookversusmovie.com
Email us at bookversusmoviepodcast@gmail.com
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Margo D. @BrooklynFitChik www.brooklynfitchick.com brooklynfitchick@gmail.com
Margo P. @ShesNachoMama https://coloniabook.weebly.com/
Book Vs Movie
The Phantom of the Opera
The 1910 Novel Vs. the 1925 Lon Chaney Classic
The Margos had an excellent suggestion for this episode--The Phantom of the Opera which first appeared in a series featured in Le Gaulois in 1909 & 1910 by author Gaston Leroux. Inspired by events that happened at the Paris Opera in the mid-19th Century, including a secret underground lake that was used for firefighter training as well as a chandelier crash that was a source of mystery at the time.
The 1911 novel takes place at the Palais Garnier (which still exists) where a “phantom” is causing fear among the workers, singers, and dancers who are creating a production of Faust. Soprano Christine Daae is the lead as her main competition Carlotta is ill. Victome Raoul de Chagny recognizes Christine as his childhood friend/love of his life and visits her dressing room to rekindle their flame when he overhears her talking to another man. When he enters the room, the man is gone.
Christine claims she is being tutored by the “Angel of Music.” In the meantime, the new managers of the opera house get a letter demanding that Christine is a permanent lead and that box 5 will be left empty--or else he will put a curse on the place. The managers ignore this and a chandelier winds up crashing in the audience and killing a spectator.
The Phantom abducts Christine and tells her his name is Erik and that he is hopelessly in love with her. She sees he is wearing a mask covering part of his face. When she removes it --she sees why he has been hiding from people most of his life.
He wants to have her live with him indefinitely but she offers a deal--let her go for two weeks and she will wear his ring. Christine meets with Raoul who wants to take her away permanently. Christine wishes to run away with Raoul but Erik overhears their plans and kidnaps her again.
Raoul and “the Persian” are caught in the lake trying to rescue Christine and almost go mad in a mirrored room. After helping to free them, Christine promises Erik she will carry his ring and come back to visit him on his death day.
In the end, she runs a mention of him in the local paper with the note saying “Erik is dead.” We then learn from “The Persian” Erik’s life story and how he came to live under the Paris Opera House.
The 1925 adaptation stars Lon Chaney and Mary Philbin and is considered a classic in silent film horror. Chaney was known as “the man of a thousand faces” and he did his own makeup which excited and terrified audiences for decades to come.
The film is beautiful and a feat of ingenuity.
So which did we prefer between the book and the movie? Have a listen and find out.
In this ep the Margos discuss:
- The backstory of Gaston Leroux
- The main points of the story and how different it has been adapted over the last 100 years
- Changes in this particular adaptation
- The cast including Lon Chaney (The Phantom,) Mary Philbin (Christine Daae,) and Norman Kerry (Raoul.)
Clips used:
- “Phantom of the Opera” trailer (1925)
- Music: “Phantom of the Opera” trailer”
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/