Book Vs Movie Podcast

Book Vs. Movie: Escape to Witch Mountain The 1968 Children’s Sci-Fi Novel Vs the 1975 Disney Classic If you grew up watching Disney movies or browsing old-school sci-fi paperbacks, chances are  Escape to Witch Mountain is somewhere in your memory. But did you know the 1975 Disney movie is very different from the 1968 novel it’s based on? Let’s take a look at how Alexander Key’s book compares to it...

Book Vs. Movie: 10 Things I Hate About You The Taming of the Shrew & the 1999 Heath Ledger Film 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) is a modern adaptation of William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew , reimagining the story in a high school setting. In both works, the plot revolves around two sisters—one desirable and another perceived as problematic. In The Taming of the Shrew, the younger,...

Book Vs. Movie: The Asphalt Jungle The W.R. Burnett Novel & the 1950 John Huston Film W.R. Burnett ’s 1949 novel The Asphalt Jungle is a compelling crime story that explores the minds, motivations, and downfalls of professional criminals. Set in a Midwestern city, it offers a multi-perspective narrative that vividly portrays the underworld.  John Huston ’s 1950 film adaptation remains faithful...

Book Vs. Movie: Mamma Mia ABBA Gold Vs. Mamma Mia   “Musicals in March!” Mamma Mia! is a jukebox musical that features the songs of ABBA , the Swedish pop group composed of Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The musical was created by British playwright Catherine Johnson, with music by Andersson and Ulvaeus, and premiered in London's West End in 1999. The sho...

Book Vs. Movie: Billy Elliot The 2000 Film Vs the 2014 Musical Live “Musicals in March!” The Margos continue “Musicals in March” with the film & stage show of  Billy Elliot . Both tell the inspiring story of a working-class boy in 1980s northern England who discovers a passion for ballet during the UK miners' strike, but they differ in tone and presentation. The film, directed by Stephen Daldr...

Book Vs. Movie: Gypsy The 1957 Memoir Vs. the 1962 Movie “Musicals in March!” The Margos celebrate another “Musicals in March” episode with  Gypsy . Gypsy Rose Lee’s 1957 memoir tells her real-life story of growing up in vaudeville and burlesque under the domineering influence of her mother, Rose Hovick . It paints a detailed picture of her childhood alongside her more naturally talented younger s...

Book Vs. Movie: Wicked The 2004 Musical Vs. the 2024 Movie "Musicals in March" The "Wicked" movie is based on Gregory Maguire ’s novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West; the book (for the play) was written by Winnie Holzman, with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz . The show had its initial tryout in San Francisco in 2003 before moving to Broadway, where it has enjoyed a...

Book Vs. Movie: The Piano Lesson The 1987 August Wilson Play Vs. the 2024 Netflix Adaptation August Wilson's *The Piano Lesson*, first staged in 1987 and winning the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990, centers on siblings Berniece and Boy Willie as they clash over a family heirloom—the intricately carved piano symbolizing their ancestors' struggles. Set in 1936 Pittsburgh, the play explores themes o...

Book Vs. Movie: The Hate U Give The 2017 Book by Angie Thomas & the 2018 Film The Hate U Give , written by Angie Thomas and adapted into a 2018 film directed by George Tillman Jr. , presents a powerful narrative about race, identity, and activism. While the book and the movie follow the same core story—Starr Carter witnessing the police shooting of her childhood friend Khalil and navigating th...

Book Vs. Movie: The Warriors Special Interview With Screenwriter & Author Rob Ryder Plus, a Replay of our 2020 ep! The Margos revisit a special episode dedicated to the cult classic film * The Warriors*, based on Sol Yurick 's book. Directed by Walter Hill and released in 1979, the movie was a hit but faced backlash due to real-life gang violence, leading studios to halt its promotion. It beca...

Book Vs. Movie: Girls Just Want to Have Fun The Cyndi Lauper Hit Vs. the Sarah Jessica Parker Movie The 1985 film *Girls Just Want to Have Fun* is a beloved teen dance comedy inspired by Cyndi Lauper ’s iconic song. The story follows Janey Glenn (Sarah Jessica Parker), a dance-loving teen who moves to Chicago with her strict military father. Encouraged by her quirky friend Lynne (Helen Hunt), Jane...

Book Vs. Movie: Meet John Doe The 1922 Short Story Vs. the 1941 Film Frank Capra ’s 1941 film * Meet John Doe * is often described as “based on a story by Richard Connell and Robert Presnell.” Unlike Connell’s famous short story, “The Most Dangerous Game,” the source material for *Meet John Doe* was based on a short story, “A Reputation ,” which appeared in 1922 in Century Magazine.  The original...

Book Vs. Movie: The Odd Couple The 1965 Play Vs. the 1968 Film The Margos are feeling very neighborly in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple , which began as a stage play, premiering on Broadway in 1965, and it quickly became one of Simon’s most famous works. The 1968 film adaptation, directed by Gene Saks and starring Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau , brought the story to an even wider audience. Which did...

Book Vs. Movie: 84 Charing Cross Road The 1970 Book Vs. the 1987 Film " 84, Charing Cross Road " began as a slim epistolary book by American author Helene Hanff , first published in 1970. The book documents a warm, real-life correspondence between Hanff, an avid reader in New York City, and the antiquarian bookshop Marks & Co. staff at 84 Charing Cross Road in London. It was later adapted into...

Book Vs. Movie:  Scrooged The Charles Dickens Classic Vs. the 1988 Film After ten years of producing special holiday episodes in December, the Margos discovered that there are numerous versions of Charles Dickens's *A Christmas Carol*. Everyone from the Fonz to Susan Lucci to Sir Patrick Stewart has portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge in some adaptation. So, why not select one version each season to explor...

Book Vs. Movie: The Lion in Winter The 1966 Play Vs. the 1968 Film Few stories transcend mediums as powerfully as James Goldman’s *The Lion in Winter* . Whether presented on stage or on screen, this tale of royal power struggles and familial manipulation in 12th-century England captivates audiences with its sharp dialogue, rich character dynamics, and timeless themes. But how do the 1966 play and...

Book Vs. Movie: Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas  1971 Children’s Book Vs. the 1977 TV Special Last year, the Margos adapted O. Henry's "Gift of the Magi," so it felt appropriate to revisit the themes of selflessness and family during the holidays by exploring Russell Hoban 's " Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas. " This 1971 book inspired the beloved Jim Henson-directed TV special from 1977, which...

Book Vs. Movie: Holiday The 1928 Play Vs. the 1938 Film The Margos celebrate the holiday season with the classic 1938 film "Holiday," directed by George Cukor and starring Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant. Based on the 1928 play by Philip Barry, the story follows an adventure-seeking playboy (played by Grant) who engages in a battle of wits with his fiancée’s sister (played by Hepburn) during the...

Book Vs. Movie: Convoy The CW McCall Novelty Song Vs. the Sam Peckinpah (!) Film In the mid-1970s, a unique country song about truckers, CB radios, and the open road captured the imagination of America. It was called "Convoy," and it not only topped the charts but also inspired a Hollywood movie, solidifying its place in pop culture history. Initially a novelty tune, it evolved into a cultural phe...

Book Vs. Movie: The Wizard of Oz (Replay in honor of  Wicked !)  The Margos celebrate the new Wicked movie starring Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande with a replay of our beloved episode devoted to L. Frank Baum and The Wizard of Oz . The book presents a vast, detailed Oz with darker undertones, while the movie streamlines the story, focusing on Dorothy’s emotional journey. Baum’s Dorothy is resourc...

Book Vs. Movie: The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse The Charlie Mackesy Children’s Book  Vs. the 2022 Apple+ Film The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy is a beautifully illustrated book that explores themes of kindness, resilience, and self-acceptance through the adventures of four unlikely friends. Each character offers unique insights: the curious Boy, the cake-lovin...

Book Vs. Movie: Travels with My Aunt The 1969 Graham Greene Novel Vs. the 1972 Maggie Smith Film The Margos pack their suitcases for Graham Greene’s Travels with My Aunt and its 1972 film adaptation. The story of Henry Pulling, a reserved Englishman, whose life changes when his eccentric Aunt Augusta leads him on an adventurous journey across Europe. Greene explores the novel's themes of self-disc...

Book Vs. Movie: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (replay) The 1964 Ian Fleming Novel Vs. the 1968 Classic Movie Book vs. Movie: Chitty Chitty Bang BangThe Margos explore Ian Fleming 's only children's story, " Chitty Chitty Bang Bang ," published in October 1964, shortly after his death at 56. Written for his son Caspar, the story features characters inspired by Fleming's children and their friends, set ag...

Book Vs. Movie: The Night of the Hunter The 1953 Novel Vs. the 1955 Classic Movie Davis Grubb’s 1953 novel *The Night of the Hunter* a nd its 1955 film adaptation by Charles Laughton offer haunting interpretations of a sinister preacher, Harry Powell, and two children fleeing him. The novel delves deeper into Powell's twisted morality and religious fanaticism. At the same time, the film, featuring...

Book Vs. Movie: The Fly The 1957 Short Story Vs. the 1986 Movie The Margos feature The Fly this month with special guest Patrick Bromley , who hosts the excellent F This Movie podcast. The 1957 short story and the 1986 film share the core premise of a scientist merging with a fly during a teleportation experiment, but they have different approaches.  George Langelaan's story focuses on the emotion...