Ink to Film

Irvine Welsh's debut novel disturbed and fascinated the literary world in the 90s with its stark, unflinching depiction of the underground heroin-fueled punk scene of Scotland. In episode 281, Luke & James discuss the cult following phenomenon, a shifting message over time, potential pitfalls and benefits of writing in phonetic dialect, a disorienting array of stream-of-consciousness POVs, and the...

Richard Fleischer's adaptation of Jules Vernes' landmark novel was a watershed moment in film history, marking a shift in Disney that would play out for decades to come. In episode 280, Luke & James venture beneath the waves again to discuss Ned Land as a troubling American ideal, Captain Nemo cooking up some truth, the surprising message overlapping with Oppenheimer, the history of Disney live-ac...

Jules Verne is considered one of the fathers of Science Fiction, especially "hard" sci-fi, but what is it about him that makes that reputation well-earned? In episode 279, Luke & James discuss the influence of an editor named Hetzel, a man who traveled the  world by imagination, the blending of fact & fiction, a Verne novel published for the first time in the 1990s, many things that Verne predicte...

Neil Gaiman wraps the second season of the adaptation of his and Terry Pratchett's novel in Amazon Prime's GOOD OMENS 2. In episode 278, Luke & James discuss the reveals surrounding Jon Hamm's Gabriel, what a fly commandant might be hinting at, the ongoing adventures of Aziraphale and Crowley, keeping stakes alive when the world isn't directly in peril, Michael Sheen and David Tennant's enduring c...

Neil Gaiman returns as writer and showrunner for the second season of the adaptation of his and Terry Pratchett's novel in Amazon Prime's GOOD OMENS 2. In episode 277, Luke & James discuss the return of humanity's favorite demon and angel, starting with the mystery surrounding Jon Hamm's Gabriel instead of an impending apocalypse, what a swapping of roles might look like between Michael Sheen and...

Actor Mike Whittier joins the show to discuss John Hillcoat's adaptation starring the incredible Viggo Mortenson! In episode 276, Luke, James, and Mike discuss the merits of method acting, the role of improvisation, Robert Duvall's transformation, how a faithful adaptation can still make some tough choices about what to omit, and how less ambiguity makes for a very different story. Mike Whittier w...

Did you know Clueless is loosely based on Jane Austen's EMMA? We sure didn't the first time we watched this 90s cult classic, over 20 years ago. Does knowing it was based on a classic novel change our opinion on it? We discuss how well the film's comedy holds up today, plus the many familiar faces in the cast in this former Patreon-exclusive episode! Ink to Film Purchase of the other source books...

In light of Cormac McCarthy's recent passing, let's return to his pulitzer-winning novel THE ROAD to celebrate a master with an episode dedicated to his memory. In episode 275, Luke & James revel in the beauty revealed by darkness, compare The Man to recent father figures in media, discuss what they'd be willing to do to survive, wonder about the messages behind old men wandering alone, put some i...

Laura from the "Why the Book Wins" YouTube channel and podcast joins the show to help Luke & James finish out both the book by Liane Moriarty and show by Jean-Marc Vallée and David E. Kelley. In episode 274, they discuss the second half of the novel and episodes 5, 6, and 7 of the show. Topics include: what Ed would hate about podcast analysis, where BLL ranks among other Liane Moriarty books, how...

The Egg by Andy Weir was adapted into a couple of short films on YouTube that have garnered millions of views. What makes this story resonate so strongly with people? What did the adaptations change? Let's discuss the films by Kurzgesagt and Sam Meacock. Plus, our thoughts on this mind-bending tale about the nature of reality itself from this former Patreon-exclusive episode! References Andy Weir...

Jean-Marc Vallée and David E. Kelley bring Liane Moriarty's darkly comedic tale to the screen, and through the first four episodes, they are nailing it. In episode 273, Luke & James discuss the unbelievable cast (Nicole Kidman, Zoë Kravitz, Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley, Alexander Skarsgård, Adam Scott), the different vibes of the HBO adaptation, the grandeur of these wealthy peo...

Liane Moriarty blends the humorous and the serious well, while expertly crafting a whodunnit and who-died at the same time that should appeal to both mystery fans and general readers alike. In episode 272 Luke & James discuss the first half of her bestselling novel, step into the shoes of suburban mothers, explore the world of kindergarten bullying, and take some guesses sure-to-be-wrong about wha...

In 1980, David Loxton & Fred Barzyk would choose Ursula K. Le Guin's novel THE LATHE OF HEAVEN to adapt for public broadcast as part of the "Experimental TV Lab" project, but how does it hold up today? In episode 271, Luke & James discuss lost media, the evolution of public broadcast television, getting creative with a shoestring budget, the Vulcan Sleep Grip attack, and what a more modern adaptat...

Let's talk about one of the most influential SFF writers of all time, the great Ursula K. Le Guin. In episode 270, Luke & James explore the legacy of Le Guin's body of work, the power of manifesting dreams into reality, why she isn't afraid to break contracts with the reader, and the novelty of putting Portland at the center of everything. Join them next week when they discuss the 1980 film adapta...

Stephen King says Frank Darabont's adaptation of this novella is one of his favorites out of the many films made from his work, and for good reason: it's spectacular! In episode 269, Luke & James discuss the warden as the devil theory, which iconic shot Roger Deakins regrets, the differences between Stanley Kubrick and Darabont forcing so many takes, what people say to Tim Robbins and Morgan Freem...

Before it was an award-winning film "The Shawshank Redemption" began as one of four novellas published in world-famous horror-writer Stephen King's collection DIFFERENT SEASONS. In episode 268, Luke & James discuss the evolving popularity of novellas today (including THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR), the parallels between the main characters and a certain famous detective duo, the ways King make...

Before The Wheel of Time came to Amazon, another, bizarre version came to FXX. In this former Patreon-exclusive, Luke & James react to James Seda's adaptation of Robert Jordan's epic--well, at least the first 6 pages or so of it. Join them to hear our thoughts on the unfortunate production, the tragic backstory, and the sneaky tactics used by the production company in an attempt to retain the righ...

Chris Van Allsburg is a successful author of multiple children's books, but it was Joe Johnston's adaptation of JUMANJI that kicked off the franchise we know today. In episode 267, Luke & James revisit a staple of their childhood, explore what 90s cinema teaches about manhood, talk about the legacy of Robin Williams, and explore the wild implications of a pair of time-travelling adults. They finis...

Edward Berger's modern retelling of Erich Maria Remarque's landmark novel won multiple awards but made some significant changes to the source material. In episode 266, Luke & James are joined by history teacher Tom Leonard to debate how effective the changes were, delve into the real-world history, recognize Chekov's smoking goose, and ultimately each cast their votes on what was the better versio...

Erich Maria Remarque's career defining novel was so influential it created a new genre, got banned by fascists, and recently got adapted again into an award-winning film by Edward Berger. In episode 265, Luke & James imagine the horrors of a senseless war fought in the trenches, find empathy for the enemy, keep their pancakes intact, and analyze why the themes of this novel endure to this day. Ink...

David Cronenberg's adaptation of "The Fly" by George Langelaan reimagines the story as one of a gradual, gruesome transformation into a monster with horrifying results. In episode 264, Luke & James consider the "teletransportation paradox", try to understand the flesh, debate the purpose of shock and disgust, and ask the question: "would you do it?" They finish by casting their votes on which is b...

Catherine Hardwicke's adaptation of Stephenie Meyer's already successful teen vampire novel launched the mega-franchise as we know it today. In episode 263, Luke & James react to the movie whose reputation precedes it, looming vampires at your bedside, cringe cringe cringe, video game style action posing, and a needle-drop baseball sequence to remember. They end by casting their votes on which is...

Stephenie Meyer exploded in popularity with her angsty, teenage-heartthrob, vampire romance novels. The book brought a lot of people joy, but also made a lot of other people furious. In episode 262, after the dust has settled, Luke & James read the novel for the first time and try to figure out how it came to be one of the most talked about books of all time, including the author's unexpected path...

How does Kimberly Peirce's 2013 adaptation of Stephen King's novel Carrie compare to its famous predecessor?  Join Luke & James as they react to the most recent attempt to recapture the magic of De Palma's 70's film in this former Patreon-exclusive episode! Ink to Film Buy any of the source books or guest novels at Ink to Film's bookshop:  www.bookshop.org/ shop/inktofilm Ink to Film's Twitter, Fa...

It's time to return to THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, this time through Robert's Wise's 1963 adaptation of Shirley Jackson's landmark haunted house novel. How does this more faithful adaptation hold up to the modern viewer? Join us to find out! Ink to Film Buy any of the source books or guest novels at Ink to Film's bookshop:  www.bookshop.org/ shop/inktofilm Ink to Film's  Twitter ,  Facebook ,  Ins...