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Another one! It’s been a while, but James Cameron is back with even more. What is he basing all this off of, and what took so long? Is the Na’vi language real, and why are the aliens blue? Let’s get some answers!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
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Extras:
video, Avatar The Way of Water making-of
article, the 45 page doc of Jim Cameron’s Avatar influences
video, Cameron’s first short film Xenogenesis
graph, color spectrum for sci-fi interfaces over time
website, the Na’vi language and grammar rules
Other similar episodes to check out…Stan Lee & Marvel, Black Panther, Game of Thrones, The Lord of the Rings (part 2), Predator (part 1), Halo, Dune
Pinnochio
We break down the origin of the tale, and get into the first Italian film version. What is the point of the story in the first place? Can there be more than one? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
behind the scenes video, Pinnochio
article, the original Italian Pinnochio film
full film, Pinnochio in Outer Space
art, Gris Grimly’s drawings for the new film
Other similar episodes to check out…Nightmare Alley, Cabinet of Curiosities, A Christmas Carol, The Green Knight, Who Framed Roger Rabbit
A Christmas Carol
Another adaptation of the beloved story in “Spirited” - but what makes it so great after all these years? Did Dickens invent our modern Christmas festivities? And who was the real Tiny Tim? Let’s go!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
Other similar episodes to check out…Hallmark Movies, Die Hard, The Princess Bride, Harry Potter (pt 1), Halloween Special, Frozen
Wednesday (The Addams Family)
We’re talking about the creator Charles Addams, the jump from comics to film, and what the heck makes this different from the Munsters!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Wednesday (2022)
video, Addams Family pinball machine
photo, the downhill skier comic strip
video, Vic Mizzy’s Spiderman 2 blooper song
Other similar episodes to check out…Shrek (part 1), Minions, Being the Ricardos, Fear Street, Lovecraft Country, Hansel and Gretel
Black Panther
Let’s take a stroll through the development of the Black Panther character, what elements had to change for this new film, and some real-world influences on the country of Wakanda!
Content Correction: Lesotho should be pronounced like “Luh-SOO-TOO”. Apologies!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
article, history of Black Panther film attempts
video, Epic Rap Battle: Mansa Musa v Jeff Bezos
article, AkonCity
Other similar episodes to check out…Stan Lee, Justice League, Batman (part 1), Marvel’s What If?, Judas and the Black Messiah, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Da 5 Bloods
Weird Al Yankovic
It’s a biopic about Weird Al - but as with all his work, it’s not what you think. How’d this film come to be, and what’s the process behind the legend’s four decade career? And also: Mozart made a parody song? Come learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Weird: The Al Yankovic story
fake trailer, Funny or Die Weird Al Biopic
clip, Daniel Radcliffe singing the Elements Song
clip, Weird Al on Oprah in the 1980’s
clip, Mozart’s Musical Joke composition
Other similar episodes to check out…Nicholas Cage, Minions, Top Gun, Ghostbusters, Pam and Tommy, Shrek (part 2), Scream
All Quiet on the Western Front
The new film is epic and affecting, but what’s the story behind the original book and film? What’s been changed, and how did history overtake the with a true story in the lead-up to World War 2? It’s all happening in real-time: let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
Other similar episodes to check out…Jojo Rabbit, Da 5 Bloods, Harriet, The Plot Against America, Animal Farm, Catch-22
Cabinet of Curiosities
This week, we dip our toes into an eclectic mix of horror ideas and tropes. What is an actual Cabinet of Curiosities? Where did the jump scare come from? What’s Dracula got to do with the LGBTQ+ experience? Let’s learn about a variety of horror ideas, and be sure to check out all our other horror episodes!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Sample all our other horror/spooky episodes:
Bonus links:
Game of Thrones
It rose and fell, and rises again. What’s George RR Martin really all about? How’d he get in (and out) and back into the Hollywood game? And who’s responsible for making the crazy show? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, House of the Dragon (new prequel series)
article, the original (failed) pilot
article, on the GRR Martin fandom
interview, GRR Martin (2001)
Other similar episodes to check out…The Lord of the Rings (part 1), Harry Potter (part 1), Dune, The Matrix, Shadow and Bone
Halloween
This’ll be the thirteenth film, and it ENDS. Definitely, yep, no more ever (said five times before!). Let’s learn how this all works, what it’s based on, and who’s responsible for Michael Meyers and his eternal slashing.
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Halloween Ends
infographic, all the branching timelines for the films
episode, on the history of Halloween traditions
video, POV of killer shots in “Black Christmas”
Other similar episodes to check out…Scream, Halloween (holiday), Predator (part 1), Nope, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Candyman
The Lord of the Rings (part 3)
We often forget recent history as it becomes the standard, so what are the effects of the Lord of the Rings books and films in media and culture? Could it have been any different? Let’s find out!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
photo, the 1946 German edition of Hobbit (Disneyesque)
photo, the 1962 Swedish edition of Hobbit (big Gollum)
video, Peter Jackson scrambling to make the Hobbit films
Other similar episodes to check out…Harry Potter (part 3), Dune, Jurassic Park, Halo, Batman (part 2)
The Lord of the Rings (part 2)
Peter Jackson made it happen, but that wasn’t a sure bet…not by a long shot. Let’s learn the lesser-known pieces that put this fantasy series on the cinematic map.
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Tokien (2019)
article, impact on New Zealand economy
article, Interlacement Technique in the film adaptations
website, all the changes between the books and films
website, the original lordoftherings(dot)net, archived from 2001
Other similar episodes to check out…Harry Potter (part 2), Jurassic Park, Halo, Batman (part 2), The Beatles: Get Back, Jojo Rabbit
The Lord of the Rings (part 1)
Journey with us through the fantastical origins of the most beloved fantasy series! How and why did these stories get written? Who is the man behind the mythology? And what did he want to change about the stories? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Tokien (2019)
clip, The Hobbit 1977 animated Gollum
clip, Lord of the Rings 1978 Balrog scene
Other similar episodes to check out…Dune, The Green Knight, Star Wars, Nightmare Alley, Shadow and Bone, Harry Potter (part 1), Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Bluey
Get ready, this is already big, whether you know it or not! What makes this kids show so unique and lovable? And how is it different from every other anthropomorphic animal cartoon out there? Let’s dive in!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
Other similar episodes to check out…Minions, Avatar, My Hero Academia, Sonic the Hedgehog, Clifford the Big Red Dog
Laal Singh Chaddha
What a wild tale this is! Come learn the historical changes made to the 1990’s American classic, this time with modern India! Also, why isn’t this doing well in theaters? And what was the original plan for the American sequel?
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
Other similar episodes to check out…Nollywood, Elvis, Pachinko, The Princess Bride, The Matrix
Predator (part 2)
Come learn about the new film, and what makes it so unique. What’s all the buzz about the Comanche language dub? And are there any other films like it?
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Prey (2022)
interview, producer Jhane Myers
article, on the Comanche language
doc, the Comanche alphabet
Other similar episodes to check out…Die Hard, Nope, Halo, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Ghostbusters, Army of the Dead, Mortal Kombat, Books of Blood, It
Predator (part 1)
Come learn the origin of the series, and all the build up to the new film. Where did the Alien crossover start? And what made the first film so unique for its time?
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Predator (1987)
article, oral history of the film production
video, original 28 minute making-of doc
video, Kevin Peter Hall testing the suit
article, the original failed suit design
Other similar episodes to check out…Die Hard, Nope, Halo, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Ghostbusters, Army of the Dead, Mortal Kombat, Books of Blood, It
Nope
Here be spoilers! What influenced Jordan Peele to create this genre-mash alien feature? And who the heck knows anything about Muybridge and the horse galloping origin of cinema? You will - just listen and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Nope (2022)
article, interview with scientist John O. Dabiri
video, interview with victim of Travis the chimp
photo, Muybridge in Yosemite
Other similar episodes to check out…Candyman, Jurassic Park, Godzilla vs Kong, UFO, Concrete Cowboy, Gretel and Hansel, Fear Street, Lovecraft Country
Where the Crawdads Sing
A beloved book, a new movie, and scandal about the author’s past. What’s really going on, and is it all sensation, or is there something we can learn about the creative process in the midst of this mess? Come along and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Where the Crawdads Sing (2022)
footage, from the ABC poaching incident
article, the journalism “The Hunted” from 2010
Other similar episodes to check out…The Staircase, You, The Woman in the Window, Little Fires Everywhere, The Goldfinch, Death on the Nile, Motherless Brooklyn
Minions
They’ve caught up with us…we can no longer avoid them…THE MINIONS. Why are they so popular, and how did they come to be the highest grossing animated series of all time? Could we even learn to love them? Let’s journey through the origins of the little yellow dudes!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Minions: The Rise of Gru
artwork, the evolution of the Minion design
video, giant Minion attack in Dublin
article, surviving on only Minion merch
photo, Build-a-Bears using Minion skin
Other similar episodes to check out…Sonic the Hedgehog, Frozen, Shrek (part 1), Clifford the Big Red Dog, My Hero Academia, Space Jam, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Harry Potter (part 1)