The Matrix
What are the hidden influences behind the trilogy? Why is there a new film now, after all these years? And what exactly are the Wachowskis up to? Come learn something new!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, The Matrix: Resurrections (2021) https://bit.ly/matrix41
article, on the Wachowskis (written 2012) https://bit.ly/thematrix42
interview, the Wachowskis (2013) https://bit.ly/thematrix43
video, the Matrix and a transgender perspective https://bit.ly/matrix48
video, Ghost in the Shell opening sequence (1995) https://bit.ly/thematrix44
video, showing the book “Simulacra and Simulation in the Matrix (1999) https://bit.ly/thematrix45
interview, Lana Wachowski on The Matrix 4 https://bit.ly/thematrix46
article, The Matrix and the start of superhero films https://bit.ly/thematrix47
book, The Art of the Matrix (2000) https://amzn.to/3eiCSt7
films, 10 disc DVD Matrix set with commentary https://amzn.to/3pjqm30
The Power of the Dog
A revisionist western from an award winning writer/director, after a decade away. So where did this adaptation come from? Who is the author Thomas Savage, and what from his life made its way into the story? Listen and learn! The Power of The Dog is on Netflix, written and directed by Jane Campion.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, The Power of the Dog https://bit.ly/powerofdog1
article, on cinematographer Ari Wegner https://bit.ly/powerofdog2
article, life of Thomas Savage (U of Montana) https://bit.ly/powerofdog3
article, life of Thomas Savage (Montana Magazine 2008) https://bit.ly/powerofdog4
video interview, Jane Campion https://bit.ly/powerofdog5
video interview, J. Campion, B. Cumberbatch, K. Dunst, K. Smit-McPhee, A. Wegner https://bit.ly/powerofdog6
Ghostbusters
A beloved, merchandise-laden property, with very few movies to its name - why is that? What took so long? And why is Dan Aykroyd’s family so into ghosts? Come learn the twisty-turvy spooky history of the Ghostbusters franchise.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Ghostbusters: Afterlife https://bit.ly/gbuster1
book, Peter Aykroyd’s “A History of Ghosts” https://bit.ly/gbuster4
ILLITERATE episode, The Conjuring https://bit.ly/gbuster5
trailer, Abbot and Costello’s Hold That Ghost (1941) https://bit.ly/gbuster6
pilot, 1970’s The Ghost Busters original live action show https://bit.ly/gbuster11
song, Huey Lewis’ “I Want a New Drug”, similar to theme song https://bit.ly/gbuster2
pilot episode, “The Real Ghostbusters” https://bit.ly/gbuster9
video, Filmation’s “Ghostbusters” cartoon intro https://bit.ly/gbuster7
article, why the Ghostbusters video game is the third film https://bit.ly/gbuster10
article, the history of Ghostbusters production https://bit.ly/gbusters8
Clifford the Big Red Dog
We know the massive lovable pooch, but why did he become such a staple of children’s literature? Who is responsible, and is there any psychology or science to his appeal? Come learn about Scholastic Book Fairs, Clifford, and more!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
photo, the original Clifford artwork https://bit.ly/cliffordoriginal
trailer, Clifford (2021) https://bit.ly/illclifford1
article, history of Scholastic https://bit.ly/illclifford2
article, history of Clifford books https://bit.ly/illclifford3
illiterate episode, on Dr. Seuss http://podcastgod.net/illiterate-episodes/drseuss
article, science of Clifford’s appeal https://bit.ly/illclifford5
article, CGI puppeteers interview https://bit.ly/illclifford6
video, tik tok “clifford horror puppet” https://bit.ly/illclifford7
video, baby’s color vision development https://bit.ly/illclifford4
You
This hit Netflix series only gets bigger, but was it actually a Netflix show? How does the author’s books affect the story? And why do people let a killer kill…for love?
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, You season 3 (2021) https://bit.ly/younetflix1
article, showrunner Sera Gamble https://bit.ly/younetflix2
article, actor Penn Badgley https://bit.ly/younetflix3
interview, author Caroline Kepnes https://bit.ly/younetflix4
interview, author Caroline Kepnes (2018) https://bit.ly/younetflix5
roundtable conversation, Caroline, Sera, and Penn https://bit.ly/younetflix6
video, Evan’s film with Dylan Arnold https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
Dune
AT LAST, the truly epic tale is getting a film…series? What’s the big deal about the sweeping story? Why couldn’t it be adapted well? And how did it change filmmaking without even getting a proper chance on screen? Let’s learn!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Dune (2021) https://bit.ly/illdune1
video, analysis of Frank Herbert’s writing style https://bit.ly/illdune4
interview transcript, Frank Herbert (1969) https://bit.ly/illdune7
interview transcript, Frank Herbert (1977) https://bit.ly/illdune8
article, the usage of the word “jihad” in Dune https://bit.ly/illdune6
trailer, documentary on Jodorowsky’s Dune (2014) https://bit.ly/illdune5
trailer, Dune (1984) https://bit.ly/illdune2
trailer, Dune miniseries (2000) https://bit.ly/illdune3
My Hero Academia
Come dive in as we learn the history of manga, and this particular series by Kohei Horikoshi. What is his mysterious past and creative process, and why is this series blowing up internationally? What more can be said about superheroes? Let’s learn!
a correction in the episode: the genre Shōjo manga should be pronounced more like (SHOW-JOE) than (SHOW-JOO). Apologies!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
article, brief history of manga https://bit.ly/mhamanga1
trailer, My Hero Academia: World Heroes’ Mission (2021) https://bit.ly/mhamanga2
trailer, Your Name anime film (2016) https://bit.ly/mhamanga9
interview, Weekly Shonen Jump Editor in Chief https://bit.ly/mhamanga3
article, original 12th century “manga” https://bit.ly/mhamanga10
interview, editors of My Hero Academia https://bit.ly/mhamanga4
interview, creator Kohei Horikoshi https://bit.ly/mhamanga5
page, One Piece creator supporting Horikoshi https://bit.ly/mhamanga6
free first issue, My Hero Academia chapter 1 https://bit.ly/mhamanga7
video, Horikoshi’s other manga works https://bit.ly/mhamanga8
James Bond (part 2)
Follow along our jam-packed look on what made the Bond series progress, decade after decade. Why did the actors and tone of the films keep changing? What is the story behind the spy genre? Who was responsible for it all? And - can we predict what the future of the series will hold? Listen and learn!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, No Time To Die (2021) https://bit.ly/nttd0072
data, Bond box office tracking https://bit.ly/bondpt21
article, copyright battle for Thunderball https://bit.ly/bondpt22
book, the history of the bikini https://bit.ly/bondpt23
article, the “anti-Bond” Harry Palmer series https://bit.ly/bondpt24
article, tidbits on all Bond films https://bit.ly/bondpt25
James Bond (part 1)
The longest running film series in history…what was it BEFORE any of that? Let’s learn about the creator, the reason for making Bond, where his quirks come from, and what he was originally like before the films.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
article, JFK’s recommendation of 007 https://bit.ly/nttd0071
trailer, No Time to Die (2021) https://bit.ly/nttd0072
article, job history of Ian Fleming https://bit.ly/nttd0073
video, Casino Royale TV movie (1954) https://bit.ly/nttd0074
article, list of real-life James Bond inspirations https://bit.ly/nttd0075
book, Ian Fleming biography https://bit.ly/nttd0076
Marvel's What If…? & Star Wars: Visions
These two mega-mythical properties are at it again, this time with a whole new set of creatives and wild ideas to shake up the franchise. What are these animated anthologies saying about the properties, and has this been done before? Let’s learn together!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Marvel Studio’s What If…? (2021) https://bit.ly/marvsw1
trailer, Star Wars: Visions (2021) https://bit.ly/marvsw2
article, history of Multiverse idea https://bit.ly/marvsw3
interview, What If writer AC Bradley https://bit.ly/marvsw4
character, Man-Spider (Spider-Man multiverse) https://bit.ly/marvsw5
book, Star Wars Visions (2010) https://bit.ly/marvsw6
production brief, What If…? https://bit.ly/marvsw7
article, Star Wars Japanese influence https://bit.ly/marvsw8
Cry Macho
Clint Eastwood (at age 91!) comes out with another Western. What does that mean for the genre? What are the tropes and history of the Western story? And what took so long for this book to get adapted? Let’s dive in and learn together!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Cry Macho (2021) https://bit.ly/crymacho1
trailer, Every Which Way But Loose (1978) https://bit.ly/crymacho2
newspaper article interview, author N. Richard Nash https://bit.ly/crymacho3
article, on producer Al Ruddy https://bit.ly/crymacho4
article, on Revisionist Westerns https://bit.ly/crymacho5
article, on the decline of Westerns https://bit.ly/crymacho6
book, Cry Macho: A Novel (1975) https://bit.ly/crymacho7
Only Murders in the Building
We lay out the history of true crime stories (MURDER PAMPHLETS?), what became of the podcast true crime boom, and the continuing conversation around the good (or harm?!) amateur investigations are doing. And there’s a comedy series about it! Only Murders in the Building, on Hulu. Let’s learn something new!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Only Murders in the Building (2021) https://bit.ly/omitb1
podcast, Missing Richard Simmons https://bit.ly/omitb17
The Belnord, and the real life apartments for sale https://bit.ly/omitb2
article, the true story inspiring Only Murders https://bit.ly/omitb3
photos, Murder Pamphlets of the 1700’s https://bit.ly/omitb12
book, Savage Appetites: Four True Stories of Women, Crime, and Obsession https://bit.ly/omitb6
book, Ghettoside: A True Story of Murder in America https://bit.ly/omitb7
article, history of true crime writing https://bit.ly/omitb13
parody podcast, Done Disappeared https://bit.ly/omitb14
parody podcast, A Very Fatal Murder https://bit.ly/omitb15
article, true crime podcasts that changed everything https://bit.ly/omitb16
data, crime stats in the USA https://bit.ly/omitb9
study, effect on attitudes after watching true crime https://bit.ly/omitb10
article, true crime podcasts increase crime reporting https://bit.ly/omitb11
Candyman
Where did this urban legend come from (a serial killer noblewoman of the 1500’s?! Real life murders at the Cabrini Green Projects?!) What is the new film pulling from in the works of other black artists? And who do Taylor and Evan know that helped make the original?! All this and more - let’s get into it!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Candyman (2021) https://bit.ly/candymanfilm1
trailer, Candyman (1992) https://bit.ly/candymanfilm2
profile, sfx artist Bob Keen (our teacher!) https://bit.ly/candymanfilm3
article, serial killer noblewoman Elizabeth Bathory https://bit.ly/candymanfilm4
article, mirror murder in the Chicago Projects https://bit.ly/candymanfilm7
artwork, silhouettes by Kara Walker https://bit.ly/candymanfilm5
artwork, mirrors by Carrie Mae Weems https://bit.ly/candymanfilm6
Shrek (part 2)
What happened with the grumpy lovable ogre? How did he become a facet of meme culture, and does it say anything true about his character?
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
video, Shrek’s childhood obesity campaign https://bit.ly/shrekstasy2
video, Shrek: The Musical https://bit.ly/shrekstasy1
video, first All Star parody https://bit.ly/shrekstasy6
article, All Star memes https://bit.ly/shrekstasy7
comic, Shrek and Shadow the Hedgehog https://bit.ly/shrekstasy5
article, Shrek meme culture https://bit.ly/shrekstasy8
video, Shrek Retold fan creation https://bit.ly/shrekstasy3
event, Shrekfest https://bit.ly/shrekstasy4
Shrek (part 1)
Get out of our swamp! We uncover the original book, and the history of the film’s production. Come learn about the subliminal insider jabs at Disney employees, how the soundtrack actually speaks to the story, and who fought the war for the best CGI film.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Shrek (2001) https://bit.ly/shrekbook1
video, Shrek bonus feature on production process https://bit.ly/shrekbook2
video, footage of Chris Farley as Shrek https://bit.ly/shrekbook3
video, on the pop music in Shrek https://bit.ly/shrekbook4
The Green Knight
We dive headfirst into the ancient poem of Sir Gawain, and how it became a fresh telling with modern themes. Was King Arthur a real person, and how did his tales change over time? Listen and learn!
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, The Green Knight (2021) https://bit.ly/greenknight1
interview, creator David Lowery https://bit.ly/greenknight2
article, the 1136 OG King Arthur text https://bit.ly/greenknight3
full text, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight https://bit.ly/greenknight4
article, the 5 rules of knights https://bit.ly/greenknight5
Space Jam
How in the world did the classic cartoons get mashed with Michael Jordan, and now LeBron James? Was it always a commercial money-making scheme? And what’s Bugs Bunny been doing all these years? Find out the hidden gems behind the history of this classic cinema story.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Space Jam: A New Legacy (2021) https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy0
trailer, Space Jam (1996) https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy1
video, original Hare Jordan commercial (1992) https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy2
music, final Bugs Bunny rap “Buggin’” (1996) https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy3
video, Spike Lee Mars Blackmon basketball commercial https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy4
video Spike Lee Mars Blackmon baseball “he’s trying” commercial https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy5
article, how Mars Blackmon and Michael Jordan met https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy6
article, Jim Riswold, the originator of Michael and Bugs https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy7
article, Joe Dante’s unmade Looney Tunes film https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy8
video, history of Bugs Bunny https://bit.ly/spacejamlegacy9
Sweet Tooth
Originally touted as “Mad Max meets Bambi”, how did the dark and violent comic series become the warm tale on Netflix? And what does the author think about it? Learn about dystopian and apocalyptic fiction over the ages in this week’s episode.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Sweet Tooth (2021) https://bit.ly/sweetooth1
article, Jeff Lemire interview https://bit.ly/sweetooth3
q&a video, Jeff Lemire https://bit.ly/sweetooth4
novel, Mary Shelley’s The Last Man https://bit.ly/sweetooth5
Fear Street (R.L. Stine and Goosebumps too)
The teenage slasher series written by the bestselling series author of the 90’s has come to the screen. Learn the insider history behind the author’s life, and what makes these books so popular.
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Fear Street film trilogy (Netflix) https://bit.ly/rlstine1
tv episode, failed Fear Street pilot (1998) https://bit.ly/rlstine2
pdf, RL Stine writing program for elementary schools https://bit.ly/rlstine3
interviews, RL Stine https://bit.ly/rlstine4 https://bit.ly/rlstine5
promo video, RL Stine hosts a comedy show at UCB https://bit.ly/rlstine6
video, Funny or Die sketch, banned Goosebumps titles https://bit.ly/rlstine7
The Fast & the Furious
Based on the written word?! How did this import tuner racing series turn into the epic saga we know and love? Come find out all the influences and secrets to making a changing series stay strong.
Extras:
interview, original article writer Ken Li https://bit.ly/ffurious1
article, the culture of street racing https://bit.ly/ffurious2
trailer, The Fast and The Furious (2001) https://bit.ly/ffurious3
full film, The Fast and The Furious (1955) https://bit.ly/ffurious4
video, every mention of the word “family” in the series https://bit.ly/ffurious5
trailer, Justin Lin film Better Luck Tomorrow (2002) https://bit.ly/ffurious6
article, “Racer X”, origin of the first film https://bit.ly/ffurious10
video, Initial D anime best racing moments https://bit.ly/ffurious11Contact:
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