Elvis
The new Baz Luhrmann film covers a ton of Elvis ground - why did Baz take on such a daunting subject? How did he get the information to bring a lacking lens to the Elvis story? And who the heck is Colonel Tom Parker? Come listen and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Elvis (2022)
video, Austin Butler preproduction singing
interview, Baz Lurhmann on Black artistry
interview, Nelson George on consulting the film
video, Baz with Elvis’ friend Sam Bell
interview, Yola on playing Sister Rosetta Tharpe
article, the real Colonel Tom Parker
video, Lilo and Stich Elvis impersonating scene
trailer, Elvis & Nixon (2016)
Other similar episodes to check out…Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Nightmare Alley, Being the Ricardos, Billie Holiday
Spiderhead
The only feature film adaptation from the prolific short story author has arrived. How did this movie come to be, and why haven’t we gotten more films based on his work? How does the medium change the material? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Spiderhead (2022)
short story, Escape from Spiderhead (2010)
audiobook, Lincoln in the Bardo (with all the actors)
book, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain (writing class)
interview, George Saunders on the craft
video, the pilot for Sea Oak on Amazon
Other similar episodes to check out…Jurassic Park, Stranger Things, Squid Game, The Matrix, Lovecraft Country, Books of Blood, I’m Thinking of Ending Things, Westworld, Parasite, Joker
Stranger Things
What are the origins for the conspiracy and government storylines, and how did the creators of the show pitch the story at the start? Come along and learn the beginnings of the hit show!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Stranger Things (season 4)
compilation video, references to 80s movies in Stranger Things
trailer, anime Elfen Lied
pdf, original pitch document “Montauk”
book, “The Montauk Project” (1992)
trailer, “The Philadelphia Experiment” (1984)
Other similar episodes to check out…Stephen King, It, Steven Spielberg, Fear Street, Scream, Ghostbusters, Enola Holmes, Nancy Drew, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark
Jurassic Park
What are the origins of the mega franchise? How did the book come to be? And did anybody listen to the warnings about messing with the natural order, or will we have wooly mammoths in 5 years?! Come listen and learn!
a correction: Pleistocene should be pronounced “PLY-stow-seen”. Apologies to all the ice age aficionados!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Jurassic World: Dominion (2022)
article, original 1982 study on a fly in amber
video, news segment with scared kid on ’93 release day
video, Crichton’s TED talk from 1992
article, speculative viable dino DNA uncovered in fossil
site, Colossal Biosciences (the wooly mammoth company)
article, on Pleistocene Park in Siberia
book, Jack Horner’s “How to Build a Dinosaur” (2009)
instagram, Evan’s Jurassic Park Jeep (TJJP18)
Other similar episodes to check out…Westworld, Steven Spielberg (pt 2), Batman (pt 2), Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Scream, Dune, Space Jam, Godzilla vs Kong, Justice League
Top Gun
A military and cultural touchstone, but how much is based on fact, or brought about by government influence? We go into the real organizations, old films, and scandals to uncover the inner workings of the Top Gun creative process. Come along and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
video, training the actors for flight
article, original Top Guns in California Mag (1983)
interview, real-life analyst Christine Fox
article, analysis of DoD control in film
video, kiss scene from Wings (1929)
article, the Tailhook Incident
article, Production Assistance Agreement for Top Gun: Maverick
Other similar episodes to check out…The Fast & the Furious, Halo, Don’t Look Up, Ghostbusters, James Bond (part 1), UFO, Die Hard, Da 5 Bloods
Multiverse
It’s madness! Doctor Strange, Rick and Morty, Spider-man, Everything Everywhere, Chip n’ Dale, Space Jam, and more on the way. Why has the multiverse idea caught on so much recently in media? Where did it start, and how is it a reflection of our current culture? Let’s get into it!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
article, Hugh Everret and his son Mark, and the band Eels
trailer, Glitch in the Matrix
trailer, The Theory of Everything
book, The Nineties
Other similar episodes to check out…Justice League, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Batman (part 1), Philip K Dick, Color Out of Space (HP Lovecraft), The Matrix, Harry Potter (part 1), Halo, My Hero Academia, Marvel's What If?, Space Jam, The Plot Against America
The Staircase
The start of the 21st century true-crime series extravaganza has an update! Why is this dramatization different, and what’s the reason for adapting a documentary again? And how come only certain court cases can be filmed? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
illiteratepod@gmail.com, email us
Extras:
trailer, The Staircase (2022)
interview, og director Jean-Xavier de Lestrade
interview, show creators Antonio Campos & Maggie Cohn
trailer, Trial and Error parody, 2017
book, Behind the Staircase - Michael Peterson
audio, Supreme Court oral arguments
interview, Michael Peterson and Sophie Brunet in 2019
Other similar episodes to check out…Only Murders in the Building, You, Nancy Drew, Death on the Nile, I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, Pam and Tommy, Impeachment: American Crime Story, The Woman in the Window, Bad Education, Tread
Halo
Suit up for an epic tale of the creative process and influences behind one of the biggest entertainment properties. And also - why is a show coming out decades after the hype? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Halo The Series (2022)
video, Halo test at MacWorld (1999)
books, Iain M Banks “Culture” Series
books, Larry Niven’s “Ringworld” Series
article, the effect of the music in Halo
screenplay, Halo film from 2005
article, interviews on making the Halo franchise
Other similar episodes to check out…Mortal Kombat, Dune, Sonic the Hedgehog, The Matrix, Squid Game, My Hero Academia, James Bond (pt 2), Army of the Dead, Watchmen
The Godfather
The Offer is out, about the making of the Godfather film. But how did Mario Puzo craft the original story? Was the mob actually involved? And what forgotten book was his true inspiration? Let’s find out!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, The Offer (TV show 2022)
book, Mario Puzo’s autobiography (1972)
poster art, The Brotherhood (1968)
article, Frank Sinatra and the mob
article, Peter Bart’s account of the production
article, the only NYT reporter on the film set (1971)
book, The Fortunate Pilgrim (1965)
Other similar episodes to check out…The Irishman, Motherless Brooklyn, Nightmare Alley, Pachinko, Candyman, Shaft, Steven Spielberg, Bad Education, Mindhunter
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
What is the fascination with Nicholas Cage - is he a genius, or a madman, or just a misunderstood normal guy? Come learn about the creation of a film about him, starring him, as only he could do.
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
video, crazy talk show alter-ego appearance
pdf, Blacklist version of screenplay from 2019
video, first time on a talk show in 14 years
q&a, recent reddit AMA with Nicholas Cage
trailer, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare
trailer, JCVD
photo, Cage in Kazakhstan
trailer, Adaptation
article, deep dive into the real Nicholas Cage
Other similar episodes to check out…Color Out of Space, Shrek (part 1), Scream, The Beatles: Get Back, Die Hard, Mortal Kombat, Steven Spielberg
Pachinko
This K-Drama of epic proportions came from an equally monumental book. Where did this eighty-year long story originate, and what’s it have to say about the history of Korea? Let’s learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Pachinko
interview, historical consultant on Pachinko
video, food in Studio Ghibli films
website, Thousand Miles Project
article, the food in Pachinko
video, Pachinko title sequence
Other similar episodes to check out…Squid Game, Minari, Parasite, My Hero Academia, CODA, Nollywood, The Crown, Avatar: The Last Airbender
Sonic the Hedgehog
The speedy guy goes big at the box office - but how did such a strange creature come to be? What are the ups and downs of his career, and why haven’t we seen a movie until now? Come find out!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Sonic the Hedgehog 2
video, Sonic parade balloon crash in 1993
article, original sketch ideas for fast Sega character
art book, History of Sonic the Hedgehog
article, Hirokazu Yasuhara’s game design process
video, history of Sonic animation
video, “Genesis does what Nintendon’t”
costume, original 2019 Sonic children’s Halloween design
Other similar episodes to check out…Godzilla vs Kong, Mortal Kombat, Space Jam, Batman (part 1), Shrek (part 1), Ghostbusters, Avatar, Clifford the Big Red Dog, Who Framed Roger Rabbit?
Death on the Nile
What do you know about Agatha Christie, the best-selling author of the most famous whodunits? What makes them consistently unique and popular, hundreds of years later? And where did she disappear to in the middle of her career? So many questions, and so many answers - let’s get on the case!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, Death on the Nile
article, Agatha Christie’s surfing secret
video, Agatha’s disappearance (Drunk History)
article, Agatha Christie biography
documentary, Being Poirot (TV series)
article, Agatha Christie’s archaeology
Other similar episodes to check out…Enola Holmes, Nancy Drew, Motherless Brooklyn, Godzilla vs. Kong, Bridgerton, Emma/Clueless
CODA
We learned so much in this episode, about signing, the deaf community, how to write and research a story, and the origins of a language. Come along and find out!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, CODA (2021)
video, Troy Kotsur’s Oscar acceptance speech
trailer, original French film La Famille Belier (2014)
article, history of Martha’s Vineyard Sign Language
video, Writer’s Guild script breakdown with Sian Heder
screenplay pdf, CODA (2021)
video, analysis of ASL idioms in CODA
interview, Troy Kotsur on Mandalorian sign language
Other similar episodes to check out…Minari, Euphoria, The Power of the Dog, Promising Young Woman, Nomadland, Moonlight
Batman (part 2)
The journey of the Batman film series is as twisted as the Riddler’s schemes. Why are the films continually flipping tone and style? And what are they trying to pull from the source material? Most important - why are the toys nothing like the films? Descend from your gargoyle, and learn along with us!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
Contact:
@illiteratepod, reach out on instagram
Extras:
trailer, The Batman (2022)
article, Marlon Wayans as Robin
article, Sean Young petitioning as Catwoman
article, McDonald’s Happy Meal toys for Batman Returns
article, Empire Magazine on Batman Returns
trailer, Batman: Mask of the Phantasm (1993)
article, Robert Pattinson on Mask of the Phantasm
trailer, The Lego Batman Movie (2017)
Other similar episodes to check out…Justice League, Joker, Watchmen (HBO), James Bond (part 2), Shrek (part 2)
Batman (part 1)
From horror films in the 1930’s, World War 2 propaganda, Batman in Outer Space, and beyond - what’s happened to make this iconic mythological character? And who’s to blame for how we perceive him on film? Take a deep dive with us into the origins of the Dark Knight.
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
go watch Evan’s film work https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
sign up for Taylor’s weekly newsletter http://newsletter.podcastgod.net
Contact:
Reach out on instagram, @illiteratepod
Some Extras:
trailer, Batman and Bill documentary (2017)
full film, The Bat Whispers (1930)
trailer, The Dark Knight Returns (animated, 2012/13)
Other episodes mentioned include…Justice League, Joker, Stan Lee, Watchmen, Watchmen (HBO), James Bond (part 1), Ghostbusters, My Hero Academia
Squid Game
Now that they hype has settled: where did Squid Game really originate from? What made it the biggest show on Netflix, and what influence did it have in the real world? Come learn the fascinating, lesser-known cultural layers to the hit show.
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
go watch Evan’s film work https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
sign up for Taylor’s weekly newsletter http://newsletter.podcastgod.net
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Squid Game (2021) https://bit.ly/illsquid1
trailer, Silenced (2011) https://bit.ly/illsquid6
article, interview with prod designer Chae Kyoung-sun https://bit.ly/illsquid2
article, debt crisis in S Korea https://bit.ly/illsquid3
article, interview with director Hwang Dong-hyuk https://bit.ly/illsquid4
article, the Korean concept of “han” https://bit.ly/illsquid5
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
In the words of DJ Khaled…another one. But do you honestly know what the first one’s actually about? Was any of this actually based on truth? And then how did this series start the current reboot craze? Come listen and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
go watch Evan’s film work https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
sign up for Taylor’s weekly newsletter http://newsletter.podcastgod.net
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2022) https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm1
poster, Texas Chainsaw Massacre Part 2 https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm2
Evan’s review of the original 1974 film https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm8
article, 1972 Andes plane crash survivor story https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm9
song, Dead Skunk (1972) https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm3
article, mafia influence on distribution https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm4
interview article, director Tobe Hooper https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm5
interview, 2003 remake director Marcus Nispel https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm6
interview, musician Colin Stetson https://bit.ly/illiteratetcm7
Pam & Tommy
What was the truth behind the late 1990’s scandal? What’s the history of celebrity sex tapes? And can they make this show without Pamela Anderson’s approval? Let’s dive in and learn!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
go watch Evan’s film work https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
sign up for Taylor’s weekly newsletter http://newsletter.podcastgod.net
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras:
trailer, Pam & Tommy (2022) https://bit.ly/pam-tommy1
article, the original Rolling Stone story (2014) https://bit.ly/pam-tommy2
article, Pamela’s response to the show https://bit.ly/pam-tommy3
article, celebrity sex tapes https://nyti.ms/3GY7jki
documentary, This is Paris (2020) https://bit.ly/pam-tommy4
article, the “right to be forgotten” https://bit.ly/pam-tommy5
Rom Coms
Like a twisty true love story, we dive into the ups and downs of the history of romantic comedies. Is it gone for good? Was it ever? What’s next for the genre? Listen and learn along with us!
Evan and Taylor’s projects:
go watch Evan’s film work https://linktr.ee/evanscottrussell
sign up for Taylor’s weekly newsletter http://newsletter.podcastgod.net
Contact:
Reach out on instagram - @illiteratepod
Extras: (We named a ton of films to check out - here they are!)
trailer, Marry Me (2022) https://bit.ly/illromcom1
trailer, Some Like It Hot (1959) https://bit.ly/illromcom2
film, Sherlock, Jr (1924) https://bit.ly/illromcom3
film, Girl Shy (1924) https://bit.ly/illromcom4
film, It Happened One Night (1934) https://bit.ly/illromcom5
trailer, A Woman Under the Influence (1974) https://bit.ly/illromcom6
trailer, Blue Collar (1978) https://bit.ly/illromcom7
film, Bringing Up Baby (1938) https://bit.ly/illromcom8
trailer, Miss Congeniality (2000) https://bit.ly/illromcom9
trailer, What’s Up, Doc? (1972) https://bit.ly/illromcom10
trailer, The Graduate (1967) https://bit.ly/illromcom11
trailer, Rumor Has It (2005) https://bit.ly/illromcom12
trailer, Annie Hall (1977) https://bit.ly/illromcom13
trailer, When Harry Met Sally (1989) https://bit.ly/illromcom14
trailer, Pretty Woman (1990) https://bit.ly/illromcom15
trailer, Sleepless in Seattle (1993) https://bit.ly/illromcom16
trailer, You’ve Got Mail (1998) https://bit.ly/illromcom17
trailer, Knocked Up (2007) https://bit.ly/illromcom18
trailer, Trainwreck (2015) https://bit.ly/illromcom19
trailer, To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (2018) https://bit.ly/illromcom20
trailer, People Places Things (2015) https://bit.ly/illromcom21
trailer, Crazy Rich Asians (2018) https://bit.ly/illromcom22
study, negative effects of rom com viewing https://bit.ly/illromcom23