Lit To Lens

The guys discuss the film adaptation, SING SING, based on an article published in October 2005 by John H. Richardson. … The Sing Sing Follies (A maximum security comedy) is a magazine piece that tells the story of a group of inmates in Sing Sing prison who, through the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, are working to put on a play, called Breakin’ the Mummy’s Code. The play is about six convicts who each write separate plays and then splice them together and includes pirates, gladiators, cowboys, a spy in a tuxedo and even Prince Hamlet of Denmark. Within the article, we get to know a little bit about a number of inmates, the RTA program and the creative process. … The film adaptation was directed by Greg Kwedar, written by Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, and stars Oscar-nominee Colman Domingo, Clarence Maclin, Sean San José and Paul Raci. … Topics of discussion include the differences in adapting an 8-page magazine article from a novel, the creation of new characters, Divine Eye’s backstory, wher

The guys discuss one of the film adaptation of THE OUTSIDERS, which is based on the 1967 novel written by S.E. Hinton. … THE OUTSIDERS tells the coming-of-age story of Ponyboy Curtis, a greaser living in Oklahoma in the 1960s. After his parents die in an automobile accident, Pony and his two brothers work to survive in a town divided on class lines. Gang and class conflict, friendship, cigarette smoking and paperback versions of Gone with the Wind feature prominently. … The film adaptation was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Kathleen Rowell, and stars a future all-star cast in C. Thomas Howell, Matt Dillon, Ralph Macchio, Patrick Swayze, Rob Lowe, Diane Lane, Emilio Estevez, Tom Cruise, and Leif Garrett. … Topics of discussion include the two film versions of the adaptation, the holes in the story, why the book is so popularly taught in English classes across America, and whether or not Francis Ford Coppola fell off after Apocalypse Now, … (0:00) From the book… (1:08) Fast facts, recap,

The guys discuss one of the all-time classic film adaptations, THE GODFATHER, which is based on the 1969 best-selling novel written by Mario Puzo. … THE GODFATHER tells the story of the Corelone family, one of the largest and most powerful crime families operating in the New York City area circa 1946. When Don Vito Corelone refuses an offer to participate in the narcotics trade by a rival family, the decision sets off a mafia war and ultimately a succession crisis for the Corelone family. Themes of legacy, violence, and how to make it in America feature prominently.  … The film adaptation was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola, and stars Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, Robert Duvall, James Caan, and Diane Keaton. … Topics of discussion include the popularity of the novel, the importance of omertà, how the adaptation stacks up to the source material, and whether or not the film is actually overrated. … (0:00) From the book… (1:22) Fast facts, recap, trivia… (22:

The guys discuss the new film from Francis Ford Coppola, APOCALYPSE NOW, which is NOT directly based on any source material such as a novel or play. But, the release of MEGALOPOLIS fits nicely within our season on Francis Ford Coppola, and this may be the last opportunity to witness an opening release for the acclaimed director. … MEGALOPOLIS tells the story of a conflict between Cesar, a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero, who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare. … The film was directed by Francis Ford Coppola, who has directed THE GODFATHER trilogy, THE CONVERSATION, THE OUTSIDERS, and THE RAINMAKER, among many others. The script was written by Francis Ford Coppola, while the film stars Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel, Robert Giancarlo Esposito, Aubrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voigt, Laurence Fishburne, Kathryn Hunter and Dustin Hoffman. … Topics of discussion

The guys discuss one of the all-time classic film adaptations, APOCALYPSE NOW, which is based on the century-old (also) classic British novella, HEART OF DARKNESS. … HEART OF DARKNESS tells a story within a story, following Charlie Marlow, who recounts his adventure to a group of men onboard an anchored ship. Although his job was to transport ivory downriver, Charlie develops an interest in investing an ivory procurement agent, Kurtz, who is employed by the government. Preceded by his reputation as a brilliant emissary of progress, Kurtz has now established himself as a god among the natives in “one of the darkest places on earth.” Marlow suspects something else of Kurtz: he has gone mad. ... APOCALYPSE NOW tells the story of Captain Benjamin Willard, a troubled soldier sent on a dangerous mission at the height of the Vietnam War, ordered to terminate the mysterious Green Beret Colonel Walter Kurtz. It is suspected that Kurtz has gone deep into the Vietnamese jungle, recruited his own personal army, and ta

The guys discuss the new MAX series THE SYMPATHIZER, directed by Park Chan-wook based on the Pulitzer Prize winning debut novel by Viet Thanh Nguyen. … THE SYMPATHIZER tells the story of The Captain, a North Vietnamese mole working undercover for the South Vietnamese army. The story traces his escape from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon, his acclimation to Los Angeles and working in Hollywood, to his grappling with the competing ideologies of his friends and foes, and the moral lines he must cross to save his life and those of the ones he loves. … The series adaptation was directed by Park Chan-wook, who has directed acclaimed films such as OLDBOY and DECISION TO LEAVE. The series, streaming on MAX (formerly HBO) stars How Xuande, Robert Downey, Jr., Toan Le, Fred Nguyen Khan, Day Nguyen, Vy Le, Ky Duyen, Phanxinê, Kieu Chinh, Alan Trong, Sandra Oh, with special appearances by John Cho and David Duchovny. … Topics of discussion include how the book felt like homework, the minor changes made to the sh

The guys discuss the film THE ZONE OF INTEREST, the Jonathan Glazer adaptation from the Martin Amis novel of the same name. THE ZONE OF INTEREST, the fourteenth novel from British writer Martin Amis, is set among a group of German commanders at an unnamed concentration camp, taken to be Auschwitz. The story traces the fall of the Third Reich from three interweaving perspectives: Angelus Thomsen, an officer at the camp; Paul Doll, his commandant; and Szmul Zacharias, a Jewish death camp prisoner. The stories and characters intersect due to the nature of their work and Thomsen’s attempts to attract Paul’s wife, Hannah. Themes of the power of memory, survivors guilt, navigating right and wrong, and society building feature prominently. The novel was shortlisted for the Walker Scott Prize in 2015. … The film adaptation was written and directed by Jonathan Glazer and stars Christian Friedl and Sandra Hüller. It made its premier on May 19, 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival where it won the Grand Prix and the FIPR

The guys discuss the film AMERICAN FICTION, the Cord Jefferson adaptation from the Percival Everett novel ERASURE. AMERICAN FICTION, follows Thelonious "Monk" Ellison, a frustrated novelist of general fiction, who decides to write a “Black” book full of tired and offensive tropes to profit off the publishing industry’s possibly misguided demand for those stories. He uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, which rockets up the bestseller list and into the madness of the book publishing world. At the same time, there is also a gripping family drama threatening to overwhelm the Ellison household. … The film adaptation stars Jeffrey Wright, Trace Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, Sterling K. Brown, John Ortiz, Adam Brody, and Keith David. The film was released on December 15, 2023 and was written and directed by Cord Jefferson in his debut film. … Topics of discussion include the origin of Monk’s pseudonym Stagg R. Leigh, the experimental structure of the novel with its embedded narratives, the unfo

In an adapted recap of 2023, the guys discuss their favorites from the past year of cinema, literature, and (self-indulgently) themselves. … Top 3 films we saw this past year (that were also released in 2023) Top 3 books we read this past year (can be released before 2023) And our favorite Lit to Lens episode from this past year … Happy New Year! We are looking forward to a big 2024, and we hope you are too! … Our next episode will be on the adaptation of the Percival Everett novel, ERASURE, which has been adapted for the screen as AMERICAN FICTION and directed by Cord Jefferson and stars Jeffrey Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, Issa Rae, and Sterling K. Brown. The film is not in theaters. … If you would like to get in contact with us about anything regarding the show, feel free to shoot us an e-mail: littolens@gmail.com … Or reach out on social media: twitter.com/littolens instagram.com/littolens

The guys discuss the film adaptation of POOR THINGS, the Yorgos Lanthimos adaptation from the Alasdair Gray novel of the same name. The book follows the account of Archie McCandless, a Scottish public health officer, who falls in love with a strange woman named Bella Baxter, created by his medical friend Godwin Baxter by implanting her unborn child's brain into her lifeless body. Bella is animated by a desire to see and experience the world, and all of the book is related second hand whether through letters to Archie which are printed in his narrative, Bella’s own postscript to whoever is reading this decades later, and the author’s own notes on both narratives. … The film adaptation stars Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ray Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael and Margaret Qualley. The film was released on December 15, 2023 and was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, with the screenplay written by Tony McNamara. … Topics of discussion include the shift away from the book’s story within a stor

The guys discuss the film adaptation of KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, the Martin Scorsese adaptation from the bestselling David Grann nonfiction novel of the same name. It tells the story of the investigation of a series of murders that took place in the early 1920s in Osage County, Oklahoma. After big oil deposits were found under their land, the Osage people were awarded headrights to the profits made from the oil deposits, but a complex plot is hatched by a number of white locals to kill the Osage inheritors and receive the headrights themselves. … The film adaptation stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert DeNiro and Lily Gladstone. The film was released on October 20, 2023 and was directed by Martin Scorsese, with the screenplay written by Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese. … Topics of discussion include the shift in story framing, the Tom White backstory that didn’t make it to the screen, the different types of full moons, and whether or not intermissions should be allowed in movie theaters. … Listen to the epi

The guys discuss the film adaptation of FOE, the story of Junior and Henrietta, a married couple living on a remote farm in the near future. One day, a mysterious man named Terrence arrives. Terrence works for an aerospace corporation called OuterMore and tells Junior he’s been selected to travel to the Installation, a large space station that orbits around earth, to test its livability for human life. What follows is the domestic fallout from this visit, as Henrietta and Junior both come to terms with the opportunity and the replacement Junior the corporation plans to have live with Henrietta while he’s gone. Themes of isolation, identity, and AI feature prominently. … The film adaptation stars Satires Ronan, Paul Mescal and Aaron Pierre. The film was released on October 6, 2023 and was directed by Garth Davis, with the screenplay written by Garth Davis and Iain Reid (also the author of the novel). … Topics of discussion include the importance of a plot twist, the symbology of a horned beetle, the differe

The guys discuss the film adaptation of THE LONG GOODBYE, a classic hard-boiled detective fiction novel written by Raymond Chandler, that tells the story of Philip Marlowe, a private detective living in Los Angeles, who is pulled into a mystery when both his friend Terry Lennox, and his wife, turn up dead, the latter by murder and the former by suicide. Or were they? While Marlowe investigates the deaths, he’s pulled deeper into the lives of the Lennox’s neighbors, the famous author Roger Wade and his wife, and the police. … The film adaptation stars Elliott Gould, Nina van Pallandt, Sterling Hayden, and a brief appearance from a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film was released in 1973 and was directed by Robert Altman, with the screenplay written by Leigh Brackett. … Topics of discussion include the modernizing of the film’s setting, the dynamic performances of Gould and Sterling, the complex plot of the book that is stripped down in the film, and the unlikely talent of striking a match. … Listen to th

The guys discuss the series adaptation of WOOL, a science fiction novel written by Hugh Howey, that tells the story of a dystopian future where generations of survivors live together in a subterranean silo. The society is stratified into blue and white collar workers and governed by strict regulations designed to protect the residents from the perceived horrors of the outside world. But when a small group of residents start to believe that all is not what it seems, they threaten to unravel the stability of the silo. … The Apple TV+ series adaptation stars Rebecca Ferguson, Rashida Jones, David Oyelowo, Common, and Tim Robbins. The series was developed by Graham Yost, consists of ten episodes in Season 1 and debuted May 5, 2023 on Apple TV+. The series was renewed for a second season. … Topics of discussion include the tonal shift in the show, the expanded roles of Sims and Judicial, where the series ends in comparison to the book, and whether or not there would be accents in the silo. … Listen to the episo

The guys discuss the series adaptation of DAISY JONES & THE SIX, a novel written in an oral history format by Taylor Jenkins Reid, that tells the story of a rock n’ roll band in the 1970’s, and details their meteoric rise to the top of the charts and their chaotic fall to oblivion. The series adaptation stars Riley Keough, Sam Claflin, Suki Waterhouse, Camila Morrone, Nabiyah Be and Timothy Olyphant. The series was developed by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, consists of ten episodes and debuted March 3, 2023 on Amazon Prime. Topics of discussion include the experience of reading a novel with an oral history format and if that fits this story well, the seemingly easy decision to adapt a story like this, and the major differences from the book including Simone’s expanded backstory. Listen to the episode to find out how the film stacks up to the novel. (0:22) Excerpt from the novel… (0:55) Fast facts, Recap, Games… (12:44) A word from our sponsor… (13:04) Studio pitch & novel breakdown… (34:02) Tra

In this episode, the guys make their picks for the top eight categories for the 95th Academy Awards airing this Sunday night, 3/12. Picking favorites to win as well as who they will be rooting for. The categories are listed below: • Best Picture • Best Director • Best Actor • Best Actress • Best Supporting Actor • Best Supporting Actress • Best Original Screenplay • Best Adapted Screenplay If you would like to get in contact with us about anything regarding the show, feel free to shoot us an e-mail: littolens@gmail.com Or reach out on social media: twitter.com/littolens instagram.com/littolens

The guys discuss the film adaptation of THE DEATH OF IVAN ILYICH, a novella written by Leo Tolstoy that tells the story of the monotony and purposelessness of one man’s life as he struggles to find meaning before his ultimate demise. The most recent film adaptation, LIVING, stars Billy Nighy, Aimee Lou Wood, Alex Sharp and Tom Burke. The screenplay was written by Kazuo Ishiguro and directed by Oliver Herman’s. The film received two Academy Awards nominations including Best Actor (Bill Nighy) and Best Adapted Screenplay. Technically, LIVING is adapted from the classic Akira Kurosawa film, IKIRU, which we also watched and will be discussing a trifecta of differences between the source material (Leo Tolstoy’s novella), the Kurosawa class (Ikiru), as well as the most recent rendition (LIVING). Listen to the episode to find out how the film stacks up to the novel. (0:00) Excerpt from the novel… (1:31) Fast facts, Recap, Games… (15:04) A word from our sponsor… (15:47) Studio pitch & novel breakdown… (32:43)

The guys discuss the film adaptation of WOMEN TALKING, a novel written by Miriam Toews that tells the story of colony of Mennonite women who are victims of obscene and grotesque crimes, meet in secret to decide their response and ultimately their future. The film adaptation received a limited release in theaters in December 2022 and stars Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Judith Ivey, Ben Whishaw and Frances McDormand. The film was written and directed by Sarah Polley. Listen to the episode to find out how the film stacks up to the novel. (0:00) Excerpt from the novel… (0:49) Fast facts, Recap, Games… (10:53) A word from our sponsor… (11:16) Studio pitch & novel breakdown… (42:07) Trailer… (43:48) Learn you something, film differences… Other topics include the author’s choice to have a male narrator taking meeting minutes as the novel’s narrative structure, the important of setting, why audiobooks suck, and why this film may have received more love this award’s season than SHE SAID. Our next ep

The guys discuss the film adaptation of WHITE NOISE, a postmodern novel and winner of the 1985 US National book Award. Written by Don DeLillo, it tells the story of Jack Gladney, a Hitler-studies professor at the College-on-the-Hill, and his family who encounter an airborne toxic event, spinning their lives into unforeseen circumstances. The film adaptation was released on Netflix in late December 2022 and stars Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig and Don Cheadle. The film was written and directed by Noah Baumbach. Listen to the episode to find out how the film stacks up to the novel. (0:00) Excerpt from the novel… (0:57) Fast facts, Recap, Games… (9:24) A word from our sponsor… (10:02) Studio pitch & novel breakdown… (35:50) Trailer… (36:45) Learn you something, film differences… Other topics include the difficulties of adapting such an interior novel, the interconnection around themes of death, academia and consumerism, and why the “Barn scene” was not included in the film. Our next adaptation will be WOMEN T

One last conversation before we bid adieu to 2022, a year that had a lot of great adaptations, and great content overall. We get together to discuss our Top 3's of the year. We reveal each of our three favorite movies that were released this year, our three favorite books that we read this year (regardless of the year they were released), as well as our favorite episode we released this year (because who doesn't love a little self-indulgence). Cheers to 2022, and hello to 2023! Happy New Year to all the LTLiens out there! Twitter: @littolens Instagram: @littolens Blog: www.littolensblog.wordpress.com Email: littolens@gmail.com