Ryan McNeil
Two days ago, just before I sat down to put the finishing touches on this episode, I actually attended a conference on social media. Two of the five sessions I attended on the first day pertained to podcasting, and part of me wonders if the ideas I took away from them will be evident to my listeners and followers going forward. They’ll be subtle changes, so don’t expect a complete tear-down of what you’ve come to expect – but hopefully they can make for a better product overall.
That streak of great guests I’ve been talking about lately? It’s very much intact. You’ll probably notice that today’s show runs a little on the long side. That’s because my guest today was so passionate and well-spoken that it pained me to edit much of her discussion. The show takes me back to Scandinavia for the first time since last spring, and brought upon a great moment of turnabout for yours truly.
You see by now I’m legend for acting aghast at what people haven’t seen (though I’ve been trying to tone down the act). This episode, a title comes up that I haven;t seen, and it was pretty shameful to admit. Listen in to discover which one.
One of the best conversations I’ve had on this show awaits – I hope you enjoy.
Here’s what’s in store in episode fifty-three…
Runtime
73 minutes, 50 seconds
Up for Discussion
1. Introduction
2. KNOW YOUR ENEMY– Q& A with this week’s guest Jessica of The Velvet Cafe. (3:40)
3. COME TALK TO ME – Fielding some listener feedback on suggested smaller films (14:22)
4. THE NEW SLANG – Review and reaction of WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN (21:51)
5. THE BEST OF YOU – Ryan and Jessica recommend five smaller films of their own. (38:34)
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Comments and feedback are welcome, and thank-you very much for listening.
Enjoy!
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Awesome show guys! I skipped the Kevin talk though because I haven’t caught it yet!
As of feedback, Shownotes YES YES YES, your top 5 on this episode would be perfect to have on it.
Adaptations, I actually found the original adaptation of the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was better than the book. Mostly because it cut out Blomqvist’s being such an over the top ladies man which almost got a little absurd in the book.
Oh my Ryan! You haven’t seen Fanny and Alexander????? I love how you squeeked it out there… As of Michael Haneke I have had a hard time with his recent films and I recommend checking out his earlier stuff like the original Funny Games and Code Unknown those are awesome films!
My choice of unknown films that need some attention is Close-up by Abbas Kiarostami!
Now I’m gonna finish the episode.
Cube!!!!!! Wow Jessica really got some interesting reveals out of you!!!
Heh, it’s like a running commentary on the show as you listen.
I’ll count that as one vote for show notes. They wouldn’t require too much more effort, but are still something I want to gauge demand on before adding one more step to my process.
As you noted with CUBE and FANNY, I certainly got my butt handed to me in terms of what I haven’t seen in this episode. I’m hoping in the very near future to remedy my Bergman ignorance, and I wager that will be one of the entry points.
Thanks for listening sir – and good work over on Reel Insight this weekend.
Thanks, Rachel is an awesome editor. I know people hate when I bitch about my English but I did thought it fell through a couple of times on that Reel Insight recording because its probably the longest discussion oriented podcast I’ve done in English. But Rachel managed to get rid of some of the worst hickups/hangups of mine.
Her podcast production skills are badass. Many out there could learn a thing or two from her editing style.
PS – How do you like the customized photo that accompanies this post?
As I’m listening to the latest episode of the Matineecast, I come here to see if I answered the last listener feedback question (I didn’t, for shame!) and discover people praising my editing skills! It really makes a girl’s day brighter, guys. Thanks!
I’ll remember that when I halfass my next Reel Insight comment.
I haven’t listened to the show yet because I have this hangup about hearing my own voice (good thing I’m a writing blogger and not a podcaster I suppose ;)).
Anyway, I know pretty well how it went and I just wanted to say that it was wonderful to be on the show. You always sound like such a nice guy when you listen and now that I’ve spoken to you myself, both inside and outside the recording, I know that you’re as nice in reality, making your guests feel comfortable and relaxed. Thanks for inviting me!
You flatter me my dear woman, but I’m proud to be such a gracious host and nice guy. Of course, in my eyes the pressure is now on the next guest to live up to the insight you brought to the show!
As for the sound of one’s own voice, I know the feeling…that’s the hardest part of editing the show after the fact.
This is why I still haven’t listened to my appearance on the Matineecast. Hell, I haven’t even listened to the Some Cast It Hot I did back whenever.
I’ll be listening to this one very soon, though.
At pub night last night, Matt Brown of MaMo went on for a while about how much he loved our Spielberg episode. He waxed about how well he knows Spielberg and how many things that we pointed out that he’d never considered before.
I’m not gonna lie – it felt great to hear such praise. However, then I pointed out that most of the episodes best bits were all you.
Saw We Need to Talk About Kevin at it’s TIFF premiere. Thought it was pretty good and I believe Tilda Swinton should’ve got an Oscar nod.
I’ve seen and own both White Ribbon and Cube (both of which I really like). I first saw White Ribbon after it won a Golden Globe and I was sure it would also get an Oscar (Best Foreign-Language Film is an odd category).
Cube was a blind purchase after a recommendation from my cousin and his (then) girlfriend. I quite enjoyed it and Vincenzo Natali has since become one of my favourite sci-fi directors.
Thanks again for loaning me WHITE RIBBON – totally unexpected! I’ll try to watch it as soon as I can since it’s a borrow.
What about the feedback question: Adaptations you like?
It’s easy to answer the question of adaptations I like (Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, etc), it’s harder to answer the question of adaptations I have liked, for which I have also read the book.
I’m a notoriously slow reader (e.g. I’ve been working on Stephen King’s Dark Tower series since like 2004 and I’m only on the fourth book) and I often see high profile film adaptations without knowing anything, but the basic plot outline.
The only adaptation I’ve seen, in which I specifically read the book beforehand was DREAMCATCHER (it was only OK). I also read THE SHINING before I saw the film (as such, I kind of like the book more – though the film still has a great climax).
Since, I’ve been talking about Stephen King (my favourite author) for the bulk of this post, I’ll name my favourite adaptation (for which I both read the book and saw the film) THE GREEN MILE. I didn’t read the book until after seeing the film, but I have so say that it was a very close adaptation.
I realized after the fact that you had emailed me about most of this. Apologies for making you repeat yourself good sir.
Disappointed at the lack of mention of the references of Rosemary’s Baby made in We Need to Talk About Kevin… happy to finally hear Jessica from The Velvet Cafe… nice ep.
Yes please show notes…
I won’t dare to mock you for your unseen smaller films since I know there’re a ton of films that I still haven’t made it into my “watched” column.
Adaptations I Like? Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (Fincher), Watchmen, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World, The Ides of March, …
It’s weird I’m thinking and I can barely remember which movies I love as adapatations (assuming other mediums to film adaptations) since once the film is there I kind of forget abt the previous version mainly because either (a) it’s awesome; or (b) I never personally read the original material since I’ve never been a big reader. So I just enjoy the film for what it was… Anyways that’s all peace out.
I don’t know why we never brought up ROSEMARY’S BABY. Not only is it such an apropos connection, but there’s a version of the KEVIN poster that’s something of a callback to ROSEMARY and I had it up on my screen for half of this episode.
Guess I’m not as insightful as some say.
Love that story of sneaking into the ABBA movie. I might spin a post off that one. Just a fair warning.
Favorite adaptation? Spike Lee’s “Malcolm X.” Taking a book that massive and making a movie that never feels overwhelming or boring is just an insane accomplishment. It’s the only biopic I’ve seen that truly and interestingly encapsulates a whole life.
If you want a good story about sneaking into the movies, this is my own tale of movie rating rebellion:
http://www.thematinee.ca/when-you-were-young/
OK, finally listened. Great episode, and Jessica was a terrific guest. I had to make some notes for things to see when you guys went over small movies. And Jessica’s right on the money comparing Fanny and Alexander to The White Ribbon. The priest feels like he was directly used for inspiration, while the rest of Bergman’s movie was sort of turned inside-out to pervert childhood curiosity and maturation.
And if you guys want slow black-and-white, peep Bela Tarr. Also, Ryan’s Warrior hate remains outrageous and I hope Nolte sends his pet crow after him.
As for adaptations:
GWTDT (Fincher): Improves vastly upon both the Swedish film and the book itself. Drops the wish-fulfillment of Blomkvist the ladies’ man and the self-righteous journalist rant and adds fantastic themes of digital-vs-analog that build perfectly off The Social Network.
Fight Club: Again, Fincher improves on the original, clarifying muddled themes and reshaping contradictions into mutually supportive arguments. It’s less vulgar yet more intentionally repulsive, more crystalline in satiric focus and yet broader in scope.
Berlin Alexanderplatz: So what happens when you want to adapt a book but don’t want to cut out beloved passages? Film the whole damn thing, of course! Fassbinder’s 15 1/2-hour film is his magnum opus, a cutting stab at Weimar Germany that viciously pinpoints the contemporary problems facing his country. Even the fever dream final segment, with its influx of modern pop, is a triumph. Since the original version of Greed is lost forever, this remains the best full-on adaptation ever.
No Country for Old Men: The Coens take a third-tier McCarthy book and infuse it with the power of his best work. This movie feels like an adaptation of Blood Meridian more than McCarthy’s self-summarizing page-turner, and the handling of the ending captures the depth of McCarthy’s vastness, something not really captured by the text itself.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pts 1 & 2: Future touchstones for how to cut a book down to working length. Even by doubling the workable length with two films, the cuts made are fantastically judged and not only result in a more streamlined, purposeful work than the book itself but one that more consistently captures the intended emotional tone than the book. I’ve been broadly critical of the HP adaptations, but these not only do the books justice; they surpass them.
Mysteries of Lisbon: A Tristram Shandy-esque puzzle of a classical novel, Mysteries constantly folds itself into new stories, new directions, new personae, all while never losing its original focus. Ruiz’s film is as playful as it is majestic.
Also, I have to give a general endorsement to the work of John Huston. The best adapter in motion picture history. And look at the range of literature he put to film, everything from Melville to pulp. Huston had an imposing presence, but his adaptations have an immense humility to them, privileging the voice of the author over his own. Watch Wise Blood, Moby Dick, and The Dead close together: though you can tell the same person made them, you’ll mainly feel the distinct tones of O’Connor, Melville and Joyce.
P.S. Oh hey, fun update from my own appearance: I finally saw THIS IS NOT A FILM. It was everything I hoped it would be and so much more. Along with The Tree of Life and Film Socialisme, it’s the most important film of the new millennium (and all of these came out LAST YEAR! Holy crap was 2011 great).
Yay!
So glad to hear someone more falling in love with “This is not a film”.
It was up on my short list for which films to talk about in the show, but Ryan supported my other choices so I reckoned it had been spoken about. Anyway it’s funny, engaging, upsetting, thoughtful and a fantastic film about filmmaking. And political of course. This film meant a lot more to me than A Separation.
Hey Jessica, I forgot to ask – how did you like my choice of theme music for this episode?
I haven’t yet listened to it! Shame on me, I know. But I listen to ALL other Matinee episodes if that counts for something! What music did you pick?
I could tell you, but what fun would that be? You don’t have to listen to the whole episode, just the first few seconds as my choice of song is quite easy to name.
Just click play in the little player in my sidebar.
I finally listened to the theme. Brilliant! Loved that it was an original version as well!
I’m glad you approve! I thought of a few other great Swedish bands, but I’ll hold on to them until Joel comes on the show.
This comment might be more thoughtful and articulate that 3/4 of the full posts I’ve read on some websites this week. It kills me how smart you are sometimes, have I told you that Cole?
PS – Take a look at the links I posted today. There’s one that has some high praise for our Spielberg episode.
I did see that. Tell him I said thanks the next time you see him.
Ryan, it was so great to hear you mention The Good Thief, which is an excellent remake and includes one of Nolte’s best performances. I went back and watched Bob le Flambeur after seeing it, and that’s also definitely worth seeing.
Cube is also a great movie, especially since it takes a long time before it’s clear at all what’s happening. It’s very low budget but in a good way. I can’t recommend the sequel so much, though.
I could list a lot of book adaptations, but I’ll just stick with one. The adaptation of L.A. Confidential is remarkable, and not just because it was a stunning film. James Ellroy’s novel is so intricate and complicated that it seems like a movie based on it would be impossible. The script from Brian Helgeland narrows it down to a few key sections from the very long book yet still finds a way to capture just the right atmosphere.
I fulfilled my promise to watch CUBE, so I can *totally* see what all the fuss is about there. As for THE GOOD THIEF, it always struck me as a film that was highly underrated. I might have to give it a rewatch this weekend!
Are you going to write a review about Cube? Isn’t that a part of the deal? Review or it didnt’ happen. 😉
I actually don’t write about everything I see (I’d never get anything else done if that was the case). I hadn’t really planned on writing about CUBE, but perhaps I can figure out a way to write about it in the scope of some bigger topic.