Hey there! Long time no see!
That’s actually my (Claude) fault. I’d completed post-production on this episode of the show and somehow failed to post it to our host. Fortunately I corrected that a couple of nights ago, so it should already be in your podcast feed. But if you’re catching up here, you have my abject apologies. You’ll also get Episode 90 this weekend, dropping overnight Saturday/Sunday morning.
Today we’re looking at a couple of films that outline the trials and tribulations attached to creating a film based on source material that’s notoriously tough to adapt to film. As a result, the film becomes a story telling us how tough it is to do the adaptation, while simultaneously (sort of) telling us the story itself.
We open with ADAPTATION (2002), directed by Spike Jonze. We have here a terrific ensemble cast, including Nicolas Cage, Chris Cooper, Meryl Streep and several other familiar faces. Cage plays a screenwriter who’s struggling with writing a script based on the real-life book The Orchid Thief. His twin brother shows up and decides that scriptwriting isn’t so tough, maybe he can write one. Hijinks ensue.
ADAPTATION is about the scriptwriting process. But sometimes the script comes together but producing the actual film is…something else again. For that we have TRISTAM SHANDY: A COCK & BULL STORY, from 2005 and directed by Michael Winterbottom.
In this film, Steve Coogan plays an exaggerated version of himself in the title role of the film adaptation of The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Gentleman. He’s constantly fighting with another actor, usually about who the real star of the film is. The director doesn’t appear to have a good handle on the source material, and the two people (who coincidentally–or not–have the same first name) who do, are constantly ignored. If you’ve ever watched a film and wondered how it got made, this is the answer.
COMING ATTRACTIONS:Â
In Episode 90 we go to the ballet, starting with the 1948 film THE RED SHOES, written and directed by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. Sean and Claude both enjoyed this film despite having different opinions on certain aspects of it. From there we go to 2003’s THE COMPANY, directed by Robert Altman. It covers a season of rehearsal and performances at the Joffrey Ballet. As with any Altman film, you may have a little difficulty following the chaos at first, but once you relax and settle in, you’ll have a great time. Join us, won’t you?