Willing to Adapt

  What would you do if you were forced to compete in a murderous child competition for the entertainment of a manipulative society?     Journey into a dystopian world with Eric and Romi as they dissect the inspiration of this modern classic. Find out what inspired Suzanne Collins to write this hit book and what went on behind the scenes of the making of the movie that took America by storm.

    Merry Christmas!         Which version of A Christmas Carol is the best? In this yuletide episode Eric and Romi spread some Christmas cheer with an in-depth look at Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and the 2009 film starring Jim Carrey, and directed by Robert Zemeckis.      Who knew that Christmas stories could be so scary? For that matter this movie adaptation that used state of the art "motion capture" technology perhaps unnerved people more than spread joy. This adaptation was the nail in the coffin for such technology.     Come along and discover Victorian England and the true meaning of Christmas.

    A girl falls in love with a boy who doesn't know that she exists until she becomes beautiful, and now he is ready to ruin his engagement and his family business to have her. To stop this his brother attempts to seduce the girl but ends up seduced himself...Sounds comlpicated? Not really...Fun? Definitely.     When director Sydney Pollack re-made the classic film Sabrina for a 90s audience it did not do well at all, but it has maintained a type of cult classic following. This film is much longer than the original, and even though the plot stays the same, does this remake "fix" some of the problems of the original film?

    A girl falls in love with a boy who doesn't know that she exists until she becomes beautiful, and now he is ready to ruin his engagement and his family business to have her. To stop this his brother attempts to seduce the girl but ends up seduced himself...Sounds comlpicated? Not really...Fun? Definitely.     Sabrina from the 1950s has stood the test of time but did you know that the making of it was far more complicated than it appears? This classic film has enthralled audiences and Audrey Hepburn fans for decades but what makes it so great? Does it actually still hold up. In preperation of discussing the 1990s remake Eric and Romi look behind the scenes at the original film and all the craziness and romance therein.

    Happy Halloween! Join Eric and Romi as they look deep into a true 90s Halloween cult classic with a cheesy, yet thrilling, story. This episode takes a good glimpse behind the scenes at the making of the movie, and how it was made.     Disney's The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has remained an immensly popular attraction for over thirty years, but many people do not know that in the late 90s Disney made the attraction into a movie for television. Written and directed by D.J. MacHale, the co-creator of Are You Afraid of the Dark, this movie  helped pave the way for Disney to create other movies based on their attraction.  

    "You've just crossed over into... the Twilight Zone."     Disney's The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror has remained an immensly popular attraction for over thirty years, but many people do not know that in the late 90s Disney made the attraction into a movie for television. Written and directed by D.J. MacHale, the co-creator of Are You Afraid of the Dark, this cult classic  helped pave the way for Disney to create other movies based on their attraction.     In the first part, join Eric and Romi as they do a deep investigation behind the scenes, and backstage, at the creation of this thrill ride, and what makes it unique and hauntingly enduring.

    When the writor of the books writes for the TV show it should be exactly like the books, right? Not neccessarily.     In this third, and final, part, join Eric and Romi as they explore the hit Netflix adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Is it better or worse than the movie? Does it change the books or just expand on them?    Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of Lemony Snicket as Eric and Romi launch their third season with an in-depth look at the book series and adaptations that continue to confound and entertain children and adults alike. The three Baudelaire orphans struggle to evade a sinister man, yet bad actor, named Count Olaf, who is hell-bent on getting his hands on their parent's fortune no matter what.     What is the enigmatic organization called V.F.D. and what is going on with all these murders and fires? More importantly why would anyone want to watch a movie that is self-proclaimed to be filled with nothing but woe?

    How can you combine three books into one movie?     In this episode Eric and Romi look behind the scenes at the making of the hit 2004 film adaptation of A Series of Unfortunate Events, starring Jim Carrey. Discover what changes were made from the books and why?    Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of Lemony Snicket as Eric and Romi launch their third season with an in-depth look at the book series and adaptations that continue to confound and entertain children and adults alike. The three Baudelaire orphans struggle to evade a sinister man, yet bad actor, named Count Olaf, who is hell-bent on getting his hands on their parent's fortune no matter what.     What is the enigmatic organization called V.F.D. and what is going on with all these murders and fires? More importantly why would anyone want to watch a movie that is self-proclaimed to be filled with nothing but woe?

   Immerse yourself in the mysterious world of Lemony Snicket as Eric and Romi launch their third season with an in-depth look at the book series that continues to confound and entertain children and adults alike. The three Baudelaire orphans struggle to evade a sinister man, yet bad actor, named Count Olaf, who is hell-bent on getting his hands on their parent's fortune no matter what.     What is the enigmatic organization called V.F.D. and what is going on with all these murders and fires? More importantly why would anyone want to read a book that is self-proclaimed to be filled with nothing but woe?     In this episode the guys will explain some of this and more as they explore these thirteen books (with a focus on the first three) before they go on to take a look at the film and Netflix adaptations.

Our world has been overwhelmed with remakes, reboots, and sequals galore, but what if there was one that was not only actually good, but perhaps transcends the original? In this last part for their Cinderella episodes, Eric and Romi take a close look at the 2015 live-action Disney remake of the beloved, and sometimes hated classic 1950 animated film. This film was directed by Kenneth Branaugh, has a spectacular cast, and has come to earn the public and critical aclaim of maybe being Disney's BEST live-action remake. If the other remakes suffered, why was this one so great? Take a listen with the guys as they look behind the scenes at the making of this gorgeous film and find a few surprises along the way. Did you know that they completely built that ballroom from scratch?  

In this second part Eric and Romi discuss how Walt Disney and his animators adapted Cinderella from its original fairytales and into a phenomenon. This film saved the Disney company and helped make it what it is today but there is far more to uncover. Why has an old Disney animated film caused such controversy? How could Disney's 1950's Cinderella be a fun movie for children, as well as a source of Feminist anger? Where does the truth lie? Come take a look behind the scenes at the making and legacy of this classic.

Do you think you know the REAL story of Cinderella? This fairytale has ancient roots, and you might be surprised at the dark and gruesome nature. Before we can look at the adaptations we need to uncover the "original versions." In this episode Eric and Romi look back at all the numerous variations of the classic tale and how we came to our modern day understandings. Some surprises await along the way.

    In this second episode Eric and Romi take a look at the making of the 1983 movie. Look behind the scenes at the making of the classic 80s film adaptation with its star-studded cast, what changed, and why.      The Outsiders is the book that single-handedly created the modern Young Adult Novel, with its brutal honesty, and exposure of real teenage problems. In this episode Eric and Romi discuss why this book has found its way onto the list of commonly banned books, as well as why it has held a dear place in the hearts of millions. For fun, find out why Romi hated reading this book, and why he has now changed his mind.      Also, look out for some fun little surprises, and remember to "stay gold"!

    The Outsiders is the book that single-handedly created the modern Young Adult Novel, with its brutal honesty, and exposure of real teenage problems. In this episode Eric and Romi discuss why this book has found its way onto the list of commonly banned books, as well as why it has held a dear place in the hearts of millions. For fun, find out why Romi hated reading this book, and why he has now changed his mind.      Look behind the scenes at the making of the classic 80s film adaptation with its star-studded cast, what changed, and why. Also, look out for some fun little surprises, and remember to "stay gold"!

    "Everybody has a secret... Duke wants Olivia who likes Sebastian who is really Viola whose brother is dating Monique so she hates Olivia who's with Duke to make Sebastian jealous who is really Viola who's crushing on Duke who thinks she's a guy..."       Not everyone knows that this early 2000s film, starring Amanda Bynes, was inspired by William Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night, but how well does it hold up in comparison? This movie pays homage to the Bard all while reaching a new, younger, audience. Come take a look behind the scenes and enjoy the fun.

    What happens when a young woman is shipwrecked in a strange land and forced to impersonate a man? Obviously she ends up in the middle of a love triangle. From the mind of William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night is full of mistaken identity, pranks, gender confusion, and tragedy.     Is this play a comedic genius, or secretly a drama? There is so much to uncover between these pages. In this episode Eric and Romi discuss the differences between the live-recorded Globe Stage comedic production (with a traditional all-male cast), and the 1996 dramatic adaptation. Find out what changed, as well as some of the social ramifications.

    What happens when a young woman is shipwrecked in a strange land and forced to impersonate a man? Obviously she ends up in the middle of a love triangle. From the mind of William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night is full of mistaken identity, pranks, gender confusion, and tragedy.     Is this play a comedic genius, or secretly a drama? In this episode Eric and Romi discuss the differences between the live-recorded Globe Stage comedic production (with a traditional all-male cast), and the 1996 dramatic adaptation. Find out what changed, as well as some of the social ramifications.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” With these words the famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald leaves his readers with a lasting impression that has gripped America for one hundred years now. People over the years have found themselves within the pages of The Great Gatsby and have walked away changed, and some have found little substance, but why? Dive deep into the roaring 20s as Eric and Romi discuss this American classic and it's polarizing 2013 Baz Luhrman adaptation. Whether you were forced to read this one in school or it is your personal favorite, come along and hear some behind the scenes information and figure out what makes the book and film so great.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” With these words the famous author F. Scott Fitzgerald leaves his readers with a lasting impression that has gripped America for one hundred years now. People over the years have found themselves within the pages of The Great Gatsby and have walked away changed, and some have found little substance, but why? Dive deep into the roaring 20s as Eric and Romi discuss this American classic and it's polarizing 2013 Baz Luhrman adaptation. Whether you were forced to read this one in school or it is your personal favorite, come along and hear some behind the scenes information and figure out what makes the book and film so great.

Dive deep into the roaring 20s as Eric and Romi discuss this American classic and it's polarizing 2013 Baz Luhrman adaptation. Whether you were forced to read this one in school or it is your personal favorite, come along and hear some behind the scenes information and figure out what makes the book and film so great.

    In this beautiful classic novel a young man named Nicholas Nickleby must become the man he must be in order to protect his family and his new young friend, all the while evading his evil uncle.      In this first part the guys discuss what went into the making of the book and Eric explains some important historical and societal context.     Charles Dickens has written some of the world's most popular literature and spurred on numerous social changes by highlighting the difficulties of Victorian England, and in this episode Eric and Romi dive into the differences between the original book and the modern film adaptation to uncover the changes and the MANY omissions. 

    In this beautiful classic novel a young man named Nicholas Nickleby must become the man he must be in order to protect his family and his new young friend, all the while evading his evil uncle.      In this first part the guys discuss what went into the making of the book and Eric explains some important historical and societal context.     Charles Dickens has written some of the world's most popular literature and spurred on numerous social changes by highlighting the difficulties of Victorian England, and in this episode Eric and Romi dive into the differences between the original book and the modern film adaptation to uncover the changes and the MANY omissions. 

    In this classic novel a young man named Nicholas Nickleby must become the man he must be in order to protect his family and his young friend all the while evading his evil uncle.     Charles Dickens has written some of the world's most popular literature and spurred on numerous social changes by highlighting the difficulties of Victorian England, and in this episode Eric and Romi dive into the differences between the original book and the modern film adaptation to uncover the changes and the MANY omissions. 

Come on a fantastical journey with Eric and Romi as they look behind the scenes of this cult classic from the 80s. This fictional meta story is unique in the way that it lives on with each of us. Did you know this film was based on a book? They were both written by the same author too. There is a lot to explore.

Come on a fantastical journey with Eric and Romi as they look behind the scenes of this cult classic from the 80s. This fictional meta story is unique in the way that it lives on with each of us. Did you know this film was based on a book? They were both written by the same author too. There is a lot to explore.

This trailer looks into the making of the cult 80s classic, The Princess Bride. This is another one that many did not realize was originally a book. Check out how changing the story for the big screen changed things and why this film has a place in the hearts of so many.

Did the Disney Company purposefully tank one of their own films? In this third part Eric and Romi take a look at Disney's coming of age, "cult classic", Treasure Planet. Treasure Island in space! Come listen as they talk about how you will never see another movie such as this, and hear some behind the scenes information. Join the adventure.

Yo Ho! In this second episode Eric and Romi explore Disney's first adaptation of the classic novel, Treasure Island. This full-length, live-action film had a heavy influence on popular culture's understanding of pirates and remains remarkably faithful to the book but with some interesting changes. Come on the adventure!

Ahoy landlubbers! Come meet the infamous pirate Long John Silver, and our hero Jim Hawkins as they fight for buried treasure in this classic adventure. In this first episode of three Eric and Romi take a look at author Robert Louis Stevenson and his original book. If you are new to this story or this is your first time hearing about it there is something for everyone to enjoy.

Ahoy landlubbers! Come meet the infamous pirate Long John Silver, and our hero Jim Hawkins as they fight for buried treasure in this classic adventure. Along the way hear how Disney adapted the book into the cult classic Treasure Planet.

Curiouser and curiouser...How well do you know about Alice's adventures in Wonderland? Who is Lewis Carroll, and what are we to believe about the controversies that surround his life? In this episode Eric and Romi discuss how this English masterpiece was adapted into the star-studded, 1990s made-for-TV Hallmark adaptation. You might be surprised at how much you do not know.

Curiouser and curiouser...How well do you know about Alice's adventures in Wonderland? Who is Lewis Carroll, and what are we to believe about the controversies that surround his life? In this episode Eric and Romi discuss how this English masterpiece was adapted into the cultural phenomenon that is the Walt Disney 1951 adaptation. You might be surprised at how much you do not know, like how drugs might have been responsible for the popularity of Disney's adaptation.

Curiouser and curiouser...How well do you know about Alice's adventures in Wonderland? Who is Lewis Carroll, and what are we to believe about the controversies that surround his life? In this episode Eric and Romi discuss how this English masterpiece was adapted into the cultural phenomenon that is the Walt Disney 1951 adaptation. You might be surprised at how much you do not know.

Curiouser and curiouser...How well do you know about Alice's adventures in Wonderland? Who is Lewis Carroll, and what are we to believe about the controversies that surround his life? In this episode Eric and Romi discuss how this English masterpiece was adapted into the cultural phenomenon that is the Walt Disney 1951 adaptation. You might be surprised at how much you do not know.

It's that time of year when the snow is falling, lights are all aglow, and the famous Nutcracker Ballet music fills the air, but where did the story of the Nutcracker come from? From the Enlightenment Period in Europe to the stages of 20th century America, this story has become a Christmas tradition, but did you know that it almost was forgotten forever? Tune into this special Christmas episode to hear all about it.

It's that time of year when the snow is falling, lights are all aglow, and the famous Nutcracker Ballet music fills the air, but where did the story of the Nutcracker come from? From the Enlightenment Period in Europe to the stages of 20th century America, this story has become a Christmas tradition, but did you know that it almost was forgotten forever? Tune into this special Christmas episode to hear all about it.

It's that time of year when the snow is falling, lights are all aglow, and the famous Nutcracker Ballet music fills the air, but where did the story of the Nutcracker come from? Tune into this special Christmas episode to hear all about it.

Did you know that the Scarface movie from the 1980s is actually a remake of a 1930s film that was inspired by the real-life gangster Al Capone? Well, neither did Eric and Romi. Why are gangster movies so popular, and is there more behind a drug filled film? Come found out.

Did you know that the Scarface movie from the 1980s is actually a remake of a 1930s film that was inspired by the real-life gangster Al Capone? Well, neither did Eric and Romi. Why are gangster movies so popular, and is there more behind a drug filled film? Come found out.

Did you know that the Scarface movie from the 1980s is actually a remake of a 1930s film that was inspired by the real-life gangster Al Capone? Well, neither did Eric and Romi. Why are gangster movies so popular, and is there more behind a drug filled film? Come found out.

Perhaps you had to read or watch this one in school? We don't blame you if you were not interested, but perhaps there is more to uncover. From the mind of the witty Oscar Wilde came the perenially popular and comedic production of The Importance of Being Earnest...Unfortunately a modernized film had to be made. Join Eric and Romi as they investigate what did and did not work in adapting this stage classic.

Perhaps you had to read or watch this one in school? We don't blame you if you were not interested, but perhaps there is more to uncover. From the mind of the witty Oscar Wilde came the perenially popular and comedic production of The Importance of Being Earnest...Unfortunately a modernized film had to be made. Join Eric and Romi as they investigate what did and did not work in adapting this stage classic.

From the mind of the witty Oscar Wilde came the perenially popular and comedic production of The Importance of Being Earnest...Unfortunately a modernized film had to be made. Join Eric and Romi as they investigate what did and did not work in adapting this stage classic.

In this last part, revisit the worldwide phenomenon that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Eric and Romi as they take an in-depth look at the changes that were made between the book and the film. They two also discuss which Hogwarts house they belong in, as well as som insight into the making of a franchise. Beware of the spoilers for the entire series. If YOU are just as nerdy about Harry Potter as these two are then you will definitely enjoy this episode.

Revisit the worldwide phenomenon that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Eric and Romi as they take an in-depth look at the changes that were made between the book and the film. They two also discuss which Hogwarts house they belong in, as well as som insight into the making of a franchise. Beware of the spoilers for the entire series. If YOU are just as nerdy about Harry Potter as these two are then you will definitely enjoy this episode.

Revisit the worldwide phenomenon that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Eric and Romi as they take an in-depth look at the changes that were made between the book and the film. They two also discuss which Hogwarts house they belong in, as well as som insight into the making of a franchise. Beware of the spoilers for the entire series. If YOU are just as nerdy about Harry Potter as these two are then you will definitely enjoy this episode.

Revisit the worldwide phenomenon that is the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with Eric and Romi as they take an in-depth look at the changes that were made between the book and the film. 

A Disney Classic! In this episode Eric and Romi look at the 1959 Disney film version of Sleeping Beauty and take a look behind the scenes at how Disney created such a visual masterpiece. A lot has changed from the original. Is this the best adaptation? Please listen to the first two episodes to understand how we got to this.

In the second part of the Sleeping Beauty adaptation analysis Eric and Romi watch the ballet version of the classic fairy tale. It was amazing but LONG. A lot of changes were made in adapting the fairy tale. Listen as the two better understand the history of ballet and how difficult it truly is. Dis you know that Eric used to dance? If you are one of his family members listening then yes you did. Some fun facts are also scattered about...Stay tuned next time for the look at Disney's adaptation. 

Fairytales are not always so innocent. In this first part episode Eric and Romi explore the complicated origins of the beloved fairytale and you will be surprised to discover how much it has changed. This episode discusses some serious and perhaps difficult subjects, such as rape, so be aware. If that has not scared you off come on this crazy journey.