Skylight Books Podcast Series

Better Than the Movie 18: THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH w/ Mark Rennie

What Price Vincent? Writer and improviser Mark Rennie (The Big Gay Movie Spreadsheet, Eat Pray Dunk) returns for a second appearance on BTTM, just in time for Spooky Season. Under discussion is the Edgar Allan Poe classic "The Masque of the Red Death," adapted to film by director Roger Corman and star Vincent Price in 1964. 

Allan and Justin chat with Mark about horror in general, about Vincent Price in particular, and about a bunch of other digressive topics. Let's get Halloween-y!! 

Hosted by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer. (Miss ya, Tyler.)
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. 

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band. 

Better Than the Movie 17: THE SWIMMER w/ Buzzy Cohen

THIS... IS... JEOP-BUZZY! Jeopardy! champion Buzzy Cohen (Baby Got Facts: Totally 90s Trivia) drops in to talk about John Cheever's small slice of suburban surrealism, "The Swimmer." Burt Lancaster headlines the 1968 film adaptation, scripted by Eleanor Perry (Diary of a Mad Housewife) and directed by Frank Perry (Mommie Dearest). This is Better Than the Movie's first short story discussion, so Buzzy and the BTTM crew also discuss other notable short story adaptations to film.

Hosted by Justin Remer, Allan Traylor, and Tyler Austin. 
Produced by Justin Remer.
Recorded at LAPL Octavia Lab.

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band 

SKYLIT: Danzy Senna, "COLORED TELEVISION"

Premier fiction interviewer Elodie Saint-Louis is back in conversation, this time with the amazing Danzy Senna, to talk about Senna's new novel Colored Television.

 

In this episode, Senna reads from her book, followed by an amazing talk about multicultural identity, Senna's relationship to humor, and who she would choose to soundtrack the novel.

 

Listen in and then stop by Skylight Books on Wednesday, September 4 to see Senna read in person!

 

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Produced by Elodie Saint-Louis and Mick Kowaleski

Music by Duck the Piano Wire

Better Than the Movie Special: TANK GIRL (Friend of the Fest Preview)

The Better Than the Movie boys are hosting a screening of TANK GIRL (1995) on August 24, 2024, as part of American Cinematheque's Friend of the Fest 2024 podcast film festival. So here is a free-floating (read: CHAOTIC) chat about this underground comic-turned-quirky Hollywood movie, including another of Allan's absurd trivia competitions. If you're in LA, pick up a ticket for more of this insanity: SKYLIGHT BOOKS PRESENTS TANK GIRL  

Whether you're attending or not, this episode is an adrenaline jolt of snappy silliness about an absurd and crazy flick.  

Hosted by Allan Traylor, Tyler Austin, and Justin Remer. 
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. 

Opening music and game show bed music taken from Duck the Piano Wire's ISOLATION QUARTET 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band 

SKYLIT: Matt Singer, OPPOSABLE THUMBS (Siskel & Ebert)

Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert are arguably the most influential American film critics of the 20th Century. Clips from their movie review TV show continue to circulate on social media and Youtube to the delight of new viewers and old fans alike. In his book OPPOSABLE THUMBS, film writer Matt Singer looks at the history of these film critics, the TV show opportunity that brought them together and brought them fame, and their lingering fingerprints on the media landscape. Skylight's Tyler Austin talks to him about the book, about Siskel and Ebert's relationship, and about the team's advocacy for cinema. 

Hosted by Tyler Austin. 
Produced by Tyler Austin, Mick Kowaleski, and Justin Remer. 

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band. 

Better Than the Movie 16: PERFUME: THE STORY OF A MURDERER w/ Elisa Garcia

We've got a classic on BTTM today that's all killer. DJ and bookseller Elisa Garcia selected PERFUME, the 1985 German novel by Patrick Süskind that was originally deemed unfilmable. But co-screenwriter and director Tom Tykwer (RUN LOLA RUN, BABYLON BERLIN) surely got the job done in 2006. Elisa joins Allan, Tyler, and Justin to discuss the best bits of the book, the genius of Ben Whishaw's lead performance, and... whatever Dustin Hoffman was doing. Smells like a great episode! 

Hosted by Tyler Austin, Justin Remer, and Allan Traylor. 
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. 

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire  
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

SKYLIT: Geoff Shackelford, GOLF ARCHITECTURE FOR NORMAL PEOPLE

It's a golfing extravaganza as Geoff Shackelford joins Skylight's Tyler Austin to discuss his book Golf Architecture for Normal People! Together, they talk golf course design, the economic and ecological impacts of a golf course that people don't often think about, and how golf as a game is becoming more accessible to lower-class players. 

 

It's a great episode about golf...for normal people!

 

Produced by Mick Kowaleski and Tyler Austin

Music by Duck, the Piano Wire

Better Than the Movie 15: PLANET OF THE APES

It's a madhouse! The BTTM fellas are on their own this month, talking PLANET OF THE APES. The main focus is the original feature film, directed by Oscar winner Franklin J. Schaffner and scripted by fellow Oscar winner Michael Wilson and TWILIGHT ZONE creator Rod Serling. The fellas compare this classic to the lesser known source novel by Pierre Boulle that inspired the whole franchise. But most things APES get touched upon in this episode too, from the new release in theaters, KINGDOM OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, the failed Tim Burton reboot in 2001, and even the '70s cartoon show. Let Allan, Tyler, and Justin drive you bananas, won't you? 

Hosted by Allan Traylor, Tyler Austin, and Justin Remer.
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solmenity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

SKYLIT: Maggie Nelson, LIKE LOVE

Join us for a conversation with Skylight favorite Maggie Nelson, whose newest collection of essays, Like Love, has already made its way into our booksellers' hearts. One of those booksellers, Elodie Saint-Louis, sat down with Maggie to talk about Like Love, her thoughts on genre distinctions with writing, and much more!

 

Produced by Elodie Saint-Louis and Mick Kowaleski

 

Music by Duck the Piano Wire

 

BUY LIKE LOVE HERE: https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9781644452813

Better Than the Movie 14: THE GREEN KNIGHT / SIR GAWAIN AND... w/ Conor Holt

Happy Dev Patel Season to all who celebrate! Mr. Patel's directing debut, MONKEY MAN, is in theaters now, but we decided to look back a few years at his great work in THE GREEN KNIGHT, adapted from the chivalric romance SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT by writer-director David Lowery (PETER PAN & WENDY). Filmmaker and VHS enthusiast Conor Holt joins Allan and Justin to talk King Arthur stories and much more!

Hosted by Allan Traylor and Justin Remer. (Feel better, Tyler!)
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab.

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solmenity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band

Better Than the Movie 13: MONEYBALL w/ Michael Chin

Happy Opening Day! And coincidentally, Tyler has selected a baseball classic for his birthday pick: Michael Lewis's MONEYBALL: THE ART OF WINNING AN UNFAIR GAME and the Oscar-nominated film adaptation co-written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Bennett Miller. How did they turn those stats into a movie!?! Guest Michael Chin (Great Wave Goods) helps break down the differences between page and screen. 

Hosted by Tyler Austin, Allan Traylor, and Justin Remer. 
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at Tyler's house on Tyler's couches. 

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band. 

Better Than the Movie 12: THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY w/ Emily VanKoughnett

How's the peepin', Tommy? Netflix's RIPLEY series is still more than a month away from dropping, but guest Emily VanKoughnett (Los Angeles Review of Books; LIT ANGELES) joins the BTTM crew to discuss Patricia Highsmith's classic murder story from 1955, THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, and the 1999 film adaptation from writer-director Anthony Minghella, starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow... and the incomparable Philip Seymour Hoffman. TOMMY! (There's a little chat about 1960's PURPLE NOON too, but everybody didn't watch that one.)

Hosted by Tyler Austin, Justin Remer, and Allan Traylor. 
Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at the LAPL Octavia Lab. 

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. 
Closing Music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band. 

SKYLIT: Tommy Orange, WANDERING STARS

It's a sneak peek special! Skylight's own Elodie sits down with the incredible Tommy Orange (There, There) to talk about his new novel Wandering Stars (Feb. 27)...listen in for a reading of an excerpt, Tommy's thoughts on Native American representation and why he's hopeful for the future.

To pre-order Wandering Stars: https://www.skylightbooks.com/book/9780593318256

Edited by Mick Kowaleski

Music by Duck the Piano Wire

SKYLIT: Eric Wolfson, FIFTY YEARS OF THE CONCEPT ALBUM IN POPULAR MUSIC

From The Beatles to Beyoncé! Author Eric Wolfson discusses his new book on the shifting identity of the concept album in rock, pop, and hip-hop music with bookseller (and, yes, friend) Justin Remer. The book breaks down 25 albums across five eras, and Eric and Justin get into many of them here. A great chat for veteran music nerds and new fans alike. 

Produced by Justin Remer. 
Recorded at LAPL Octavia Lab.

Opening music: "Optimism (Instrumental)" by Duck the Piano Wire. 
Closing music: "Rule of 3s (Solemnity Child)" by Elastic No-No Band.

SKYLIT: Will Harris, SURELY YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS

I am serious. And don't call me Shirley.

 

Resident film buff Tyler Austin sits down with Will Harris, pop culture journalist, to discuss the interviews that comprise Surely You Can't Be Serious: The True Story of Airplane! Together, they discuss some of Will's favorite interviews and some truly great behind-the-scenes scoops from one of the greatest comedies of all time.

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Produced by Tyler Austin and Mick Kowaleski.

 

Music by Duck, the Piano Wire.