Podcasts · It Was A Book First
Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)
· 1 h 04 min · Episode 8 · Explicit
Episode Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)
This week, Sophie and Rudi take a deep dive into Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” with Classics professors Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada.
After Kyle and Il-Kweon share their backgrounds and areas of expertise (00:01:15), they dive right into Nolan’s film, sharing their general thoughts on his adaptation (00:03:35).
Then, they discuss what message readers are meant to take away from Homer’s poem (00:05:54), how Matt Damon’s characterization of Odysseus in the film subverts the poem (00:10:51) and the influence of Virgil’s “Aeneid” on Nolan’s film (00:27:23).
Kyle and Il-Kweon also share their favorite translations of “The Odyssey” (00:38:00), decide whether Anne Hathaway's Penelope is faithful to the text (00:47:00), and share their thoughts on how Nolan’s interpretation of the ending is in conversation with the tradition of scholarly debate over the end of the poem (00:56:49).
Next week, we’re discussing Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” a series adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners” that also draws from a pair of “Cape Fear” films from 1962 and 1991.
It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays.
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Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg
Guests: Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir
Editing: Rudi Greenberg
Social media: Sophie Vershbow
Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons
Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto
Website: Kevin Pfab
Links in the notes 9
- https://www.instagram.com/itwasabookfirstpod/
- https://www.tiktok.com/@itwasabookfirst
- https://www.youtube.com/@ItWasaBookFirstPodcast
- https://x.com/svershbow
- https://www.instagram.com/rudi_greenberg/
- https://www.uwo.ca/classics//about-us/faculty/kyle-gervais.html
- https://www.uwo.ca/classics/about-us/faculty/il-kweon-sir.html
- https://www.instagram.com/svershbow
- https://www.trishalouiseprieto.com/
Transcript
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