BFG Podcast #079

We lead off this edition of the BFG podcast with a discussion of Nobel Prize laureate Bob Dylan. That’s the Literature Prize to you. Dylan has written a new book called Philosophy of Song, about songs he likes, and it’s as inscrutable as the rest of his body of work. Book and Film Globe contributor Jim Sullivan joins host Neal Pollack to talk about his review of The Philosophy of Modern Song. And they make fun of rock critics as well as Dylan’s somewhat purplish prose style. This might just be a joke that Dylan is playing on all of us.

Halloween may be in the past, but vampire shows are still on TV. Scott Gold joins Neal Pollack to talk about Interview with the Vampire, a new adaptation of the classic Anne Rice novel. Scott admires the new setting in Jazz Age New Orleans, and finds the lead vampires dynamic and magnetic, but a bad casting decision of the orphan vampire Claudia brings the proceedings down a little.

Just as biting is the Showtime adaptation of the classic Swedish vampire movie Let The Right One In. The setting is now America, and the girl vampire’s caretaker is now her aging father. But the basic premise remains the same. Scott has good things to say about the show but is critical of some somewhat convenient plot choices.

In non-vampire news, it’s the Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions. Neal and Daniel Cohen go deep into the weeds of the TOC, talk about why some players are favored over others, and discuss efficacy of using flash cards to study for trivia competitions. If you’re not ready, you’re not going to win. Also, Neal laments the fact that they never ask any questions about Park Chan-Wook on the show.

Enjoy our podcast, this week and every week!

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