Reel Lit is a semi-academic look into works of literature and their adaptation into film, hosted by McKenzie and Stephen, two film enthusiasts who also moonlight as college lecturers.
Parliament after Dark: Hooting about Slumber Party Massacre
Grab your daiquiris and power drills! the Owls are back for a night of synth-soaked screams and feminist subtext. Stephen and McKenzie turn their gaze (and talons) toward Amy Holden Jones’s The Slumber Party Massacre, the Roger Corman–produced cult classic that manages to be both sleazy and strangely self-aware.
They dissect the world’s least convincing basketball scene, two hapless Peeping Toms who get exactly what they deserve, and a killer who wields his drill like a Freudian thesis statement. McKenzie highlights how the film’s female characters, from Trish and Valerie to Coach Jana, emerge surprisingly competent, kind, and capable in a genre that usually punishes them for existing.
Come for the feminist analysis, stay for the snail-smashing neighbor, and the longest shower scene this side of Psycho..
Theme music: “City of Neon Lights” by Turtle Beats
Produced by: Mordecai Myles for Owls of Pallas Productions
11 Sept 2025
"That Is Mahogany!": The Hunger Games
The odds are in our favor this week as Reel Lit enters the arena with Suzanne Collins’s The Hunger Games (2008) and its 2012 film adaptation. Stephen and McKenzie welcome very special guest Dr. Sidney Blaylock (UNA Department of English) for a conversation about tributes, the Reaping, and the blurred line between performance and survival.
We cover it all: Katniss’s missing inner monologue, Jennifer Lawrence’s remarkable facial acting, Effie Trinket’s bonkers Capitol energy, Wes Bentley’s villainous beard, and why the Cornucopia opening sequence still shocks. From panopticons to nightlock berries, spectacle to surveillance, this film is, as Stephen puts it, “scholar catnip, Katniss.”
May the odds be ever in your favor, and Panopticon (just in case).
4 Jun 2025
"Aim Careful & Look the Devil in the Eye": Sin City
Hosts Stephen and McKenzie analyze Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez’s *Sin City*, exploring its visual style, complicated themes, and moral ambiguities, while also considering the film's problematic elements.
5 Apr 2025
Shot Callers: The Reel Lit Bracket Episode
In this special bonus edition of Reel Lit, Stephen and McKenzie hang up their close-reading glasses and lace up their high-tops for a bracket showdown of literary proportions. Eight films. Six categories. Zero chill.
From Rhys-level prose to homicidal sharks and hook-handed slashers, they debate, deliberate, and occasionally duel over:
Best Book (critical acclaim vs. personal canon)
Best Film (box office vs. brilliance)
Best Adaptation (judged by that not-so-patented metric of excellence, The Owl’s Perch)
Most Hated Character (because literature is personal, and vengeance is delicious)
And just for fun (and chaos), two more categories get thrown into the ring: Outstanding Performance and Best Supporting, where scene-stealers finally get their due.
Whether you’re Team Wonder Boys, rooting for Like Water for Chocolate, or just here for the madness, this is March Madness, Reel Lit-style. Brackets will be busted. Trash talk will be literary. And someone’s leaving the court with the ultimate buzzer-beater.
12 Mar 2025
Goober Says 'Hey" ... to Indie Films: A Lindsey Film Fest Recap
This special crossover episode of Reel Lit and Shelf Criticism takes you inside the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival, where indie gems shine, filmmakers spill the behind-the-scenes tea, and yes—we spend an alarming amount of time trying to track down Mickey O’Sullivan.
Join Stephen, McKenzie, and Mordecai as they:
🍿 Break down all the films that screened—dramas, docs, comedies, and everything in between.
🎤 Share exclusive interviews with the filmmakers and actors behind these festival favorites.
🦉 Introduce our newest Athenian Owl, Mordecai, who quickly learns that festival life = chaos.
👀 Embark on a legendary quest to find the elusive Mickey O’Sullivan, who was always talking to someone else.
Plus, we take a moment to issue a mea culpa to Moon Beams after a tragic Audacity failure erased a fantastic interview. (We’re still not over it.)
So grab your popcorn, settle in, and get ready for a hilarious, insightful, and occasionally disastrous look at the indie film world before it hits streaming.
8 Feb 2025
"Sad Destinies": Wide Sargasso Sea
Before she was the infamous "madwoman in the attic," she was Antoinette Cosway—a woman caught between cultures, identities, and the suffocating control of the man she married. This month on Reel Lit, we’re diving into Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea and its two film adaptations (1993 & 2006) to examine how this novel reclaims the silenced story of Jane Eyre’s Bertha Mason.
McKenzie offers an ecocritical interpretation, arguing that the island itself is more than just a setting—it’s an active force, shaping Antoinette’s identity and sealing her fate. Meanwhile, Stephen takes a genre-focused approach, analyzing how the 2006 film manipulates the language of romance to lull viewers into false security—only to shatter those expectations.
Along the way, we’ll discuss Rochester’s hypocrisy, Christophine’s power, Coco the doomed parrot, and whether the 1993 film leans into the erotic thriller genre in ways that subtly alter Antoinette’s characterization. Plus, we’ll break down which adaptation gets it right—and which Antoinette delivers the most haunting performance.
🌿 Is the island a character in its own right?
🎭 Is Rochester’s early tenderness sincere, or just another layer of control?
🔥 And what does Granbois look like as an Airbnb listing? (Oh yes, you know we’ve got a fake ad for this one.)
Join us as we untangle love, power, and identity in Wide Sargasso Sea.
🎧 Now streaming wherever you get your podcasts!
1 Jan 2025
Shelf Indulgence: 2024 - The Year in Review
As we close out 2024, we’re bringing you a special bonus episode of Reel Lit! Together with Shelf Criticism, we’re celebrating the best—and worst—cinema of the year.
Here’s what to expect:
🎥 The Shelfies Awards, honoring the year’s best performances, direction, and screenplays
📚 A quick look back at some standout book-to-film adaptations we covered this year
🏆 Stephen’s Top 5 Films of 2024
😂 A hilarious blooper reel that shows we’re human, too
👀 A sneak peek at some of the most anticipated films of 2025
Whether you’re a dedicated Shelf Criticism listener, a Reel Lit fan, or just a lover of all things film and literature, this episode has something for everyone.
Have thoughts on your Top 5 or favorite book-to-film adaptation of the year? Drop us a line at reellit@reellitpodcast.com (mailto:reellit@reellitpodcast.com) or on social media @ReelLitPodcast. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share as we head into an exciting new year of cinematic storytelling!
22 Dec 2024
"Welcome to the Party, Pal": Nothing Lasts Forever/Die Hard
Yippee-ki-yay, podcast listeners! In this special holiday episode of Reel Lit, Stephen and McKenzie take on the ultimate Christmas controversy: Die Hard. Is it a Christmas movie, or is it just an action flick with tinsel on the side? While McKenzie grapples with the gritty prose and cynical tone of Roderick Thorp’s Nothing Lasts Forever, Stephen unpacks the Reagan-era geopolitics, cowboy archetypes, and capitalist critiques that make Die Hard a cultural touchstone.
Together, they explore how the film adapts and transforms the novel’s nihilistic antihero into the wisecracking, everyman John McClane. McKenzie’s close read dives into Joseph Leland’s Straw Nihilist archetype, contrasting it with McClane’s relatable antiheroism. Meanwhile, Stephen connects Hans Gruber’s greed to 1980s anxieties about globalism, Japanese economic dominance, and the blurred lines between capitalism and villainy.
With a side of Argyle’s Limo Service, festive banter, and debates about Christmas film canon, this episode delivers action, analysis, and a whole lot of holiday cheer. Join us for a critical interrogation of one of the most enduring—and debated—holiday classics!
1 Dec 2024
"Like All the Matches Inside": Like Water for Chocolate
Authors Stephen and McKenzie explore the sensual tale of love, family, and food in Like Water for Chocolate, examining themes of magical realism, rebellion, and the connection between food and emotion.
26 Nov 2024
Parliament after Dark: Hooting about Zyzzyx Road
Reel Lit Podcast hosts Stephen, McKenzie, and Raegan dissect the cinematic enigma of Zyzzyx Road, a bizarre thriller starring Katherine Heigl, Tom Sizemore, and Leo Grillo, to uncover its misunderstood masterpiece status.
31 Oct 2024
"Chasing Shadows": The Woman in Black
In this Halloween special of Reel Lit, Stephen and McKenzie dive into Susan Hill's chilling novel The Woman in Black and its eerie 2012 film adaptation. They explore the haunting isolation of Eel Marsh House, examine the atmospheric use of silence, and discuss how mirrors and doubling underscore the lingering impact of grief and trauma. With their unique blend of wit and analysis, they uncover the unsettling elements that make The Woman in Black an enduring classic of ghostly horror.
2 Oct 2024
"What Do Stars Do Best?": Stardust
In this episode of Reel Lit, we're literally shooting for the stars! Join us as we dive into Neil Gaiman's 1999 novel Stardust and its whimsical 2007 film adaptation. We explore the contrasting tones of the book's darker, more mature themes with the film's lighter, comedic adventure. From costume symbolism and the significance of the characters' names to a rogues' gallery of familiar faces (Henry Cavill, anyone?), we leave no stone—or star—unturned.
We also geek out over the surprising cast cameos and dissect the intricacies of Captain Shakespeare’s flamboyant wardrobe. Plus, we dig into the moral ambiguity of Stardust's so-called 'heroes' in our 'Most Hated Character' segment.
And, of course, we can’t resist a little banter about Halloween preparations and a tease for our next spooky episode. So, grab your Bubbling ... err ... Babylon candle and get ready for a journey to the land of Faerie!
29 Aug 2024
"More Literary Than Cinematic": Wonder Boys
After being robbed of an Oscar with L.A. Confidential, director Curtis Hanson bounced back with the 2000 film Wonder Boys, based on Pulitzer-Prize winner Michael Chabon's 1995 novel. Join us on Reel Lit as McKenzie and Stephen take a look at the novel and the film, examining both the concept of the doppelgänger in the novel and analyzing Grady Tripp's spells ("You make it sound like we're in a Tennessee Williams play").
There is so much to cover: hood jumping, parenthood, and just how darn difficult it is to pronounce "Monongahela." Will Dimaggio's 56-game hitting streak ever be broken? Can you ever forget an Oola? Join us as we explore even more mysteries of Pittsburgh.
8 Aug 2024
"They're Not Fussy Chickens": The Birds (featuring Dr. Brenna)
In this thrilling episode of Reel Lit, join Stephen and McKenzie as they swoop into the world of Daphne du Maurier’s chilling novella (1952) and Alfred Hitchcock’s iconic film adaptation (1963), The Birds. This week, we’re excited to welcome our special guest, Dr. Brenna Wardell, a distinguished expert in film studies and Hitchcockian suspense.
(Editor's note: Due to three people sharing two mics in the recording, the sound is uneven at times. We have smoothed this out as much as possible, but be aware the volume will fluctuate at times.)
25 Jul 2024
"I'm Out of Clichés": Rhinoceros/Zombie Strippers
From the absurdist stages of Eugene Ionesco's 'Rhinoceros' to the outrageous antics of 'Zombie Strippers,' we explore the surreal collision of existential dread and undead exotic dancers. Join us as we unpack the transformation of humans into beasts and strippers into zombies, probing the depths of societal conformity and cinematic excess.
30 Jun 2024
"Kill the Commentary": I Know What You Did Last Summer
From Lois Duncan's 1973 novel that captivated Gen X'ers to the 1997 film filled with the hottest young stars that captivated Millennials, we delve into urban legends, hook hands, and those foolish teenage years.
19 Jun 2024
"On Land or Sea or Foam": Jaws
In the inaugural episode, we're talking Peter Benchley's 1974 best-seller and the 1975 film that began the summer movie tradition. We take a deep dive and sink our teeth into Jaws, seeing what insights we can reel in.
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Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
6 ratings
Podcast Authority Score: 27 / 100
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Quality
41
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YouTube
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Engagement
32
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