Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 6: The Dry

Welcome, readers. We are so excited to continue this new content from the creators of Currently Reading Podcast! This spin-off podcast series will tackle book to screen adaptations in a spoiler-FILLED format. Be sure you’ve read the book and watched the film version before listening to the episode, because we don’t shy away from strong opinions OR from all the spoilers, unlike our regular episodes.

Show notes for this series will not be time-stamped, but will still include links to Bookshop dot org or Amazon for any books or resources referenced in the episode. These are affiliate links, so they kick back a small percentage to us if you buy through them, and help support the work we do on Currently Reading.

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The Dry by Jane Harper

1:07 - Here’s the Setup

3:41 - Previews

Book Name and release date. Sales info and awards.

The Dry by Jane Harper

Force of Nature by Jane Harper

The Exiles by Jane Harper

The Lost Man by Jane Harper

 

Movie name and release date. Box office and awards.

The Dry (2021)

Force of Nature (coming 2024)

 

6:57 - The Cutting Room

Pivotal Book scenes and how they translated to the screen

Historical flashbacks

The actual dryness

Catching Scott Whitlam

Aaron Falk’s ostracization

 

Anything left out that shouldn’t have been

There are pieces of the movie that don’t make sense without the book

Clyde PD

Grant’s role in Ellie’s death

The note that implicates Aaron/his dad

Defacing Falk’s car

Love triangle/sexual tension

Luke’s death details and the bike tire marks

 

Added to the movie

Suspense building elements

Mushy middle

Weird product placements

Pub room versus big hotel

 

Casting and mis-casting

A few non-Australians were cast! But very few

Falk - Simon Baker, Ryan Kwanten

Gretchen - Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Margo Robbie, Toni Collette, Naomi Watts

Raco - just a Hemsworth

Whitlam - another Hemsworth, let’s go with Chris

Gerry - Hugo Weaving, Geoffrey Rush, Mel Gibson

 

Problematic elements

Discussion of the “gay f-word”

 

44:06 - Award Season

Worst and best parts of the adaptation.

The note that implicates Aaron

Mushy middle

Cinematography and score

The dryness, and the climax scene

 

Worst and best actors.

Young Luke

Raco, the actor

Eric Bana as Falk

 

Worst and best book characters.

Mal Deacon and Grant Dow

Luke Hadler

Raco

Karen Hadler

Aaron Falk

 

1:01:27 - Book/Flick Energy

Book scored on a 5 star scale.

Book on Goodreads

Movie scored on a 10 point scale.

Movie on Rotten Tomatoes

 

1:05:07 - A Leftover Popcorn Kernel

If you were to commit a murder, do you think you could get away with it?

And how would you do it?

What’s the scariest thing in Australia: the snakes, the spiders, the wildfires or the drought?

 

1:09:49 - End Credits

The Umbrella Academy by Gerard Way

Available on Netflix - Season 1

 

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