Popcorn in the Pages - Episode 6: The Dry Currently Reading

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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