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The Odyssey

July 19, 2026 · 1 h 25 min

Show notes

On this episode, Ryan and Todd discuss Christopher Nolan's recent film. The conversation begins with Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey that Nolan consulted and adapted to the screen. Much of the conversation is focused on teasing out the consequences of the changes Nolan makes to the poem's narrative. It's spoiler-town so be wary after about 35 minutes. Apart from experiencing the technical feat of the film, the reason to see it is to see and consider the changes and alterations Nolan makes to the epic, its most famous sequences, and well-known characters.

Referenced in this episode:

Orson Welles "Frozen Peas" commercial outtakes

Emily Wilson's Substack "On Complicated..."

Notes on Odysseus' name

Also, at the end, I (Ryan) repeated what I now know is a common misconception that the Incredible Hulk TV series used music from Rocky Horror Picture Show. That was totally an error. Not as much of an error as saying Ayn Rand's sales figures were equal to Tolkien's in the 20th century but an error still.


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