The Lodger (1944), Wolfen (1981), and Lair of the White Worm (1988)

Adapting novels and short stories into motion pictures is as old as cinema itself. Some adaptations are very successful, while some… not so much. Plus, there’s the age-old question of how well the source material is represented in the cinematic version. Are the filmmakers using it as inspiration rather than offering a straight-up telling of the original story? But when it comes down to it, the real questions are: does it work, and more importantly, is it entertaining?

In this episode, we’re taking on three very different stories from three very different authors. With tales ranging from Jack the Ripper to super-wolves to a pagan deity, they’re all over the place, each one filled with its filmmaker’s own sense of craftsmanship and style.

Films mentioned in this episode: