Movies We Dig | Film, Antiquity and Everything in Between

Feel like you've heard WAY too much about Odysseus? Too bad, because we're wrapping up our season with one more iteration of the famous Homeric hero. But this time, we're going old-school to discuss the 1954 film Ulysses. We are joined by special guest Laura Jenkinson-Brown (aka Jenks of Greek Myth Comix) to help us map out Ulysses' journey home. While our intrepid bard/hero gets waylaid by various side quests (and gorgeous women), we inevitably return to Nolan's Odyssey and how depictions of Odysseus have shifted over time in popular media. But the real question is, when are we getting a slasher horror version?To learn more about Laura and her work including her comics, blogs, and knitwear, visit her website. If you would like to get your hands on her book You Are Odysseus you can purchase a paperback or digital version here or check out the audiobook podcast!As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective, a podcast network and creator collective for historians, archaeologists, artists, and other creators and educators dedicated to sharing content about and featuring the ancient world that is accurate, accessible, and inclusive. To learn more about the collective and its contributors, check out collectivemem.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What made Dante Alighieri one of the world's greatest poets and a foundational figure for Italian culture? We're not sure because we left this film more confused than when we started. Yes, we descend into the Inferno that is In the Hand of Dante (2025), the very-hard-to-follow noir about an author recovering a manuscript of La Divina Commedia from the criminal underworld, set alongside the story of the poem's creator (sort of). Fortunately, we have our own personal Vergil to guide us through heaven and hell, professor of Italian Studies and a very special guest, Dr. Gianna Albaum. Listen to us debate a whole host of riveting issues, including morality, religion, Pope-politics and one Mr. Marty Scorsese. Justice for Gemma!You can read more from Gianna on her profile here and look out for the upcoming Queer Mediterranean conference Spring '26 at Smith College.As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective, a podcast network and creator collective for historians, archaeologists, artists, and other creators and educators dedicated to sharing content about and featuring the ancient world that is accurate, accessible, and inclusive. To learn more about the collective and its contributors, check out collectivemem.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Needing a break from Odysseus, we thought it was time to look at another important mythohistorical figure from the ancient Mediterranean world: Mary. You know, the Blessed Mother, Virgin Mary, Mother of God, Our Lady, Holy Virgin, Madonna (no, not the musician). Lucky for us, we got our hands a brand new historical fiction novel titled Marble, which is set to hit the shelves later this month. Even luckier, the author Taylor Catalana joins us to discuss her feminist retelling of Mary's life story (before all the aforementioned titles). We talk about the the media and history that inspired the novel, the significant themes of motherhood and choice, and just how difficult it is to depict an angel.Marble is set to release on September 29, 2026. To preorder your copy, visit the Modern Artist Press website. If you would like to learn more about Taylor and upcoming events relating to her book, visit her website or Instagram page.As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective, a podcast network and creator collective for historians, archaeologists, artists, and other creators and educators dedicated to sharing content about and featuring the ancient world that is accurate, accessible, and inclusive. To learn more about the collective and its contributors, check out collectivemem.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Travel through space (and time) as we wrap up our coverage of early-2000s animated films with Treasure Planet. The crew sits down to discuss children's literature, pirates in pop culture, and why pre-teen boys are to blame for letting this one flop. Come for the cool animation, stay for the Goo Goo Dolls! As always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective, a podcast network and creator collective for historians, archaeologists, artists, and other creators and educators dedicated to sharing content about and featuring the ancient world that is accurate, accessible, and inclusive. To learn more about the collective and its contributors, check out collectivemem.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We're back! Cramming ourselves once more into the water-logged, toilet-water horse that is podcasting, we return once again to finish our conversation on Christopher's The Odyssey (2026). The whole gang's here: Amy, Joe, Joel, Kermit, Piggy, Spider-man (listen through, it'll make sense). We talk the women of Homer, the nature of adaptation and why Plato keeps showing up in our group chat.You can find more thoughts from Amy and Joel on Homer and other subjects at amypistone.com and Sententiae Antiquae, and Joe's music and merch at Joe's Odyssey.For those looking for links specific to Homer and the Odyssey, here's everything our trio have done thus far:Joe Goodkin Links:Re-recording of The Odyssey: Songs of OdysseusInterview in the Chicago Sun Times- Backlash against Christopher Nolan's 'Odyssey' misses the pointAmy Pistone Link:Some Preliminary Thoughts on Nolan’s OdysseyJoel Christensen Links:Why Odysseus? Survivor, Scoundrel, (Anti)heroInterview in Variety- ‘The Odyssey’: What Academics Are Saying About Christopher Nolan’s Epic:Review in Hyperallergic- A Homerist Reacts to Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”Review in Today- I’m a Classics Professor. This Is What I Really Think of ‘The Odyssey’Review in Sententiae Antiquae- On viewing Nolan’s OdysseyThe Big Ol' Odyssey Review with Flint DibbleAs always, if you like what you hear, please be sure to rate, review, and subscribe to the show! Stay up-to-date on all the Movies We Dig news by visiting movieswedig.com or checking out our socials.Movies We Dig is also part of Mnemosyne: The Memory Collective, a podcast network and creator collective for historians, archaeologists, artists, and other creators and educators dedicated to sharing content about and featuring the ancient world that is accurate, accessible, and inclusive. To learn more about the collective and its contributors, check out collectivemem.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.