Levin, while not a huge fan of the original 1975 film adaptation was – along with most observers – less taken still with 2004's remake, which he described in a 2005 letter as more of a campy “black comedy” remake, vs. his own “understated and downbeat” novel – adding that it had “Some funny one-liners, but it ain’t my Stepford.”

• This piece written by Levin in advance of the 2004 remake