5 movies you didn't know were inspired by Shakespeare

1. Forbidden Planet (1956)

1. Forbidden Planet (1956)

Inspired by: The Tempest

Considered one of the greatest science fiction movies of the 1950s, Forbidden Planet gave the world Robby the Robot, and introduced us to Canadian comedy icon Leslie Nielson in one of his first roles. So how does this masterpiece of modern technology compare to Shakespeare’s play about magic, the sea, and revenge? Like The Tempest, Forbidden Planet centres around a father and daughter isolated (in this case, on a planet instead of an island) with the father wanting nothing more than revenge on the people that put them there. In The Tempest, Prospero uses magic to create a raging sea storm and attack a ship at sea while in Forbidden Planet, Dr. Edward Morbius uses his mind to attack a ship in space. Prospero also has two servants; Caliban and Ariel, and in Forbidden Planet, they are reimagined as Morbius’ faithful tin servant, Robby the Robot. The similarities don’t stop there, but you’ll just have to watch it to see them all.

Where to watch it*: YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play

2. West Side Story (1961)

Inspired by: Romeo and Juliet

Forbidden love, feuding families, and tragic deaths are just some of the things that West Side Story and Romeo and Juliet share. Set in the Upper West Side of New York City, West Side Story features two gangs, the Sharks and the Jets struggling to take control of their neighbourhood. Sound familiar? Just like the rivalry between the Capulets and Montagues in Romeo and Juliet, the rivalry between the Sharks and Jets is tumultuous, angry, and often bloody. But it wouldn’t be a Romeo and Juliet offshoot without members of the rival gangs falling in love, and that is exactly what happens to Tony (a Jet) and Maria (a Shark). While West Side Story strays from a completely tragic ending, it will have you singing “I Feel Pretty” to your bathroom mirror in a heartbeat.

Where to watch it*: Amazon Prime Video (with MGM subscription), YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play

3. The Adventures of Bob & Doug McKenzie: Strange Brew (1983)

Inspired by: Hamlet: Prince of Denmark

Perhaps one of the most surprising of all movies inspired by Shakespeare on this list, the Canadian cult-comedy Strange Brew draws heavily on the storyline and themes from Hamlet: The Prince of Denmark. In Hamlet, the prince desires to enact revenge against his uncle, who has murdered Hamlet’s father to seize the throne, and marry Hamlet’s mother. In Strange Brew, Hamlet takes the form of Pam, who’s father (and owner of Elsinore Brewery) has been recently killed. And if “Elsinore” sounds familiar, that is because it is named after Hamlet’s royal castle in the play. Rosencrantz & Guildenstern get a shining role in Strange Brew as bumbling brothers (and classic Canadian characters) Bob & Doug Mckenzie. With their help, and a possessed arcade game that may or may not be the ghost of her father, Pam fights evil Brewmeister Smith for control of the brewery. If that can’t convince you to watch this movie, there’s also mind control, hockey, and Oktoberfest. Now take off, you hoser.

Did you know? Lynne Griffin, who played Pam in Strange Brew, starred as Ophelia in our 1976 production of Hamlet.

Where to watch it*: YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play

4. 10 Things I Hate About You

Inspired by: The Taming of the Shrew

Also known as the movie that had every teenager in 1999 wishing for Heath Ledger to serenade them from the bleachers, 10 Things I Hate About You is a classic late-90s film and is a near perfect copy of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Not only do the main characters share incredibly similar names (Katherine in the play, Katarina in the movie), but the sister in both cases are named Bianca. Similar to the play, in the film the father of the two girls will not allow Bianca to date anybody until her sister Katarina, or Kat, does. Kat is surly and has no desire to be in anyone’s company, that is until Pat comes around to “tame” her anti-social ways. While his involvement in her life at first isn’t kosher, having been paid by fellow students to woo her, at the end of the movie (like the play) Pat and Kat find that their love is true and they reconcile before a big dance. While the movie was obviously adapted for a younger and more modern audience, like replacing marriage with dating in high school, 10 Things I Hate About You is probably one of the most recognized of all films inspired by Shakespeare.  

Where to watch it*: Disney+ (with subscription) YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play

5. She's the Man (2006)

Inspired by: Twelfth Night

Like 10 Things I Hate About You, She’s the Man shares more than just incredibly similar character names with a Shakespeare play. In this case, the 2006 comedy starring Amanda Bynes is a loose adaptation of Twelfth Night. The main character in both, Viola, disguises herself as her brother Sebastian and creates a mess of love triangles and mistaken identity. While Viola, as a man, falls in love with Duke Orsino (played by Channing Tatum) who is in love with Olivia at the beginning, Olivia has fallen in love with Viola’s male persona. Probably one of the only differences between the play and the movie is that in the play Viola has disguised herself as Cesario to be in service to Duke Orsino, while in the movie Viola disguises herself as her brother in order to play soccer because the girl’s team was cut from her school. Twelfth Night can be a confusing play and thankfully, She’s the Man makes these complexities understandable to the average viewer.

Where to watch it*: YouTube Movies, AppleTV, Google Play

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