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SALT LAKE CITY — Joss Whedon may be best known for making one of the top-grossing movies of all time, "The Avengers," but he also likes to dabble with smaller projects.
Whedon's adaptation of the Shakespeare classic "Much Ado About Nothing" is headed to theaters this week. So far the reviews are positive for the play adapted to a modern setting.
Whedon's newest film is reminiscent of another Shakespeare classic in a modern-day setting, "Romeo & Juliet" from 1996. This got me looking closer at some well-known films that you may not have realized were originally written by Shakespeare.
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This is not a comprehensive list, but rather a list of adaptations that take a different twist on the source material. This is why amazing films like Kenneth Branagh's "Hamlet" and the 1968 version of "Romeo and Juliet" are not on the list.
This one may be obvious, but the 1961 classic "West Side Story" is based off of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet."
In this version Verona is replaced with New York, and "Romeo" is a Jet while "Juliet" is associated with the Sharks. If you have no idea what that means, you desperately need to see this movie.
The music is infectious and the film is just as heart-breaking and mesmerizing as the play.
The 1999 comedy "10 Things I hate About You" managed to break away a little from the obnoxious teen comedies we became used to, and it was actually clever.
Much of that credit is owed to Shakespeare himself.
The film is based loosely on "The Taming of the Shrew."
The Shakespeare comedy seems like it was written for a high school crowd. Granted, high school didn't exist when it was originally written, but when you see the story played out against the backdrop of acne and angst, it seems too perfect.
"10 Things I Hate About You" is far from a perfect film and it still falls into the traps of a teen comedy, but for the most part it's a fun and different take on Shakespeare.
Disney's "The Lion King" is one of the greatest animated films ever produced, and we all know the names Simba, Mufasa and Scar. But before these four-legged beasts hit the big screen in 1994, they were known as Hamlet, King Hamlet and Claudius.
"The Lion King" introduced a whole new generation to Shakespeare's "Hamlet" without them even knowing it. Granted, the writers took some liberties and changed a few things from the original play, but this was for kids, so I'm not sure they could have stayed totally faithful.
Early this year the romantic comedy "Warm Bodies" hit theaters and the strange love story was fun, bizarre and interesting. What wasn't so obvious is that "Warm Bodies" is yet another version of "Romeo and Juliet."
The movie takes the ever-popular forbidden love genre but turns it on its head a bit by making a zombie fall in love with a living, breathing girl.
The movie is much better than its box office numbers would suggest and it's likely the most creative take on "Romeo and Juliet" you'll ever see.
Yes, Disney's 1995 film "Pocahontas" is loosely based on the actual historical figure of the same name. But, as you look closer, the movie better resembles Shakespeare's "The Tempest" than the actual story of Pocahontas and John Smith.
"The Tempest" tells the story of a war that eventually breaks out because travelers land on an island that is already inhabited and the two sides do not understand one another. In the end, love prevails.
Sound familiar?
As you read the actual story of Pocahontas and then compare it to the Disney film it becomes clear that the movie is more of a Shakespeare adaptation than a historical retelling.
What are some Shakespeare adaptations that aren't so obvious? What are your favorite adaptations? Let us know on the comment boards, Facebook or send me an email.
