This is your excuse to watch movies for an ‘educational’ purpose. All of these movies are based books you read in school.Who knew watching these movies would be widening your literary horizon. And making us a group of academic weapons.
1. Clueless
Based on the book Emma by Jane Austen, Cher Horowitz is the modernised version of Emma , an intervening matchmaker who falls in love along the way and learns valuable lessons about life throughout. Though Austen wrote that ‘ I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like’ when describing Emma. Alicia Silverwood’s charming, fun performance of Cher makes her incredibly likeable even through her less kind activities and actions in the movie.
2. She’s the Man
The plot of She’s the Man stems from the comedic play twelfth night by Shakespeare. Obviously the football (soccer) is a newer aspect but the whole dressing as boy is a tale as old as time. She’s the man is a staple in the 2000s movie genre and the fact it stemmed from something so old highlights the fundamental truth that everything old can become popular again.
3. Anyone But You
Loosely based on Much Ado About Nothing, in which Benedick and Beatrice act out the stereotypical (but always appreciated) enemies to lovers trope. Shakespeare’s influence is intertwined throughout Anyone but You such as the early courtship gone wrong and the battle of wits. Shakespeare literary strengths peek through in Anyone but You.
4. 10 Things I Hate About You
Does anyone sense a slight Shakespeare theme running through here? This is the last one I promise. But 10 Things I hate about you is based on the Taming of the Shrew albeit it’s less sexist and focuses more on the story between Patrick and Kat.
5. The Nutty Professor
Finally The Nutty Professor 1996 starring Eddie Murphy is a remake of the 1963 film with the same name which was a parody of the Robert Stevenson Novella The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. Where Eddie Murphy’s character creates weight loss pill that causes him to temporarily lose weight and an alternate ego is formed.
Throughout this process of research I really began to realise the impact older literature had on movies we know and love today. And of course watching these movies is basically reading for school.Sooo we should replace these books for the movies?