Shakespeare References in Science Fiction Movies

Science Fiction Movies, written by Gregory B. Richards, contains a few references to Shakespeare. The first comes in a paragraph about Forbidden Planet, with Richards writing: “Loosely based on Shakespeare’s The Tempest, the story concerns a space patrol mission in search of a lost expeditionary force on the planet Altair IV. Upon arrival, several of the crew are attacked by a mysterious invisible monster. The colony’s only survivors, Dr. Morbius (Walter Pidgeon) and his daughter (Anne Francis) are unable to explain anything” (p. 38). The next reference also concerns The Tempest, but is merely a mention of Brave New World, which gets its title from Miranda’s line “O brave new world,/That has such people in ‘t!” Richards is writing about Woody Allen’s Sleeper: “Allen manages to send up Brave New World, 1984, and just about every other piece of science fiction ever written” (p. 52). The book’s final Shakespeare reference comes in a paragraph on William Shatner. Richards writes, “Shatner has an extensive Shakespearean background and has played roles in several of the Stratford Shakespeare Festivals” (p. 71).

Science Fiction Movies was published in 1984.