Sci-Fi Sorcery: Lonely Islands, Forbidden Planets, & Shakespeare’s The Tempest

Seminar Enrichment Series

Shakespeare’s legacy in film and television is undeniable: from the use of iambic pentameter in HBO’s Deadwood to Disney’s not-so-subtle reinterpretation of Hamlet in The Lion King. Not to mention the myriad adaptations of his many plays. The Bard’s influence is also notable in science fiction. The Tempest in particular, has inspired numerous adaptations, plotlines, and Easter eggs. Shows like Star Trek and Lost, and even video games like MYST, make explicit reference to The Tempest and the figure of the marooned wizard Prospero. For this Seminar Enrichment Series Event, we will examine The Tempest’s enduring influence on sci-fi cinema, followed by a screening of Fred M. Wilcox’s delightfully campy 1956 film Forbidden Planet.

With Christopher Cobillas-Ottinger

Related Seminar text: Shakespeare, The Tempest (SEM 350)