# Was (this) inspired by (that)? Similar plots in movies/TV **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 22, 2004, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462 "2004-02-22T03:50:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/61 "2004-02-26T01:20:33Z")
Miller: “Casting the Runes” is by M.R. James. Great story. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/62 "2004-02-26T01:50:32Z")
I believe that The Seven Samurai bear more than just a resemblance to… A 1920s style death ray. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/63 "2004-02-26T02:55:02Z")
A [plot summary](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0164686/plotsummary) of the 1931 movie “Ingagi” sounds very similar to [another movie](http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0024216/combined) released two years later. The 1980 classic “Without Warning” is a story of an alien trophy hunter who has come to Earth to hunt the natives. In one scene the witless kids stumble upon the alien’s trophy collection. Very similar to the 1987 movie “Predator,” including Kevin Peter Hall giving form to the alien hunter in both movies. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/64 "2004-02-26T04:46:36Z")
Ron Howard played a boy genius who develops some gunk that turns people into giants in the 1965 classic “Village of the Giants.” Several years later, he played a boy genius in episode “Genius at work” of “Land of the Giants” in which he develops some gunk that turns the “little people” into Giants. There’s a funny sort of scene in which Fitzhugh (played by Kurt Kasznar) finally gets to manhandle a giant, in this case Vic Perrin, probably best known as the narrator of the original “Outer Limits” series. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/65 "2004-02-26T04:53:14Z")
> [@Earl Snake-Hips Tucker](#): > > in this case Vic Perrin, probably best known as the narrator of the original “Outer Limits” series. There was no narrarator. It was “The Control Voice” ---
**Author:** ![msklystron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@msklystron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msklystron)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/66 "2004-02-26T05:41:52Z")
> [@Lamia](#): > > Since _Memento_, there have been several other films featuring characters with some form of anterograde amnesia. > > I can believe that Dory in _Finding Nemo_ was inspired by the common belief (popularized by Ani DiFranco) that fish have no memories. However, every time I see an ad for _50 First Dates_ I imagine a pitchman saying “It’s _The Wedding Singer_ meets _Memento_!” Hello Lamia, Dory is wonderful. Don’t you just want to smack her silly? Groundhog Day with Bill Murray portrays a cosmically induced sort of amnesia. On a different note: apparently, Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were loosely based on the same book, although you wouldn’t know it. This gives new meaning to the term ‘adaptation’. (I can’t seem to squeeze the book title out of my brain at the moment.) Bate’s mother stands in for the evil Grandpa on the farm in TCM. In their own special ways, both elderly relatives drive the young person (s) in their lives to maim and murder. Eeeeek. ---
**Author:** ![PookahMacPhellimey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pookahmacphellimey/32/3175_2.png) [@PookahMacPhellimey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PookahMacPhellimey)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/67 "2004-02-26T11:04:35Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > That would be _Chain Of Command_ part two. I’ve been a fan of David Warner ever since I saw _Tron_. In CoC2, he gives a wonderful performance as a Cardassian who sees nothing wrong with torture, and is also a doting father who thinks the world of his little girl. > > I’ve never gotten around to reading 1984. So many of the great books I read in school turned out to be such worthless crap. So, I can’t say for sure that the scene wasn’t inspired by room 101. But I doubt it. Picard is ready to resist questioning. Asking for codes or positions or any similar information would only result in “Jean Luc Picard, Captain, 24601”. The process with the lights is to confuse him, and break him. The goal is to turn his mind to jello. At that point, he’ll tell the interogator anything. Yes, that’s the one. And it’s probably my favourite TNG episode. I agree it is really good. So is 1984 IMO. Now it’s been a good while since I’ve read it, though, so I might be misinformed, but the specific similarity was that I think I can remember that someone in the book, under torture, is made to say that 2+2=5 or 1+1=3 or something like that. And that reminded me of the lights business. The same thing about trying to make someone say/believe something inoccuous but obviously wrong to break their spirit. But it might be a coincidence, or even worse, a well-known tactic of torturers that I’m unware of. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/68 "2004-02-26T13:02:18Z")
> [@Enola Straight](#): > > I believe that The Seven Samurai bear more than just a resemblance to… Thanks, **Enola**. People have been a little sloppy with the obligatory _Seven Samurai_ reference for the last few posts… ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/69 "2004-02-26T16:07:43Z")
> [@msklystron](#): > > On a different note: apparently, Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were loosely based on the same book, although you wouldn’t know it. This gives new meaning to the term ‘adaptation’. (I can’t seem to squeeze the book title out of my brain at the moment.) Bate’s mother stands in for the evil Grandpa on the farm in TCM. In their own special ways, both elderly relatives drive the young person (s) in their lives to maim and murder. Eeeeek. Psycho and TCM were both “based” on the life of Ed Gein. And I’m using the word based in the loosest way possible: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5\_253.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_253.html) ---
**Author:** ![FriendRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@FriendRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendRob)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/70 "2004-02-26T17:01:09Z")
_Logan’s Run_ seems to be a direct rip-off of _THX1138_ - uncredited, as far as I’m aware. There’s also _A Boy and His Dog_ (my nomination for the All-time Best Surprise Ending Movie) - can anyone sort out the tangle of post-apocalyptic fascist society escape movies? Of which _Matrix_ is just the most recent installment (_yawn_). ---
**Author:** ![FriendRob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecc23a/32.png) [@FriendRob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriendRob)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/71 "2004-02-26T17:12:45Z")
Oh, and isn’t _Predator_ just a movie-length version of Captain Kirk vs. the Big Lizard-Guy? Still a terrific movie, tho. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/72 "2004-02-26T18:18:44Z")
> [@](#): > > Logan’s Run seems to be a direct rip-off of THX1138 - uncredited, as far as I’m aware. There’s also A Boy and His Dog (my nomination for the All-time Best Surprise Ending Movie) - can anyone sort out the tangle of post-apocalyptic fascist society escape movies? Of which Matrix is just the most recent installment (_yawn_). What are your definitions and standards? **Logan;s Run** doesn’t have anything to do with **THX-1138** as far as I can see, except that the societies are artificial and enclosed. **Logan’s Run** is based on the novel by William F. Nolan and someone else, and the novel hasn’t got anything to do with THX, either. I think they came out about the same time (THX is based on Lucas’ student film of the same name) **a Boy and His Dog** is based on Harlan Ellison’s novella of the same name – it, too, has a buried enclosed society, but no other connection I can see. In fact, the first two movies don’t give any sign that they’re “post -Apocalyptic”. As for Post-Apocalyptic fiction, that goes back to a BIG number of stories, novels, and movies in the 1950s. Interest in the idea hasn’t waned. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/73 "2004-02-26T18:34:52Z")
> [@FriendRob](#): > > Oh, and isn’t _Predator_ just a movie-length version of Captain Kirk vs. the Big Lizard-Guy? Still a terrific movie, tho. No, addressed in an earlier post. Didn’t that hack Shakespeare rip off **West Side Story** , remove the songs and try to turn it into a play? Hey, wait a minute! That rat ripped off **Forbidden Planet** too! what a creep. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/74 "2004-02-26T19:21:15Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > In fact, the first two movies don’t give any sign that they’re “post -Apocalyptic”. As for Post-Apocalyptic fiction, that goes back to a BIG number of stories, novels, and movies in the 1950s. Interest in the idea hasn’t waned. I haven’t seen THX. Logan’s Run, however is definitely post-acopalypse. I’d say the big sign is when when they find an old man living in a ruined building surrounded by forest. The building is the Capitol. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2004, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/75 "2004-02-26T19:45:00Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > There’s a fine line between parody and ripping off. This was obviously parody. Obvious to you and me maybe, but not to my nephew. That’s why it irked me. Another one for the OP: **Mission: Impossible 2** was extremely similar to **Notorious**. Same love triangle between Cruise, Newton and the bad guy (forgot his name). There’s even an almost identical scene at a racetrack, where they exchange information and his henchmen almost catch her. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/76 "2004-02-27T00:05:44Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > I haven’t seen THX. Logan’s Run, however is definitely post-acopalypse. I’d say the big sign is when when they find an old man living in a ruined building surrounded by forest. The building is the Capitol. THX doesn’t show the outside world(the entire movie takes place in a huge underground complex/bomb shelter) except at the very end, and then you only see the sky. I think one character says something to the effect that the surface is uninhabitable, and there seems to be the implication of some kind of major disaster. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/77 "2004-02-27T00:09:42Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > But I doubt it. Picard is ready to resist questioning. Asking for codes or positions or any similar information would only result in “Jean Luc Picard, Captain, 24601”. . It’s been a while since I’ve seen that episode, but did he really say “24601”? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/78 "2004-02-27T05:09:50Z")
In the DC comics series “The New Gods,” we are \*introduced to characters [Darkseid](http://www.super-herois.com.br/darkseid.html) (hmm, “dark side”?) a character dressed in black–and a mysterious “presence” called “The Source.” One of Darkseid’s mortal enemies is his son, Orion of New Genesis. In the “Star Wars” univers, we are introduced to “Darth Vader” a character dressed in black, who has been seduced by the “dark side” of some mysterious presence called “The Force.” His mortal enemy is his son, Luke Skywalker. \*Well, he had been introduced earlier, but Kirby’s “New Gods” and related series was where he really became well-known. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/79 "2004-02-27T07:53:16Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > What are your definitions and standards? **Logan;s Run** doesn’t have anything to do with **THX-1138** as far as I can see, except that the societies are artificial and enclosed. **Logan’s Run** is based on the novel by William F. Nolan and someone else, and the novel hasn’t got anything to do with THX, either. I think they came out about the same time (THX is based on Lucas’ student film of the same name) A friend of mine in college swore she’d seen a science-fiction movie about a future society where all people over a certain age were killed… “You mean _Logan’s Run_?” No, she said, it wasn’t _Logan’s Run_. Anyway, all the people had these jewels that changed color, and… “Sounds like _Logan’s Run_ to me.” No, she insisted, it wasn’t _Logan’s Run_, these jewels were implanted in people’s FOREHEADS. It was a COMPLETELY DIFFERENT MOVIE! The story was that the main guy was just about to become too old to live, so he had to escape and… “That was totally _Logan’s Run_!” But I could never get her to admit that she was describing _Logan’s Run_. She continued to insist that she’d seen both movies and they were not one and the same. So if this mystery film was a real movie that was not, in fact, _Logan’s Run_, it was a total rip-off of _Logan’s Run_, _Logan’s Run_ was a total rip-off of it, or they were both based on the same novel. I still think it must have been _Logan’s Run_, though. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2004, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462/80 "2004-02-27T08:58:01Z")
> [@](#): > > I still think it must have been _Logan’s Run_, though. It was _Citizen Kane!_ Well, maybe it was _The Magnificent Ambersons_. No, it was _Citizen Kane!_ Admit you’re wrong and I’ll take the knife out! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-inspired-by-that-similar-plots-in-movies-tv/230462.md?page=5)