8 Modern Ways to Enjoy Classics

Classics are called such for a reason: they are timeless and relatable, regardless of where (or when) the reader is. It takes a real creative to take these stories and give them life once again. Here's a list of must-watch classics with a modern twist.

Clueless (1995)

A ’90s adaptation of Jane Austen’s Emma, the film tells the story of Cher (Alicia Silverstone), a rich girl from Beverly Hills who fits in the “Valley girl” stereotype. We follow Cher as she goes through the motions of high school: making friends, falling in love, and matchmaking your friends. By itself, Clueless has become a cornerstone of ’90s pop culture and fashion.

West Side Story

Written by Leonard Bernstein, Stephen Sondheim, and Arthur Laurents, this musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet takes place in Manhattan's Upper West Side. The story highlights brewing racial tensions between occupants of the blue-collar neighborhood and its Puerto Rican immigrants, who came to the city in search of a better life. The original Broadway musical premiered in 1957, which was adapted in a movie first in 1961 and again in 2021, directed by Steven Spielberg.

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012–2013)

This 2010s web series is an adaptation of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice that is about as modern as it gets for the time. The series masterfully retells the story through self-filmed video blogs, or vlogs, all featuring the eponymous Lizzie Bennet. From time to time, Lizzie is joined by other characters such as her sisters Jane and Lydia, her best friend Charlotte Lu, their neighbors Bing and Caroline Lee, and eventually, William Darcy, after a lot of cosplaying and indirect referencing.

10 Things I Hate About You (1999)

Another ’90s favorite, this coming-of-age romantic comedy is a retelling of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Cameron, a student who’s new to the school and wants to date Bianca (Larisa Oleynik). In an attempt to work around her father’s rules, Cameron gets the resident bad boy, Patrick (Heath Ledger), to date Bianca’s uptight older sister, Kat (Julia Stiles). Today, one of the film's best known scenes is Ledger's performance of “Can't Take My Eyes off You.”

Sherlock (2010–2017)

From House, MD to Enola Holmes, and everything in between, Arthur Conan Doyle’s mystery series has been adapted plenty of times, but its most recent BBC adaptation stands out for bringing back the aloof detective to pop culture. Sherlock stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the title character and Martin Freeman as Dr. John Watson. The series received numerous awards despite having just 13 episodes throughout its four-series run.

Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (2012)

The musical is an adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace, Volume 2, Part 5, which deals with Pierre’s search for meaning and Natasha’s affair with Anatole. The musical takes place in a dinner-theater fashion where members of the cast sing and dance sporadically throughout the theater. The musical received 12 nominations at the 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical, Best Lighting, Best Original Score, and Best Musical.

August Rush (2007)

Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist is one of his most popular works, adapted time and time again in various media. An adaptation that many may have overlooked is the film August Rush. The film follows the journey of the eponymous August Rush, an eleven-year-old musical prodigy who runs away to New York in search of his parents. The film focuses largely on its musical elements, which culminates in the form of a musical composition titled “August’s Rhapsody.”

Selfie (2014)

In this short-lived romantic comedy series, marketing genius Henry Higgs lends a hand to social-media-obsessed Eliza Dooley after an incident gone viral makes her realize that she’s spent way too much time chasing after followers and not enough time making real-life friends. Selfie was based on the 1956 musical film My Fair Lady, starring Audrey Hepburn, which in turn was based on Pygmalion, a play by George Bernard Shaw. The play was named after a figure in Greek mythology who fell in love with one of his statues, which later came to life.

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