The son of Pulitzer-winning playwright Paul Zindel has claimed that the plot to multi-Oscar-nominated film The Shape of Water is “obviously derived” from a 1969 play by his father.
Zindel’s drama, Let Me Hear You Whisper, is about a female janitor who bonds with a captive dolphin in a research lab, The Guardian reports. However, the ending “differs considerably” from that of the new movie, by Guillermo del Toro, says The Daily Telegraph.
Fox Searchlight Pictures says that director and co-writer del Toro had never read nor seen Zindel’s play, which was broadcast on US television. The Guardian adds: “Mr del Toro has had a 25-year career during which he has made ten feature films and has always been very open about acknowledging his influences.”
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Shape of Water is nominated for 13 Oscars, including best picture and best original screenplay. Some commentators have also compared the film to another work, a 13-minute short called The Space Between Us. The Netherlands Film Academy, which produced the short, has issued a statement saying that the two films “have their own very different identities”, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
-
The pros and cons of buying a new-build housethe explainer Repairs and maintenance will be minimal on a brand new build — but moving into an existing home can be easier upfront
-
Mexico’s forced disappearancesUnder the Radar 130,000 people missing as 20-year war on drugs leaves ‘the country’s landscape ever more blood-soaked’
-
The Week contest: Racoon’s regretsPuzzles and Quizzes
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American citiesUnder the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
How China uses 'dark fleets' to circumvent trade sanctionsThe Explainer The fleets are used to smuggle goods like oil and fish
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designationThe Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
Israel detains director after West Bank settler clashspeed read The director of Oscar-winning documentary 'No Other Land' was arrested and beaten
