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35 details you might have missed in '10 Things I Hate About You'

Gabbi Shaw   

35 details you might have missed in '10 Things I Hate About You'
"10 Things I Hate About You."Buena Vista Pictures
  • "10 Things I Hate About You" was released in March 1999.
  • The film jump-started the careers of stars Julia Stiles, Heath Ledger, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

To set the scene, keep in mind that "10 Things I Hate About You" is based on William Shakespeare's comedy "The Taming of the Shrew."

To set the scene, keep in mind that "10 Things I Hate About You" is based on William Shakespeare
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You."      Buena Vista/Getty Images

"10 Things" isn't the only adaptation of this work — most famously, the '50s musical "Kiss Me Kate," the '60s western "McLintock!," and the 2003 rom-com "Deliver Us from Eva" are all based on the saga of Katherine, Bianca, Petruchio, and Hortensio.

That means that many of the main characters' names in the film are based on the characters of the play.

That means that many of the main characters
Julia Stiles in "10 Things I Hate About You."      Buena Vista Pictures

Kat (Julia Stiles) and Bianca (Larisa Oleynik) have the same names as in the play, and Petruchio gets changed to Patrick (Heath Ledger).

Lucentio, on the other hand, gets switched to the way more common Cameron (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), which is probably a nod to the fact that Lucentio disguises himself as a Latin tutor named Cambio. Cameron tutors French in the film.

The obnoxious Joey (Andrew Keegan) is a combination of Hortensio and Gremio, though there is also a Joseph in "The Taming of the Shrew."

Some of the characters' last names are nods to places in the Shakespeare canon.

Some of the characters
Heath Ledger in "10 Things I Hate About You."      Buena Vista Pictures

Biana and Kat's last name is Stratford, as in Stratford-upon-Avon, the hometown of Shakespeare himself.

Patrick's last name, Verona, is a nod to the Italian city where Petruchio comes from in the play. Fair Verona is also famously where Shakespeare lays the scene in "Romeo and Juliet."

The name of the school, Padua High School in Seattle, is a reference to Padua, Italy, where the play takes place.

The name of the school, Padua High School in Seattle, is a reference to Padua, Italy, where the play takes place.
Padua High School.      Buena Vista Pictures

"The Taming of the Shrew" is the only play of Shakespeare's that takes place in Padua, though Benedick in "Much Ado About Nothing" says he's from there.

The Shakespeare nods continue throughout. Kat's best friend, Mandella, has a huge crush on the playwright.

The Shakespeare nods continue throughout. Kat
Mandella getting her prom dress.      Buena Vista Pictures

Mandella's locker is covered in portraits of the playwright, and Michael, Cameron's friend played by David Krumholtz, eventually gets her to go to prom with him by writing her a secret note signed "William S." Mandella is played by Susan May Pratt.

The theme of Padua's prom is "Blasting Into 2000," complete with a poster turning the school into a rocket.

The theme of Padua
One of the many prom posters that Kat rips down.      Buena Vista Pictures

"10 Things" was released in March 1999.

Guidance counselor Ms. Perky's office is covered in posters for a Romance Novel Writers Conference in the Pacific Northwest.

Guidance counselor Ms. Perky
Ms. Perky's office.      Buena Vista Pictures

It makes sense — in both scenes she appears in, Ms. Perky is simultaneously doing her job and working on an erotic novel.

Ms. Perky is played by future Oscar and Emmy winner Allison Janney. This film premiered six months before she began playing CJ Cregg in "The West Wing," her breakthrough role.

Cameron directly quotes "The Taming of the Shrew" after seeing Bianca for the first time, declaring: "I burn, I pine, I perish."

Cameron directly quotes "The Taming of the Shrew" after seeing Bianca for the first time, declaring: "I burn, I pine, I perish."
Cameron directly quoting Shakespeare.      Buena Vista Pictures

Lucentio, Cameron's analog in the original play, confesses his love for Bianca to his friend Tranio in act one, scene one.

Cameron declares his love for Bianca to Michael around five minutes into the film.

In Mr. Morgan's classroom, there's an entire bulletin board display about England, Shakespeare's homeland.

In Mr. Morgan
The England display.      Buena Vista Pictures

Note that student with the mohawk in the back room — he'll pop up again.

Kat describes herself as "tempestuous." Of course, one of Shakespeare's most famous works is "The Tempest."

Kat describes herself as "tempestuous." Of course, one of Shakespeare
That's not how others see Kat, though.      Buena Vista Pictures

Ms. Perky corrects her by telling her that other students actually call her a "heinous b----."

One of the cliques that Michael calls out are the cowboys - and they take their roles seriously. They're even eating canned beans in the background of one scene.

One of the cliques that Michael calls out are the cowboys - and they take their roles seriously. They
Canned beans.      Buena Vista Pictures

They also rock huge belt buckles and 10-gallon hats.

After Kat almost runs him over, Michael calls her a "shrew."

After Kat almost runs him over, Michael calls her a "shrew."
Michael quotes the name of the play.      Buena Vista Pictures

It's one of two references to the title of the play.

Later on in the scene, Michael also uses the word "rampallian," which is a burn worthy of Shakespeare - he uses the word in "Henry IV, Part 2."

Later on in the scene, Michael also uses the word "rampallian," which is a burn worthy of Shakespeare - he uses the word in "Henry IV, Part 2."
All three words are brutal.      Buena Vista Pictures

Merriam-Webster defines rampallian as "a good-for-nothing scoundrel."

Kat asks Mr. Morgan why they can't read any female authors like Sylvia Plath. Later on, she takes matters into her own hands and reads Plath's novel "The Bell Jar" at home.

Kat asks Mr. Morgan why they can
"The Bell Jar."      Buena Vista Pictures

In another scene, you can spot Kat reading "The Brontës: Three Great Novels," a compilation of three of the Brontë sisters' most famous works: "Jane Eyre," "Wuthering Heights," and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall."

One of the low-key antagonists of the film is Bogey Lowenstein: He kicks Michael out of the future MBAs and nails a teacher in the head with a golf ball.

One of the low-key antagonists of the film is Bogey Lowenstein: He kicks Michael out of the future MBAs and nails a teacher in the head with a golf ball.
Bogey Lowenstein.      Buena Vista Pictures

In order to get revenge, Michael turns Bogey's sophisticated wine and cheese night into a house-destroying rager. It's his party that Kat, Bianca, Joey, Cameron, Michael, and Patrick all attend.

Even though Patrick claims that everyone is afraid of him, he does have one friend who is by his side in biology, shop, and gym class.

Even though Patrick claims that everyone is afraid of him, he does have one friend who  is by his side in biology, shop, and gym class.
Scurvy.      Buena Vista Pictures

Although his name is never said out loud, according to the credits, he's called Scurvy.

The other reference to the title of the play comes from Patrick, when he asks if Michael and Cameron will help him "tame" Kat.

The other reference to the title of the play comes from Patrick, when he asks if Michael and Cameron will help him "tame" Kat.
It's all part of their scheme.      Buena Vista Pictures

Side note: Kat's really not that bad — definitely not "wild beast" level.

Even though his full name is said plenty of times, Joey still calls Bogey "Lowenbrau," not Lowenstein.

Even though his full name is said plenty of times, Joey still calls Bogey "Lowenbrau," not Lowenstein.
Bianca's starting to get it.      Buena Vista Pictures

It's very easy to miss, but the first person in the door is poor Nigel and his plate of Brie. He's swept into the house with the rest of the party-crashers.

Cameron and Bianca hang out at this strange statue under a bridge during one scene. It's a real statue you can visit called the Fremont Troll.

Cameron and Bianca hang out at this strange statue under a bridge during one scene. It
The Fremont Troll.      Buena Vista Pictures

It's located under the Aurora Bridge in Fremont, a neighborhood in Seattle.

When Cameron and Bianca go into Kat's room to snoop, there are plenty of nuggets to glean from her decor.

When Cameron and Bianca go into Kat
Kat's room.      Buena Vista Pictures

Just a few of the posters visible: posters for Ednaswap (best known for the original version of "Torn"), "RockCrown" by Seven Mary Three, "Whirlygig" by the Lovemongers, and for "Mr. Funny Face" by Sprung Monkey.

Sprung Monkey's song "Get 'Em Outta Here" can be heard in the film.

The biker bar that Patrick hangs out at, the Buckaroo Tavern, was a Fremont landmark.

The biker bar that Patrick hangs out at, the Buckaroo Tavern, was a Fremont landmark.
The Buckaroo Tavern.      Buena Vista Pictures

The band that Kat and Mandella go to see at Club Skunk is actually Letters to Cleo.

The band that Kat and Mandella go to see at Club Skunk is actually Letters to Cleo.
Letters to Cleo.      Buena Vista Pictures

The band performs their songs "Come On" and "Co-Pilot." They also have two songs on the soundtrack, covers of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" and Nick Lowe's "Cruel to Be Kind," which they perform at prom with Save Ferris.

Right before Bogey's house gets totally trashed, he assumes the doorbell is ringing because Nigel has arrived with the Brie - and he's not wrong!

Right before Bogey
Nigel did, in fact, bring the Brie.      Buena Vista Pictures

It's very easy to miss, but the first person in the door is poor Nigel and his plate of Brie. He's swept into the house with the rest of the party-crashers.

Two guys appear to be doing the "Night at the Roxbury" head movement in matching hats at Bogey's party.

Two guys appear to be doing the "Night at the Roxbury" head movement in matching hats at Bogey
Twins.      Buena Vista Pictures

"A Night at the Roxbury," a film based on the popular "SNL" sketch starring Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan, was released the year before, in October 1998, making it a pretty topical reference at the time.

The song "Cruel to Be Kind" plays throughout the film. It's a reference to a different Shakespeare play, "Hamlet."

The song "Cruel to Be Kind" plays throughout the film. It
Letters to Cleo performs the song.      Buena Vista Pictures

"Cruel to Be Kind" first plays on the radio while Patrick drives Kat home from the party. Letters to Cleo then perform it at prom.

The actual "Hamlet" quote is "I must be cruel only to be kind."

Mr. Morgan raps part of Shakespeare's "Sonnet 141," which is seemingly relevant for all of our main characters.

Mr. Morgan raps part of Shakespeare
Mr. Morgan.      Buena Vista Pictures

The sonnet is all about loving someone for who they are inside, not for their beauty or how they try to make themselves appear to other people.

Kat and Patrick learn not to judge each other by their steely exteriors, Cameron learns to love Bianca because of her personality, not her looks, and Bianca chooses Cameron, who's a bit dorky, over the handsome yet horrible Joey.

Mr. Morgan then assigns the class to write their own sonnets in the style of Shakespeare, leading to the titular list of things Kat hates.

A poster that hangs in Mr. Morgan's classroom is a quote by Gamaliel Bailey, a famous journalist and abolitionist.

A poster that hangs in Mr. Morgan
The quote.      Buena Vista Pictures

Bailey was the editor of "The National Era," an anti-slavery newspaper.

Mr. Chapin takes a beating during this film - he gets nailed in the head by a golf ball and then shot in the butt with an arrow by Bianca.

Mr. Chapin takes a beating during this film - he gets nailed in the head by a golf ball and then shot in the butt with an arrow by Bianca.
Mr. Chapin.      Buena Vista Pictures

Chapin is also the girl's soccer coach and the detention supervisor. He's the teacher who Kat flashes to help Patrick sneak out of detention.

One of the books that Patrick walks by in the bookstore is "10 Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives," written in the same style and font as the title. Kat walks by the female version a few seconds later.

One of the books that Patrick walks by in the bookstore is "10 Stupid Things Men Do to Mess Up Their Lives," written in the same style and font as the title. Kat walks by the  female version a few seconds later.
Coincidence?      Buena Vista Pictures

These are both real books written by radio host Laura Schlessinger.

When trying to encourage Patrick, Michael quotes another Shakespeare sonnet, "Sonnet 56," by saying "Sweet love, renew thy force."

When trying to encourage Patrick, Michael quotes another Shakespeare sonnet, "Sonnet 56," by saying "Sweet love, renew thy force."
"Sweet love, renew thy force."      Buena Vista Pictures

Patrick, predictably, hates it.

The detention sign-in list is filled with nods to the film's crew.

The detention sign-in list is filled with nods to the film
The list of names.      Buena Vista Pictures

The list includes Max Chernov, whose father Jeffrey produced the film, his assistant Chuck Rapp, production assistant Hope Garrison, unit production manager Ross Fanger, and first assistant editor Brett Carroll. Of course, Patrick's name is on there too.

Towards the end of the film, it's shown that Cameron has continued using the French book that Patrick drilled a hole through.

Towards the end of the film, it
The textbook.      Buena Vista Pictures

Even though there's a perfectly circular hole through his entire textbook, Cameron has continued using it to tutor Bianca in French, a language he does not speak.

Another real band is shown at prom, this time Save Ferris - which, in turn, is named after the '80s classic teen film "Ferris Bueller's Day Off."

Another real band is shown at prom, this time Save Ferris - which, in turn, is named after the
Save Ferris.      Buena Vista Pictures

This is both a nod to Kat's taste in music and the iconic teen films which paved the way for "10 Things."

During the end credits, as the camera zooms out from Patrick and Kat, you can spot two kids getting into a fight in the parking lot.

During the end credits, as the camera zooms out from Patrick and Kat, you can spot two kids getting into a fight in the parking lot.
A fight can be spotted.      Buena Vista Pictures

This school loves a fight. Maybe it's the same kids who crash through the glass doors at Bogey's party.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's name is wrong in the credits.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt
A typo.      Buena Vista Pictures

The hyphen is mistakenly between Joseph and Gordon, not Gordon and Levitt.

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