Modernisations of Hamlet

[vampiress13]

hey my name is Hollie and im doing Hamlet as a school assignment - i was wondering what modern adaptions of hamlet have been made? - e.g. films, novels, plays, etc...
if you dont understand what im talking about here is an example -
the film '10 things i hate about you' is based on the taming of the shrew - if you get my drift
if anyone could respond with as much information as possible that would really help me out - many thanks - HOLLIExx ;)

[Admin]

Kenneth Branaugh's hamlet was modern in that it took place in a time period different from the original play. The movie had loads of historical inaccuracies in it though (such as pump-action muskets).

[kata]

The Lion King is an adaption of Hamlet..... 'evil' brother lion (can't remember name..) kills the 'king lion' in order to take power himself while the murdered kings son seeks revenge for him...

[gsingle33]

Don't forget that there was an Ethan Hawke version with Bill Murray (of SNL fame) as Polonius and the 'modern Shakespeare queen' Julia Stiles as Ophelia. Not a very well-made modernization (it was set in modern day New York), but interesting at least in some of its choices and sacrifices in the modernization process. I think more than anything else, it showed how difficult it is to bring this play about a royal family into modern times.

There was also a Hallmark version with the guy from "Dying Young" as Hamlet. It was set somewhere near the Reconstruction era and was interesting because it cast Polonius and his family as African-Americans. As you can imagine, this gave Polonius' "...with a larger tether may he walk than may be given you." (Act I sc 4) an interesting spin. Overall, not entirely bad; production value was obviously low and some of the actors had a difficult time with their lines, but interesting for it's choices just like the Ethan Hawke one.