No movie can be considered a success based upon music and animation alone, and The Lion King has a Shakespearean story worth singing about. Admittedly, there are fewer singing lions in most interpretations of Hamlet, but the basic frame remains intact. Both follow the tale of a young prince whose father dies under suspicious circumstances and whose throne is then usurped by his treacherous uncle. Its a mature plot for a G-rated animated musical, even using typically taboo terms such as kill and murder with surprising frequency. Fortunately for the masses of kids who have seen The Lion King over the past two decades, however, the doom and gloom of Hamlet is nicely offset by moments of humor, friendship, and romance. Timonencrantz and GuildenPumbaa are unfalteringly supportive, Sarabi remains loyal to Mufasa years after his death, Simba is proactive, and Nala at no point pulls an Ophelia and loses her mind in grief. Plus, the entire cast of good guys doesnt die at the end. Thats always nice.
Fiction buff and writer. If it's on Netflix, it's probably in my queue. I've bought DVDs for the special features and usually claim that the book is better than the movie or show (and can provide examples). I've never met a TV show that I won't marathon. Follow on Twitter @lah9891 .
