While the main plot of The Lion King derives from Hamlet, there is plenty of original material. The dialogue is distinctly un-Shakespearean, and the entire film manages to strike the difficult balance between fun and folly. Simba and Nalas scheme in I Just Cant Wait To Be King to escape Zazu and explore an elephant graveyard on their own is certainly entertaining, but the movie makes clear to viewers that its actually a really bad idea. Similarly, as enviable as was Simbas life of relaxation in the jungle, it was never portrayed as particularly admirable. There is a flow from beginning to end, and we witness Simbas highs and lows as he develops from cub to king. In 90 minutes. Take that, Hamlet.
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 .
