| Shakespeare in Contemporary Adaptation |
| Introduction Film producers have often looked to classic novels and plays for inspir- ation; in doing so, they usually pare down the story while keeping its traditional setting and time intact. In the later part of the last century, Hollywood has often transported these classics to the contemporary time and placed them in a "young adult" setting. For example, the 19th century English countryside of Emma becomes a mid-90's Beverly Hills high school in Clueless. Les Liaisons Dangereuses moves out of 18th century France and into Cruel Intentions' late-90's Manhattan. In both examples, not only do the settings change, but the age of the characters as well. The characters in both films are high school students. As more teenagers flock to the movies, the younger the characters in the film become. Hollywood has done the same with the works of William Shakespeare. While the Bard's work has often been translated to film, the 1990's have seen his works translated to a contemporary setting with "younger" casts. Three such films are William Shakespeare's Romeo + Juliet (1996), 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), and Hamlet (2000). These films feature young stars such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Claire Danes, and Julia Stiles. This site will look at how that translation works, how these films are marketed to teens, and whether or not they are worthy adaptations. |
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| Introduction | 10 Things I Hate About You | Romeo + Juliet | Hamlet |
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