Elsinore Castle in the movie Hamlet was in part Dunnottar Castle on the east coast of Scotland with many shots of the castle seen from a distance. External shots within the walls of Elsinore were filmed elsewhere at Blackness Castle and a film set built at nearby Muchalls, plus Dover Castle and Shepperton Studios in England. The cemetery scenes near the end of the movie were filmed at the base of the cliffs on which Dunnottar Castle stands.

The castle dates from the 14th century (although it is thought that the site was fortified far earlier) and occupies a stunning location surrounded on all sides by high cliffs which made the site easily defended and one of the strongest castles in Scotland.