The Lion King
From AwardAnnals
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| Director(s) | Rob Minkoff, Roger Allers |
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| Distributor | Walt Disney Video |
| Honors | |
| Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are… | |
Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the "circle of life" with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. --Tom Keogh
How good-looking is the DVD restoration of Disney's popular animated film? Take a look at the serviceable but dull film clips incorporated in the plethora of extras and compare them to the vivid gorgeousness of the film presentation. This "special edition" also adds a 90-second song ("Morning Report") that originated in the lavish stage musical. To Disney's credit, the original theatrical version is also included, both restored and featuring two 5.1 soundtracks: Dolby Digital and a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, which does sound brighter. As with the Disney Platinum line, everything is thrown into the discs, except an outsider's voice (the rah-rahs of Disney grow tiresome at times). The excellent commentary from the directors and producer, originally on the laser disc, is hidden under the audio set-up menu.
The second disc is organized by 20-minute-ish "journeys" tackling the elements of story, music, et cetera, including good background on the awkward Shakespearean origins at Disney where it was referred as "Bamlet." The most interesting journey follows the landmark stage production, and the kids should be transfixed by shots of the real African wildlife in the animal journey. Three deleted segments are real curios, including an opening lyric for "Hakuna Matata." Most set-top DVD games are usually pretty thin (DVD-ROM is where it's at), but the Safari game is an exception--the kids should love the roaring animals (in 5.1 Surround, no less). One serious demerit goes to the needless and complicated second navigation system that is listed by continent, but just shows the same features reordered. --Doug Thomas
Honors
Reviews
Amazon.com
Not an ideal choice for younger kids, this hip and violent animated feature from Disney was nevertheless a huge smash in theaters and on video, and it continues to enjoy life in an acclaimed Broadway production. The story finds a lion cub, son of a king, sent into exile after his father is sabotaged by a rivalrous uncle. The little hero finds his way into the “circle of life” with some new friends and eventually comes back to reclaim his proper place. Characters are very strong, vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, and Whoopi Goldberg are terrific, the jokes are aimed as much (if not more) at adults than kids, the animation is sometimes breathtaking, and the music is more palatable than in many Disney features. But be cautious: this is too intense for the Rugrat crowd. —Tom Keogh
Barnes and Noble
Finding Nemo may have ended The Lion King’s reign as the all-time highest grossing animated feature, but The Lion King remains among the crowning achievements from the Disney kingdom. Touted as the first Disney animated feature based on an original story, The Lion King incorporates a primal mix of Bambi’s rite of passage into manhood, Hamlet’s tragic tale of family treachery, and The Jungle Book’s slacker jive, all set to the Oscar-winning musical score by Elton John and Tim Rice.
Unlike Aladdin, which only came to life when the Genie was onscreen, this is a true ensemble piece, with a gallery of colorful characters, brought to life by a pedigreed voice cast. Simba (voiced as a cub by Jonathan Taylor Thomas and as an adult by Matthew Broderick) just can’t wait to be king. His evil uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons) plots the murder of his brother, King Musafa (James Earl Jones at his regal best), and banishes Simba. Exiled, Simba adopts the no-worries, “Hakuna Matata” lifestyle of meerkat Timon (Nathan Lane) and warthog Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), until he is compelled to return home and fulfill his destiny. G-rating aside, this is potent stuff: The death of Bambi’s mother was a romp in the meadow compared to the thundering wildebeest stampede that kills Musafa; and the climactic claw-to-claw between Scar and Simba makes for intense viewing as well.
Disney fetes its leonine hit in a two-disc Platinum Edition, with segments devoted to the artistic evolution of the film (the deleted scenes and abandoned concepts are particularly interesting) and the Tony Award-winning stage adaptation. The first disc offers viewers a choice between the original theatrical version and a Special Edition that features a new song from the stage production, “Morning Report,” animated and integrated into the movie. The Lion King Collector’s Gift set, meanwhile, includes the two-disc Platinum Edition, a book, and five original signed character drawings in a handsome case.
Donald Liebenson
