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The Lion King opens with a spectacular, memorable opening sequence that demonstrates an exceptionally high quality for traditional animation methods, arranged by the thundering tune of “Circle of Life,” which competed against both “Hakuna Matata” and “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” for the Best Original Song Oscar. All three boasted lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Elton John, and each is surprisingly catchy (“Can You Feel the Love Tonight” was the winner). The Lion King clearly still marked an era for Disney animated features in which well-crafted musical numbers by nearly every main character narrated the progression of the plot. Young Simba the lion cub (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is born to the king of the pride lands, Mufasa (James Earl Jones), and is celebrated as the new heir to the throne of Africa. This greatly disappoints his uncle Scar (Jeremy Irons), who is bumped to second place. Scar, who also gets a thrilling musical sequence (despite a shocking Hitler reference with high-step marching hyenas), plots to off Mufasa and steal the seat of royalty. Again, in line with the series of immense hits that Disney created in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, The Lion King features intense thrills and horrifying tragedy that strengthens the emotional impact of what could have been a simple cartoon (and for some children, constituted a traumatic experience). Here, Mufasa is killed in a wildebeest stampede (making use of new computer technology) orchestrated by Scar, and Simba takes the blame. In his youthfulness and naiveté, the cub runs away, ordered to be executed by Scar’s band of murderous hyenas (voiced by Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin and Jim Cummings). |
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Thankfully, he escapes to be raised by the famous warthog/meerkat duo Timon (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), thinking that, like their very own Tarzan, they can shape a natural enemy into a powerful ally. Being instructed by their worry-free philosophy of life, Simba grows into an adult (voiced by Matthew Broderick), far away from his family. In time, he’ll be reunited with his childhood best friend and soon-to-be love interest Nala, learn the truth behind his father’s demise, and confront Scar (in epic slow-motion) and his army of hyena minions to take back his rightful place as king. Simba is guided by his own version of Yoda, the eccentric old babbling (martial artist) baboon Rafiki (another Star Wars reference, alongside the recognizably deep tones of Darth Vader’s voice) and a whimsy hornbill bird advisor (Zazu, played by Rowan Atkinson) guides the youngsters, demonstrating that even minor supporting characters can be strongly developed and unforgettable – a distinct trend for Disney’s strongest lineup of animated features. The use of famous voices was a continuation for an increasingly popular gimmick, previously employed by Aladdin (employing Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried). A cleansing fire, death, and a familiarly Hamlet-esque storyline comprise the darker themes of this more mature venture, which is amazingly well balanced with kid-friendly humor, jubilant songs, and action/adventure. Winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) and frequently ranked among the very best animated films of all time, The Lion King is an entertaining, artistic achievement that helped create serious critical awareness for feature-length animation (commercially, it’s the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time), as well as paving the way for “Best Animated Feature” awards. - Mike Massie
Click HERE to read the review of The Lion King 3D (2011)
The Blu-ray debut marks the first time “The Lion King” has been available in any form since 2004. Featuring pristine high definition picture and sound, the Blu-ray creates an incredible at-home experience with a host of picture and sound enhancements, interactive features and bonus content, including a new set of hilarious animated bloopers.
“The Lion King”: Diamond Edition home entertainment release will be available from the Disney Vault for a limited time only beginning October 4 as follows: · 4-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (for the suggested retail price of $49.99 U.S./ $56.99 Canada) o “The Lion King” = Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray 2D + DVD + Digital Copy™ · 2-Disc Blu-ray Combo Pack (for the suggested retail price of $39.99 U.S./$46.99 Canada) o “The Lion King” = Blu-ray 2D + DVD · 8-Disc Trilogy (for the suggested retail price of $100.00 U.S./ $115.00 Canada) o “The Lion King” = Blu-ray 3D + Blu-ray 2D + DVD + Digital Copy o “The Lion King 1 1Ž2” = Blu-ray 2D + DVD o “The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride” = Blu-ray 2D + DVD
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