In case you don't recognize that:
That first line is really all I can think about when I hear "The Lion King." Well, that and the baby lion being thrust toward the sky.
We're not re-watching because the DVDs have been yanked for the super special 3D theater release in a week or so, Tracy's tiny town doesn't actually really get movies :) and I refuse to watch movies in 3D. I actually think it's probably one of the prettier Disney's and probably laid important groundwork for all of Disney's subsequent eco-films but the cheese factor of this one is kind of overwhelming for me. But, for an animated film it's classic Disney quality so that means it's pretty good if racially and gender-role problematic; but what fairy tales aren't?
So, our slave-master says, it's the Disney film that followed first animated film to earn a Best Picture Oscar nod and mixed traditional and computer animation. Seriously. The first (long) sentence of the entry praises Beauty and the Beast which came out three years earlier. The books seems to miss that Aladdin came out in 1992. Ooops. The book ranks this one "alongside other tearjerkers like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) and, of course, Bambi" Ooooh. Well, I can't watch Snow White for her voice. And I haven't seen Bambi since I was wee. Anyway, we continue with "This animated adventure works so well because it has all the elements of a terrific movie and plenty of action and adventure" and "the lion cub scenes appeal the small children and the impressive animation causes even adult jaws to drop." Classic story, Elton John catchy tunes, tear-jerker moments, vocal comedy from a cast of stars, and a demand for tissues with the "video or DVD of the film" (oh my, we've dated ourselves haven't we, book?) round out the praise for the film.
I don't have any qualms with any of that (other than the fact that no one sells videos anymore). Lion King just isn't my favorite. This one is
But we get to watch that one later :)
Thank you mucho for the multimedia! I watched the entirety of the "Circle of Life" scene . . . and cried through the whole damn thing. Either I liked this movie a whole lot better than I thought I did, or I'm a sucker for pageantry (and baby animals). I suspect it's the latter. If the animals had never started talking/singing and just acted like animals enacting this timeless story, I think it might have been one of my favorite Disneys. But as is, once it starts to replicate a more standard fairy-tale plot, I respond better to humans. And I still think it's unfair that the hyenas are excluded. What, just because they're scavengers? That makes them a hugely important part of the circle of life!
ReplyDeleteAlso. I have Never. Seen. Jungle Book. Just putting that out there.
You. are. freaking. kidding. me. No good! I actually have an extra copy because I was so excited when they finally released it on DVD that I forgot I'd bought it and bought it again. So, I'll be sending that to you.
ReplyDeleteOk, back to the actual conversation. I respond to the animals but I'm a giant sucker. I think also because hyenas are kinda ugly . . . But, yeah, they're kind of needed for that whole circle thing. Otherwise it's just a semi-circle of life and you have to walk around rotting bodies.
Hooray! and Hah!
ReplyDelete