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Chances are, if you're buying this you've already seen THE LION KING (1994), you like it, and you want to know the specifics of what's on this disc. Well, for one, this isn't *quite* the same version of the film that premiered in theaters. There's a new song ("The Morning Report") in this cut of the movie, and to be honest, it doesn't add a whole lot to the film. It's pretty harmless, but I really wish they'd included an option to watch the movie without it (like they did for the BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991) Platinum Edition). The real reason to get this DVD is for the bonus material. There are TONS of behind-the-scenes documentaries about the making of the film plus deleted scenes and music videos. If that's your thing, you'll love it.
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One of the better attempts of the Disney Company's to try to recreate the magic that was once associated with the Disney name. This one has some delightful characters and VERY engaging music going for it, too. The animation, although not nearly the superior art form perfected by Walt Disney in his heyday, is above average compared to most modern cartoons. Still, it ofttimes looks as if it was created by a group of schoolchildren with a good computer program. The hero's name is Simba (a lion), and the movie follows his exploits from birth to adulthood. I wouldn't want to give away the ending here. I really don't have to. The title of the film did it for me. The primary storyline is taken directly out of a Japanese cartoon that I watched as a small child called "Kimba the White Lion." Aside from changing his fur color and first initial, many of the scenes are exact replicas of the original--albeit with much smoother animation (those old animes didn't have the computer technology that exists today) and catchy songs added. I enjoyed it enough to want it on DVD, though. If you are seeking original Disney-quality fare, look for the classics like Cinderella and Snow White. If you just want a movie to use as a cheap babysitter, little kids are bound to enjoy this one. It does have some violent segments in it, but not such a big deal compared to what gets onto regular TV these days.Read full review
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This great epic of kid-friendly animation was a huge hit when it first came out over a decade ago and again when it first hit the shelves on DVD. To anyone who enjoys animation and watches this film, it is easy to see why it has become such a success. The characters are very relatable to kids and adults alike, and the story is very epic and tackles some good moral issues, tracing the rise of Simba, the lion cub who is destined to be King. I would give this film a 5/5, but I can't give it that for the simple reason that Disney obviously stole this whole story concept from an old Japanese manga comic book called Jungle Emperor Leo, which was later adapted into an animated Television adaptation shown in the U.S. first in 1965 under the name Kimba The White Lion. The worst part of the controversy though is that Disney has gotten away with it despite all the blatant similarities between the two movies. It's obvious that someone had to have been influenced by this, though Disney has stuck to their guns, claiming no knowledge of the old Japanese story. This shouldn't take away from the greatness of Disney's many films, including the Lion King though. It's just an unfortunate tarnish on their reputation, especially since they refuse to admit their fault. So, my advice is enjoy this great movie the Lion King, and if you really love it, try to find a copy of of the source material, or check out the 1997 feature-length adaptation of the Japanese story, Jungle Emperor Leo, also available now on U.S. Region 1 DVD. The Lion King May Be Essentially A Remake, But It's A Remake Done Very Well And Adapted For U.S. Audiences.....unfortunately just without giving credit where it is due. DVD Features: Available Subtitles: English, French Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), French (Dolby Digital 5.1) Disc 1: 2 Versions - Special Edition (featuring a new song) and original theatrical release both digitally restored and remastered Deleted scenes Audio commentaries Sing along track 2 music videos including "Circle of Life" performed by the Disney Channel stars Disc 2: Go beyond and explore the complete worldwide phenomenon in five areas: Animal Journey, Story Journey, Stage Journey, Film Journey, and Music Journey Exciting games with all-new animation: Virtual Safari, Grab A Grub, Pesonality Profile & Sound Sensations 2 navigational platformsRead full review
Let's get something straight right now. The Lion King is a perfect movie. Be it live action or animated, there are few others I can list that reach its level of quality. Seeing it in theaters back in the mid-90s was a great experience. Even if I wasn't old enough to understand some of the darker issues in it back then, I enjoyed the movie, like the millions of other kids. Now, at almost 20, watching the movie really gets to me. This is one of Disney's more grown up movies. I'm not saying that to make it sound like it's too violent or there's any hinting at mature themes, but all the talk about death in the beginning, about the Circle of Life, that's some pretty powerful stuff to be talking about in a family movie. With this re-release of the movie, hopefully more parents or future parents will keep it around and show their kids this piece of movie history. The movie opens up with possibly the most grand of Disney openings- a sunrise. An African song plays, and the animals look towards something that we can't see. Every type of animal in the area starts heading towards something. Birds, elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, you name it. Soon, we see a great rock formation- Pride Rock. A lion stands atop, overlooking everything in his kingdom. Then, a mandrill makes his way through the crowd of animals that waits. He hugs the lion, and makes his way to the lioness behind him. They've had a baby. The mandrill takes the cub, and holds him high up for all the animals to see. They cheer in unison- they have a new prince. Some opening eh? After this, we're introduced to another lion- Scar. He's the king's brother, and obviously jealous of the whole deal. He didn't even show up to the ceremony. Mufasa, the king, makes a note of this, telling Scar that he should've shown up for his own nephew's birth. Scar walks away, as it's no big deal to him. Time passes, and Simba grows up a little. He's still a cub, but capable of doing things on his own now. Mufasa tells him about the Circle of Life. How all living things are connected. Lions eat the antelope, but when they die, their bodies become the grass, upon which the antelope eat. Simba is also shown his kingdom, which is everything that the light touches. Unfortunately, the light doesn't touch one spot, which sparks his interest...of which Scar helps him get even more curious about. It turns out to be an elephant graveyard. Simba heads toward it with his friend, Nala, and they almost get killed by heyenas. Mufasa saves them, is disappointed that his son disobeyed, but understands. Scar, who's working with the heyenas, is also disappointed, and takes matters into his own hands- since they failed in killing Simba, he's going to kill Mufasa. In doing so (in a very tragic scene), Simba goes into exile, and Scar takes over. Simba finds two new friends in Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him to take life easy. But with time, the true king realizes who he is through his friends, and there will be justice. As you can see, this is a pretty big movie. It's not complicated by any means, but just the overall picture is a lot to take in. A dad telling his son about life and death, only to die in saving his son who hasn't reached adulthood yet, was always touching. The music playing during that scene adds even more dramatic touch to it. Scar, as I've mentioned, is an absolute treat. He's probably my favorite Disney villain.Read full review
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.Read full review
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