Pictures of Scotland.org Canadian Amazon Store

Well, it's just as great on VHS, especially considering our 51" widescreen TV and Surround Sound capabilities (*smile*). I imagine it must be even greater on DVD, but we will have to wait till later in the year to be able to get the Special Edition DVD, which I badly want! This is just one of those films that make you smile; it is so special in so many ways.

But why is it so special? I mean, it's basically Hamlet for kids---and not even young kids, considering the adult themes of betrayal and murder---and tells a relatively simple story. Ah, but its Shakesperean thematic model is filled by a story that *is* original in its characters, in its setting and in its ability to awe us with its sense of wonder and purpose. One last thing: we can relate to its main character Simba (voiced as a cub by "Home Improvement" actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas, voiced as an adult by Matthew Broderick), who runs away from a past he can't face and harbors it as a guilty secret till he is able to face down his demons in adulthood. Come on, most of us can certainly relate to that in one way or another!

You know the story, but here it is again: Simba, after a restless but happy cub-hood, runs away from home when his majestic, all-powerful and seemingly invincible father, the Lion King Mufasa (majestically voiced by James Earl Jones---as if it could have been anyone else!), is betrayed and murdered by his brother, the evil and scheming Scar (creepily voiced by Jeremy Irons---as if it could have been anyone else!), who guilts the young Simba into leaving and never coming back. Of course, Scar then becomes King, much to the chagrin of Queen Sarabi (voiced by the illustrious Jamaican actress Madge Sinclair, in what would be unfortunately her final film role). Meanwhile, Simba goes off to the forests where he meets a couple of best pals---a wisecracking Meerkat named Timon (Nathan Lane, in a piece of inspired casting) and a big, flatulent Warthog named Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella, also inspired)---who teach Simba the value of "no worries" ("Hakuna Matata") and who shine in all of their scenes. Simba grows up with them into a life of no worries. Eventually, the young girlfriend he left behind, Nala (voiced as an adult by Moira Kelly), finds Simba and tries to convince him to come back to Pride Rock and fulfill his destiny. Simba has long been resigned to his present fate, and refuses to do so---until he is confronted by a wise baboon named Rafiki (Robert Guillaume, in yet *another* piece of inspired casting!), who shows Simba that his father truly lives on within himself. Simba returns to Pride Rock to reclaim the kingship, evil Uncle Scar doesn't want to go lightly, and in a truly climactic scene, Simba avenges his father's murder and takes his place in The Circle of Life, becoming a dad himself in the very last frame!

I know I didn't have to go through all that, but I wanted to; it's just a great film with great songs (the magnificent "Circle Of Life," the Oscar-winning "Can You Feel The Love Tonight," "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" and "Hakuna Matata"---all written by Elton John & Tim Rice), and it is still such a pleasure to watch it a whole decade after its original theatrical release. Don't let the G-rating fool you; with humor so hip and violence so intense (especially in the climactic fight scene), it's really not for young children. I still feel that it should have received the PG-rating. Still, no matter what the rating, THE LION KING is a must-have, for *any* film library.

MOST RECOMMENDED, AGES 8 & UP


The Begining of the End   June 1, 2004
This is one of my favorite Disney movies. Everything worked so perfectly on this movie: the animation, the music, the voices, even the Hamlet thing. How anyone can hate this movie is beyond me. Sadly, this was, I believe, the last great Disney movie. All the movies before this (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin) also had great animation and music. But following this we see the rise of the Piar movies and lame, boring, lifelesss sequals. Disney did great untill the mid '90's, but after that it all went downhill. This truely is the last epic, awe inspiring Disney movie. It is a must own for all Disney fans.


Donkey Was Right.   May 30, 2004
 0 out of 2 found this review helpful

The reviewer Offensive Donkey was completely right. This is VERY overrated. We thought this was going to be SO great. But it isn't. It is vulgar, coarse, and filled with awful songs. Who made this a musical. If you want a good cartoon, go watch Porky Pig. You are better off watching some cheesy Fred Astaire movie than this. Lemme give you the pathetic story: A horribly irritating young lion cub is driven away by some overly evil uncle. Then he returns as a square adult with the help of his two obnoxious friends and his egotistic girlfriend. He drives the evil king away. But who made this a musical? The songs are horrible. I'm sure they were okay when Elton John sang them , but no! Some silly woman is singing them, botching them up in the process. This is truly a band movie and ought to be banned.


Still the King   May 19, 2004
When it was released in 1994, "The Lion King" was the most successful animated movie of all time, and that's hardly surprising. An inspired, vaguely-Shakespearean story, a gifted voice cast, five irresistable songs, and that flavor of Africa provided largely by Hans Zimmer and his South African cohort, Lebo M.

This new trend of Disney's, releasing a series of immersive DVDs, is terrific for buffs like me. And between the behind-the-scenes featurettes, the deleted materials, and a whole section dedicated to the Broadway musical, I really have only one complaint...

How the heck do you turn of "The Morning Report?" That is a terrible song, and the dialogue it replaces is infinitely better. Poor Rowan Atkinson.