The Lion King

[Willamena]

One of my favourite moments in The Lion King animated feature is in the opening sequence, during the song The Circle of Life, when the animals are moving towards Pride Rock: a zoom on Zazoo as he flies toward the mount. At that moment the perspective changes from animals moving towards the Rock to being one of the animals moving towards the Rock, and that in itself is a significant change, because it draws the viewer into the story. That moment was the first of many in this movie that brought a tear to my eye.

When the trailer for this move appeared in the theatres I had only begun to learn about mythology, only begun reading about Joseph Campbell. I sat there with my jaw hanging open. I couldn't help thinking, sitting in the theatre watching the opening sequence, listening to the Tim Rice song, sung so beautifully by Carmen Twillie, that he would love this. He would have loved this moment. He would have pointed and said, "Now that's myth."

Myth is the story, and the image, and the meaning, but more than that, myth is the turn. It's the moment when you go from being a listener to being a participant in the story through understanding. This movie trailer captured that, and will always stand as one of my favourite moments in mythology (right next to the King's return to kinghood, Busa Simba).

 

[Nick Soapdish]

The Lion King is without a doubt my favorite animated movie.

To me, the most meaningful part is when the image of Mustafa tells the adult Simba he must do something (regain control of Pride Rock) simply because of who he is. This is such a powerful statement about morality and goes against the ideas of utilitarianism and self-interested ethics.

 

[MidnightSun]

Ah, The Lion King.
I've loved it since I was born. (It came out about a month or two before)
I love the parts at the end when Simba brings life back to the neglected, deserted pride rock, when Mufasa dies, when Simba's born and the part where they are sliding down the elephant bones or however you describe that scene in the Elephant Graveyard.

 

[painted wolf]

It is amazing how much myth still surrounds us today. We thrive on it.

wa:do

 

[Willamena]

It is amazing how much myth still surrounds us today. We thrive on it.

wa:do

Necessarily. :yes:

 

[bobhikes]

But I do enjoy the lion king and have favorite scenes for it and every Disney cartoon movie.

I loved Adladin. My favorite scene is the carpet Ride with Aldadin and Jasmine and the song magic carpet ride. Don't you dare close your eyes.

I guess I'm a softy and like the true love stories.

 

[Kathryn]

I love Dumbo when the mother elephant reaches through the bars, cradles Dumbo with her trunk, and sings, "Baby Of Mine."

Makes me cry every time!

 

[bobhikes]

I love Dumbo when the mother elephant reaches through the bars, cradles Dumbo with her trunk, and sings, "Baby Of Mine."

Makes me cry every time!

Another great one.

 

[Kathryn]

Disney has put out some great stuff. And they've been pretty consistent. You can watch their old stuff from the '30s and '40s and it still has a contemporary, or rather, TIMELESS, feel to it.

 

[Willamena]

bumped for recent interest

 

[Quagmire]

Never watched it, but I may now.

 

[Harmonious]

I also loved "The Lion King."

This may be a wrong turn in this thread, but I have to say that one of my more recent observations (well... as recent as grad school) is that the villains get the coolest songs.

In "The Lion King," Scar has this wonderful song "Be Prepared." It is musically interesting. It has portions that are in major. It has portions that are in minor. There are portions that sound like a military march. There are portions that rock like a Bossa Nova.

There are so many uplifting moments in the story of "The Lion King," but this bit always makes me happy.

 

[Willamena]

I also loved "The Lion King."

This may be a wrong turn in this thread, but I have to say that one of my more recent observations (well... as recent as grad school) is that the villains get the coolest songs.

In "The Lion King," Scar has this wonderful song "Be Prepared." It is musically interesting. It has portions that are in major. It has portions that are in minor. There are portions that sound like a military march. There are portions that rock like a Bossa Nova.

There are so many uplifting moments in the story of "The Lion King," but this bit always makes me happy.

I agree with your observation. It's a glad comment on musicials when the villain can come off so well.

 

[Harmonious]

I agree with your observation. It's a glad comment on musicials when the villain can come off so well.

"Poor, Unfortunate Souls" from "The Little Mermaid" is also wonderful. Not as cool as "Be Prepared," but it works.

 

[Me Myself]

I hated Lion King as a child cause it was the first movie that made me cry

Happens once every decade I guess. The second one was Toy Story 3, but that was the good kinda cry and it didnt felt... well... DON KIL HIM HE IS HIS FATHER!!!!! MUFASAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:sad4::sad4::sad4::sad4::sad4::sad4:

It took years for me to be able to watch the whole movie >.<

 

[Me Myself]

I also loved "The Lion King."

This may be a wrong turn in this thread, but I have to say that one of my more recent observations (well... as recent as grad school) is that the villains get the coolest songs.

Blasphemy! nothing beats Hakuna Matata!

 

[Harmonious]

Blasphemy! nothing beats Hakuna Matata!

I admit - Hakuna Matata is fun, bouncy, and joyful.

But for someone who understands musical theory... it's NOWHERE as interesting as Be Prepared.

 

[Willamena]

I hated Lion King as a child cause it was the first movie that made me cry

I know what you mean. I hated 'Bambi' for the same reason. Damned humans.

 

[Riverwolf]

I saw Lion King four times in the theater when I was... 7, I believe, at the time.

I remember waiting impatiently for the video release of the film (since it took longer back then for the transition... ah VHS, you'll always be special to me), and watching the release date like a hawk. Commercials for the video release set it for, I believe, sometime in April.

Then my mother picked me up from a child therapy session sometime in March, and had it! That was one of the most exciting moments of my childhood.

...yeah, I freaking love that movie. I even make a point not to watch it very often so it never gets old.

Though, TBH, as much as I love the movie (my favorite animated film to come out of America, just behind my other childhood favorite The Land Before Time), well, I saw the musical recently, and I actually think it's better. It goes deeper into the effects of Scar's actions on his psyche, and that it's actually driving him crazy. Rafiki is a woman in that production, and I think that fits very well, since she's the primary singer of Circle of Life at the beginning, as well as a reprise of the amazing song He Lives In You, which was used in the second movie as the opening.

The musical, being three hours long, just has more time to explore the characters than the film does.

 

[Quagmire]

Blasphemy! nothing beats Hakuna Matata!

Kind of the 90's version of this: [youtube]9ogQ0uge06o[/youtube]
Bare Necessities - YouTube