★ 7 / 10
This has probably the most perfect balance of
CinemaSerf
This has probably the most perfect balance of story and soundtrack of any film I've ever seen - animated or otherwise. Adapting Rudyard Kipling's tale of…
This has probably the most perfect balance of story and soundtrack of any film I've ever seen - animated or otherwise. Adapting Rudyard Kipling's tale of "Mowgli" the child abandoned in the Indian jungle, but rescued and raised by a family of wolves. "Bagheera", the sagacious panther realises as the boy starts to grow to manhood, that he ought to return to his own kind but "Baloo", the avuncular bear thinks otherwise and so takes our young man-cub on some fun adventures in the jungle - including some near-misses with the wonderfully menacing, sardonic tiger "Shere Khan" and "Kaa" the hypnotic python. The voice cast - especially Phil Harris as the bear and George Sanders as the tiger are great; Louis Prima as "Louie" the King of the Apes provides us with one of the best songs ever to feature in a Disney film - and the Sherman brothers provide a great slew more of them for us to enjoy, too. The detail in the animations and the humour in the script are super - this really is a must watch.
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★ 6 / 10
Good watch, might watch again, and can recommend
Kamurai
Good watch, might watch again, and can recommend if you've seen any other version or are looking for a writing analysis. During a lot of the movie, I was kind…
Good watch, might watch again, and can recommend if you've seen any other version or are looking for a writing analysis.
During a lot of the movie, I was kind of in nostalgia mode, remember things I saw / felt when I was a kid, just sort of enjoying the way back machine experience.
It wasn't until almost the very last scene that it clicked how good the writing is in this. I know this is known for the excellent animation styling, the catchy tunes, and charming coming of age semantics, but this uses several strong formulas that have been used since Aesop's fables.
And that's what made me realize the writing quality, I felt as if I was watching an on fable with moral lessons of consequence. Up until that point I was mentally preparing how this 1967 animation is actually a perfect metaphor for 2020 entitled child entering the real world: never being told no, even to the threat of great, potentially lethal, loss because even in the face of danger, they've been taught that they deserve, even in the logic that it can't be true on both sides though both believe that. Hmmm, that sounds a lot like religious war.
Digressing back to the writing: Mowgli embodies naivety, narcissism, entitlement, whatever you would like to call as he's a victim / ward of extreme chances of compassion: he just happens to luck into survival wherever he goes. While Tarzan makes more sense, this is character development for the series of situations (each one their own potential fable) with the main character shifting to and fro from Bagera to Mowgli to Balloo, each one being taught lessons as the adventure continues.
With the representation of the jungle and the adversities that Mowgli faces, Mowgli slowly learns what Bagera and Baloo both know: most people are only interested in their own interests, but sometimes those that have enough can be in a position to help others. The xenoism (racism) that Sher Khan has for Mowgli as a human is enough for these predators give up his companionship to help him to the man-village.
The really odd lesson is that Mowgli embraces the self-interest needed in the jungle, despite dialogue to the contrary.
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★ 8 / 10
The jungle book
dilipbts
The Jungle Book, one of Disney's ultimate classics, it has great characters, an awesome story and terrific animation. I'll admit it, I adore Disney movies, I…
The Jungle Book, one of Disney's ultimate classics, it has great characters, an awesome story and terrific animation. I'll admit it, I adore Disney movies, I could never choose just one Disney movie as my favorite, I love them all for so many different reasons. The Jungle Book is one of my fav's though, after buying the new release on DVD, I realized that I love this movie now more than ever. The reason that I think this movie is so wonderful is because of the characters, they just brought so much life to the story and really made this into a wonderful Disney classic.
Mowgli is found in a basket as a baby in the deep jungles. Bagheera, the panther who discovers the boy, promptly takes him to a wolf who has just had cubs. She raises him along with her own cubs and Mowgli soon becomes well acquainted to jungle life. Mowgli is shown ten years later, visiting the wolves and getting his face licked eagerly when he arrives. That night, when the wolf tribe learns that Shere Khan, a man-eating tiger, has returned to the jungle, they realize that Mowgli must be taken to the man village, to protect him and those around him. Bagheera volunteers to escort him back. They leave that very night, but Mowgli is determined to stay in the jungle and loses Bagheera. Kaa, the hungry python, hypnotizes Mowgli into a deep and peaceful sleep, traps him tightly in his coils, and tries to devour him, but comically fails. The next morning, Mowgli tries to join the elephant patrol. Bagheera finds Mowgli and they argue; Mowgli runs away from Bagheera. The boy soon meets up with the fun-loving bear Baloo, who shows Mowgli the fun of having a care-free life and promises not to take him to the man village. Mowgli now wants to stay in the jungle more than ever. Shere Khan is after Mawgli though and won't rest 'till he kills him.
Seriously, these are some of the most memorable characters in Disney history, we have Baloo, the care free party bear that just wants to have fun and only needs the "bear" necessities of life. Begheera, a panther, that we've all known this kind of person, the one that just wants to get down to business and get as much done as quickly as possible, the party pooper, but deep down still has that heart. And one of Disney's most memorable villains of all time, Shere Khan, voiced by George Sanders, classy, sassy, menacing and vicious, I wouldn't be surprised if he was Scar's inspiration(the lion villain in The Lion King). If you haven't seen The Jungle Book, just buy it, believe me, it's worth the money. It's a classic fun animated film that I will love forever, still to this day I will always sing along to Bear Necessities, it's a good time.
10/10
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AUDIENCE
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7.6/10
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25-30 years ago I remember watching this one and other Disney cartoons on borrowed VHS tapes. Now, I'm downloading all of them for my son.