Publisher: Disney
Ages: eight and up
Parental Advisory: None
A compelling coming of age story that appealed to grown-ups as well as kids, Disney's beloved Lion King comes to DVD with a roar. The entertaining The Lion King Special Edition offers compelling DVD extras and is a must have for families.
The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a lion cub who is to inherit the throne. His envious Uncle Scar forces Simba into exile and takes the crown for himself. Alone and adrift, Simba befriends a hilarious meerkat named Timon and his warthog pal, Pumbaa. After living a carefree lifestyle, Simba eventually realizes his destiny and returns to the Pride Lands to claim his place. The film's music won Academy Awards for Best Music, Original Score, 1994; and Best Music, Song, "Can You Feel The Love Tonight."
Most interesting to animation fans are the DVD segments that discuss the origin and influences behind the Lion King story and present behind-the-scenes of the award-winning Broadway hit musical. Other fascinating segments discuss character design, computer animation, and African art inspirations and feature interviews with the composers: Elton John And Tim Rice. The Animal Journey, hosted by Roy Disney, shows how real animals inspired the Lion King characters. The segments are interesting, if a bit short.
The director's commentary is interesting and insightful and the DVD also serves a few deleted scenes. The film comes with an all-new song, "Morning Report," which is a generally good addition.
The activities and games are adequate and entertaining. There's a sing-along track; Timon's Grab-A-Grub game and Pumbaa's Sound Sensations, a matching game. In Timon & Pumbaa's Virtual Safari, the pair act as tour guides on a trip through the wilds of Africa. There's also a Lion King Personality Profile Game that lets kids discover which character from the film they are most like. A superfluous "Circle Of Life" music video exists solely to promote Disney's present stable of bubble-gum pop singers.
In almost every way, The Lion King Special Edition is a winner. The entertaining and wildly popular movie never looked better in home theaters, and the extras will provide lots of insight into the making of the film. This is a must have DVD for families.
10/27/03 www.daytrum.com Editorial Staff
