The Lion King (Deluxe Collector's Edition)

Video and Audio is supreme in this release. Especially vibrant is the 5.1 sound. Of all the older Disney releases, this one benefits the most I think, with the powerful music and sound effects present in this release. Hearing James Earl Jones as Mufasa blaring in thunderous 5.1 sound is quite amazing. Likewise the excellent music, such as the opening Circle of Life. Present in this release is the original theatrical version as well as a version with new music/song. I actually didn't care for the new song, but some may. The extras are quite numerous, contained on a second DVD and are mentioned in Amazon's product details...I haven't had the time to go through them yet, so I cannot comment on the extras. I just watched the movie again. To be honest, the movie would be worth it as a single disc release so I'm happy as it is.

Some interesting trivia for some of the people who are not aware of it is that The Lion King seemed to be heavily "influenced" by an old Japanese anime, Kimba The White Lion. Those wishing to see the "similarities" would do well to check out that series as it has also been released on DVD. Carbon copying aside, I do love the Lion King. It still manages to grab you whether you are 4 years old or 40. Two thumbs up!!


The Best Disney Film Yet?   September 10, 2001
21 out of 31 found this review helpful

The Lion King may be the very best Disney film ever! The creative team and energy that went into the making of this film is phenominal! Sending a whole team of animators to Africa to study the bugs, plants, sand, rocks, trees, and other animals and how they move to make sure that this movie was as realistic as they could make it. In Disney tradition having live animals on the set to draw. If you watch the way simba walks his movements are not cartoony but rather very real looking cat like movements.

Not only the animation but the Music. Tim Rice and Elton John, all I can say is WOW! Talk about great songs from Circle of Life to Can you feel the love tonight, which made great additions to the other hits that Elton John has in his career. To the fun Can't Wait To Be King and who could forget Ernie Sabala and Nathan Lane in Hakuna Matata. And of course all of the backround music was superb!

The All-Star cast of course helps quite a bit too. Jonathon Taylor Thomas (from my favorite TV show ABC/Touchstone/Buena Vista show Home Improvement) provides the voice for young Simba, James Earl Jones provides the voice for Mufasa and what a great job he did as he actually sounds like a lion when he talks. Nathan Lane as the smart talking meer cat Timon Ernie Sabala as Pumbaa who is a stinky warthog. Jeremy Irons provides the voice of scar who is the wicked uncle to Simba and Brother to Mufasa. And of course Cheech Marin and Whoopi Gholdberg provide the hillarious antics of the Hyenas! Together what a team!

The story opens with the great song Circle Of Life as Mufasa and Sarabi have just given birth to Simba and the entire African Pridelands have come to witness the event. All of them except Scar of course, who was supposed to be next in line for the thrown but now Simba is prince and heir to the throne, thus jealousy lerks in Scars soul.

Mufasa shows Simba the entire kingdom but orders him to never go the the shadowy place. However Simba being curious takes his friend Nala and they try to sneak down there and through the wonderful song of Can't wait to be king, they succeed in losing the Kings Domer Bird Zazu. They find themselves in a dark and scary place however Simba acts brave until the Hyenas come out and begin chase after the cubs and Zazu who has caught up to the young cubs.

The following day Scar takes Simba down to the gorge and tells him that his father has a big surprise for him. But instead a stampede starts and Mufasa is forced to rush down to rescue Simba. In the process Mufasa is killed by the rushing stampede and falling off of a cliff. Scar makes Simba beleive it is his fault and to run away and never return. Simba does what he is told, and Scar tells the lions that Mufasa and Simba were killed.

Simba finds himself alone in the desert where he runs into Timon and Pumbaa and learns that no matter what is in your past it doesn't matter to Hakuna Matata "No Worries" There he grows up and learns to live a different way than a prince. Until he runs into some old friends from the pridelands and realizes that he must go back and challenge scar for the throne.

A beautifully and yet somewhat cheesy animated fight scene between Scar and Simba takes place and Simba takes his place in hte great and glorious kingdom as he gives a roar and the dark dingy Pride Rock that Scar had ruled over had now become a beautiful Pride Land again!

Definatly a must see for not just kids or the young at heart, but anyone who has ever had something bad happen to them and wanted to give up, this movie will help you to move on and to look at the brighter side of things! So weather you are 1 or 101 you will love this great Disney Masterpiece! I guarantee it!


The best Disney movie ever made!   December 22, 2002
Graham (Mamaroneck, NY USA)
21 out of 32 found this review helpful

Whenever I am asked what a few of my favorite movies are, THE LION KING is always one of the first that come to my mind. I'm generally not a huge animated movie fan, but this movie is simply irrisistable! When I saw the opening scene in theaters I knew it would be a great movie- but it was fantastic, my words at the end were just ". . . WOW!" With it's breathtaking animation and intriguing story, this movie is appealing to all audiences. The realistic characters and jokes that will make even the adults laugh out loud add to the charm and beauty of this film. I've heard the opinion that this movie can be too intense for younger audiences, but I have to say that the children this is reffering to must be VERY young or VERY easily upset. I took my little sister and a buch of her friends to this movie (they were in the 4-6 age range) and not one of them were in the least bit tramautized- and couldn't find anything bad to say about it, for that matter. The sad sequences in this movie are very touching and depressing, but that's what makes this a good animated film. No magic spells or fairy dust, Mufasa is dead; welcome to the REAL world. The powerful sequence at the end when the spirit of Mufasa breifly visits Simba in a time of distress gives us all hope and show us that our loved ones will always be watching over us. This amazing video would be a great addition to any collection, but as the DVD is coming out soon, you may want to hold out and just go rent it! :-) (p.s. this is to be re-release in Christmas 2002 on IMAX theaters, so if you need some extra encouragement, go see it!)


probably THE BEST ANIMATED FILM !   October 20, 1999
18 out of 19 found this review helpful

After the movie Little Mermaid came out, Disney would make 3 other animated masterpieces: Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, that would change the way we looked at animated films, somthing new, something wonderful.But of all these 4 great animated films, in my opinion The Lion King was the greatest. The music was just, beautiful, and Scar was probably the most EVIL Disney villain the was ever drawn on a piece of paper.You hated him, but you almost liked him, because he was so great. But probably the best part of the movie was Simba's pal's Pumbaa and Timon, the BEST Disney characters EVER!!! The scene where Timon was doing the hula, I thought I was going to die from laughing. Anybody from toddler to 10 year old to 60 year from boy to old woman to teenager and so forth will, without a doubt, LOVE this movie, everyone.


What Happened to the Soundtrack?   October 9, 2003
Wayne Seward (Des Moines, WA USA)
18 out of 28 found this review helpful

The songs in the original movie were NOT included in the "Special Edition" making this a bland shadow of the original. Shame on you Disney!