‘Lion King’ roars on 2-disc special edition
Greg Burghardt“The Lion King”
Disc: 2 discs, Widescreen format
Starring the voices of: James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Nathan Lane, Jonathan Taylor Thomas
Directors: Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff
Movie: In the summer of 1994, Walt Disney studios delivered one of their most pristine full-length animated features ever. Now, almost nine years later we are able to rediscover the magic and wonder on which we experienced as children and teenagers with “The Lion King” Platinum Edition DVD.
An original Disney story with hints of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” “The Lion King” tells the story of Simba (the voices of Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Broderick), the lion cub, who would be king.
After his father (Jones) is murdered, Simba ridden with guilt leaves home. On the brink of death, the young cub is rescued and befriended by the unlikely duo of a warthog and a meerkat. With his new friends, Timon and Pumba, the lion flourishes, living by the philosophy of “Hakuna Matata” — “It means no worries for the rest of your days.”
Simba soon realizes he can’t run from his past forever. He must return home, and dethrone his uncle, allowing him to assume his rightful role as king.
The film has been digitally remastered, which at times detracts from the original release, because alterations change colors in specific scenes. There’s an extended version that contains an extra song integrated within a pre-existing sequence, entitled “The Morning Report.” The scene is a waste, especially since Simba’s singing voice is different from the original. ***1/2 out of ****
DVD: The first disc contains the actual film, as well as a making of the “Morning Report” featurette, music videos and a “sing-along track.” A director/producer audio commentary, three interactive games and three deleted scenes/abandoned concepts are also included.
Disc two is presented in a tour-type manner, offering up fantastic adventures dealing with the actual story of the film, like the cinematic aspects of the production, the staged Broadway version, the music and animal inspirations for the characters. The viewer also can take a virtual safari with Timon and Pumba.
The greatest features are the “sing-along track” and the audio commentary. The “sing-along track” works like karaoke.
The audio commentary allows the audience to better grasp the transformation from mere animated feature to a true cinematic work of art.
The games are a little lame, but they are well compensated for by the sheer wonder of the numerous improved features. “The Lion King” Platinum DVD is a great investment of time, and entertainment. **** out of ****.
“The Lion King” is rated G, suitable for all audiences.
