In a lot of ways, The Lion King is very typical of the classic Disney films. It revolves around anthropomorphic animals, has a child protagonist who lost one of their parents, and that child eventually learns an important truth about themselves. It also combines some of the best elements of its preceding Golden Age films, inheriting strong music from The Little Mermaid, a maturity from Beauty and the Beast, and the outlandishness of Aladdin. Combining all of this in a single film, it should be no wonder that it went on to become the highest grossing animated feature of all time, only recently surpassed by 2010’s Toy Story 3.
Elton John’s music played a huge role in the success of this film, and no where is that more evident than in its stunning opener The Circle of Life. The music and animation here perfectly set the tone of the film and establish its setting. The animation is very strong throughout the entire film, as is typical of this period in the studios history. Though the story itself is simple, it is filled with wonderful character moments that invest the audience in the tale being told.
As a child and now as an adult, this is a thoroughly enjoyable film. Right from the opening scene it is clear that there is something special on display. It is one of Disney’s best and should not be missed by anyone.
Up next: Pocahontas (1995)
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