I know what you're thinking: "Hey, no fair! You're already a fan of this movie!" True, I have this flick memorized back to front. But don't forget that there are reasons why I like it. I faithfully went and watched this again, and now I plan on telling you just what makes this movie so important to me.The Lion King
Original release: June 24, 1994
I have loved this movie ever since my toddler years. (My mother claims I saw it at least twice in theaters!) I had a little finger puppet made to look like cub Nala for a while. When the first sequel came out, we bought it on VHS, and soon after purchased a large stuffed Kiara for me to cuddle. And when the second sequel was released on DVD, we bought that too. The plush toys are long gone, but we still have all three films at home. What's funny, though, is that after the first handful of times watching each movie, I wouldn't think about it much for a long time. So why was I continually inspired to obtain these films if I wasn't a constant fan? Imprinting, maybe?
Anyway, I loved the movies throughout life, but it wasn't until the winter of 2006 that I "rediscovered" them. Being by now more mature, I was able to actively recognize which aspects of the movie drew me in, rather than simply being drawn in.
First and foremost, there is the music. Kudos to those geniuses that are Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer! The musical numbers and score felt like they were part of the same world, and was that world amazing. The catchy beats, the meaningful lyrics...and the authenticity! These guys made the right choice when they hired Lebo M and his choir to record the African vocals. The film's opening shot of a sunrise over the savannah, accompanied by a suddenly piercing vocal solo, has become a cinematic icon. Take a peek if you've forgotten.
Second there is the plot. Most other Disney animated features are retellings of known stories. Take, for example, The Jungle Book, The Little Mermaid, and The Hunchback of Notre Dame as author-written stories and Hercules, Robin Hood, and Mulan as folk tales. Now, The Lion King is different. It borrows ideas from Shakespeare's Hamlet, Greek tragedies, the Bible, and even that old anime "Kimba the White Lion." The result is a completely independent story that attracts all ages. Actually, some critics have complained that the movie is too heavy for the youngest kids. The two-year-old me, however, didn't seem to have a problem with it, and if anything, the dramatic, emotional story is what makes it so touching and magical to the rest of us! Watch as we see the young cub Simba flicker back and forth between a snotty prince and an innocent child. Even when he has developed his musculature and grown a handsome mane, it is not hard to peer beneath the exterior and see that conflicted little cub, eyes shining with tears.
Third, it's an animal world. It's not a movie about humans with the occasional animal character, such as Aladdin; it's not a movie about animals with minor human characters, à la Lady and the Tramp; no, it is a human story with absolutely no humans in it! To me, that's paradise! Maybe that's what makes this setting so attractive: it is a world completely cut off from the human world that we are familiar with. It could take place in 1994, in 1894, in 200 BC for all we care. And we don't. We want to lose ourselves in this world untouched by mankind. We want to be these animals.
Have you ever heard of "fanfiction"? A fanfiction is a story that is written to take place in a world defined by an already existing movie, book, game, etc. If you go to FanFiction.net and look under "Movies," you will see that The Lion King has an astounding amount of fanfiction credited to it. Why is that? It is because of this oasis of a universe that leaves so much open to one's imagination. Click here for a (somewhat informal) essay about this phenomenon.
I'm not sure if I should call this my fourth reason for loving this film, since it somewhat falls under the category of this isolated animal world. That is this: the animation and visual effects blow you away. The characters are all quite visually appealing, captivating you with their vulnerable human expressions and their natural feline movements; is it any wonder that there exists The Lion King Fan-Art Archive with nearly 8000 registered artists, including myself? The opening number, as you've seen, features some spectacular landscapes. And the stampede? I would go so far as to say that it is the most powerful scene in the entire movie. Check it out below.
I hope that I have illuminated my reasons for why I appear so obsessed with this flick. Thank you.
Mahewa's rating: 5.0/5
Oh, it appears that Mahewa desperately wants to talk for a little bit. Here, I'll let her take the stage.
Hi, everybody! I'm Mahewa, the incarnation of Amanda's deep love for the feature film mentioned above. Well, not incarnation, since I only appear on paper and computer screens, but hey. It was through me that my dear creator explored her newfound passion for this movie...and not only that, but refined her artistic techniques and developed a signature drawing style that has extended into all living beings that she chooses to draw, including other felines, canines, equines, reptiles, birds, and even humans (to some extent). She wistfully mentions that she draws me far more often than she actually draws the characters from The Lion King, but I'm happy enough with that! Well, there's not much I really wanted to talk about; it just felt fitting that I speak for a while, and this was the perfect entry in which to do so. Okay, I'm done now.Um...yes. Thank you for that, my dearest fursona. Well, there you have it. Until next time, here on "Animation Revisited"!
