DISNEY MOVIE CHALLENGE
The Jungle BOok
First I want to say this review has taken me a while to write as there has been a lot going on and it is also the longest time from watching a film to writing a review luckily the movie is pretty memorable so it wasn't that hard to write.
After a number of Eurocentric films Disney took a trip to the Indian Jungle’s (although it is based on a book by an Englishman) to tell the story of Mowgli, a boy abandoned in the jungle and raised by wolves. After being mostly hands off with 101 Dalmatians and The Sword in the Stone Disney was fully invested in this film. Insisting on so many script changes that the original writer Bill Peet eventually left the Disney Company all together. Peet was also the one who suggested The Jungle Book be the next Disney Film. Peet’s original story was more faithful to the books but Disney wanted it to be more family friendly and straightforward as the books were darker and more episodic.
The movie follows Mogwli who is found abandoned in the woods by Baghreera, a Panther. Baghreera decides to save the boy and brings him to a pack of wolves who raise him as one of their own. But as the Mogwli grows his existence threatens the wolves when Shere Khan the Tiger returns to the jungle. Khan hates humans and would not hesitate to kill everyone to get to the boy. It is decided that the best thing to do is have Baghreera bring the boy back to the man village (and that's just in the first 10 minutes). Mogwli doesn’t want to leave the jungle and give Bughera trouble the whole time. Along the way they meet a series of characters, some good like Baloo the bear who wants to adopt Mowgli, and some bad like King Louie the orangutan who just wants Mowgli to teach him how to make fire. Eventually there is a confrontation with Shere Khan and Mowgli must decide what he wants.
The Jungle Book is one of those classics that I have never seen and wasn’t sure if it would live up to the classic status it has, but it actually does. The biggest thing the film has going for it is the voice cast. Everyone in the cast is excellent and really brought the characters to life. The second thing the film has going for it is the music. While the Sherman Brothers songs were lackluster in The Sword in the Stone in The Jungle Book they were all fun and catchy. Oddly enough one of the best known songs from The Jungle Book “The Bare Necessities” was written by Terry Gilkyson. One of the things that makes the music work is the songs tell a story and move the plot along. We learn everything about King Louis’s plot from the song “I Wanna Be Like You”.
The most surprising thing I enjoyed about the film was the friendship that develops between Baloo and Baghreera. They hate each other in the beginning but slowly become friends as they both try to take care and protect Mowgli. It’s truly an odd couple scenario. Baghreera is the neat and straightforward one and Baloo is the laid back aloof character. Their banter throughout the film gives the film fun and heart (On a side note, this is what is missing from the 2016 live action version of the film). At the end of the film I expected them to turn to each other and say “I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”.
Overall: A fun filled film. Great music and great cast. It's a step up in animation from The Sword in the Stone and shows the true genius of Disney because wanting to make a “family friendly straightforward film” really worked. The movie also movies quickly. We learn all the exposition in the first 10 minutes and then get on with the adventure. The relationship between Baghreera and Baloo give the film it's heart. The ending felt a little abrupt but still works.
Random Facts:
Walt Disney died during productions of this film and is considered the last film in the “Silver Age” of Disney animations. The next film The Aristocats is considered the first film in the “Dark Age” of Disney Animation.
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