Well, I put off getting this for a long time due to money problems lately, but life's been sucking and I've been more depressed recently than not so it seemed the time was right to get it: the "Diamond Edition" Blu-Ray of
The Lion King, my favorite Disney animated film.
Of all the Disney movies I've ever seen (and at this point I've seen just about all of them), it is the one that has always had the most emotional resonance to me. It's Disney at the top of their game, which is amusing considering this was considered by Disney during its development as the lesser project behind the eventually-mediocre Pocahontas.
It's certainly not a perfect movie, though. When I was a kid, I
hated "I just can't wait to be King" for the way it shatters the tone of the movie, though I can understand now why it's there. I still alternate, though, from viewing to viewing whether I dislike that song or Timon & Pumbaa more for the way they clash with the rest of the movie. This time, I have to go with the duo. I can certainly understand why they're there: to provide the movie a much-needed injection of cheer after an incredibly dark and emotional scene. Despite the necessity of their role in the film, though, the two of them just bug me (pun intended) because of how they suddenly introduce pop culture and comedy elements into a pretty self-contained and dramatic universe. In many ways, they're the harbingers of the glut of mediocrity that this style of comedy would bring in the Disney films to come.
Of course, those few irritations are nothing compared to what this film does right. To me, no other Disney animated film can even
begin to touch the Lion King when it comes to use of color, animation, cinematography (outside one just plain
bad-looking CG shot during the Hyena march), and drama. This movie
easily has 3 of the most incredible sequences Disney ever made: the
still stunning opening sequence with the Circle of Life; the most emotionally impacting death scene I think Disney's done yet (and the sequence that precedes it); and the "ghost" scene later in the movie. This movie is the gold standard by which I judge all other Disney films, and sadly this film was the end of the Disney Renaissance that began with Oliver & Company (Hah! You thought I'd say "The Little Mermaid", didn't you?
). Disney never has made a movie of its caliber ever since, though Pixar's put forth several worthy attempts.
As for the Blu-Ray, it's what I expect of Disney's animated Blu-Rays: the picture quality is pristine, the audio sounds great, and the extras are...plentiful, but kind of confusing to find. Many of the older features are only available through the online BD-Live feature, and I give
that only a few years before they're taken down.
The upside, though? Not only is the horrid "Morning Report" song
not in the movie anymore (unlike the previous DVD release), but although it's apparently on the disc I can't find it.
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Topic: Rate the last movie you've seen (Read 1553236 times)
