Disney's "The Jungle Book" 40th anniversary

[Carol Baynes]

Released in late 1967, “The Jungle book” was directed by Wofgang Reitherman, one of Walt Disney’s “9 old men” who had shaped the Disney studio’s animation since the beginning. It was also the product of many other talents, as with any film of this kind, most notably Ollie Johnston and Frank Armitage. Their animation and illustration give the film such visual flair. But here, as in the best Disney films, are the fabulous characterisations. The animation was built around the performances from talent like Jazz masters Phil Harris (Baloo) and Louis Prima (King Louis), and it was a masterstroke to use such unusual names in an animated feature. Add to that the music and soundtrack and “The Jungle Book “is one of the most beloved Disney features for very good reason.

Not the most technically brilliant of Uncle Walt's films perhaps (although still outstanding by anybody's standards), but it is and may always be my all time favourite Walt Disney picture. It’s a simple story of coming of age, loosely based on Rudyard Kipling’s novel. It also shows us the strength of true friendship in the face of adversity and it has such marvellous sentiment and heart it’s impossible for me to not like it. It's such fun!

In this, the last feature film he worked on, Walt Disney left us a perfect swansong full of all the reasons his films will still be watched and enjoyed in another 100 years.

Anybody love "The Jungle Book" as much?

[MacNimon]

I love The Jungle Book, it's my all-time favourite Disney film. Great characters, brilliant music...this one has it all! An all-time classic!

I think I'll go dig out the video now....maybe not, I think I'll go buy the dvd instead...those special features look interesting...

[Captain Tancredi]

"When you pick a paw-paw or a prickly pear
And you get a raw paw, then next time beware!"

Needless to say, we had a couple of Disney soundtrack LPs when I was little...

[Carol Baynes]

I was going to start a 'Last Disney feature animation standing' thread, but going by the responmse to this thread maybe I've over estimated the appeal of Disney's canon to PS posters!

"The Jungle book" was the studios' 19th animated feature by the way. There's a new one out in a couple of years- they're finally making a version of "Rapunzel".

[SiHart]

The Jungle Book is a fantastic film. I'd really quite like this DVD, if any interested parties are tuned in at the moment.
This was one of the films they really got right- it's not too schmaltzy, the characters are larger than life in a very entertaining way and the songs are all magnificent.

Si xx

[MacNimon]

I think The Jungle Book dvd is now on my Christmas shopping list...I'd pretend that I'm getting it for the kids, but my wife wouldn't be fooled for a minute...that's the excuse I used to buy the video all those years ago!

It's all too easy nowadays to dismiss Disney productions as schmaltzy, sugar-coated and sentimental (because, of course, hey are schmalzy, sugar-coated, and sentimental) but occasionally some really deserve the definition 'classic', and The Jungle Book is one of those few imo. As Carol says, the use of such unusual names as Phil Harris in an animated movie was a masterstoke, and its impossible these days to imagine anyone alse in the part. These guys made the characters come to life like no other Disney character had before, they were big, loud, larger than life and extremely funny. Whereas many Disney animated films were pretty serious stories (Snow White, Pinnochio, 101 Dalmations etc)-obviously they were based on old kids stories and fairy tales, and made in Disney's traditional sugary-sweet manner to appeal to kids, but still they were serious kids dramas with poisoned apples, runaway children getting eaten by whales, pups going to be skinned to make fur coats etc - but this story was much simpler, about a little boy growing up in the jungle, and with the marvellous characters surrounding him, combined with the fantastic soundtrack, is simply so much more fun, and justifiably makes this the jewel in Disney's crown to this day.

One last thought about Disney in general, but personally I feel that,with the odd exception, Disney's greatest strength was those animated shorts that they made from the 30's through to the 50s(?) starring Walts most famous creations Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy. I could watch many of these all day long, there were some classics (and often hilariously funny) cartoons produced during this period. Such as the one where Donald, Mickey and Goofy go on a caravanning holiday...brilliant stuff. Latter day shorts didn't have the same magical quality about them, there just seemed to be a golden period for this stuff...it's just like with MGM's Tom and Jerry where those early Fred Quimby classics easily outclass the later versions which just don't have the same quality.

I feel a sudden urge coming on to have a rake through the kids old boxes of videos in the loft today...

[Rob McCow]

The Jungle Book was always a favourite as a kid, but it's probably been 20 years since I last saw it. I remember there was a bear in it and a monkey who thought he was in charge, but that's about it!

I feel I could watch this one again now. This and Lady And The Tramp. 'We are Siamese if you please!'

Fact alert: Jungle Book was mentioned this weekend, as a friend of mine does evenings at a Cub Scout camp, where they pick names from The Jungle Book - although this is Rudyard Kipling's version rather than Disney's.

[Si Hunt]

Disney is evil.

Si.

[Captain Tancredi]

I was going to start a 'Last Disney feature animation standing' thread, but going by the responmse to this thread maybe I've over estimated the appeal of Disney's canon to PS posters!

Not sure about that- up to and including 'The Fox and the Hound', I think I must have seen them all when they were released or re-released in the cinema (hard to believe nowadays, but in the off-years in between new releases they used to re-release the classics!). There'd be the animated feature, a couple of shorts (some of which were by the standards of the time quite sought-after) and a True-Life Adventure, usually something about coyotes, pumas or prairie dogs. My own preference would be for one of the more magical fairytale adaptations (although I'd argue that with 'Fantasia' Disney invented an art form without realising it) but Disney also seem quite good at keeping their prices artificially high so I'm not sure whether I'd ever go so far as to buy one.