Ok. Man, do I have a lot to talk about with this film. When I first heard that they announcing that they were re-releasing this film in 3D, I groaned. For most of my life, I HATED this film with a huge passion. I had never hated a film so much more than this one. And then..the trailer came out. The first time I saw the trailer in the cinema, I was at the Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Part 2 midnight screening. And it was sold out so the whole cinema was packed as it can get. After the played the Breaking Dawn trailer(Which got booed, I might add) They played The Lion King trailer and...Nearly everyone in the cinema applauded and wooped at the screen. I was not one of those people. For years, I have been constantly thinking why people love this film so much. I always thought it was the worst Disney movie and I really hated it growing up. Let me say that my favorite film growing up and my favorite animated classic is The Little Mermaid. I always preferred watching the princess movies and I always avoided the Disneys that were aimed at boys eg, Lion King, Jungle Book..Does Aladdin count? I always thought that was a film aimed at boys but it's mostly girls that watch it because of Princess Jasmine. But anyways, I always avoided that film as well. Over the years, I had grown to appreciate Aladdin and Jungle Book. But Lion King always stayed in my most hated films books. I don't know why I never liked it as a kid. I think I had grown to hate it because I was never allowed to watch the movies I wanted to watch. I grew up with a child carer since my parents were never really around since they split when I was really young. But my child carer was one of those people were she had all of her clients at her house. Like everyday, she would have 10+ kids to look after. I hope I am explaining myself correctly lol. Anyways, everyday, we had to choose a movie to watch and..I never really got to watch the movies I wanted to watch. Most of the kids always wanted to watch Lion King so poor Ariel always got ruled out. So anyways, while they were watching Lion King, I always went into the next room to read. I remember doing that so many times haha! Maybe that's why I love reading so much haha. So I think that's my real reason why I never liked it as a kid.
Another reason why I never liked it was the it scared the living crap out of me! That opening scene with that operatic voice while the sun is rising used to make me run out of the room and hide behind someone. I don't know why no else found that bit terrifying! If you heard that while you trying to sleep, you would probably crap your pants! Also, I hated the wildebeest scene! That image of them, running down the cliff is scarred into my mind and then the sound comes on and..ahh! That just used to terrify me! Then..getting into my teenage years got worse..
You know when you meet someone new and you ask each other what was your favorite movie growing up was? I will give you how one of those conversations usually went with me.....
Person: "So what were favorite movies growing up?"
Me: "Little Mermaid, Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, Beauty And The Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White."
Person: "Where's Lion King on that list?"
Me: "I never liked that movie growing up"
Person: "WHAT!? The Lion King is a freaking masterpiece!"
Me: >.< *mutters under breath* "Not another one!"
So..I constantly felt alone on that part. I always felt that I was the only one who liked the princess movies and that everyone else always loved Lion King. So that always got me hating on Lion King even more. I have met a couple of people over the years that have told me that they also preferred the princess movies growing up but..not very many lol...Try 3 people.. I have also had arguments about the film. I always thought that it was a ripoff of Kimba The White Lion and that Disney was stupid enough to not acknowledge them. I mean, with the other movies, you know it's a retelling of an older story because its in the actual title of the film! Lion King..not so much..Disney stole some of the shots from Kimra, they stole the plot and not to mention that all of the characters names in Lion King are anagrams of the characters names in Kimba..They ripped them off so much that there was this whole controversy about it..And still, to this day, Disney don't credit them.. People have always defended this but i have always fought back. I was determined to prove that this film was a rip off. Sometimes, I did. Sometimes, I didn't. So..the fact that people praised this film so much and the fact that I hated this really got my pissed off and I used to get into rants and start yelling etc etc..I have had fights in person, on youtube, on facebook., you name it. People also thought that I didn't have a heart because I didn't cry when Mufasa dies.. :/ That made everything even worse..
Anyways, a few weeks ago, I actually sat down and watched the film...for the first time..in 3D..in the theater. Expectations were VERY low because I wasn't expecting my opinion of the film to change. I don't know why I went and saw it. I think the whole..seeing a classic Disney film in the theater lured me in. Anyways, when it started, There was a title screen that said "A special 3D presentation" and i don't know why but i started getting emotional. Then that infamous screen of the sun rising came up and..I started crying. PLEASE don't ask me why. I can't even figure out why. During the whole opening scene, I was crying away and then the title came up! Bam! Stopped crying and then watched the rest of the film tear less. Even when Mufasa died.. I do have a heart by the way. I have cried in heaps of other film and some I can't even watch because I cry to much..>.<
During the rest of the film, I watching thinking..how did I miss out on this!? Curse my stupid childhood haha. I personally think the best part of this film is the comic relief. I don't care what anyone else thinks, I love the comic relief in Disney films. Makes them better in my opinion. I think the comic relief works best in this film because...well because this film doesn't have the best plot. I mean...nothing much happens. In films nowadays, they would have this type of plot plus quite a few sub plots on top of it. Also..I wanted more female characters..There is like 2 in this film. I personally find female characters more interesting to watch on screen so that's why I think this film lacks in some points.
My opinion on the film hasn't entirely changed. I still think The Little Mermaid, Cinderella etc are way better films and I will never replace those films as my favourites. I do think Lion King is good..But I still think it is quite overrated.
But i do have one thing to thank Lion King for. It was been announced that we are getting Beauty And The Beat, Monsters Inc, Finding Nemo and Little Mermaid are getting the 3D re-release treatment :D And I LOVE all of these films :) I personally can't wait to see Ariel on the big screen again. (I went to see the film in the 1997 re-release twice :D) So yeah! Bring on the rest of these films! :)
Watch the trailer down below:
4 out of 5 stars for me :)
I see why you hated it... lol. Just sad you have to tell that story to anyone you meet or they'll yell at you huh! haha. Anyway, I agree that the story could use more females, and that not much happens in the story, BUT you realise that the plot is in part base don Hamlet right? Stuff iff they ripped off Kimba, which I agree they did, (who do they think they're kidding!!) But the plot is still amazing. So sorry, but the plot is very very very rich.
ReplyDeleteThe comic hunmor I agree is fantastic in this, haha. But the drama is what makes it so amazing. Its a cinematic masterpiece becaue of how everything comes together, the animation, ther plot, which is so rich in culture and symbolism, and the soundtrack of course is unbelieveable! And I'm not saying that just cos I'm a musical freak, haha, the songs in Little Mermaid for example are just as good, its the score that Lebo and Hans Zimmer did, the music is waht makes me cry, without it the plot wouldn't have enough weight or emotion.
And for the record, Lion King is a masterpiece, BUT I love the princess films too :D
Oh, and, don't you dare say Lion King is for boys if you could like Jungle Book!!!! haha