Monday, February 28, 2005

Film Forensics - Lion King

Lion King 1

State of Body - Father is dead, but child is still alive and kicking.

Detail of inspection - The kids put it on autorepeat for days at a time!

Comments - Child appeared dead, but had just gone away for a little hakuna matata.

Although I view this movie to be a typical Disney kids animated movie, and not really a "serious" movie, its sheer general popularity make it a movie that people house-sitting for you would want to watch it, if you only hadn't taken it in the car with you for the kids. Of course the completely unbelievable combination of a warthog and a meerkat, make for the humerous, relaxed interlude of "no worries" which the kids tend to gloss over as boring - in between the Violent plot to take over a throne, and the just as violent return of the rightful king to reclaim it and save the kingdom. Of course this wouldn't be a kids movie if the hero's father didn't have an agonising death sequence early on in the movie. Felicia (5) would certainly pick "the one where Mufasa dies" as her favourite of the three Lion King Movies. The obvious educational aspect would be of the circle of life, and that good leadership counts for a lot both in a family and for a country. I kind of think that the "good vs evil" is a bit over done in films, and I would have loved to see the hint of Scar having a good side to him. Not only does he disregard life in his plans for power. He extends to not having a single good intention shown in the whole movie. Even for the Hyena's. All in all, its got some nice violent bits for the kids, and some great comedy for the adults - therefore making it one of the only DVD's we have which visitors lust for. "Hakuna Matata" - "Its our Motto" - What's 'a motto - why nothing, what's 'a matto with you??

1 comment:

Dr Clam said...

My favourite bit is where the hyenas are going "no king, no king, la la," and Scar says: "Fools! I will be King." This has become part of our family vocabulary and is used for all sorts of inappropriate "No X"/"I will be X!" combinations.

I didn't like the way the Pridelands physically deterioriated under Scar's leadership on first viewing, but when I realised this was consistent with the lions being traditional mythological God-Kings I reconciled to it.
The 'lost years' of Simba in which nothing happens remind me of the 'lost years' in the historical account of Jesus. I haven't seen the other two (straight to video?) Lion King movies, so I canna comment on them,,,