'The Lion King' Reflections: 30 Years Have Not Dimmed Its Beauty
The original shines in 4K on Disney Plus.
Now Streaming: To make up for missing an advance press screening for Barry Jenkins' Mufasa: The Lion King, opening today in movie theaters everywhere, I consoled myself by returning to Disney's original version, directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff.
(Frankly, I wasn't enthusiastic about seeing the sequel to a remake that I slipped almost entirely out of my consciousness, even before I saw that the remake is currently earning an approval rating of only 56% on Rotten Tomatoes. I'm sure that it will still make a billion dollars at the box office, so it doesn't need my dollars.)
My original impressions upon seeing the original film in 1994 were entirely positive. It was a high point in Disney's animated renaissance, when it felt like every Disney film was an experience that could be shared by children and their parents, as well as adults without children. I've seen the film since then, perhaps twice more, on videocassette and then DVD.
Watching it in 4K, even on a streaming service, was a huge step up from DVD. I revelled in the glorious colors, which truly looked stupendous, and noted that two sequences in particular that were bathed in red looked disturbing, and more menacing than I recalled. (It's also something that Jon Favreau's remake couldn't possibly approach in its visuals.)
Another benefit from 4K that I've come to increasingly appreciate is the sound. On a 4K disc, the benefits of the higher-quality audio become especially noticeable in the sound for older films; I have 4K discs of movies from the 1950s through to the present day, and the older films sometimes benefit more from 4K mastering in the audio, even if the visuals are not drop-dead gorgeous.
Thus, James Earl Jones' voice r u m b l e s d e e p l y as the noble Mufasa. Jeremy Irons' voice c o i l s a n d s l i t h e r s Mufasa's brother, the duplicitous Scar. They are the standouts in the voice cast, but it's also a joy to hear Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane, seven years before they teamed up on Broadway for Mel Brooks' musical-comedy The Producers, as unlikely friends.
The songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, and the original musical score by Hans Zimmer, are magnificent and, dare I say, manifest uplifting emotions. And I love the comic riffs on "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" and "It's a Small Word." All the music and songs bolster the primary narrative, which soft-pedals the moral message that's woven into the fabric, without weakening it.
And all this in 94 minutes! The 2019 remake ran 118 minutes and its sequel is timed at 120 minutes. Personally, I think your time may be better spent watching the 1994 original again. [Disney Plus]
