One of The Jungle Book's greatest strengths is its characters. Our main character, Mowgli, is the glue that connects everything together, but he essentially takes a backseat quite often to his scene stealing supporting cast. Baloo is simply a Disney icon. Constantly forgetting about his worries and his strife, Baloo continues to inspire generations of Disney fans to look for the bare necessities of life. He is hilarious, selfless, and a bear with the biggest heart of all. Phil Harris provides the perfect voice for Baloo as Baloo becomes one of the most charming characters in the Disney canon. Our fearless leader, Bagheera, is the quintessential foil character to Baloo and Mowgli, and their interactions are priceless. One of my favorite sequences in the entire film is the final scene where Baloo and Bagheera watch Mowgli finally walk into the man village much to the chagrin of Baloo and to the delight of Bagheera.
Look up the definition of standout in the dictionary, and I am fairly sure you will find a picture of King Louie right next to it. The ape who wants to be like Mowgli is one of my favorite characters of all-time, and he is only on screen for about ten minutes or so! Louis Prima lends his dynamite voice to King Louie, and I truly cannot think of a more perfect casting. His version of "I Wanna Be Like You" may just be the highlight of the entire film, and this is a film full of highlights. Sterling Holloway's Kaa is expertly wacky and mysterious, and when he sings "Trust In Me" to Mowgli, I feel like I am the one being hypnotized instead of the Man Cub. Finally, of course, our villain, Shere Khan, is a fantastic bad guy. He intimates the entire jungle with just the mere mention of his name. That's how I want my Disney villains to be!
Normally when I discuss a film's characters, I do not write that much, but therein lies the greatness of The Jungle Book. Every character is fabulous creation by Disney, and each one is allowed an opportunity to shine brightly. That is why I keep coming back to this film for entertainment. This may just be the best character ensemble in the history of Disney. Obviously, there are quite a few great ensembles from Disney, but The Jungle Book certainly deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the best of the best. The songs these characters sing are just as iconic too. Baloo and Mowgli, and even Bagheera at the end, have "The Bare Necessities" while King Louie has "I Wanna Be Like You" and Kaa has "Trust In Me." Even Shere Khan gets a chance to showoff his vocals in the underrated gem with the vultures and Mowgli, "That's What Friends Are For." The Sherman Brothers, aided by Terry Gilkyson who wrote "The Bare Necessities," work their magic once again as they follow up Mary Poppins with yet another energetic and electric soundtrack. Additionally, these songs are not in the film just for the sake of making it a musical; instead, every song has a true purpose. They provide insight to the thoughts and desires of the characters exquisitely. Plus, this is one of those soundtracks that I could listen to everyday just for relaxation purposes because it is so fun and so carefree.
As I have come to expect with Disney, the animation is gorgeous in The Jungle Book. The animators really bring this jungle to life in such a miraculous way, allowing us to be transported to the very side of Mowgli as we follow his journey. The character animation is also magnificent. King Louie in particular is such a well developed character simply through the way they animated him and brought him to life. I always find myself laughing hysterically when he jumps rope with his arms or when he is peeling a banana, and that is all due exclusively to the animators. Furthermore, in "The Bare Necessities" scene, the way they animated Baloo and Mowgli once they are in the water is downright inspired. That clearly took an immense amount of attention to detail and genuine dedication to make that scene look so effortless to pull off. It stuns me every time because of the sheer beauty of it.
The Jungle Book seems like a film that is impossible to hate. It is just a joy to watch from beginning to end. If I ever just have the need to be thoroughly entertained, The Jungle Book is my go-to Disney film. To have the ability to get lost in this world with these dazzling characters is something that only this film can offer. It truly is one of a kind, and one of Disney's finest creations.
Rating: 10/10
Historical Significance: As I wrote yesterday, Walt Disney died near the end of production on this film in December 1966. The Jungle Book was scheduled to be released in October 1967. Many Disney employees and insiders believed during this ten month stretch that if The Jungle Book flopped at the box office, that would signify the end of Disney animation. With Walt no longer leading the charge at that front, they were preparing themselves to focus exclusively on television, live action films, and the parks. Luckily, though, The Jungle Book was a massive hit. Grossing over $73 million during its initial release, Box Office Mojo reports that it currently ranks #32 at the domestic box office when adjusted for inflation and factoring in re-release grosses, making more money that such hits as Shrek 2, Spider-Man, and Home Alone. With this success, Disney animators knew that the studio would not shut down the animation department anytime soon and began figuring out how to make films without Walt's guidance.
Behind the Scenes: Appearing near the end of the film, the vultures were originally supposed to be voiced by The Beatles. The band's manager approached Disney about having the members of the band provide voices for future characters, so Walt ordered that the vultures be specifically modeled after The Beatles. However, when John Lennon heard about the manager's proposal, he immediately overruled the decision, refusing to appear in a Disney film. With The Beatles out of the picture, Walt thought that making the vultures akin to a barbershop quartet would allow the characters to be timeless, and while the voices were adjusted, the look of the vultures in the final product is the same look that would have appeared in the film if The Beatles had agreed to the deal.
Favorite Character: How can I possibly single out just one character from a film brimming with excellent characters? Since I must choose, though, I have to go with Baloo as my favorite. He is the heart and soul of the entire film, and he continually speaks truth about those bare necessities that resonate with us almost fifty years later. Even when we think he is down and out after his battle with Shere Khan, with Bagheera eulogizing him, Baloo finds a way to make us laugh in one of the countless highlights of the time. Baloo simply radiates joy.
Favorite Scene: The "I Wanna Be Like You" sequence in the ancient ruins run by King Louie is one of my favorite scenes of all-time, not just in The Jungle Book. It contains unrivaled amounts of funand excitement while also featuring an appearance by all of our favorite characters. One of the best moments of the scene comes when Baloo crashes the party and begins scatting and dancing alongside King Louie. It is the perfect blend of entertainment and story progression, and did I mention that it is fun? (Watch this scene here)
Favorite Song: "The Bare Necessities" is a Disney classic, plain and simple. It also is brimming with fun, but upon deeper investigation, the lyrics to this song contain a powerful message. The idea of forgetting about our worries and living life with a sense of exuberance is such a needed theme for everyone to hear. Plus, the animation during this scene with Baloo showing Mowgli how to live like a bear is truly breathtaking. The bare necessities of life will come to you, and when they come in this film, it is a wonder to behold. (Listen to the song and watch the scene here)
Updated Ranking: My love for The Jungle Book has only grown as I have aged, and its ranking today supports that. It is one of my absolute favorites.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
- Peter Pan
- Cinderella
- The Jungle Book
- Sleeping Beauty
- Pinocchio
- Lady and the Tramp
- Alice in Wonderland
- Dumbo
- Bambi
- 101 Dalmatians
- Fantasia
- The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
- Fun and Fancy Free
- Melody Time
- The Three Caballeros
- Saludos Amigos
- The Sword in the Stone
- Make Mine Music
Now, we have officially completed the entire animated filmography of Walt Disney's career. Tomorrow, we begin a stretch of time where Disney goes through a bit of an identity crisis, and it all gets underway with The AristoCats!
-Cody Fleenor
No comments:
Post a Comment