The nostalgia centers of my brain are firing again and I'm powerless to stop them. I universally love Disney movies. I watch them with kid goggles on. It's a different sort of experience, because it's not just watching a movie. Watching something like Disney's 'The Jungle Book' brings back all sorts of childhood memories. One stands out amongst the others, where I tied on a red towel – it was the only thing clothing me – and I set out through the neighborhood pretending to be Mowgli. I assume that I thought at some point I'd be accepted into a pack of wolves who'd raise me as their own, but I only made it as far as the neighbor's house before they saw me and called my parents.
It speaks to the lasting value of these movies though. Since watching it with my two year-old son just a few nights ago, I could see the same wonder in his eyes that I'm sure I had watching 'The Jungle Book' for the first time. He was mesmerized by the different animals. He laughed at the elephants, pretended to cower when Shere Khan (voiced by George Sanders) appeared, and danced around the room during King Louie's (voiced by Louis Prima) swinging solo. I'm pretty sure I did all those things too when I was his age, watching 'The Jungle Book' for the first time with a childlike glee. So now you know my qeakness. I'm predisposed to give most Disney classics great scores, because they never cease to remind me how great it was being a kid. Now that I can share that with my own son, it's that much more meaningful.
By the time 'The Jungle Book' was released by Disney in 1967, the studio had already cemented itself as a family film juggernaut. With instant classics like 'Sleeping Beauty,' ' Peter Pan,' and 'Cinderella' paving the way before, 'The Jungle Book' simply added to an already illustrious catalogue of animated children's movies. However, it was one of Disney's last huge hits before 'The Little Mermaid' ushered in the second Disney golden age in the early 90s. In fact, 'The Jungle Book' sits at number 30 on the All Time Box Office Adjusted for Inflation List. Right above it at number 29? 'The Dark Knight.' 'The Jungle Book' domestically grossed $141,843,612 (granted this total was built as the movie was released multiple times). Adjusted for inflation that ends up just north of $615 million. By any measure, that's a huge haul. I know we tend to steer away from box office records and such during reviews, but it's worth noting. 'The Jungle Book' was an instant hit when it was released and has continued through multiple decades as a tale that pleases just about everyone who watches it.
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Sure Disney's view of Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli's tales has been given the familiar Disney sheen. Waxed away are any of the more ruthless parts of Kipling's material. What we're left with is a road trip movie, featuring some of Disney's most memorable characters, and most recognizable songs. The Sherman brothers out did themselves here. The songs in 'The Jungle Book' are equal parts catchy and clever. The entire movie becomes a sing-a-long before you know it.
I know I haven't talked much about the movie itself, but there's really no need to. I would suspect that the majority of people looking to purchase 'The Jungle Book' are doing so after having watched it multiple times. Only now it's different. They want to know if this movie holds up for their young ones. Will a new generation of kids love it just as much as past generations? If your experience is anything like the experience I had with my son, then yes. 'The Jungle Book' will be loved for decades to come.
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Blu-ray: Vital Disc Stats
Disney has given 'The Jungle Book' the Diamond Edition treatment. The release has been packaged with two discs. One 50GB Blu-ray and a DVD. There's also a cod for Disney Movie Rewards which will connect you to the Digital Copy version of the film. Of course the film also comes with a nicely embossed slipcover. It's marked as being region free.
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While Disney's presentation of 'The Jungle Book' isn't as glaringly bad as 'The Sword in the Stone' it still comes with some problems. Chief among them is the idea that scrubbing away the natural grain is what viewers want. This time, however, Disney has been a little more careful in their digital scrubbing efforts. They haven't wiped away much of the line art like in 'The Sword in the Stone.' You're still able to see sketch lines as characters move. Giving the picture a much more naturalistic feel in that respect.
Yet, there's this glossy sheen to the entire thing. Like the movie has been wiped clean instead of meticulously touched up for a high-def release. It's difficult to fault Disney for their decisions, because they're simply trying to put together a release that today's children will want to watch. Though, more ardent videophiles and Disneyphiles might look at this presentation incredulously.
The sharpness of the animation is usually great, but there are some scenes involving frantic motion that appear to blur. Colors are bright and strong, certainly the presentation's strong suit. The painted backdrops are gorgeous. I had a split feeling about this presentation. On one had it feels like Disney is simply presenting a classic movie for a generation of youngsters who are used to artificially clean animation. On the other hand, it feels like they've scrubbed away some of its character. I'm leaning on the side that this presentation is more good than bad, but that's all in the eye of the viewer really.
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As with most Diamond Editions 'The Jungle Book' gets an expansive audio upgrade as the film's now lossless sound is pumped through a 7.1 mix. The DTS-HD Master Audio mix is finely tuned to give every viewer a fantastic audio experience.
The music and lyrics are crystal clear. I remember, as a kid watching 'The Jungle Book' on VHS and thinking I have absolutely no idea what King Louie is saying during his solo. There are no such problems here. Dialogue is crisp and natural. The only drawback that I heard during the presentation was that "S" sounds seemed a little too harsh. Like a tiny bit of noise drifted up through the speakers whenever Ka spoke with his slithery serpent sounds.
The rear channels work tremendously well. King Louie's song is a great example of how the 7.1 mix really works. All sorts of ambient sound of monkeys hooting and hollering located in the side and rear speakers. The LFE, when Louie's ruins crumble or when the elephant brigade marches through the forest is deep and distinct. By and large this is a great sound soundtrack.
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One of the true Disney classics, but one that is curiously overlooked when people start remembering the best Disney movies. It seems to always be that Disney film that you need to be reminded of, but once it's in your head it stays there. It's so playful, so wonderfully inventive with its animation and songs that it'll no doubt be loved by future generations of kids. The video may be problematic at times, but for the most part it turns out fine. The audio mix is very well-rounded, providing ample oomph to the Sherman soundtrack. There's also a load of new and old special features to dig through. All things considered 'The Jungle Book' comes highly recommended.
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