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[Movie] The Lion King (1994) (BLURAY): Reviews, Ratings, and Trivia of the Beloved Animation



VIDEO and AUDIOPresented in 1.78:1 and 7.1 DTS-HD master audio, The Lion King looks and sounds perfect on Blu-ray. The film was made in hand-drawn animation but by the 1990s that tradition was making extensive use of computers with CGI integrated through Disney's CAPS system. That renders the presentation a direct digital one, which you can tell from the stunning flawlessness. As you would guess, the current 3D theatrical engagement is the basis of the transfer. That means that the original blue Walt Disney Pictures logo, previously replaced for the film's 2002 IMAX engagement, is updated with the current CGI castle. Restoration credits appear in the closing scroll. The dedication to Frank Wells, the Walt Disney Company COO who died in a helicopter crash two months before Lion King's premiere, has been moved from the film's opening to the end credits. The mostly mild animation revisions/"enhancements" (e.g. curiously redrawn crocodiles, urban legend admission/diffusion) performed for the 2002 stint remain in place. The deleted number "The Morning Report", brought to life for the movie's 2003 Platinum Edition DVD where it unfortunately played by default, is no longer integrated in the film, not even as an option.Some fans will be annoyed that we do not get the true original cut that made such waves in 1994, and I share their disappointment, though much less voraciously than I did in 2003 when I figured it inevitable that the theatrical cut would be supplanted by updated ones. Other than that, though, I can't imagine anyone being less than delighted by the Blu-ray's feature presentation. Brimming with color and detail, the sharp and immaculate picture is a feast for the eyes. Even the intensive wildebeest stampede sequence, with all its movement, evades any perceivable compression artifacts. Not all movies scream out for the gains of 1080p, but this one does and becomes immediate demo material.The 7.1 soundtrack is as satisfying as the picture. Like everything else, sound assumes greater than usual importance here and the mix acknowledges that with its potent distribution of dialogue, music, and effects. This lively, engulfing track may not be entirely true to the film's original design, but it did not feel unfaithful or gimmicky. The audio unleashes the wild on your home, with nature sounds seeming to emanate from different parts of your living room. The songs are performed at a volume higher than the rest of the film and perhaps a touch too loud for comfort, but everything emerges with crispness, clarity, and fitting directionality. As with the video, you'll have to look long and hard for a catalog movie providing as much aural pleasure as this.The DVD's anamorphic, Dolby Digital 5.1 presentation cannot be faulted in any major way either, but it clearly lacks the impact of the Blu-ray's picture and sound. It also shows some, but not many compression artifacts during the stampede scene. Screencap from The Lion King's Platinum Edition DVD, released in 2003




[Movie] The Lion King (1994) (BLURAY)




'The Lion King' isn't without its controversy. Some say it was lifted directly from the Japanese story of 'Kimba the White Lion.' Disney insists it's their take on 'Hamlet.' Sharing, borrowing, and adapting has been commonplace in moviemaking for years. Truthfully, it doesn't matter to me one way or the other. The end product that Disney put out has enthralled audiences since its release. Not too many movies have staying power like that. In fact, it was just rereleased in theaters and handily beat out the competition for the number one spot. Seventeen years later and people are still clamoring to see this movie on the big screen. Only a very small percentage of films in history could pull off a feat like that.


We all know the story by now. Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is a king in waiting. His father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is king of the pride lands. He explains to Simba that life and nature have a natural balance. Most movies that involve animals, both predatory and prey, usually treat everyone like equals. Providing an illusion where ferocious carnivores don't actually eat any of the cute herbivores. Not 'The Lion King.' Mufasa talks openly with Simba about how they do eat other animals, but he's able to explain it in such a way that it makes the process seem more respectable and less like animal homicide. This one aspect alone makes 'The Lion King' a more grown-up, realistic animated feature. No false illusions are spread. Kids aren't taught that lions and zebras can run around in fields together without consequence. 'The Lion King' has the ability to spark discussion between kids and parents about aspects like life and death. So many animated features breeze by us with a few fart and poop jokes and that's it. 'The Lion King' is different. It's deeper. It has something else to share besides being a colorful electronic babysitter.


The Lion King isn't without its controversy. Some say it was lifted directly from the Japanese story of Kimba the White Lion. Disney insists it's their take on Hamlet. Sharing, borrowing, and adapting has been commonplace in moviemaking for years. Truthfully, it doesn't matter to me one way or the other. The end product that Disney put out has enthralled audiences since its release. Not too many movies have staying power like that. In fact, it was just rereleased in theaters and handily beat out the competition for the number one spot. Seventeen years later and people are still clamoring to see this movie on the big screen. Only a very small percentage of films in history could pull off a feat like that.


We all know the story by now. Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) is a king in waiting. His father, Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is king of the pride lands. He explains to Simba that life and nature have a natural balance. Most movies that involve animals, both predatory and prey, usually treat everyone like equals. Providing an illusion where ferocious carnivores don't actually eat any of the cute herbivores. Not 'The Lion King.' Mufasa talks openly with Simba about how they do eat other animals, but he's able to explain it in such a way that it makes the process seem more respectable and less like animal homicide. This one aspect alone makes The Lion King a more grown-up, realistic animated feature. No false illusions are spread. Kids aren't taught that lions and zebras can run around in fields together without consequence. The Lion King has the ability to spark discussion between kids and parents about aspects like life and death. So many animated features breeze by us with a few fart and poop jokes and that's it. The Lion King is different. It's deeper. It has something else to share besides being a colorful electronic babysitter.


The Lion King looks great in 4K, yet most folks should be fine sticking with the Blu-ray -- it's still a stunner -- unless you have a brighter HDR10 4K TV or a projection setup. For anyone wondering what wins in a 3D versus 4K battle, as I mentioned above, that 3D version of this movie is an extremely immersive experience and remains my favorite way to watch. That said, if I'm going with 2D, the Dolby Vision streaming version is a nice compromise of brightness, color, and resolution, but I'm not sure how its lower bitrate will hold up on 75" or larger displays. (4K HDR10 Video Rating: 90/100)


The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 1 and Lady and the Tramp switched places on the Blu-ray sales chart. The former rose to first place during its first full week on the home market selling 455,000 units / $10.46 million giving it an early total of 1.24 million units / $28.58 million. More...Blu-ray Sales: Steel Grabs the LootFebruary 8th, 2012


There was no competition on the Blu-ray sales chart, as Real Steel topped all new releases and holdovers by a healthy margin. It sold 799,000 units and generated $22.36 million in sales giving it an opening week Blu-ray share of 54%. Hopefully we will see a lot more films crack 50% as the winter blockbusters start to come out. More...Blu-ray Sales: High Definition Looking BlueDecember 15th, 2011


The Smurfs led a group of five new releases on the Blu-ray sales chart earning first place in the process. It sold 355,000 units while generating $8.88 million during its first week on the home market, which represents 42% of all units sold. That's a very strong opening week Blu-ray ratio for a live action kids movie. More...Blu-ray Sales: Top of the Chart Looks SuperDecember 8th, 2011


The Lion King was re-released in theaters as a 3D version just over a couple weeks ago. The original plan was to run for two weeks, but be out of theaters just in time for its Blu-ray debut. It has proven to be so popular in theaters, that it will likely still be playing wide next weekend and could become one of the rare films to reach $100 million during its re-release. It is worth picking up on Blu-ray? And if so, which version is the better deal? More...Weekend Predictions: Do New Releases have a 50/50 Chance to Top the Chart?September 29th, 2011


It's a busy week with four wide releases, including two that are opening at saturation level theater counts. With such a lot of competition, there's little chance all four will find a sizable audience this weekend. In fact, there's a chance none of them will be able to top The Lion King, leaving it on top for the second weekend in a row. If that happens, there's no telling how many classic films will get a 3D conversion. As for which release have the best shot at becoming the new box office king, Moneyball seems to be the consensus pick, but there is some debate as to how well the new releases will do. There's also some debate as to how well the overall box office will do compared to last year. There's a 50-50 chance the number one film this year will top Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps, which earned just over $19 million last year, while the depth is a little better this year. More...Per Theater Chart: Restlessly Waiting for Awards SeasonSeptember 21st, 2011 2ff7e9595c


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