The Lion King 3D

Story: Lion cub Simba is the heir to the throne. He is taught by his father that when he becomes king, he will continue the task to maintaining order in the circle of life.

Review: It’s been more than a decade since The Lion King first captivated audience in cinemas. Disney 3D remastered the original movie to the new generation of viewers with 3D imagery. I was able to watch it the first time. The depth of the animation was polished from the original 2D which makes it more realistic.

The cub Simba’s likeness sometimes compared to Japanese manga character Kimba, the white lion. Not only the name sounded similar, they looked similar except for the color. Disney has always been a storyteller and Lion King is one story everyone can relate. It may look like it happened in soap operas but sometimes things like these happen in the family like sibling rivalry for example. If Disney used actual people instead the animals of Africa to personify the story, it wouldn’t be interesting.

Music also plays a big part in any Disney animation. The musical score was ideal in an African setting. As for the actors, James Earl Jones played the voice of Mufasa, Simba’s father. Jones is no stranger to voice acting and was memorable as the voice of Darth Vader in the original Star Wars trilogy. Jeremy Irons plays the voice of Scar, the evil brother of Mufasa. You never taught that a villain can be suave and has a share of comic punch lines in the movie. Nathan Lane plays Timon the meerkat, Rowan Atkinson was as Zazu, Whoopi Goldberg and Cheech Marin played the hyenas. Lane, Goldberg and Marin had the most comic experience in the whole movie. Also starring are Matthew Broderick, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly. The Lion King 3D opens December 14 in cinemas. The Lion King 3D is distributed by Walt Disney Studios Philippines.

GET INTO THE CIRCLE OF LIFE OF “THE LION KING 3D”

Set against the breathtaking natural beauty, mysticism and diversity of the African landscape, captured and stylized by a team of top artistic talents, Disney’s 32nd full-length animated film “The Lion King” is a uniquely entertaining coming-of-age allegory based on an original story that has since joined the ranks of classic fairy tales and literary favorites. And now, the popular classic is in 3D for the first time ever.

            “‘The Lion King’ is essentially a love story between a father and son,” says producer Don Hahn. “It’s about that moment in life when you realize that your father is going to pass on to you his wisdom and knowledge. The Circle of Life. Someday we all become adults. The baton will be passed on to us and we’re going to have to grow up.”

            An original story, breathtaking animation, beloved characters and award-winning music set the stage for “The Lion King,” a Disney classic that follows the adventures of Simba, the feisty lion cub who “just can’t wait to be king.” But his envious Uncle Scar has plans for his own ascent to the throne, and he forces Simba’s exile from the kingdom. Alone and adrift, Simba soon joins the escapades of a hilarious meerkat named Timon and his warmhearted warthog pal, Pumbaa.

            Adopting their carefree lifestyle of “Hakuna Matata,” Simba ignores his real responsibilities until he realizes his destiny and returns to the Pride Lands to claim his place in the Circle of Life. The all-star vocal talents—including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Ernie Sabella, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Robert Guillaume, Cheech Marin and Moira Kelly—plus the rip-roaring comedy and uplifting messages of courage, loyalty and hope make this a timeless tale for all ages.

            According to co-director Roger Allers,  “The real heart and emotional underpinning of the whole story is the father-son relationship. At one point in the film, Simba steps into his father’s paw print and we see this image of his little paw in an enormous print. It is very symbolic. When his father is taken away from him too soon, he feels unworthy and inadequate. My favorite part of the film is when his father returns in ghost form and tells him that his spirit lives on in his son.”

            Co-director Rob Minkoff adds: “We set out to do something very different from the things that had been done before. ‘Aladdin,’ ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ were all basically love stories, and this one is more about the relationship between a father and a son. It is just as crucial and interesting in its own way, but a real different subject and a change of pace from other Disney films.”

            Recalls actor Nathan Lane, who provides the voice of Timon, “They showed us two clips from the movie and I thought to myself, ‘Well, not only is this good, there’s something very special about this.’ Obviously, there’s something in [the film] that touches people—it’s why it was hugely successful and why it stays with people. [The filmmakers] worked for a long time to get the story right and that’s why these films work and why they’re considered classics.”

            Matthew Broderick (voice of Simba) remembers the first time he saw the film with an audience. “There’s nothing like sitting with a real audience,” he says. “I thought, ‘Wow, these children will take their children [someday].’ I could tell I was part of ‘Snow White.’ It felt like we were part of those movies that seem to live years and years through generations.”

            Opening across the Philippines in December 2011, “The Lion King 3D” is distributed locally by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.  

“THE LION KING” ROARS INTO PHILIPPINE CINEMAS IN 3D

Simba, Mufasa, Nala, Timon and Pumbaa are back and better than ever this December when Disney’s “The Lion King” roars into Philippine theaters in breathtaking 3D!

            When “The Lion King” first ruled the cinemas in 1994, the story of Simba and his father touched the hearts of an entire generation—its pioneering soundtrack, unexpected humor and compelling characters captivated audiences worldwide. The film, which followed “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty and the Beast,” propelled The Walt Disney Studios’ animation renaissance, becoming the highest-grossing animated film of all time. (In the U.S., it continues to be the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film ever.) “The Lion King” won the Oscar® for Best Original Score (Hans Zimmer) and Best Original Song (Elton John/Tim Rice, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight”) and earned Golden Globes® in both categories as well as for Best Motion Picture—Comedy or Musical. It is the best-selling home entertainment release of all time and inspired a Tony Award®-winning Broadway musical that became the seventh-longest-running musical in Broadway history in January 2011. 

            And now, the popular classic is in 3D for the first time ever. 

            Nearly a decade since “The Lion King” last appeared on the big screen, the upcoming theatrical release invites new generations into the Circle of Life. The two-week, 3D presentation is a planned wide domestic release—the biggest since the film’s 1994 debut—and the film’s first-ever 3D release. 

            An unforgettable story, breathtaking animation, beloved characters and award-winning music set the stage for “The Lion King”, a Disney classic that follows the adventures of Simba, the feisty lion cub who “just can't wait to be king.” But his envious Uncle Scar has plans for his own ascent to the throne, and he forces Simba's exile from the kingdom. Alone and adrift, Simba soon joins the escapades of a hilarious meerkat named Timon and his warmhearted warthog pal, Pumbaa. Adopting their carefree lifestyle of “Hakuna Matata,” Simba ignores his real responsibilities until he realizes his destiny and returns to the Pride Lands to claim his place in the “Circle of Life.” 

            The all-star vocal talents—including Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas and Moira Kelly—rip-roaring comedy and uplifting messages of courage, loyalty and hope make this a timeless tale for all ages. 

            Produced by Don Hahn and directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff from a script by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton, “The Lion King” is distributed locally by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International through Columbia Pictures.