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The Lion King [Blu-ray+DVD+Digital HD]

Jonathan Taylor Thomas (Actor), Matthew Broderick (Actor), Roger Allers (Director), Rated:
G
Format: Blu-ray
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 18,321 ratings
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Genre Animation
Format NTSC, Subtitled
Contributor Irene Mecchi, Linda Woolverton, Rob Minkoff, Jim Cummings, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Rowan Atkinson, Madge Sinclair, Nathan Lane, Cheech Marin, Jonathan Roberts, Whoopi Goldberg, Zoe Leader, Moira Kelly, Robert Guillaume, Roger Allers, Ernie Sabella, Niketa Calame, James Earl Jones, Matthew Broderick See more
Language English, Spanish, French
Runtime 1 hour and 28 minutes
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From the manufacturer

The Lion King Blu-ray

The Circle of Life Edition

A young lion cub named Simba just can't wait to be king. But the sudden death of his father, Mufasa, and the treacherous actions of his Uncle Scar lead Simba into exile and ultimately on a hero's journey of self-discovery. Adopting the "hakuna matata" philosophy of his comical jungle guardians — a warthog and a meerkat (Pumbaa and Timon) — Simba eventually comes to terms with his destiny and returns home to Pride Rock to help put things right.

  • Directors: Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
  • Writers: Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton, Brenda Chapman, Burny Mattinson, Lorna Cook
  • Starring: Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, James Earl Jones, Nathan Lane
  • Producers: Don Hahn, Thomas Schumacher, Sarah McArthur

Product Description

Celebrate the glory of THE LION KING as this magnificent coming-of-age masterpiece takes its rightful place as the reigning star of the acclaimed Walt Disney Signature Collection! With humor and heart, breathtaking animation, soul-stirring Academy Award(R)-winning music (1994: Best Original Score and Best Song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"), and revealing new Bonus Extras, this much-beloved story transports you to the Pride Lands and inspires generations of fans to find their places in the "Circle Of Life". Create memories that will transcend time with Disney's THE LION KING -- a treasured classic that belongs in every family's collection!|The film was originally titled KING OF THE JUNGLE.|More than 600 artists, animators, and technicians contributed to THE LION KING, and more than 1 million drawings were created for the film, which is made up of 1,197 hand-painted backgrounds and 119,058 individually colored frames of film.|When production began, an art team traveled to Africa to search for ways to best present the African settings in the film. Animators also studied live lions and other animals that were brought to the studio.|The film has been translated into 32 languages, from Swedish to Zulu.

Product details

  • Aspect Ratio ‏ : ‎ 1.78:1
  • Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
  • MPAA rating ‏ : ‎ G (General Audience)
  • Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 0.6 x 5.4 x 6.7 inches; 4 ounces
  • Item model number ‏ : ‎ lion-king-walt-disney-signature-colle
  • Director ‏ : ‎ Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff
  • Media Format ‏ : ‎ NTSC, Subtitled
  • Run time ‏ : ‎ 1 hour and 28 minutes
  • Release date ‏ : ‎ August 29, 2017
  • Actors ‏ : ‎ Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly
  • Dubbed: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish
  • Subtitles: ‏ : ‎ French, Spanish, English
  • Language ‏ : ‎ French (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS-HD High Res Audio), Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
  • Studio ‏ : ‎ WALT DISNEY ANIMATION
  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B072JXB1XZ
  • Writers ‏ : ‎ Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton
  • Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 2
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 18,321 ratings

Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
18,321 global ratings
Excellent product
5 Stars
Excellent product
One of the greatest animated films of all time. Came even better than expected, I had no clue it was the circle of life edition & came with a case cover which is pretty neat. Not sure if it was new or like new but only the cover had a little wear in the corner, everything else was in order.
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Top reviews from the United States

Zachary Drake
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024
Verified Purchase
One of the greatest animated films of all time. Came even better than expected, I had no clue it was the circle of life edition & came with a case cover which is pretty neat. Not sure if it was new or like new but only the cover had a little wear in the corner, everything else was in order.
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Zachary Drake
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent product
Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2024
One of the greatest animated films of all time. Came even better than expected, I had no clue it was the circle of life edition & came with a case cover which is pretty neat. Not sure if it was new or like new but only the cover had a little wear in the corner, everything else was in order.
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Sarah Hughes
5.0 out of 5 stars Grandchildren love this
Reviewed in the United States on March 14, 2024
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My kids recently got a car with a dvd player and the first movie request was Lion King. Works great and entertains the kiddos.
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IQ
5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect
Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2024
Verified Purchase
Just as imaged in posting!
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Ethyn T.
5.0 out of 5 stars Adequate
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2024
Verified Purchase
I received my VHS tape and watched it. The case was worn (understandable) but not falling apart, still protecting the item of value.

The tape was in one piece, no noticeable damage & the tape was read by the laser.

So very great purchase.
One person found this helpful
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RICHSNGLORY
5.0 out of 5 stars Lion king
Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2024
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Good quality 4K movie
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David Swan
5.0 out of 5 stars The Most Rewatchable of Disney Animated Films
Reviewed in the United States on October 29, 2013
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My young daughter is at that special age when she can watch a movie over and over and over again. Once the movie ends she wants to watch it again, immediately. Currently her favorite film is The Lion King and what a blessing it has been. Having seen the movie now dozens of times I have come to recognize the genius of it and why this movie grossed nearly a billion dollars worldwide back when that really meant something. The Lion King really is a near flawless masterpiece and perhaps the most well-crafted Disney animation ever.

Back in the 90's Disney would produce two animated film simultaneously and according to the special features The Lion King was being done by the secondary unit while Pocahontas was getting the top talent. Maybe that's not 100% correct but it seems that the belief by Disney was that between the two Pocahontas was going to be the masterpiece. To put it mildly Lion King is so superior to Pocahontas that the two aren't even in the same galaxy in terms of quality. Pocahontas was an unrestrained mess with totally un-relatable characters while The Lion King had characters the viewer could feel invested in. It's ironic that a movie with an all animal cast felt more human than one that is mostly humans. Disney has a bad habit of making protagonists that feel detached and vacant, then giving them sassy, annoying sidekicks and one dimensional enemies. The Lion King breaks the trend by including real emotions, real motivations and a believable and uncluttered storyline. The movie doesn't pander to adult or child which is probably why both tend to love the film.

Disney is known for going the extra mile in trying to observe and emulate animal movements in their animations and The Lion King is one of the best. There is some obvious anthropomorphism of the animals but the way Simba and the other animals move and look are really reflective of actual animals. Well, excluding Rafiki's silly karate sequence. The voice acting is superb most notably James Earl Jones as Mufasa and Nathan Lane as Timon but for me the standout is Jeremy Irons as Scar. If there is a better Disney villain than Scar I haven't seen it. Scar stands apart from other Disney villains in that he is not simply a malevolent foe of the protagonist. Scar's back story isn't really fleshed out but there is clearly some past pain and disappointment motivating his actions and as a member of Mufasa's and Simba's family it brings an even more tragic element to the story.

A lot of people put Beauty and the Beast as the best Disney animation but as far as I'm concerned The Lion King beats it in every way possible. Before watching The Lion King my daughter's favorite go to film was Finding Nemo and although I love the film after so many watching I was begging for something else but there is just something about The Lion King that makes it so special and so rewatchable. Even fantastic films like Peter Pan, My Neighbor Tororo, Kiki's Delivery Service and Dumbo began to grate after a while. This may be Disney's greatest lightning in a bottle but thank God that for one brief moment they caught it for all of us to enjoy.
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Comedy and Integrity Fan
4.0 out of 5 stars It was all great! But there is a problem with the Personality Profile Quiz in the Bonus Features.
Reviewed in the United States on December 27, 2005
Verified Purchase
I thought that having this version of The Lion King was great. I loved the new song that they updated into it, called "The Morning Report." A lot of the Bonus stuff was great, too. I enjoy exploring a lot of it. Except that, even though I checked it out in excited curiosity, too, I didn't like a lot of how the Personality Profile went. I love Personality Profiles, by the way. I am a fan of them. I think they're fun! It's fun to put people in a box as best as you can, but this Personality Profile was way off. Even with how Zazu describes you at the end, if you are most like a character that he has pasted as stars in the sky. And the Personality Profile doesn't have near enough Personality questions in it, either, to get you very accurately. Having lots and lots of questions in one game instead of just a few is the only way that you can come up with a very accurate assessment. That is what I know. The more questions are asked about what you are, that you try your best to answer, then the better and more accurately that this game that you play can put you in a box. It should also ask you and have you check off with your remote control with what you most, 2nd most, third most, etc., balanced between, and least are. And it should at least have about 100 Personality questions, to be so extremely accurate. And Zazu should have a lot more says for what you are, at the end, where he can even say a lot more what whatever is all that you checked off means that you all together correctly are. He even exaggerates how bad you are, on the one where you are most like Scar. Just because somebody tends to have a lot of the same problems that he does, doesn't mean that they are near as bad as him. Scar was like the devil! He was a Hitler in a lion's body. Besides, many people out in the World in many different ways tend to be bossy, unfeeling, impatient, intolerant, you name it, but it doesn't mean that most of them are near as bad as Scar. He was the most extreme version of it. So, I find a huge complaint about how bad that Zazu described that I was, when I averaged up at times on it to being most like Scar. I most definitely am not near as evil as Scar. I'm even a Christian, for Heaven's sake! But once I pick a lot of the Choleric type answers in the Personality questions that he asks me, Zazu (who narrates it) first calls me a bunch of names, and says that "I have an obsessive desire to rule the World, and that I didn't care what it would take to get there." Then he tells me that I am a huge troublemaker. Even to the law. Then he says that I deserve to be locked up, then says that I am most like Scar. It was not very nice of him. I averaged out to being most like Nala a few times, too, and a few times being most like Timon. But the way he described me then, too, was mostly definitely not me, and also some of it was even an exaggeration of how my answers mean that I am like. So, even how Zazu describes you at the end of the test is not very accurate, no matter who he says that you are most like. And I find that as a big complaint! And not only the questions it does ask, it should also ask what you from most to least are in the whole list of Personality Types that even come out of the four basic ones, called "Melancholy, Choleric, Phlegmatic, and Sanguine." And if it did do it that way, then it should have two seperate levels in the same game, which is where one is all your Personality Strengths, and the other one is all of your Personality Weaknesses. Then Zazu can be able to tell you at the end who you are most like in the Strengths, and who you are most like in the Weaknesses. This Personality Profile needs a whole lot of improvements. So, I wish that whoever put out this special addition would do it in the way that I wish that they would. If they did, then it would be so much more awesome and exciting. And I wish that every movie released out there would have a huge Personality Test on it, in the way here that I said that I wanted them to be like, to even tell me who in the movie that I am most like in the Strengths, and who I am most like in the Weaknesses. Also, on this, I find it a complaint, too, that the Personality Test couldn't be quiet. I didn't like it very much that there was a repeatitive stupid jungle music on all of it, and that Zazu had to name out all of the questions on the page, when anybody who reads it can read.
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Alejandro Barrera
5.0 out of 5 stars Una Gran Obra.
Reviewed in Mexico on March 27, 2024
Verified Purchase
Bajo cualquier estándar que pueda aplicarse a películas animadas, 'The Lion King' es una hermosa y concisa obra maestra que estimula la imaginación. Todo el mundo, niños, jóvenes y adultos, encontrará algo que apreciar en este cuento de Disney. Tiene algunas canciones memorables y ha engendrado una producción escénica muy popular.
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Artur Radek
5.0 out of 5 stars Top
Reviewed in Belgium on September 15, 2023
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Iedereen weet wat dat is.. een aanrader
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Venu Kuruganti
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful picture and sound clarity!
Reviewed in India on January 22, 2021
Verified Purchase
I bought the Blu-Ray of this movie. I saw this movie in the theater when it was released back in the early 1990s. At that time I was spell-bound by the movie.

Now I played this Blu-Ray on my Home Theater system and that nostalgia from my childhood was back. Good Heavens! The Picture Clarity and the Sound was AMAZING!

If your home theater speakers are placed properly in relation to your listening area and you play this blu-ray, you will experience total bliss when you:

1. Hear birds flapping going from one rear speaker to another without a break.
2. Fall out of your chair in amazement when you actually FEEL the elephant walking up the screen due to the sub-woofer replicating the low thuds of the biggest animal in the world!

3. Be fearful of the stampede scene and will be wondering how come a gazelle is not right beside you!
4. Stare at the screen in wonder during Simba and Scar's last fight!

And so many more! All this with Crystal Clear clarity of picture, even though it is almost 2 and half decades old and hand drawn! Today's animated movies have nothing on this animation. Disney did one thing right by remastering this movie and improving the picture and audio.

A collector's dream and if you have kids they'll be begging you to play this as many times as you can! X-D

Blu-ray is WELL WORTH IT! Go for it!
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5.0 out of 5 stars THE LION KING 3D [1994 / 2011] [Diamond Edition] [3D Blu-ray + 2D Blu-ray + Digital Copy]
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 18, 2017
Verified Purchase
THE LION KING 3D [1994 / 2011] [Diamond Edition] [3D Blu-ray + 2D Blu-ray + Digital Copy] The Greatest Adventure Of All Time! ‘THE LION KING’ 3D is Disney’s 32nd Animated Classic!

The wait is over! For the first time ever, experience the majesty of Disney’s epic animated masterpiece as it roars off the screen and into your living room on Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D! With a spectacular digital picture, spine-tingling high definition sound and immersive bonus features, you will feel the love for this critically acclaimed and universally beloved classic like never before!

Embark on an extraordinary coming-of age adventure as Simba, a lion cub who cannot wait to be king, searches for his destiny in the great “Circle of Life.” You will be thrilled by the breath-taking animation, unforgettable Academy Award® winning music with the 1994: Best Original Score; Best Original Song, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” and timeless story. The king of all animated films reigns on Disney Blu-ray 3D — Magic In A New Dimension!

FILM FACT: Awards and Nominations: 1994 Annie Awards: Win: Best Animated Film for Walt Disney Pictures. Win: Best Individual Achievement for Story Contribution in the Field of Animation for Brenda Chapman (head of story). Win: Best Achievement for Voice Acting for Jeremy Irons. Nominated: Best Individual Achievement for Artistic Excellence in the Field of Animation for Andy Gaskill (Art Director). Nominated: Best Individual Achievement for Artistic Excellence in the Field of Animation for Mark Henn (Supervising Animator for young Simba). Nominated: Best Individual Achievement for Artistic Excellence in the Field of Animation for Scott F. Johnston (Artistic Supervisor in Computer Graphics). 1995 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Music for an Original Song for Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Win: Best Music for an Original Score for Hans Zimmer. Nominated: Best Music for an Original Song for Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the song "Circle of Life." Nominated: Best Music for an Original Song for Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the song "Hakuna Matata." 1995 Golden Globes®: Win: Best Original Score in a Motion Picture for Hans Zimmer. Win: Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Win: Best Motion Picture for a Comedy or Musical. Nominated: Best Original Song in a Motion Picture for Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics) for the song "The Circle of Life." 1995 BAFTA® Awards: Nominated: Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music for Hans Zimmer. Nominated: BAFTA Film Award: Best Sound for David Hudson, Doc Kane, Mel Metcalfe and Terry Porter. 1995 Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films: Nominated: Best Fantasy Film. Nominated: Best Performance by a Younger Actor for Jonathan Taylor Thomas.

Voice Cast: Rowan Atkinson, Matthew Broderick, Niketa Calame, Jim Cummings, Whoopi Goldberg, Robert Guillaume, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Zoe Leader, Cheech Marin, Ernie Sabella, Madge Sinclair, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Frank Welker, Cathy Cavadini, Judi M. Durand, Daamen J. Krall, David McCharen, Mary Linda Phillips, Phil Proctor, David Randolph, Jeff Bennett (singing voice) (uncredited), Sally Dworsky (singing voice) (uncredited), Evan Saucedo (singing voice) (uncredited), Brian Tochi (uncredited), Jason Weaver (singing voice) (uncredited), Joseph Williams (singing voice) (uncredited) and Laura Williams (singing voice) (uncredited)

Directors: Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers

Producers: Alice Dewey Goldstone, Don Hahn, Sarah McArthur and Thomas Schumacher

Screenplay: Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton

Songs: Sir Elton John (music) and Tim Rice (lyrics)

Composer: Hans Zimmer

Video Resolution: 1080p [Technicolor]

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Audio: English: 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Spanish: 5.1 DTS Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, Potuguês: 5.1 Disney Dolby Digital Surround Mixture, Dutch: 5.1 DTS Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, isiZulu: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo and English: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo

Subtitles: English, English SDH, Spanish, Português and Dutch

Running Time: 88 minutes

Number of discs: 3

Studio: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

Andrew’s 3D Blu-ray Review: ‘THE LION KING’ 3D [1994] is the 32nd Walt Disney animated feature film, and the fourth animated film produced during a period known as the Disney Renaissance and gets an ultimate 3D makeover and with this re-release. The animated film was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and has a screenplay credited to Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton and was influenced by the biblical tales of Moses, and the William Shakespeare play Hamlet and is a scrumptiously delightful movie going 3D experience.

In June 1994, the Walt Disney organisation unveiled what would become one of its most beloved animated titles, ‘THE LION KING’ and the original 2D animated film was an early summer hit that year and went on to gross more than $950 million worldwide since its release. The biggest roar at the summer box office may well come from Buena Vista's magnificent animated feature ‘THE LION KING.’ It is graced with heart, humour and boundless energy; this Walt Disney presentation should cut a huge swathe through all age groups. Young children and adults alike warmed to its nourishing wise storyline and especially with a definite blockbuster that has gone onto a future classic and of course ‘THE LION KING’ is a totally scrumptiously delightful movie going experience.

Part of the appeal could be the music: infusing African rhythms and vocals with the lyrics of Sir Elton John and Tim Rice, so making ‘THE LION KING’ 3D feature some of the most memorable and enjoyable music in any Disney animated film. The opening strains of “The Circle of Life” featuring a lone Zulu voice are immediately recognisable in the age of pop culture generation, but one shouldn’t forget the sheer power of this song and the images that accompany it and shows that this is Disney trying something a little different, yet somehow retaining the magic that makes the studio’s films appeal so much to all age groups. This may be a romanticised view of Africa or, more specifically, the Serengeti in Tanzania and Kenya, yet it is nigh on impossible not to be drawn in by the beauty of the music and animation.

Yes, the animation truly is stunning, just look at the storks flying over the waterfall in the first song, or the gentle sway of the grass as Simba paces around, torn between past and present. The scene in which he returns to Pride Rock, a tiny figure running across a desert in a wide angle shot combined with the movement of his legs shown up close, gets much of its power simply from the evocative framing of the shot. Every cell bursts with life and beauty, the landscapes crammed with detail and the characters distinct and dramatic in their own ways. Yet the vivid colours of ‘Just Can’t Wait to Be King’ and the haunting, horror inspired imagery of fascism in ‘Be Prepared’ display a variety and experimentation that means The Lion King is also one of the most visually interesting films the House of Mouse has produced, as well as one of the most beautiful.

However all the music and animation, as brilliant as they are all contribute to the one aspect of this ‘THE LION KING’ 3D animated film that makes it so popular: the story of course. People of all ages are so happy to return to it again and again because of the warmth of the characters, an investment in a gripping and universal story, and because one can experience a whole spectrum of emotions all over the course of an hour and half. There’s no animated film quite like it. Revisiting ‘THE LION KING’ 3D seventeen years after its original release, it is easy to see why it captured the imagination of audiences at the time. It is also a film with a deeply disturbing ideology where rule by birth right and might is presented as acceptable within the film’s odd Zen/Darwinist Circle of Life philosophy.

From the stealthy array of talent selected to perform the voices, including such deep-tone stalwarts as James Earl Jones and Shakespearean actor Jeremy Irons, one almost expects a tragedy in the Shakespearean tradition. And, in certain aspects, ‘THE LION KING’ 3D does fit this bill. Instead of the house of Hanover or Stuart, the drama centres on the reign of the mighty lion Mufasa [James Earl Jones], the king of a perfectly balanced African kingdom of animals who thrive in stunning abundance. A beneficent monarch, Mufasa, raises his young male cub, Simba [Jonathan Taylor Thomas], then Matthew Broderick as an adult Simba, to know that "we are all connected in the great circle of life." But, even in this teeming ecosystem, there is rancour; Mufasa's avaricious younger brother, the dark lion Scar [Jeremy Irons], plots to become King and orchestrates a bloody internecine intrigue, killing Mufasa and sending the young Simba into exile in the wilderness.

Essentially, ‘THE LION KING’ 3D is a coming-of-age story as the young Simba grows and matures to a point where he is ready to reclaim his birth right and, more importantly, carry on the harmonious work of his father. While weighty in theme, and propelled by several remarkable moral lessons. The screenplay for ‘THE LION KING’ 3D is by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts and Linda Woolverton and bursts along at a spectacular dramatic gait, nourished with light humour, tending romance and frisky escapades. Directors Roger Allen and Rob Minkoff, respectful of both the story's epic grandeur and personal power, have fashioned a radiantly multidimensional film.

The crowning glories of ‘THE LION KING’ 3D must be bestowed upon the legions of animators who contributed to its majestic, playful and glowing look. Composer Hans Zimmer's throbbing, percussive musical score also is a highlight, while the songs of Tim Rice and Sir Elton John not only propel the plot but add cheerful zest to the splendid terrain of ‘THE LION KING’ 3D and in my eyes this Disney's animated film is their greatest gem, and is also their most wonderful cinematic achievement. It has everything in you are seeking in a 3D animated film, as it has the perfect balance of the circle of life genre and the running time just seems to feel it flies well under the 88 minutes.

THE LION KING MUSIC TRACK LIST

CIRCLE OF LIFE [Performed by Carmen Twillie]

I JUST CAN’T TO BE KING [Performed by Jason Weaver and Laura Williams with Rowan Atkinson]

BE PREPARED [Performed by Jeremy Irons, with Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings]

HAKUMA MATATA [Performed by Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Jason Weaver, and Joseph Williams]

CAN YOU FEEL THE LOVE TONIGHT [Performed by Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Sally Dworsky, Joseph Williams, and Kristle Edwards]

THE LION SLEEPS TONIGHT [Sung by Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella] (uncredited)

I’VE GOT A LOVELY BUNCH OF COCONUTS [Sung by Rowan Atkinson and Jeremy Irons] (uncredited)

IT’S A SMALL WORLD [Sung by Rowan Atkinson] (uncredited)

HAWAIIAN WAR CHANT [Performed by Nathan Lane] (uncredited)

NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLE I’VE SEEN (Traditional Spiritual) [Sung by Rowan Atkinson] (uncredited)

THE MORNING REPORT [Performed by Evan Saucedo and Jeff Bennett]

3D Blu-ray Video Quality – Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment brings you this stunning ‘THE LION KING’ 3D Blu-ray disc release in an awesome 1080p image presentation and also an equally impressive 1.78:1 aspect ratio that is framed perfectly. There is also brilliant sharpness throughout with every animated line solid and impressive, and the awesome colours are richly saturated and often mesmerising. Black levels, however, are impressively dark, and the many greens, reds, and oranges are rendered with pure clarity. As for the 3D effects, they are totally spectacular, and well suited perfectly if somewhat unexpectedly for the hand-drawn animation of the original film. It feels as if we could reach out and touch the birds flying across the screen, the gazelles galloping through the savannah, raindrops falling from the sky. We get some very good visual emotional impact when Simba and Scar battle for supremacy in a fight that now fills the screen with ferocity. There is certainly plenty of depth in the image, and when the camera goes high and we see vast expanses of land, the enormity of the landscapes can be truly impressive. So too, is the later scene when Simba is running through the wasted jungle brush which offers enormous pleasure especially watching it in stunning 3D. There is a terrific amount of multiple plane visual experience that definitely gives the 3D images some depth of field complexity. So all in all a totally brilliant effort all round, especially on the part of the Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.

3D Blu-ray Audio Quality – Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment present us with a 7.1 DTS-HD Master Audio that is an outstanding and impressive from the first moment of the film until the last moment. Hans Zimmer’s score soars all around us constantly, and the orchestrations have been laid out to permit multiple channels to complement the singing of the principals. Dialogue has been masterfully recorded and while mostly residing in the centre channel occasionally finds itself in other channels for an effective directional experience. The ambient effects, from crickets chirping in the high grass to the thundering hooves of the wildebeests, have been expertly placed around the sound field of your speakers for the utmost aural intensity for your audio enjoyment. All the channels certainly are kept busy in the sound mix as well as with lots of deep bass in the mix. So all in all this again is a brilliant effort on the part of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment, especially now being able to be viewed in stunning 3D, which is a mind blowing visual enjoyment, that really brings the out the best in this 3D Blu-ray disc release.

2D Blu-ray Special Features and Extras:

Special Feature: 2D Special Introduction by Producer Don Hahn [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1] [00:34] Here we get a nice personal introduction from producer Don Hahn, before the start of ‘THE LION KING’ 3D film. Here Don Hahn explains that when they made the original animate film of ‘THE LION KING’ way back in 1994, they really wanted to do one thing and that was to transport you back to Africa, but this time in Disney 3D, and to give you this experience, as well to make you feel you were really there in Africa. Well now the original animated film ‘THE LION KING’ is now presented in the stunning Disney 3D, and Don Hahn really feels they have done just that, and so literally you can now step into the world of Simba and all the other animal characters and again make you feel you are actually there, and living the story with them all. So to do that, it is pretty easy, because all you have to do is grab a pair of 3D glasses, pop them on and enjoy ‘THE LION KING’ in Disney 3D, and is hoping you enjoy the experience.

Audio Commentary with Co-Directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff and Producer Don Hahn: Here we are introduced first by Don Hahn. Who informs us that he was the producer of ‘THE LION KING,’ next up is Rob Minkoff who was the director of ‘THE LION KING,’ finally to introduce himself is Roger Allers who also was the director of the animated film and very tongue in cheek they say, “We are here to perform the Top 40 hits here.” But of course instead they inform us that they are here to comment on the making of the animated film ‘THE LION KING,’ and talk in-depth about the genesis of the film and its evolution into the final version of ‘THE LION KING.’ They also share some of their experiences with you, right here in your living room. They inform us that the original project started actually as ‘The King of the Jungle’ and the original concept was to be a picture about Africa and lions, because they did not know initially what the story would be about, and of course it eventually evolved over time from there, and especially an original story was very unique for them, as they like to do stories based on fairy stories, or novels, or bits of literature, but ‘THE LION KING’ was totally unique in that respect, in that it completely arrived out of thin air, even though it was partially based on a bit of Hamlet, a little bit of the Old Testament Bible Stories. Originally the opening of the picture they were going to have a dialogue scene to introduce baby Simba and a blessing from Rafiki [Robert Guillaume]. But what impressed them the most was the four minute of music at the start of the film that Sir Elton John and Sir Tim Rice had produced a beautiful anthem for the animated film that really defined the spirit of the film, and the theme of the film. When we first meet Scar, they all praise the actor Jeremy Irons, but at the time of asking Jeremy Irons and Rowan Atkinson to do the animated film, they were originally very reluctant to lend their voices to the animated characters, and especially who they are in their acting career, and felt it would be a backward step in their acting career, because at that time doing voices for cartoon characters was felt to be a slightly down market thing to do, but of course nowadays to be asked to do voice overs, especially for the Walt Disney Studio is a great honour. Anyway they were persuaded to a test voice recording and at the same time they did a short animated sequence to show them how there characters would look and after viewing the test footage were 100% seduced by what they saw on the screen and were extremely eager to work with this landmark animated film. They mention that the voice of the young Simba was done by Jonathan Taylor Thomas, but when the young Simba sings, it voiced by Jason Weaver who portrayed Michael Jackson (aged 9 – 14) in ‘The Jacksons: An American Dream.’ When Rowan Atkinson character gets sat upon by the rhino, well when in the recording studio they asked Rowan 17 times to say different statements while under the rhino like “Have we met before” or “I’ll never tango again” again of course the recording engineers fell about laughing. When Jeremy Irons as Scar talks and sings the song to the three hyenas, they tell us they did very long rehearsal sessions especially singing for the song and in the end it took over 8 hours to do and unfortunately at the end of the recording session Jeremy had no voice left. But as we go through the rest of the animated film, all three talk a lot about the technical side of the film, which some of it was too technical for my understanding, especially how each scene was designed and photographed, especially what they wanted to achieve from the sketches to the finished article and they mention that with all their hard work it turned out and that is what they call the magic of animation and that about sums up in giving us the circle of life. All of these three men are very informative and accessible so this is a very easy audio commentary track to listen to. But as the end credits come to an end, they thank us for letting us into our living room and that the popcorn was great and they hope you enjoyed the animated film ‘THE LION KING.’

Special Feature: THE LION KING: Bloopers and Outtakes [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1] [3:44] Here we get to view twenty individual Bloopers and Outtakes, that includes clips of Simba, Timon, Pumbaa, Mufasa, Scar and the rest of the Pride with the usual flub lines, pulled hamstring and miss their marks in this run of the mill animated gag reel. After PIXAR started doing it, now Disney seems to be doing these manufactured bloopers which don’t work as well as they did for PIXAR.

Special Feature: BACKSTAGE DISNEY: DIAMOND EDITION: Here we get to view three individual special features, and they are as follows:

01. PRIDE OF ‘THE LION KING’ [2011] [1080i] [1.78:1] [38:06] This is a sort of remembrance of the project by the film’s two directors, its producer, actors Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick, lyricist Tim Rice, composer Hans Zimmer, plus various other Disney mainstays both past and present, and director Julie Taymor who conceived and mounted the show on Broadway about both the screen and stage versions of ‘THE LION KING.’ We get to view some wonderful rare colourful sketches, but very interesting is we get to see some rare 1.33:1 aspect ratio video clips of the younger looking people involved with this animated film. In a small viewing theatre we get a gathering of all the original animators who worked on ‘THE LION KING.’ We get to view some wonderful clips from the Broadway version of the ‘THE LION KING,’ which has had worldwide box office receipts of over $4 Billion to date and ‘THE LION KING’ is one of the most successful productions in theatre history. We are also informed that ‘THE LION KING’ animated film, remains the highest grossing hand-drawn animated film of all time. Contributors include: Thomas Schumacher [Executive Producer, Film Producer and President of Disney Theatrical Group], Jeffrey Katzenberg [Former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios], Peter Schneider [Former President of Walt Disney Feature Animation], Rob Minkoff [Co-Director], Roger Allers [Co-Director], Don Hahn [Producer], Hans Zimmer [Original Score Composer], Matthew Broderick [Voice of Adult “Simba”], Nathan Lane [Voice of “Timon”], Michael Eisner [Former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of The Walt Disney Company], Tim Rice [Lyricist], Julie Taymor [Director of the Stage Musical “THE LION KING”], Andreas Deja [Supervising Animator for “Scar”], Tony Bancroft [Supervising Animator for “Pumbaa], Ruben Aquino [Supervising Animator for “Adult Simba”], Tony Fucile [Supervising Animator for “Mufasa”], Michael Surrey [Supervising Animator for “Timon”], James Baxter [Supervising Animator for “Rafiki] and Ellen Woobury [Supervising Animator for “Zazu”].

02. THE LION KING: A Memoir: Don Hahn [2011] [1080i / 1080p] [1.78:1] [19:40] Here we take a look at this excellent recent documentary with Don Hahn, where we take a look back at Don Hahn, circa 1994, and charts the development, creation and the final release of ‘THE LION KING.’ Don Hahn also gives us retrospective thoughts on the animated film's development, production and lasting impact with the public worldwide. We also get to hear that the idea for the film came from Jeffrey Katzenberg [Former Chairman of Walt Disney Studios], Peter Schneider [Former President of Walt Disney Feature Animation] and Roy Disney [Former Senior Executive for The Walt Disney Company]. We also get to view some rare 1.33:1 aspect ratio video archive footage of lots of people involved with the animated film, especially with baby lion cub. Other people involved with the animated film were Linda Woolverton [Screenplay], George Scribner [Artist Director] and Roger Allers [Co-Director]. We also get to see some rare 1.33:1 aspect ratio video archive footage of the people from the Walt Disney Studio on a scouting trip to Africa, as well as some nice footage of Sir Tim Rice [Lyricist] and Sir Elton John [Composer] in the recording studio. But one of the most hilarious scenes was with Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella doing their recording session and the crew could not stop laughing. At one critical point as the animated film was being worked on, they had a massive earthquake and caused many logistic problems, but eventually got resolved. But one bright spark out of this documentary was to see highlights of ‘THE LION KING’ Premiere at the EL CAPATAN theatre in Holly wood on June 1994. But what was also gratifying to hear was that everyone enjoyed working on the animated film despite the long hours, but also finds working at the Walt Disney Studio did not feel it was work, instead the atmosphere was a very playful environment and they had no idea one could have so much fun and was totally magic. But most of all this retrospective look at the coming together of important industry artists and is presented in both 1080i and 1080p video resolution.

03. Five Deleted and Alternate Scenes [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1] [15:33] Here we get introductions by Co-Directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers and explain why Deleted Scenes and Alternate Scenes were rejected and didn’t quite make it into the animated film ‘THE LION KING,’ we get to view some actual colour animated scenes, lots of rough black-and-white drawings with voice audio tracks. So what you get to actually view is the following: Zazu Flatter Mufasa; “King Of The Wild;” Scar Wants Nala As His Queen; Simba and Nala Reunited and Zazu Flatters Scar. As usual you can either watch each one separately or Play All.

Special Feature: Music & More: Here you get to view two individual special features and they are as follows:

01. Play Movie with Sing-A-Long Mode: Here you get to view the whole film with subtitles at the bottom of the screen, so you can do a Sing-A-Long with the characters in the animated film in the usual karaoke style. You can also view the film with other subtitles in the following languages: Spanish, Português, Dutch and English.

02. The Morning Report: Extended Scene [2011] [1080p] [1.78:1] [2:30] When ‘THE LION KING’ was adapted for the musical stage show, several new songs were specially written. “The Morning Report” is one of the new songs. For the DVD Platinum release of ‘THE LION KING,’ it was decided to have the original team of artists and filmmakers create an all-new animation for this sequence and insert it seamlessly into the animated film. They are pleased to be able to present that newly animated song in this special feature extra, and it looks totally spectacular, and what a shame it was not allowed to be inserted into the animated film ‘THE LION KING.’

Special Feature: INTERACTIVE ART GALLERY: Here we get a selection of art galleries, which consist of CHARACTER DESIGN; VISUAL DEVELOPMENT; STORYBOARDS and LAYOUTS AND BACKGROUNDS. When you choose a specific art gallery subject from the menu displayed, and when you view each Art Gallery, you use the arrow keys on your remote control, where you use them to either skip back or skip forward to view each image. Good luck, as I didn’t bother to view these items because of previous attempts with other Interactive Art Galleries on other Blu-ray discs, because once you are in, there is no EXIT facility, whereas instead you have to stop the disc and reload the Blu-ray disc again.

Special Feature: Disney’s Virtual Vault: With this feature, you require a Broadband Internet Connection, if it is not then your Blu-ray Player will be unable to connect to the Disney BD-Live Network. Please ensure that your Blu-ray Player is connected to a Broadband Internet Connection that is active and working. If you want to know more information, then visit the DisneyBD Live web site.

Special Feature: Discover Blu-ray 3D with Timon and Pumbaa [2012] [1080p] [1.78:1] [4:23] Here we take a look at the Blu-ray 3D Technology with the cartoon characters Timon and Pumbaa from 'THE LION KING' as your guides to this video promotion. It shows what you need to watch 3D Blu-ray and gives a preview of upcoming 3D Blu-ray titles. Despite the animated promo is all about 3D Blu-ray discs, sadly the item is only in 2D.

SNEAK PEEKS: CARS 2 [3D + 2D] [2011] [1080p] [2.35:1] [1:29], LADY AND THE TRAMP [Diamond Edition] [2D] [2010] [1080p] [2.35:1] [1:15] and DISNEY NATURE: African Cats [2D] [2010] [1080p] [1.78:1] [1:15]

PLUS: DisneyFile Digital Copy is the Disney-branded Digital Copy experience, which enables buyers of DVD and Blu-ray to receive the standard definition digital version of the movie in their choice of iTunes or Windows Media format. The DisneyFile Digital Copy is located on a stand-alone disc and is Mac and PC compatible. The DisneyFile Digital Copy is a fast and easy way to enjoy your favourite Disney movies, anytime, anywhere on your PC, Mac, or compatible portable device. Disney fans can watch their DVD in the living room and enhance their mobile lifestyle by bringing a DisneyFile Digital Copy of their movies on the go!

BONUS: Exclusive with this UK 3D Blu-ray Release, we have a specially designed 3D Slip Cover that is totally spectacular and is well worth the purchase.

Finally, ‘THE LION KING’ 3D animated film gets 5 stars from me, because it is, without doubt, one of the finest animations ever produced and it’s brilliant to watch up on the big screen again, especially in the stunning 3D presentation, the upgrade to 3D was well worth the wait and visually, the passing of time really makes you appreciate the animation all the more. The famous wildebeest stampede may no longer stun with its technical accomplishment, but nor does it look dated and it still sucks you right into the action. By not slavishly attempting to replicate reality, the artists behind the film have instead created something that lasts. Something layered with beauty and depth. This time around we've got a whole extra dimension in glorious stunning animated film. ‘THE LION KING’ 3D remains a hugely enjoyable, exciting and compelling animation for the whole family. Even youngsters brought up on the CGI delights of the ‘Toy Story’ and ‘Shrek’ franchises will find this animated film extremely satisfying thanks to a very engaging, emotional rollercoaster of a story and a number of addictive song-and-dance numbers that will stay lodged within your head for weeks after viewing this stunning 3D Blu-ray disc. Very Highly Recommended!

Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars the lion king !!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 3, 2009
Verified Purchase
my 9 yr old daughter wanted this on dvd . had it already on vhs . never seen in uk on dvd . great film and i remembered it all . was abit worried that it wasnt original. it had no holagram .disney so they tell us always have this .not true!usa imports do not come with this.she loves it, true love story for kids !remember crying 1st time i watched this film . if your looking for something for kids to laff at this is not it !!! its alove story with some great songs and 1 or 2 jokes in with it . think bambi! and up date it abit .
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