Description

1994 - 89 minutes

The latest in a line of animated musical blockbusters from Disney that began in 1989 with THE LITTLE MERMAID and continued with BEAUTY AND THE BEAST and ALADDIN, THE LION KING boasts animation as spectacular as any the studio has ever produced. However, this tale of a lion cub's coming of age in the African veldt offers a less memorable song score than did the previous hits, and a hasty, unsatisfying dramatic resolution.

On the African plains, several species of wildlife congregate to welcome the birth of the lion cub, Simba, son of the Lion King Mufasa (James Earl Jones). As Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas) grows, Mufasa shows him the Prideland, the area he oversees, and warns him not to venture beyond its borders. Mufasa's jealous brother, Scar (Jeremy Irons), manipulates young Simba into making a trip into forbidden territory. Accompanied by Nala (Niketa Calame), a she-cub to whom he is betrothed, and Zazu (Rowan Atkinson), an anxious hornbill who is Mufasa's majordomo, Simba visits the Elephants' Graveyard, a desolate landscape of rocks, caves and skeletons. They are set upon by three hyenas, Shenzi (Whoopi Goldberg), Banzai (Cheech Marin), and Ed (Jim Cummings), confederates of Scar, who harass and taunt the cubs, before Mufasa appears on the scene and rescues them. Mufasa scolds Simba for disobedience and reminds him of his responsibilities as the future king.

The next day, at Scar's direction, the hyenas instigate a wildebeest stampede which threatens to engulf Simba. Mufasa rushes out and rescues his son, but loses his own life. Scar quickly places the blame for Mufasa's death on Simba and urges the guilt-stricken cub to run away and never return. With Simba gone, Scar declares himself the ruler of the Prideland, announcing a new era in which lion and hyena will co-exist in peace. Overcome by heat exhaustion in the desert, Simba is rescued by Timon (Nathan Lane), a meerkat, and Pumbaa (Ernie Sabella), a warthog, who take him to a jungle paradise, where they sing the praises of "Hakuna Matata" (a carefree life).

Years later, a lioness on the prowl attacks Pumbaa, but is stopped by the now-grown Simba (Matthew Broderick), who recognizes the attacker as Nala (Moira Kelly). She is overjoyed to see him and urges him to return and take his rightful place as king of the Prideland, which has become a wasteland under Scar's rule. After much prodding, Simba looks up to the stars and sees the face of Mufasa, who tells him that he, Simba, is the true king.

Accompanied by Nala, Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki, Simba returns to the Prideland and confronts Scar. Nala rallies the lionesses, and they join Timon and the others in taking on the hyenas in a pitched battle which culminates in Scar dangling Simba over a cliff, ready to dash him on the rocks below. Scar gloats over his role in Mufasa's death, enraging Simba enough to bound up and force Scar to admit this to the other lions. Scar blames the hyenas and then breaks free of Simba's grip. However, the hyenas have overheard his treachery and give chase, exacting a horrific revenge. Simba takes his rightful place as the Lion King and soon a new cub is born to him and Nala and displayed before the throngs of wildlife which have repopulated the once-devastated Prideland.

An "original" story--reportedly devised by then-production head Jeffrey Katzenberg--THE LION KING obviously draws on several previous Disney hits, including BAMBI, THE JUNGLE BOOK, THE LITTLE MERMAID, and ALADDIN. The real inspiration for the film's oddly anachronistic story line, however, seems to lie in Shakespeare's histories; in particular, the extended meditation on the nature and responsibilities of kingship found in Henry V and the two parts of Henry IV. (It's no accident, then, that one of the characters is called "Timon.") Although monarchy as such may have little relevance to modern American life, its connotations in the context of family life are clear. Like so many recent Hollywood epics of fatherhood (FIELD OF DREAMS, LEGENDS OF THE FALL), THE LION KING makes the most sense as an attempted redemption of patriarchy--a call upon contemporary males to resume their "natural" role as all-wise, all-powerful guarantors of the social order. Seen in this light, the film's extraordinary box-office success--it earned $300 million domestically--could be seen as symptomatic of the same backlash that allowed proponents of "family values" to dominate the American political agenda in 1994.

On a more practical level, the film has some of Disney's most spectacular animation yet--particularly in the wildebeest stampede--and strong vocal performances by the likes of Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, and Robert Guillaume. However, it suffers from a curiously undeveloped story line. The climactic confrontation with Scar has few surprises and is disposed of rather quickly in the final minutes of the film. The events leading up to it, however, are well-told, exciting, and suspenseful, set against a series of exquisitely detailed background tapestries, depicting the Prideland at its lush peak and after its devastation; the dark, treacherous landscape of the elephants' graveyard; and the convivial, colorful jungle paradise.

Cast Information

Director Information

Directed by
Roger Allers 
Rob Minkoff 


Writing credits
Jim Capoblanco (story)
Lorna Cook (story)
Thom Enriquez (story)
Andy Gaskill (story)
Francis Glebas (story)
Ed Gombert (story)
Kevin Harkey (story)
Barry Johnson  (story)
Mark Kausler (story)
Jorgen Klubien (story)
Larry Leker (story)
Rick Maki (story)
Burny Mattinson (story)
Irene Mecchi 
Joe Ranft (story)
Jonathan Roberts  
Chris Sanders  (story)
Tom Sito (story)
Gary Trousdale (story)
Linda Woolverton 

Produced by
Alice Dewey (associate) 
Don Hahn 
Sarah McArthur (executive) 
Thomas Schumacher (executive) 

Original music by
Elton John (songs) 
Hans Zimmer 

Film Editing by
Tom Finan 

Casting
Brian Chavanne 

Production Design by
Chris Sanders  

Art Direction
Andy Gaskill 

Production Management
Dana Axelrod .... production manager 

Sound Department
Richard L. Anderson .... supervising sound editor (Golden Reel Award) 
James Christopher .... sound editor 
R.J. Kizer .... dialogue editor 
Mary Jo Lang .... foley mixer 
Mark A. Mangini .... supervising sound editor 

Special Effects
Scott Santoro .... visual effects supervisor 

Other crew
Ruben A. Aquino .... supervising animator: "Adult Simba" (as Ruben Aquino) 
Dale Baer .... animator: "Adult Simba" 
Doug Ball .... background supervisor 
Tom Bancroft .... animator: "Young Simba" 
Tony Bancroft .... supervising animator: "Pumbaa" 
Susan Bradley .... title designer 
John Carnochan .... supervising film editor 
Michael Cedeno .... animator: "Adult Simba" 
Brenda Chapman .... story supervisor 
Earl Coffman .... technical assistant 
Lorna Cook .... animator: "Adult Simba" 
Tod Cooper .... music production supervisor (uncredited) 
Andreas Deja .... lead animator: "Scar" 
Joe Ekers .... animator: "Adult Simba" 
Tom Finan .... supervising film editor 
Tony Fucile .... supervising animator: "Mufasa" 
Randy Fullmer .... artistic co-ordinator 
Nico Golfar .... music production assistance 
Bruce Hatakeyama .... software engineer 
Randy Haycock .... animator: "Adult Simba" 
Mark Henn .... supervising animator: "Young Simba" 
T. Daniel Hopstedt .... animator: "Young Simba" 
Joe Jiuliano .... camera operator 
Elton John .... vocals: "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" 
Scott F. Johnston .... computer graphics imagery 
Ted Kierscey .... effects animator 
Vera Lanpher .... clean-up supervisor 
Mark Mancina .... orchestrations and cut song "he lives in you" 
Burke Mattsson .... title designer 
Sean Mullen  .... assistant animator 
Tim Rice .... lyricist 
Brad Ruha .... animator: "Mufasa" 
Adam Milo Smalley .... supervising music editor 
Dan St. Pierre .... layout supervisor 
Michael T. Sullivan .... technology development and support 
Michael Surrey .... supervising animator: "Timon" 
Barry Temple .... character animator 
Chris Wahl .... animator: "Mufasa" 
Danny Wawrzaszek .... animator: "Young Simba" 
Sherilan Weinhart .... layout artist 
Ellen Woodbury .... supervising animator: "Zazu" 
Phillip Young .... animator: "Mufasa" (as Phil Young) 
Anthony de Rosa .... supervising animator: "Adult Nala" 

Miscellaneous Information

Academy Award: 
            Best Original Score - Hans Zimmer 
            Best Original Song - "Can You Feel the Love Tonight"; Elton John (Music), Tim Rice (Lyrics)

Academy Award Nomination: 
            Best Original Song - "Circle of Life"; Elton John (Music), Tim Rice (Lyrics) 
            Best Original Song - "Hakuna Matata"; Elton John (Music), Tim Rice (Lyrics)

Country of origin: U.S.

Genre: Animated; Children's; Musical

Color or b/w: Color

Production Co(s).: Walt Disney Productions

Released By: Buena Vista

MPAA rating: G

Parental rating: Acceptable for children

Running time: 87

Production Companies
· Walt Disney Productions (aka Walt Disney Pictures)