Up next is a film set in the American Southwest, with cougars and hunting dogs making appearances and with one wolf taking center stage. For this project, I’m focusing on the story itself, including dialogue, character development, any subplots, how a story presents itself, the speed at which it moves, if it slows down unnecessarily, etc.
Note: There are moments throughout the movie where there are verses sung (as seen in Davy Crockett) to help keep the story moving. These verses are referred to as ‘inserts’ or ‘song inserts’ throughout this review.
A Brief Summary
(Taken from D23)
With both parents killed by man, Lobo has learned the ways of the hunter and becomes the most hated and sought after wolf in the West. By the time he becomes leader of the pack he has mated and become a father. Man’s relentless determination to eliminate the wolves raiding their cattle leads to the capture of Lobo’s mate. In the end, Lobo cleverly leads a raid that frees his loved one and then takes his pack into a land so wild man has not yet invaded it.
What works
- The story was told in this spoken/sung style that reminded me of vintage ‘read along’ records, which was a style I haven’t heard in a while.
- I like that they tried this style of storytelling and it worked relatively well with this particular story.
- The fact that the only human voices are from the narrator (Rex Allen) and the singers (the Sons of Pioneers from the Pecos Bill segment in Melody Time) was helpful to keep the focus on Lobo, rather than splitting the focus between man and beast (as in Nikki).
- The movie works well as a ‘legend’ story because Lobo seems near perfect as a lead character, so perfect in fact that it wouldn’t have worked if Lobo had been human.
- I appreciated the brief intro at the beginning about Lobo’s dad, El Feroz, to help set the scene and that there wasn’t much time between that introduction and the introduction (and focus) of Lobo.
- Having Rex Allen as the narrator added so much to this movie. His rich, pleasant voice added charm and warmth to the movie, balancing against the deep, almost sad tone of the story-songs.
- His voice especially helped keep the movie light-hearted and steady during sadder portions such as the deaths of Lobo’s parents.
What may or may not work
- It’s cute but nothing really special. in fact, it feels more like a special than a movie. Probably would have been a 30-45 minute tv special and work just fine
- I like animals, so I don’t mind watching the footage but song inserts don’t work for me. Now if I was listening to this as a vinyl record, I think the inserts would work better. But something just sounds off when I’m watching and the next insert starts playing. They pulled me out and even sound a bit depressing at times ( I think one or two were written in a minor key? Maybe?)
- The inserts were similar but not as good as the ones in the Davy Crockett movie, or during the Pecos Bill segment.
- I love the Sherman Brothers but this was not one of their best works (they wrote the theme song/story-song inserts)
- I was surprised but liked how the mother’s death was portrayed. Both the visuals and the narration showed a bittersweet but straightforward death. The brief insert was a tad much though and killed the mood.
- I think these slower inserts are supposed to help me sympathize with Lobo and build a connection, but they do nothing but bug me (so the opposite). To be fair, I do sympathize with Lobo, so their effort is wasted on me.
Honorable Mentions
- The light-hearted raccoon/antelope/Lobo swim party was such a cute scene and while it didn’t really add to the overall story, I did enjoy watching it.
- I won’t lie, I don’t remember seeing Lobo’s mom very early in the movie, and so I totally thought the mom was El Feroz. So when the cougar came by, I thought the pups had been left by themselves. But there is in fact a mom, and the pups were safe (and not just because hunters shot the cougar).
- I thought it was a random bonus that the narrator was actually describing the types of traps used in the movie. I didn’t write down what those traps were, but that the info was included stood out to me.
Side Questions
- Where did the names come from? Who named them El Feroz and Lobo? This isn’t just a Legend of Lobo question, but a general ‘legends’ question when it comes to animals.
Would I watch this movie again?
- Thank goodness it’s only an hour and seven minutes long. I wouldn’t have been able to handle anything longer. And while maybe I’d watch it again if it’s on Disney+ (it’s currently not, I rented it on YouTube), I wouldn’t rent it again. Overall, it was fine, but not worth an additional rental fee.
If you’ve seen The Legend of Lobo, what are some of your thoughts? Share in the comments below!
Rewind to the beginning of the Disney Film Project
Skip back to the previous film with Almost Angels
Fast Forward to the next film with In Search of the Castaways
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