It’s always nice when I reach another animated film as they feel so far and few between all of the live-action movies that were released. Especially a movie like The Jungle Book that carries a lot of childhood nostalgia for me. 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.
A Brief Summary
(Taken from D23)
A human boy, Mowgli, is raised in the jungle by wolves until it is deemed unsafe for him to stay because of Shere Khan, the tiger, who has vowed to kill the mancub. Bagheera, the panther, is selected to accompany Mowgli on his journey back to civilization, but has a difficult time because the boy does not want to leave. Meeting Baloo the bear, a lovable “jungle bum, ” Mowgli is even more certain he wants to stay with his friends. But after an encounter with the mad King Louie of the Apes, and pressed to return to the man village by Baloo and Bagheera, Mowgli runs away. Alone in the jungle, he meets Shere Khan, but only after the last-minute intervention of his friends does he manage to defeat the tiger. Soon after, he meets a young girl from the man village and willingly returns to civilization.
What works
- Already the movie is off to a good start since it opens with a book (similar to Sleeping Beauty and The Sword and the Stone), which makes it an automatic plus for me since I love the “book intros” when Disney includes them.
- Unlike some of the other book openings, this one doesn’t open with song, but instead the voice of Bagheera who narrates during the first few scenes of the movie until the main action of the plot begins.
- Kaa is a great secondary antagonist (or deuteragonist) because he comes and goes as he pleases (sort of) but he poses a serious threat whenever he does appear. He is one of the comic relief characters as well, since even when it seems he has the upper hand, his coils become his weakness and he always manages to hurt himself or get himself tied in a knot.
- I like how laidback the storytelling is, since it was literally the bare necessities that were included in this. The plot was relatively light on drama and conflicts, which most conflicts contained within a “segment” of the movie and then not really mentioned again.
- I love that, despite his best efforts, it is Bagheera who inadvertently reveals that Mowgli is on his own. Not that I don’t believe that Shere Khan would have found Mowgli anyway, but his facial expressions as he overhears Bagheera and Colonel Hathi’s conversation are the absolute greatest in the entire movie.
What may or may not work
- I could be wrong but I don’t think that anyone tells Mowgli that they want him to go back so he can be safe and because they want him to be safe and happy. The lack of communication is frustrating. I mean, whether or not he would have listened/understood is one thing. But still, it feels like they should have brought it up to him.
- The different segments (the elephants, the monkeys, Shere Khan, etc) are all loosely connected by the journey that Mowgli is taking to the manvillage (accompanied by Bagheera and Baloo at different points). While I think it works, because it doesn’t necessarily need to be a story with a tight plotline, it might seem a bit disconnected. I would say that it’s similar to The Three Caballeros, but the segments in the movie are more connected than in The Three Caballeros.
- There’s not a lot that happens in between segments, mainly just the journey (with Mowgli most likely arguing with either Baloo or Bagheera)
- The ending with Shere Khan (before the actual movie ending) is pretty anti-climactic, like the fight starts off well, Baloo comes in to help, but then once the fire appears, it’s pretty downhill from there.
- Also it’s clearly a sign that the movie is ending soon when Shere Khan runs away with his tail tied around a burning branch and then it starts raining and he doesn’t come back.
- I like Shere Khan as a character. I really do. But there was this built-up anticipation about his sheer power as a villain that didn’t really hold out till the end of the final battle. Though I loved his dialogue (he had some of my favorite lines), the dialogue couldn’t save the battle or his ranking as a character/villain for me.
- The songs outshine the plot, which is great when you’re listening to the songs, but not always so great as you’re watching and waiting for the next song.
Honorable Mentions
- George Sanders as Shere Khan gives me such Scar vibes. It’s not just how he sounds, but the type of dialogue that Shere Khan uses.
- His scene with Kaa (when Kaa’s trying to kill Mowgli the 2nd time) is my favorite from the movie.
- The Sherman Brothers didn’t write Bare Necessities (it was Terry Gilkeyson). They wrote all the other songs, and there are some great songs, but I’m still shook over finding this out.
- There is such a stacked cast of veteran Disney voice actors in this movie! Actors who had done animated films as well as live-action films. Two of those actors were Ben Wright (who voiced Roger in 101 Dalmatians) voices Rama here and Clint Howard (Ron Howard’s brother) who also voiced Roo in the first two Winnie the Pooh shorts (that would later be included in The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh)
Side Questions
- Other than the fact that there wouldn’t be a story without him, but why didn’t they take Mowgli years earlier?
- I’m overthinking this, I know, but after ten years (or so), you’d think they’d know how to talk to a child better. Yes, he’s a man-cub, not an animal, but still.
Would I watch this movie again?
- I would always be open to watching this again, but aside from listening to the music (which I can do elsewhere), it’s not a movie that I find myself needing to watch on a regular basis. But every now and then? I’d welcome it as the movie option of choice.
If you’ve seen The Jungle Book, 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 The Gnome-Mobile
Fast Forward to the next film with Charlie, The Lonesome Cougar
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