The Lion King
Last week I went to see the live action version of The Lion King at the cinema.
Obviously it is well known that The Lion King is based on Hamlet with Mufasa and Scar playing the parts of King Hamlet and Claudius and the young Simba being Prince Hamlet.
I enjoyed the cartoon/ animation as it brought to life the humour of a meerkat and warthog being friends with a lion cub but how do you re-create this in the live action CGI?
Well you use the same script, cut out a song and try your best!!!
Sadly one of the key components of animation is that anything is possible, even the fantastic!!!
When you try to ‘be real’ then the story doesn’t work.
In animation Simba was cute- in CGI he could be any old lion cub.
The chemistry with Timon and Pumba just wasn’t there and in reality when Simba grew up they would be just dinner for him.
The differences between Mufasa and Scar were that Scar looked like a mouldy old carpet and had no ‘majesty’ even when he became ‘King’ compared to the regal bearing in the cartoon.
As a positive the CGI was good and the songs can followed if you knew the previous film.
Maybe I’m getting old but was Disney trying to pull in the fans by using “Beyonce Knowles”
They could have used any actress as far as the singing for Nala was ok.
To Summarise
Enjoyed going to cinema with family and friends.
As a story and cinematography wise it is good.
As a classic not so good. Probably comparing it to the enjoyment I had watching Aladdin.
Did I feel the love tonight??
Can be watched again but sadly ‘straight to video.”
Joe the poet 