The Lion King [1994]

On the DVD: The Lion King Special Edition is a superb restoration: take a look at the serviceable but dull film clips incorporated in the plethora of extras and compare them to the vivid gorgeousness of the film presentation. This special edition also adds a 90-second song ("Morning Report") that originated in the lavish stage musical. To Disney's credit, the original theatrical version is also included, both restored and featuring two 5.1 soundtracks: Dolby Digital and a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix, which does sound brighter. As with the Disney Platinum line, everything is thrown into the discs, except an outsider's voice (the rah-rahs of Disney grow tiresome at times). The excellent commentary from the directors and producer, originally on the laser disc, is hidden under the audio set-up menu.

The second disc is organised by 20-minute-ish "journeys" tackling the elements of story, music and so on, including good background on the awkward Shakespearean origins at Disney where it was referred as "Bamlet". The most interesting journey follows the landmark stage production, and the kids should be transfixed by shots of the real African wildlife in the animal journey. Three deleted segments are real curios, including an opening lyric for "Hakuna Matata". Most set-top DVD games are usually pretty thin (DVD-ROM is where it's at), but the Safari game is an exception--the kids should love the roaring animals (in 5.1 Surround, no less). One serious demerit is the needless and complicated second navigation system that is listed by continent but just shows the same features reordered. --Doug Thomas

BUY THIS DVD!


Excellent with one disappointment!   October 17, 2003
Ben Singer (Cardiff, UK)
24 out of 27 found this review helpful

This is an excellent DVD from Disney. The only dissapointment is the new sequence 'The Morning Report' as it is extremely obvious it is a different singer singing for Young Simba, and this kind of spoils the new sequence. You shouldn't let this put you off though because it is still interesting to see, and the original version of the film is on the DVD anyway.

The lion king never looked better on DVD. The images are crystal clear with the colour more obvious than ever before.

Theres a whole disk of extras as well as many extras on the disk with the film including a new version of 'Circle of Life' (sang by random stars from the Disney Channel), a 'Which character are you most like?' quiz and many featurettes about the making of the film.

If you liked Disney's previous 'Platinum Edition' offers you'll love this, and if you are a huge fan of the lion king, it is definitely for you!


Problems accessing the Original 1994 Version on Special Edit   November 4, 2003
21 out of 21 found this review helpful

In my option this is the Best Film that Disney have made, the DVD quality has just made the film more enjoyable to watch. The extras on Disc 1 & 2 make this a must have for any Disney Buff or any one with young children.

I did had problems accessing the Original 1994 Version on Special Edition DVD, the “play” icon on the main menu just seemed to play the New Version of the Lion King.

I called Buena Vista Home Entertainment, they informed me that you need to do the following;

Wait for the main film menu to appear, then go to set-up Icon, in set-up go to the Languages Icon and lastly in Language menu you will find Original Version, (just under Hebrew).

Thank you for reading my review and I hope it helps anyone who thinking about buying this DVD or anyone who had the same problem as me.


Good enough to make you hyperventilate   November 30, 2003
Harley (Leicester, Leicestershire United Kingdom)
14 out of 14 found this review helpful

The Lion King has got to be Disney's best movie of all time. If sales figures are correct, and you already own three copies of The Lion King on VHS, then there's no real point describing the plot of the film, beyond the fact that its wonderful art, award-winning songs, and loveable characters are good enough to make you sob into your Lion King hankerchief. In a good way. And you'll have been licking your lips in frantic anticipation of the Special Edition DVD. And believe me, it's been well worth the wait.

And the Gift Set is no less wonderful. For a start, it contains the Special Edition DVD, with its 2 disks with beautiful disk art, the special features of games, interveiws with the animators and such, the film itself in all its improved glory, and in general, three wonderful hours of bonus material.

After you've enjoyed the film, you can then enjoy up to eight original drawings of the characters to keep in your cupboard in an airtight box so that you don't wear them out by looking at them too much, and most wonderfully of all, the DVD companion Hardback, 'The Journey'. This describes the making of TLK, the making of the TLK Special Edition DVD, and has some lovely pictures in it as well. These are found only in the Gift Set.

All of this is wrapped in a special box with beautiful art.

It takes a lot for me to give any film FIVE stars, but here is TLK in all its greatness.

A small warning - despite being a very limited edition of the Special Edition, the DVD contained within the Gift Set does not contain any more special features than it does when purchased on its own. The extra money is paid for the book, pictures and box. The Gift Set is for adult collectors, not children.


Finally, the King has returned...!   November 4, 2003
Melanie Baxter (Inverness.)
7 out of 9 found this review helpful

For the past decade, ‘The Lion King’ has forever remained my most treasured Disney movie in my life...and for many other children and grown ups too...

‘The Lion King’ is a really cool and beautiful story about the love between a proud lion ruler named Mufusa and his son, Simba. As a cub, Simba is very excited at the thought of one day growing up to be a brave and strong lion King and following in his father’s paw-prints to rule the Pridelands. However, Simba’s Uncle Scar (who’s the younger brother to Mufusa, Simba’s father) is a jealous and very evil lion who feels that he should be King and decides to kill both Simba and Mufusa in order to claim the throne. Although he’s successful in killing Mufusa, Simba survives and runs away into exile believing that he is the cause of his father’s death.

I don’t wish to reveal anymore of the story to you since by doing so I’d only be ruining the excitement for you. However, I would like to say to everyone that if you do decide to buy this DVD you would absolutely NOT regret it, EVER! ‘The Lion King’ has been so greatly improved on DVD compared to last century VHS. It’s a crystal-clear screen, it’s full of beautiful colours, no grainy bits, the sound never distorts and best of all you never have to worry about setting the tracking. The sound & picture have been so digitally re-mastered and very well done that you actually feel like you’re back in the cinema room all over again watching it for the first time. Apart from English (obviously), you get one language selection as well as an audio commentary. You get to play fun games with Timon & Pumbaa, a ‘Lion King’ personality profile game, making of the movie, deleted scenes, etc. My favourite game on the disc is Timon & Pumbaa’s ‘Lion King’ Virtual Safaris. I’m tellin’ yu, you just get completely hooked on it!

Oh, one last thing...’The Lion King’ Special Edition is so very impressive because unlike the old VHS version, the movie is in wide-screen and therefore you can see so many things that you’ve never been able to see before. There’s even a brand new song that I really enjoy called ‘The Morning Report’ sung by Zazu & Simba during Mufusa’s pouncing lesson in the movie...(don’t worry, you get the original version on the disc too). That’s the whole fun of it. Instead of only having the one version to watch you now have two, isn’t that great?! Obviously it’s a different singer for young Simba since the original has probably grown up by now but that really doesn’t matter.
Simba's singing voice sounds no different whatsoever.

Give yourself the BEST Christmas present of all this year and buy ‘THE LION KING: SPECIAL EDITION’ as soon as you can...preferably on DVD. It doesn’t matter if you’re a child, teenager, young, middle-aged or old adult. ‘The Lion King’ is a wonderful story for everyone that once purchased can remain a most treasured movie for generations. I’m 19-years-old and I still love it, even to this very day...(*_*)