A Timeless Masterpiece —The Lion King || CineTV Contest

In case you are one of those who think animated films are for children alone, you are mistaken! I'm not a kid but I have watched more animation films than I can count or remember. In fact, children don't understand about 80% of the things said and done in animations unless they have an adult close by to explain them. Beyond watching animated films for fun and laughs, I watch mostly to learn life lessons that I sometimes don't find in films for mature viewing.

The classic animated film franchise by Disney, The Lion King (1994), is my favourite and a true masterpiece.

Plot

This favourite animated film centers on the father-son relationship and the responsibilities of a leader. It starts with the king of Pridelands, Mufasa, displaying his newborn cub and heir to the throne, Simba, to the entire animals in the Pridelands.

But there's a thorn in Mufasa's flesh —his brother, Scar, who believes he deserves the throne and not Simba. When Mufasa dies, the order in Pridelands is upended as little Simba runs away while Scar takes over as king. Will Simba return to take his place as rightful king?

Epic Opening And Scores

There's a calm in the room as viewers anticipate what the classic animated movie will deliver. We see the screen is black and then the sun rises gently followed by a powerful chant and the epic opening song of all time, The Circle Of Life, starts to play! No other movie gets me excited with its intro like this animation.

The opening score of The Lion King is indelible and one of the many things that make this animation stand out. I understand this score is in the Zulu language - "nants ingonyama bagithi Baba" but I do not understand what they mean. Even the funny Timon, an animated mongoose and good friend/foster father of Simba sang his version like this, "what's on the menu…" and this makes me laugh every time I watch it!

Another spectacular thing about this classic animation is the soundtrack. I believe a lot of work went into making this movie including the music and Hans Zimmer did great. The songs are special, beautifully sung and touching from the opening sequence to "I Just Can't Wait to be King", "Be Prepared", to the romantic "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" by Elton John and "Hakuna Matata".

The Cast And CGI

The selection of voices for the characters is perfect too and they have good chemistry. I loved the voice of James Earl Jones as King Mufasa. He's perfect for the role with his baritone voice that commands respect. Others I loved are Matthew Broderick who voiced Simba, Nathan Lane as Timon, Ernie Sabella as Pumbaa and Whoopi Goldberg as Shenzi, leader of the trio hyenas.

The visual effects are beautiful. I loved the scenes of the landscapes around Pride Rock and the Outlands.

For those who have not seen what African wildlife looks like, these scenes can fuel their imagination. It vividly captured the natural wildlife.

The King Has Returned

One scene that stands out is the final battle between Scar and his hyenas and Simba and the lionesses. Simba overcame his fear and returned home to claim what belonged to him —Pridelands.

Another scene I enjoy is when the battle was won and Simba climbs on the pointy rock to roar to the entire Pridelands announcing himself as king. Simply epic!

Life Lessons And Tough Love

Everything you see exists together in a delicate balance. As king, you need to understand that balance and respect all creatures from the crawling ants to the leaping antelopes….and so we are all connected in the great circle of life. ~ Mufasa

One primary reason The Lion King is a classic and an animation I will gladly recommend for both young and old is the life lessons encased in it. Yes, it's animation, it's funny and exciting but the lessons must never be ignored. This is one of the reasons I love the Mufasa character. As a king, he did not operate as a figurehead or tyrant. He ruled as a true king, valuing his pride and teaching his son the importance of responsibility.

A timely lesson for everyone from Mufasa is the understanding that we are all connected in the great circle of life, whether as an ant or antelope or human being. If only we take these lessons to heart and put them into action, I believe we would have a better world.

Another wise quote from him as he prepared Simba to become king is,

A king's time as ruler rises and falls like the sun. One day, Simba, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you as the new king. ~ Mufasa

I admired the way Mufasa brought Simba up with tough love. He was tough on Simba when he disobeyed, making him understand that he loved him. The father-son relationship is heartwarming, paving the way for some heartbreak (and tears, I think I shed a drop or two) when Mufasa died trying to save his son. In my eyes, Mufasa is a hero.

Overall, this film is the best, truly a masterpiece and the only animation I'll rate 10/10. No wonder it's recorded as one of the highest-grossing animated films of all time by Wikipedia. I did not enjoy the live-action released in 2019 as much and wished they did not make it.

What is your favourite animated film?

This is my entry to the CineTV Contest #18: Your Favorite Animated Feature Film. To participate, just click on the link and it will take you straight to the post. The deadline is 21st June, 2022, 11:59 PM, UTC time.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

^{Images are screenshots from the movie while the cover image was designed using Canva}