Lions d'Afrique

Feature length documentary, part of Disney's True-Life Adventure series.

This was the best reviewed of the series – both at the time of it's release and in more recently reviews - and it really is quite good. While the music is over-the-top, and some of the narration is a bit Disney 'cute', a lot of the narration is really informative, and a lot of the wildlife photography is amazing, especially considering when it was done.

It's not really about Lions as much as the whole African world they lord over. There's some footage of Mt. Kilimanjaro, and a locust swarm that's flat out breathtaking.

NB: On the same disc is 'Bear Country', an Oscar winning 30 min short.

The lion is a superb and lazy, the wild world of animals, sometimes it seems unfair, beautiful documentary, as only Disney could produce, in such tender years and with such a grandiose, passionate production, despite being the least interesting of what I've watched marathoning Disney natural documentaries...

Another Disney Plus documentary, near the top alphabetically is "The African Lion" an addition to the "True Life Adventures" documentary series that was originally released in 1955, when animal documentaries were perhaps not as ubiquitous as they are now - indeed you can only imagine that for many this was their first ever look at African wildlife in their natural habitat.

Alfred and Elma Milotte spent three years filming the African Wildlife in three countries in Africa, Kenya, Tanganika (Now part of Tanzania) and Uganda. Their film focuses on African Lions and their behaviours but widens to show the rest of the ecosystem and how the animals interact with one another. Though the film is edited to provide a narrative of sorts, it's (thankfully) not the same cloying method as utilised with "A Tale of Two Critters".

Honestly, despite its age, I found myself sticking with "The African Lion" through to its conclusion and appreciating a lot of what I saw. It was edited to a really impressive orchestral score that I enjoyed and had some truly stunning visuals. The sky so full of locusts they reflect the sun and look like a flowing silver sea is something I hadn't seen before and that will stay with me.

Hidden cameras and High definition have, of course, surpassed this film in terms of showing the animal kingdom, but this was impressive for it's time and still retains some of that power today.

I saw this documentary in 1960 at age 11 and never forgot it. It was very well done. It is wonderful. I watched with my father who is gone for 28 years. I was so impressed with the beauty of the species that spent collecting everything I could about animals. The scenes are beautifully shot and encourage children to like and, of course, preserve animal life. Fantastic, wonderful. Just the initial presentation of the documentary to paint the map of Africa and its different regions, it is a lesson in Geography.In the following years despite developments in technology not seen documentaries that level which makes it even more valuable. It is an example of a job well done.Unfortunate not copy for sale there.

Really a superb nature documentary, a captivating watch. I can't think of a better film on the wild kingdom. Why isn't this available on video? This is not specifically a film about lions as it's title implies, this is a film about the African wild, untouched, with fascinating looks at the life and times a full variety of species including elephants, rhino's, giraffes, antelope, monkeys, leopards, and more..

Near the beginning, the narrator says; "This is Africa, The Lions Realm.." which would have been a more appropriate title. The film covers a lot of different species, and it does so in a way that enables the viewer to both absorb specific insights into the daily existence of individual creatures, while at the same time experience the essence of the wild as a whole.

Now admittedly, I love nature and wildlife type shows; and my opinion is that this production made over 50 years ago, is amongst kings of nature films.