Le Livre de la jungle

It isn't completely faithful to the book, but for a good reason. The book has bits that you can't have in an animation. The animation is beautiful, the backgrounds rich in colour, and the characters beautifully drawn. The story is a very simple one, yet effective, and allows the songs and characters to take force. The songs and music by the Sherman Brothers perfectly match the breeziness of the film, with classics such as " Bare Neccessities" and "Wanna Be like you". Unlike some people, I liked the vulture barbershop, excellent harmonies. And what a talented voice-cast. Phil Harris was hilarious as Baloo, and Sebastian Cabot was brooding as Bagheera. Reitherman's son was good as Mowgli, and Louis Prima(who's not black so the racist overtones idea is ridiculous) was a riot as Louis. The real star was the perfectly cast George Sanders as the frightening and calculating Shere Khan. This is fantastic, if a little short, and avoid the sequel! 9/10 Bethany Cox

The Jungle Book, one of Disney's ultimate classics, it has great characters, an awesome story and terrific animation. I'll admit it, I adore Disney movies, I could never choose just one Disney movie as my favorite, I love them all for so many different reasons. The Jungle Book is one of my fav's though, after buying the new release on DVD, I realized that I love this movie now more than ever. The reason that I think this movie is so wonderful is because of the characters, they just brought so much life to the story and really made this into a wonderful Disney classic.

Mowgli is found in a basket as a baby in the deep jungles. Bagheera, the panther who discovers the boy, promptly takes him to a wolf who has just had cubs. She raises him along with her own cubs and Mowgli soon becomes well acquainted to jungle life. Mowgli is shown ten years later, visiting the wolves and getting his face licked eagerly when he arrives. That night, when the wolf tribe learns that Shere Khan, a man-eating tiger, has returned to the jungle, they realize that Mowgli must be taken to the man village, to protect him and those around him. Bagheera volunteers to escort him back. They leave that very night, but Mowgli is determined to stay in the jungle and loses Bagheera. Kaa, the hungry python, hypnotizes Mowgli into a deep and peaceful sleep, traps him tightly in his coils, and tries to devour him, but comically fails. The next morning, Mowgli tries to join the elephant patrol. Bagheera finds Mowgli and they argue; Mowgli runs away from Bagheera. The boy soon meets up with the fun-loving bear Baloo, who shows Mowgli the fun of having a care-free life and promises not to take him to the man village. Mowgli now wants to stay in the jungle more than ever. Shere Khan is after Mawgli though and won't rest 'till he kills him.

Seriously, these are some of the most memorable characters in Disney history, we have Baloo, the care free party bear that just wants to have fun and only needs the "bear" necessities of life. Begheera, a panther, that we've all known this kind of person, the one that just wants to get down to business and get as much done as quickly as possible, the party pooper, but deep down still has that heart. And one of Disney's most memorable villains of all time, Shere Khan, voiced by George Sanders, classy, sassy, menacing and vicious, I wouldn't be surprised if he was Scar's inspiration(the lion villain in The Lion King). If you haven't seen The Jungle Book, just buy it, believe me, it's worth the money. It's a classic fun animated film that I will love forever, still to this day I will always sing along to Bear Necessities, it's a good time. 10/10

From the very first minute that Walt Disney conceived of "The Jungle Book" he promised for the sakes of general audiences that he'd absolutely Pile Rudyard Kipling's classic book with energetic, toe-tapping, show-stopping music and unforgettable crazy songs though many people around him had doubts for the original novel was apparently quite serious. Throughout his entire career he had proved so many critics and members of his crew wrong, that he Could enhance the familiar yet ageing qualities of the original tellings of many of the world's most beloved classic books by putting his own magical, musical, charming, ambitious nature into them and would then transfer his versions onto film. Not once had he failed to prove the world and the world's opinions wrong in all his life and "The Jungle Book" was no exception. It's got to be his own happiest, most carefree, most musical adventure movie to date! I haven't read the book yet because I don't even have it though I do have a shortened Ladybird book of it but I haven't read that so I can't judge any inaccuracies or changes to the story but I'm positive there are some alterations - all for the best, of course. I must say that Mowgli is quite rebellious here and impudent. He's always running away when things don't go his way, I've noticed he hits and threatens a lot of his friends and yet they still like him! Baloo is - as everyone sees him - so lovable and kind. For the first time in a Disney film, Sterling Holloway provides the voice for a villain - the murderous Kaa the python snake. For a happy-go-lucky cartoon, I think it's unpleasant how a bonkers snake could randomly get a little boy into his deadly coyles (at night at one point), hypnotize him and prepare to eat him! But at least Mowgli gets the last laugh by causing the python to have a knotted tail and shifting him off his tree. My favourite dance number has got to be with King Louis of the Apes in the ancient ruins ("I Wanna Be Like You") and how all the crazy dancing sends the ruins tumbling. My second favourite is "Bare Necessities". In my opinion, the part where the mildly poor comedy comes in most of all is with Colonol Haithi and his elephants and his whiny wife; poor Verna Felton had Winifred the elephant as her final role on film. Colonol Haithi is supposed to be a no-nonsense, snooty leader but my eyes (and ears come to think of it) tell me that he is just a totally absurd loud-mouth. If there is any character in this film who won't stand for any nonsense it's Bagheera! I know that all he really wants is for Mowgli to be safe and therefore return to the man-village but he was certainly a miserable old busybody after the King Louis scene. He had the cheek to break up that special bond between Mowgli and Baloo that so many people have grown to love! Charming! Recently, I bought the twin DVD release of the Platinum Edition of "The Jungle Book" from Woolworths and it was just amazing! Better than most Disney DVDs today (even though they're not bad themselves)

This was the last cartoon feature Disney was directly involved with before his death, and it is one of his better films. The animation appears a bit dated, in large part because it appears to use the Xeroxing method, but that doesn't detract from the great story Disney had created, or the voice actors who add life to this movie. The film's standout is obviously Phil Harris as Baloo the Bear. A veteran of old time radio, such as "The Jack Benny Show," Harris brought his comic talents to the fore and provided a very lively portrayal of happy-go-lucky, free-spirited lovable oaf, which is a welcome contrast to the cute anthropomorphic animals Disney had a penchant for in "Bambi," "Cinderlla," and "Dumbo." The guy who does the voice of King Louie is also great, as is Sterling Holloway as the goofy villain Kaa; you might remember Holloway better as the original Winnie the Pooh. The Sherman Brothers did very well with lots of good songs, such as "I Want to be Like You" and "Bare Necessities" This is a great animated film for the whole family to enjoy.

It may interest readers of these reviews that the voice actor who played King Louie is not in fact black.

If you follow this helpful link right here at imdb ( http://us.imdb.com/Name?Prima,%20Louis ), you'd find that Louis Prima is in fact white, and was quite well known at the time for his musical repertoire, of which the song "I Wanna Be Like You" is a prime example. I don't think he was chosen for that role because of how 'black' he sounded, but rather for his musical abilities, and how that fit into the character of King Louie.

As with all the other voice actors chosen for this film, Walt Disney made perfect choices.... so much so that the film works perfectly: animation, voices and story all mesh together perfectly to make one of his best films, precisely because it *is* so simple, yet effective.

No need for fancy computer graphics here.