Time to feel very old. Disney’s The Lion King has turned thirty. Thirty. Apologies. The Lion King is the first cinema trip I remember. The Ritz cinema in Matlock. A really beautiful old fashioned cinema. The type which had curtains across the screen and an intermission with an ice cream trolley. Sadly, it is now an Indian restaurant. It couldn’t battle with Cineworld and the UCI with its comfy seats and fancy pick and mix. As with many things, the upgrade seems exciting at the time, but the ache for the simplicities of the past soon take over. Anyway, I was four years old and my little mind was blown from the first ‘Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba Sithi uhm ingonyama’ to the last ‘circle of life.’ We went to see it a handful of times after that. My Mum said she didn’t watch it properly until the second viewing. She spent the first just watching my spellbound face. My bedroom became a homage to the film. It looked like an advert for the Disney Store [RIP] Lion King curtains, bedsheets, pillow cases, a mirror which told me to ‘remember who you are’, cuddly Simba…you get the picture. We pre-ordered the VHS from Tesco [I proudly wore my ‘I’ve pre-ordered my copy of The Lion King from Tesco’ badge to school]. The playground at school became Pride Rock, creating our own stories and swapping stickers for our albums, only interrupted by those pesky lessons. The video played on repeat until I could recite the whole script. In fact, it’s one of those useless ‘skills’ I still have. From start to finish- it is embedded. If only I had been obsessed with the works of Albert Einstein. I'd be a genius. Although it’s a handy anxiety tool. If I’m struggling to sleep and my brain is on overdrive, I recite the film in my head until I fall asleep! It also introduced me to the huge talents of Elton John, Tim Rice, and Hans Zimmer [Fun fact- they would later collaborate on one of my other favourite animated films, ‘The Road to El Dorado.’ Criminally underrated but has now found a cult following. ] The songs are so good. You get the glorious, epic opening of The Circle of Life [that dramatic moment when the film title comes up at the end of the song still gives me shivers] to the catchy, fun comic relief capturing a term forever now in our conscience- ‘Hakuna Matata.’ It is a sweeping soundtrack, still beloved and as fresh today as when it was released. I wasn’t alone in my love for the film. It was also the highest grossing film of 1994 and the second-highest-grossing film of all time, behind Jurassic Park. Darn dinosaurs. Of course, nobody can forget that death. Weirdly, it didn’t traumatise me as a kid… but it does when I watch it now. It’s heartbreaking. I suppose as a child, I was lucky to put this scenario in the same likelihood of being adopted by a singing meerkat and warthog. Watching it now through adult eyes… that heart-wrenching way Simba whispers, ‘help.’ Deep stuff. I’m speaking, of course, about the death of Mufasa. No, I didn’t put a spoiler warning- it’s been thirty years, come on! I suppose the other reason the film has remained so beloved is that it never talks down to its target audience. For many, although they don’t realise it, it is their introduction to Shakespeare. The themes, the drama, it is all there. The Lion King is basically a retelling of Hamlet. It is showing young people that the world isn’t all fun and fairy tales. Yes, after the death there is the light relief of Hakuna Matata, giving that familiar trademark Disney hope that flows throughout its films. However, the darkness is still there, and despite worried parents apparently taking their crying children out of cinemas, it is a brave move which pays off. And look at the glorious voice cast! Worthy of a performance at The Globe! James Earl Jones whose voice had been synonymous with Darth Vader, took on the role of Mufasa. 80s heartthrob Matthew Broderick was chosen for the adult Simba, we got the silky evil voice of Jeremy Irons as Scar [whenever he appears on screen, my Mum can’t help saying ‘SImBA’s down thereeee’ We had light relief from the likes of Rowan Atkinson and Nathan Lane [joining the cast alongside his future theatre partner Matthew Broderick, who would set the stage alight in Mel Brooks’ The Producers]. The Lion King phenomena continued long after the initial theatrical release. The West End production has been running since 1999 at The Lyceum, alongside various nationwide tours. So how has this story continued to capture imaginations for so long? It was the little film that could. Despite it being a Disney film [therefore guaranteed to have a large amount of success] it was one that was very much looked down by a lot of the film makers colleagues. Many wanted to be on the other project at the time- Pocahontas. That was the film to be a part of- not the weird one about lions based on Shakespeare. Although Pocahontas is a credible Disney film, it certainly hasn’t had the timeless impact that The Lion King has had. I was walking through the village of Ashford-in-the-Water when I saw a well dressing celebrating the 30th anniversary of the film. I immediately felt a wave of comfort and nostalgia. Some films you just love, you know? I stopped and took a selfie- a nod and a smile to little girl Ellie, who perhaps had more hope and belief than the adult me. We can gain a lot from the past. The sheer power of The Lion King is what makes it not only a fantastic animation, but a great film. It has everything you expect when you go to the cinema. Drama, heartbreak, and ultimately, hope. Happy 30th The Lion King.
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