The Jungle Book

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Summary: Wonderful, fun, and great songs!
Review: This Disney classic is one of the best. Fun, great music, and a movie everyone can enjoy.

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Summary: The Jungle Book is fun for all ages.
Review: The Jungle book was an absolute delight from beginning to end. Rent it or buy it you can't go wrong.

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Summary: To Run with the Wolves: A Girlhood Dream
Review: I'm a little kid, don't remember exactly how old, elementary school age. My teenage cousin promises to take me to see *The Jungle Book*. She falls asleep. Minutes are ticking down to show time. I poke at her but she snoozes on. Elders tell me to leave her alone. I stand over her and glare, using my powers of mind control to will her awake. It works!

I was just desperate to see this movie. I loved all the Disney animals stories and *The Jungle Book* turned out to be my favorite. The lively songs, lush animation, compelling characters, and strong storyline left quite an impression on me. Can never forget the loving and gentle Bagheera, that kooky monkey, and Baloo, Baloo the lovable bear. Ooh, and that sinister Shere Khan striking fear in the hearts of all and the slithering sneaky snake always up to no good. The voices used are wonderful and fit the characters to perfection. I was in heaven, and it has stood the test of time by remaining one of my favorite animated films.

I just wanted so badly, just longed to be a girl version of Mowgli. Raised by wolves, living wild and free in the jungle, playing with the bears and apes. Climbing trees and swinging from vines. Yep, that was the life for me. I sobbed at the end, crying: No, Mowgli, don't leave your animal friends behind and live with people. You are making a big mistake! Would he return to his original home? I wondered, why of course he would!

As an adult, I understand Mowgli's decision to join the village and live with his own kind. The girl in me, though, still doesn't get it and yearns to run free.

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Summary: Contrasting review
Review: I know how many people gave five star reviews on here. Mine is not a five star review. I am giving you my straight opinion on this movie.

One, I don't think this movie is fit for family viewing. Adults will not find it interesting or entertaining, and it hardly serves any purpose in teaching moral lessons to children. Two, this cartoon almost borders on animated pedophilia. It just looks sick and wrong, really, with this older, scary bear taking this young innocent away and teaching him his "bear ways."

This is not charming entertainment. This is a pain. If you want a charming, older Disney movie you should check out their animated version of Robin Hood. The music in Robin Hood is far better as well. I have always disliked "The Jungle Book."

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Summary: Fun jungle romp!!
Review: Rudyard Kipling's "The Jungle Books" are the basis for this fun, animated trip through the jungles of India. Mowgli, a human orphan, is reared by a pack of wolves (his parents are Akela and Raksha). When the wolf pack votes to send the "man cub" away, he is taken in by a friendly bear called Baloo (voice by Phil Silvers) and a pantheer named Bagheera (voice by Sebastian Cabot). Many adventures ensue, including a run-in with monkeys and their king (voice by Louis Prima) and a quartet of mop-top vultures, as Mowgli and his friends try to avoid Shere Khan, the tiger. The music in this film is particularly good, with such excellent Richard & Robert Sherman compositions as "Bear Necessities" and "I Want To Be Like You." Very small children might find this movie a bit frightening ... but others will love it.

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Summary: Everything about this Jungle Book is beautiful
Review: Everything about this Jungle Book is beautiful. As a kid I was especially drawn to the music and liveliness. But the whole movie is just grand! Please check the colours, moving images, the voices, the soundeffects, the characters, the songs, the in-between music, the (sometimes harsh) humour... Whenever you feel low-down or beaten, just try to sing Bare Necessities or even better, I Wan'na Be Like You (and scat along). You'll be okay in a second.

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Summary: Great film, a must for your video collection
Review: I loved this movie as a child and as an adult, had to get it for my child. It's just so fun to see Baloo singing "The Bear Necessities" and dancing to "that beat." I love Phil Harris' voice anyway and it just makes the movie in my book. That goofy Bagera (aka, Baggy) is just very funny as he tries to get Mowgli to return to his own kind. Particularly before Shere Khan finds him. And, let's not forget Shere Khan's wonderful voice - I forge the guy's name but what a singing voice too! Wow! I love that bit he does with the vultures close to the end of the movie. Wow! But old Baggy and Baloo eventually get Mowgli back to his own kind and go off dancing in the jungle together, arm-in-arm. Can you imagine Victor French ever doing that? He just seems so proper! And, let's not forget the snake. I love how he coils around everyone and then gets his tail tied in a knot! Pretty funny stuff. Then the elephants parading through the jungle - we have an elephant fan in our house and well, those scenes just stole the show.

If you want a good movie without all those evil witches, sorcerers, you name it, then this one is for you. It's just very cute and very well done. It's just a shame that Walt Disney didn't get to see it finished before he died. Plus, the clips at the end of the animators and voice-over actors was just awesome to see. It is so very interesting seeing the behind the scenes makings of movies and this one is no different. I'm just glad that this one is out there. What a great childhood memory for me and now, one for my own child to have. Great movie!

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Summary: Kipling's fantasy tale
Review: This is my favorite of all the Disney animated movies. The combination of voice talent, good music, and the quality of the story all combine to make it a near perfect movie.

"The Jungle Book" is Rudyard Kipling's story of Mowgli, a boy raised by the wolves in the jungles of India. Mowgli cavorts with his buddies Balloo, a lazy bum of a bear, and Bagheera, a worry-wort black Panther. His very menacing enemies are Shere Khan, the tiger, and Kaa, the sibilant python. It's a child's dream tale of life in the jungle, free from the restraints of school and parents and civilization.

The highlights of this movie are nearly endless: Phil Harris is superb as the laid-back Baloo; George Sanders plays a tiger with upper-class diction and (one suspects) unusual sexual preferences; Louis Prima belts out a showstopping musical number. The Elephant march is touching, funny, and toe-tapping. Mowgli himself is a charming, sunny boy.

Mowgli is a forerunner to the likes of Tarzan. It boggles my mind to think of the imagination -- the daydreams -- Kipling must have had to come up with this story.

Smallchief

Rating:
Summary: From a kid who never grew up.
Review: I'm 52, my kids have grown up and I have no grandkids yet. I bought this for me. It's one of the bare necessities of life!

Rating:
Summary: Contrasting review
Review: I know how many people gave five star reviews on here. Mine is not a five star review. I am giving you my straight opinion on this movie.

One, I don't think this movie is fit for family viewing. Adults will not find it interesting or entertaining, and it hardly serves any purpose in teaching moral lessons to children. Two, this cartoon almost borders on animated pedophilia. It just looks sick and wrong, really, with this older, scary bear taking this young innocent away and teaching him his "bear ways."

This is not charming entertainment. This is a pain. If you want a charming, older Disney movie you should check out their animated version of Robin Hood. The music in Robin Hood is far better as well. I have always disliked "The Jungle Book."