Rating: 
Summary: A genuine classic for all ages
Review: Until recently, when displaced by another Disney effort, this was the most successful animated film of all time, and with good reason. This was the first Disney animated film that came from an original script, rather than a book or short story. It still relies on what has been called the "Disney formula," in that there are certain plot features in this film that echo back to prior Disney efforts (Mufasa's death bring to mind the tragedy of Bambi's mother, and Simba's odyssey into irresponsibility harkens back to Pinnochio). Does that diminish this film? Absolutely not. What makes "The Lion King" timeless are its universal elements, played out so perfectly. The love of family (the lion pride), the sense of belonging to a community, to a greater whole (the "circle of life"), are things that people worldwide can relate to, which is part of the reason it was a huge success across the globe. The "circle of life," the interconnectedness of all things, has even more resonance these days as our world shrinks. The lessons of responsibility, of loyalty, of friendship and the strength of family make this a cut above other kiddie fare; there's no patronizing or moralizing in its messages. It's nearly ideal family viewing, except for one thing: This may be the most intense film Disney has ever created. The death of Mufasa, the menacing hyenas, the confrontation with Scar; there's a lot here that may terrify or upset smaller children. So far, my 3 1/2-year-old has handled it pretty well; we've watched it four times since our preview copy arrived. But if your children have not seen it, I recommend that a parent be present when it is viewed. One of the biggest criticisms of Disney is the company's tendency to overmarket and overproduce its videos. When one sees "Special Edition" on a Disney film, one may wonder if it's just another marketing ploy. Not this time. A great film like "The Lion King" deserves a first-rate DVD treatment, and it gets one. You get two versions of the film: the original theatrical release, and the new version with an extra song, "Morning Report," which, once you see it, will become the standard. The song (though short) is a blast, with some hilarious comedy at the expense of poor Zazu, and a great father-son moment between Simba and Mufasa. The original print has been cleaned up and the animation has been given a gorgeous new digital treatment, which when coupled with the remastered sound makes this a glorious experience. In addition to the film, there are games for the kids (Timon's "grab a grub" is a load of fun), a new "Circle of Life" music video (redundant, but it features many Disney channel favorites, including Hilary Duff and Raven), a sing-along segment (how many times will you hear "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" belted out by the little ones in your life?!?), some funny deleted scenes (bug football, anyone?), three good segments that detail the inspirations for the story, music, and characters, and much more. (Parents, be warned: This DVD may prove to be an addiction to the little ones in your life!) In my opinion, this is tied with "Snow White" and "Pinnochio" as the greatest Disney film, and is highly, highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: Splendid DVD!! Disney does it again!
Review: The folks at Disney are experts at putting together fantastic special edition DVDs. "The Lion King Special Edition" is no exception. From the hilarious introduction by Timon and Pumbaa, to the enjoyable new musical number by Zazu (Rowan Atkinson), to the myriad of special features, this DVD is a must have for any kid, kid at heart, or animation fan. I was thrilled to get my hands on my copy of the DVD weeks before the release date. This is, after all, one of my favorite animated features of all time (and favorite films of all time, for that matter). Like "Snow White" and "Beauty and the Beast" before it, Disney packed this fabulous DVD with all the behind-the-scenes featurettes, music videos and games any die-hard fan would want. Plus, the digital and sound transfers are excellent. There are two versions of the film - the theatrical version and the special edition version that includes the new song "Morning Report" - on DVD. The second DVD contains 3 games, 2 music videos, a sing-along track, deleted scenes, loads of behind the scenes footage and featurettes (covering music, animation, storymaking, etc.) and a fun virtual safari hosted by everyones favorite warthog and meerkat. If you enjoy Disney animation and especially if you are a fan of this film to begin with, then you should get your hands on this DVD as soon as possible. Disney, after all, has finally given Simba a DVD treatment worthy of a king.
Rating:
Summary: Heaven Sent
Review: The Lion King is the all tiem best Disney movie ever! This movie came out when I was 16 years old and that became the theme for my 16th birthday party! I had every Lion King product there was and at 25, I am buying them all over again. The movie makes you cry, laugh, fear and fall in love.
Rating: 
Summary: ANOTHER VERSION
Review: Great DVD but you get a little tired of how Disney plays the marketing game. First, a few years ago they release most of their animated features on DVD with no real spectacular added features. But the kids have to have them. Then they go into "moritorium" so you can't buy them for awhile. Now they come out with the same animated features with all the bells and whistles so you have to buy these DVDs to make your kids happy.
How many versions of the Lion King, etc. are their going to be?
Rating:
Summary: Kingdom Come (An Advanced Copy Review)
Review: The Lion King, one of Disney's most ambitious animated features ever made, finally goes "Platinum", with a comprehensive two disc DVD set. I use the word "ambitious", because some of the film's themes and situations, aren't exactly normal kid fare. It's that fact, that sets the the film apart, and helps make it a great film experience. The film's central story follows Simba (Voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas), a young lion cub, "who can't wait to be king" of the jungle. After learning from his dad Moustapha (Voiced by James Earl Jones), Simba finds himself on his own, befriended by pals Pumbaa (Voiced by Ernie Sabella) and Timon (Voiced by Nathan Lane). Now an adult, Simba (Voiced by Matthew Broderick) must face both the laws of the jungle and an enemy out of the past--the sinister Scar (Voiced by Jeremy Irons), as well. Directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, the film boasts not only a great voice cast, but the animation is just stunning. The wide shots of the African vistas, in particular, are very detailed. Also of note is the stampede sequence--that looks awesome in the digital format. I really am not one for musicals per se`, but I think the songs by Sir Elton John, Tim Rice and composer Hans Zimmer's score are a winning combination. The two disc DVD set takes an in depth look at the film. The breakdown of the extras is as follows: Disc 1-there are two versions of the film. The Special Edition, featuring a never before seen, new song, titled "Morning Report", and the original theatrical release. Both versions are digitally restored and remastered. Deleted animation and tests, a sing along track, two music videos-a Disney Channel performance of "Circle Of Life", and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?", performed by Elton John. Disc 2 has these special features: Explore the complete Lion King phenomenon in five areas-Animal Journey, Story Journey, Stage Journey, Film Journey, and Music Journey. You can also take a virtual safari tour. The set also lets you have some fun with clever games. Each of which showcases all-new animation. The set follows in the tradition of the "Ultimate Toy Box-Toy Story" DVDs from awhile back. The Lion King set makes a great addition to anyone's DVD library.
Rating:
Summary: A True Classic in a New, Double DVD Edition
Review: Disney Studios tends to use the word "classic" to describe every film it releases--but in the case of THE LION KING, the word is very apt. And this double disk DVD "Special Platinum Edition" shows the film at its best. Unlike the recent DVD release of SLEEPING BEAUTY, THE LION KING did not require significant restoration, and if you have a VHS copy of a previous release you will not find the picture significantly different beyond the inclusion of a new musical number. What you will find quite different, however, is the sound. The DVD offers you the option of the original soundtrack as it was first created for theatrical release or a home theatre mix--and if you have a surround sound system, the latter will add a great deal to your viewing experience. As usual in Disney's "special" releases, THE LION KING also comes with a great many bonuses. I found them a mixed bag; at times they were little more than shamless self-promotion on the part of Disney, and they also tended to be repetitive. But the bonuses do include a very nice audio commentary track and a number of fascinating interviews and short documentaries that will interest Disney fans, and there are several games (which can be played from the DVD remote control) that the kids will enjoy quite a bit. But the real power of this DVD release is, of course, the film itself. Loosely suggested by everything from Biblical parables to African folktales to Shakespeare's HAMLET, THE LION KING presents us with a moral lesson about responsibility, courage and the need to confront past mistakes--precisely the sort of thing that you WANT your kids to watch but they always object to sitting through. But they won't object to it this time: the film looks beautiful, it sounds great, and with its pagent of heroes and bad guys, comic characters, low comedy, and high drama it should hold them (and adults as well) glued to the screen. If you're not greatly interested in bonus materials or in the surround sound features and you already have a good quality copy of THE LION KING in your collection--you may want to give this new edition a miss. But if you're a first time buyer or you're replacing a worn-out-from-viewing copy, this release is the way to go. --GFT (Amazon.com Reviewer)--
Rating:
Summary: Long Live The King !
Review: Another must-have Disney special edition...there are enough bonus features here to keep you busy for days. I really liked the "virtual safari", where Timon & Pumba guide you thru the jungle by jeep or boat. You also get an insider's look at the making of a modern animated classic. The whole package is just very classy, with all-new animated menus and interactive features. There's also a newly-added scene incorporated into the film, a new musical number called "The Morning Report." While this is an enjoyable addition, it doesn't really add anything new to the film. As expected, the picture and sound quality are exceptional; you'll really get swept up into the picture during the more action-filled moments. You simply must own this beloved Disney film, an this 2-disc set is likely to be a highlight of your home video collection.
Rating:
Summary: Great Addition to the Disney Canon
Review: Sometime DVD special editions are bad excuses to repackage and resell the same DVD that you already own. They have that greedy transparency that can only come from people trying to get you to buy their "making of" documentary. This is not the case. The extras on disc 2 range from indepth discussions of the movie, the plains of Africa, and yes - a making of (although when they talk about the origins of the movie they fail to mention that similar Japanese cartoon that came out a few years before. Guess it's just an oversight) and the virtual tour is amusing. The movie itself is still brilliant. The great moments (including the Circle of Life bit and the scene where Simba runs home) are still goosebump inducing. We can still make the Darth Vader jokes when James Earl Jones says "Simba! I am your father!" (we will rule the great plains together. nothing will stand in our way) but it's still effective. The extended movie is a bit off however. The new songs and the new scenes add nothing to the piece. At best they are distractions. At worst the drag the movie down. So yes - buy this movie because it's one of the best cartoons out there and Disney did a surprisingly good job repackaging this one.
Rating:
Summary: Good movie but bad DVD...
Review: I was so looking forward to owning this DVD since I loved The Lion King, but in the DVD we noticed a lot of hidden editings, like the crocodiles in the song "I just can't wait to be king", The Waterfall, and the S-E-X words in the dust clouds. Anyway the Lion King features excelent songs and music, the characters are memorable, specially Timon and Pumbaa. Scar, the villain is one of the best villains and one of the most evil. Even with the editings, I think this movie should be in everyone's Disney collection.
Rating:
Summary: Lion King lovers, your prayers are answered!
Review: If you or your kids love The Lion King, Disney has produced another of their extraordinary DVD ensembles, jam packed with goodies, games, interactive stuff, cut songs and scenes and loads of other extras. Oh, and by the way, the movie is presented in a beautiful, crisp, transfer with Disney Enhanced Theatre Surround Sound that makes for a remarkable home viewing experience. I won't bother to review the film. If you love it, you will love this DVD. If you don't care for it, then don't bother. Disney is to be congratulated, again, on putting a great deal of thought, creativity, and new work into these kid-friendly packages. Worthwhile family entertainment.
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