The Jungle Book (1967) User Reviews

The jungle book

[dilipbts · 8/10 · 10 June 2020]

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

BAGHEERA: "It's Not funny!" I agree (to an extent) but that is Not all I think of this film trusst me!

[chrisbishop5000 · 8/10 · 29 November 2007]

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 movie's a legend

[TheLittleSongbird · 9/10 · 13 February 2009]

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

Best animated feature of Disney's golden era - and what a killer soundtrack!

[gogoschka-1 · 10/10 · 20 December 2013]

There aren't many animated Disney films I don't like, basically every single one of them until the end of the seventies was amazing. But for me, this is the one which stands out.

Sadly, Disney himself never got to see the finished film (he died during the production), but this is one he would have been proud of. Crafted beautifully and with attention to every little detail, from the way the different animal species move to the colorful jungle backgrounds.

Wolfgang Reitherman has directed some of the studio's best - but here he has created his masterpiece. Outstanding animation, fantastic characters - and what a killer soundtrack.

A joy for every generation to discover anew (my 9-year old nephew currently has a bit of a Shere Khan fixation), I guess I will never outgrow this timeless classic. 10 out of 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-Movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

Compulsory viewing

[sam-wilson · 10/10 · 8 September 2006]

In case you're wondering, I'm 25 and my favourite films of all time include Heat, Once Upon a Time in the West and Apocalypse Now. This is just a pointer to how, considering the film I'm writing about, eclectic a true film fan's taste has to be. I'll start with one statement: this film should be compulsory viewing for every child. If, at the end of this film, you're face is not permanently disfigured from smiling, there's something wrong with you. Everything about this film is enjoyable. The characters so loving, the songs so memorable; everything is so uplifting. I first saw this as a child and right then I loved it, but not until you reach a certain age do you realise how much a film can affect you. Every character has something about them that you cannot fail to love. Baloo and King Louie are obvious - they are there for light relief, but even the sinister Kaa the snake and Sheer Khan the tiger are lovable in their own ways. Mainly I put this down to the voice cast and the way they portray their characters. Everybody with a good knowledge of film knows that Tom Hanks was the voice of Woody in Toy Story and that Mike Myers was Shrek, but who knows who provided the voice of Baloo? It shouldn't matter and, as is the case with The Jungle Book, it doesn't. The characters are what is important. Character and plot are the only things that matter in great films and this film has that theory at its bedrock. If you have a child, sit them down to watch this and I guarantee they will be transfixed. I'm 25 and I make sure I watch this every 12 months. Age wise I'm an adult, but I'm still a child when I see this on screen, and that's the way it should be.

Well Done Disney Animation

[michael_the_nermal · 7/10 · 13 July 2006]

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.

One of the most magical children's films ever made

[JamesHitchcock · 10/10 · 7 January 2019]

"The Jungle Book" was the last film to be produced personally by Walt Disney, who died before it was completed. The story is loosely based on Rudyard Kipling's book of the same name. Mowgli, a young orphan boy, is found abandoned in the jungle and is raised by a pack of wolves. Some years later the wolves learn that Shere Khan, a tiger with a hatred of humans, has returned to their part of the jungle and decide that, for his own safety, Mowgli must return to the "Man-Village". The problem is, he wants to stay in the jungle, which is the only home he has ever known, with the animals he regards as his friends.

Apart from Mowgli, the main characters are Bagheera the black panther and Baloo the bear. The wolves play a surprisingly small part in the film, and Shere Khan does not make an appearance until more than halfway through. Bagheera and Baloo are both friendly towards Mowgli and both believe that they have his best interests at heart, but they cannot agree what those interests are. Bagheera is portrayed by Sebastian Cabot as a serious-minded, rather fussy individual who sees it as his duty to make sure Mowgli leaves the jungle as soon as possible. Baloo, voiced by the comedian Phil Harris, is a laid-back layabout with a carefree attitude, believing that if he only has a little patience the good things of life will come to him without any effort on his part. Unlike Bagheera, he sympathises with Mowgli's wish to stay in the jungle.

Along the way Mowgli, Bagheera and Baloo meet various other inhabitants of the jungle, including Colonel Hathi and his troop of military elephants, the treacherous snake Kaa, King Louie, the jazz-singing orang-utan King of the monkeys, and a flock of friendly vultures. (The original idea was to have the vultures voiced by The Beatles, and although this idea fell through the group's influence can be seen in the vultures' "mop-top" hairstyles, or should that be feather-styles, and the fact that one of them has a marked Liverpudlian accent).

The original scriptwriter Bill Peet wanted to follow Kipling's work closely and envisaged something dark and sinister in tone. Walt Disney, however, was dissatisfied with this concept, and he sacked from the project not only Peet but also the original composer Terry Gilkyson, whose songs had mostly been written to fit in with Peet's conception of the story. (One of Gilkyson's songs, the cheerful, upbeat "The Bare Necessities", survived into the finished film). He brought in Larry Clemmons as his new writer and the Sherman Brothers as songwriters, and the result was the lighter and more family-friendly film we know today.

This was one of my favourite films as a child. Indeed, I might even go so far as to say it was my favourite film as a child- certainly my favourite Disney cartoon, just ahead of "101 Dalmatians". I always enjoyed films about animals, and I loved the dancing, singing bears and monkeys in this one. I knew all the words to "The Bare Necessities" and "I Wanna be Like You" (and probably to the elephants' marching song as well) off by heart. What I particularly liked about the film was its excellent balance of humour and drama- just enough thrills without ever getting too frightening for young children. Shere Khan, portrayed by George Sanders with a plummy, supercilious upper-class British voice, is a villain, but no more frightening than King Rat in a pantomime. He might want to eat Mowgli, but we know he will never stand a chance. It is notable that not a single character is killed throughout the film- even Shere Khan is merely driven off.

The one thing I did not like about the film was the ending, which survived from Peet's original story. Mowgli leaves the jungle because he has fallen in love with a girl from the man-village. Even in my childhood this struck me as inappropriate; Mowgli is supposed to be a little boy, not an adult or even a teenager, and little boys generally do not fall in love with little girls.

I recently watched the film again for the first time in many years- the BBC showed it on New Year's Day, having shown the 2016 live-action remake on Christmas Day- and I can report that my youthful enthusiasm for it remains intact. It remains one of the most magical children's films ever made, with a great story, superb characterisation, infectious songs, plenty of laughs and wonderful animation. Another great admirer of the film was Gregory Peck, at the time President of the Academy, who lobbied hard, but without success, to get it nominated as "Best Picture". I am not sure that it would have won my own personal "Best Picture" award for 1967- that would probably have been "The Graduate"- but it would certainly have been on my list of nominees. 10/10. (Yes, I know that objectively speaking the disappointing ending means that I should drop that to 9, but this is a film about which I am quite unable to be objective).

A goof. I know that zoologically-inclined goof-spotters will have plenty of fun with this one- orangs aren't found in India, and so on- but I not too worried about these aspects as the world of the film is so obviously a magical fantasy land and not intended as a realistic recreation of the jungles of India. The name of the hero, however, is consistently mispronounced- Kipling indicated that the first syllable of "Mowgli" should rhyme with "cow", but here it is always pronounced to rhyme with "slow".

One of Disney's Most Memorable Movies

[White Dolphin · 11 November 2000]

The Jungle Book is one of Disney's most memorable animated movies. It's based on the "Mowgli" stories by Rudyard Kipling (who also wrote the famous Just So Stories). Like in most Disney films, Mowgli is an orphan. Bagheera the panther find him and he is raised by a family of wolves. That is until Shere Khan the tiger comes back to the jungle...

One thing I love about The Jungle Book is the villains. In most Disney movies you have one villain, sometimes with stupid and funny sidekicks who get bossed around all the time. But The Jungle Book offers three villains all who want Mowgli all for themselves. There is King Louie the king of the monkeys. He kidnaps Mowgli but doesn't really want to harm him, which perhaps makes him the least cruelest of the three. All he wants is to be like man as he puts it in the wonderful song that will want to make you get up and dance: "I Wanna Be Like You". More specifically he wants to know the secret on how to make fire. Then there's Shere Khan, the tiger who comes back to the jungle and is the reason that Bagheera and the wolves (and eventually Baloo) want to take him back to the "man village". Shere Khan is very swift and cruel but also very calm about his cruelty and not the least bit temperamental. However his characteristics do change at his last screen appearance, and frankly I'd be freaking out to if I had a burning branch stuck to my tail (heck I'd freak out if I just had a tail). Shere Khan hates mankind and of course Mowgli is man. Last but definitely not least (my favorite of the three)- Kaa, the snake, and a very big one I might add. See- King Louie wants to be like Mowgli, Shere Khan wants to kill Mowgli and Kaa wants to... eat Mowgli. He has a very big mouth which would enable him to eat Mowgli but it does him bad too- he talks to much and then never gets the chance to eat Mowgli.

Other than these three memorable villains there's Mowgli himself, the man-cub (who by the way was voiced by Bruce Reitherman, son of the director of this film- and many other Disney greats: Wolfgang Reitherman). There's the elephants, the vultures (who are actually nice and quite humorous too), Baloo the bear and Bagheera the panther. Songs include King Louie's (who was voiced by Louie Parma) "I Wanna Be Like You". Kaa's "Trust in Me" (which no one should... trust in Kaa that is). And of course Baloo's "The Bare Necessities".

As for the racist overtone- that's one of the silliest things I've heard. The Jungle Book can be enjoyed by anyone of any age (...and any race).

fun collection of characters

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 5 November 2014]

Bagheera the black panther finds a baby boy in a basket. He brings him to be raised by mother wolf. Years later, the tiger Shere Kahn returns to their part of the jungle and threatens to kill the man-cub. The pack decides to send the man-cub back to a man-village with the help of Bagheera. The boy isn't happy to leave the jungle. On the way, he encounters elephants led by Colonel Hathi, orangutans, Kaa the python and the irresponsible fun-loving bear Baloo.

It's a fun collection of memorable animal characters. The plot is a little random but I don't think that matters too much in this movie. Compared to its other Disney cohorts, this ranks slightly lower than the classics. The story just isn't that compelling. On the other hand, 'The Bare Necessities' is a great song and there is a childlike joy that permeates much of the movie.

The Simple Bear Necessities

[Smells_Like_Cheese · 10/10 · 1 September 2004]

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

Cute little movie

[cherold · 7/10 · 22 April 2014]

There's not a lot to this 75 minute movie. The plot is rambling, and in spite of its brevity, it drags a little in the middle. But overall it's quite entertaining. The best scene is Louis Prima singing I Want to Be Just Like You (I knew the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy version, and was surprised to learn it was a Disney song).

The acting is very solid, except for whoever voices the kid. The animation is pretty good, although Disney wasn't at its best design-wise in the 60s (or 70s). It's amusing and has a couple of nice songs.

I was a kid when this came out, so there's a chance I saw it at the time, but if so, it didn't stick with me. And it won't stick with me this time. But it's cute.

An animated classic with some great songs

[Tweekums · 9/10 · 16 March 2019]

This classic Disney animation, based on the story by Rudyard Kipling, tells the story of Mowgli; a young boy who was raised by wolves after being found in the Indian jungle as a baby. He has been with the wolves for ten years when news of Shere Khan, the man-hating tiger's, return to that part of the jungle reaches the pack. It is decided that for Mowgli's safety he must be returned to the man-village; Bagheera, a panther, volunteers to take him. On the way they meet various dangers as well as some friendly creatures; most notably a sloth bear named Baloo.

This film is a lot of fun with a combination of a simple but solid story; enjoyable characters and a variety of catchy songs. 'The Bare Necessities' and 'I Wanna Be Like You' may be the best known of the songs but the others are pretty good too; especially 'Trust In Me', sung by Kaa the hypnotic python. The story contains elements that are mildly threatening but these are balanced by the comedy and songs. The characters are great; I particularly liked Baloo and the way he was portrayed with a John Wayne like drawl; and Kaa's hypnotic stare and hissing voice. As one would expect from Disney the animation and character designs are all top notch. One or two gags might have dated a little... today's children might not spot that a quartet of vultures are based on The Beatles but that doesn't matter as the characters are still funny. Overall I'd definitely recommend this classic film to viewers of all ages.

An enjoyable amimation.

[BoydudeReviews · 7/10 · 3 November 2018]

I loce this film. Very fun to watch and cathcy sings. I love the backgrounds. It looks like how the golden age era backgrounds look. The character designs sre also pretty funky and I love that sketchy outline style as well.

The Kipling stories were 200 per cent better

[DeborahPainter855 · 4/10 · 17 November 2015]

Like someone else who wrote a review of this film, I saw this at a drive in way back in the late 1960s and I, too, was displeased. I was only a kid, but kids know good art and bad art. It was too commercialized, and I sensed this. So what if Louis Prima sang some of the numbers? I did not know Louis Prima from Adam because I was not a sophisticated grown up. All I knew was the movie lacked heart.

The only good that came of my seeing this film was becoming interested in reading the original works by Rudyard Kipling. The difference was like night and day between the deep thoughts expressed in Kipling's stories of Mowgli and the Disney version. It also kind of soured me on all subsequent Disney movies, which even Pocahontas could not fully cure.

Terrific! Not a dull moment.

[nitestar95 · 10/10 · 20 May 2020]

I went to look for lists of great G rated movies for children, and was shocked that this wasn't on it. It's basically one of the best animated movies ever made. Great story, wonderful characters, good music, there's nothing it lacks. So to find it rated 7.6 by the IMDB faithful, shocked me. Watch this movie. Buy it when you can. You and your children, and grandchildren, will watch it over, and over again, as we have.

This is what springs to mind when I think Classic Disney

[Mr-Fusion · 8/10 · 4 July 2016]

The thing that usually makes me a hard sell with Disney movies is that they're synonymous with musicals Something like "Beauty and the Beast" overcomes this with no problem. At the other end of the spectrum is (ugh) "The Lion King". And then, there's "The Jungle Book", which is the gold standard, if you ask me. These are the kinds of songs you find yourself humming in the halls at work; I mean, really, can you think of a more pleasing ear worm than "The Bare Necessities"?

It's not just the outstanding soundtrack, but the general upbeat mood this movie strikes. To this day, I love the back-and-forth between Baloo and Bagheera, and King Louie's sequence has to be some of the most fun you can have with one of these movies. Throw in the Beatles vultures and you've got an array of memorable characters.

The whole thing's just a treat.

8/10

Disney Simply At It's Best Ever! The Most Joyful Disney Film Created!

[movies2u · 17 June 2003]

The Jungle Book is a great classic animation movie. It is famously known for being the last film that Walt Disney himself ever got to work on. He died while the film was in production, and sadly never got to see the outcome of the movie. The animation in this film is excellent, and the songs and performances are even better! Each character has something about him or her that makes you like them. The movie seems to be very cheery and happy. I remember watching this movie as a little kid, and I absolutely loved it! I give The Jungle Book a 10/10.

A Great Movie For Kids

[ccthemovieman-1 · 7/10 · 11 July 2006]

Watching this as a middle-aged adult, I found out, was a far cry from seeing this as a very young adult, or as a kid. When I last saw it about 10 years ago, it was okay but nothing like I had remembered. It not only wasn't as funny as I had remembered, but it dragged a bit.

It's still a nice, harmless film in which even the villains - the snake and tiger - weren't too evil or frightening. Thus, little kids should be okay with this. Actually, they should love this film.

The movie is known for its theme song, "The Bare Necessitites," a catchy tune that is still fun to hear. Phil Harris, as ""Baloo," does a great job with that song. There are other fine songs here as well.

All-time classic

[iftekhar25 · 10/10 · 9 May 2002]

I grew up on this animation, and all I can say is that no classical animation-style Disney movie till date, not Lion King, Pocahontas, Hunchback of Notre Dame or any other that you can think of comes THIS close as to compare itself with this all-time classic.

A brilliant combination of wonderful voices, magnificent characters, songs that will keep you humming for weeks this is certainly the peek of animation storytelling. It doesn't get any better than this.

I give this one 10/10 without a second thought.

Superb character animation

[Spleen · 7/10 · 19 July 1999]

The tiger, the panther, the snake and the orang-utan may be the best animated animals the screen has seen - and the bear isn't bad, either. In a way it's the last great fling of Disney's old veteran animators. (Most of them were still some distance from retirement, but never again did they fire so magnificently, all at once.) Anyone who appreciates fine character animation HAS to see this. Despite the rough outlines favoured by Wolfgang Reitherman (he presided over some extreme cheese-paring after Walt Disney's death), there's also a sumptuous feel to this film, at least while they stay in the jungle.

The lack of a story is a problem. "Flabby" is the word that comes to mind. It's really just the story of Baloo and Mowgli bumming around in the jungle. Now and then something happens. At one point Mowgli is pinched by some monkeys, and taken to some old ruins, just so that the orang-utan can stage a musical number. It's a pretty good musical number - did I mention that the orang-utan is skillfully animated? - but that doesn't disguise the fact that it's unmotivated. After enough running time has passed the incidents stop and the film ends.

It's enjoyable enough, and worth seeing for visual reasons, but be warned.

Unmatched...

[spiritualwolf · 10/10 · 28 August 2002]

Disney's best by far. The soundtrack is just wonderful, song after song of brilliance, the voice characterisations superb - George Sanders as Sher Khan is the quintessential villain, while Phil Harris as Baloo just makes you smirk every time he opens his mouth.

Nothing better....

The Jungle is JUMPIN'!

[Lady_Targaryen · 7/10 · 14 June 2006]

''The Jungle Book'' is one of my favorite movies from Disney. Until today, I have the game to play and the tape from Disney. :) Anyway, this movie is based in''''Mowgli'' by Rudyard Kiplings, where a little boy is raised by wolves in the forest. Mowgli is very happy with his animal family, until the day he needs to return to civilization because his life is in great danger: Shere Kahn, a big and evil tiger, hates humans, and if he finds Mowgli in his way, he will not be afraid to kill the boy. During the way to reach the human village with Bagheera, Mowgli meets new animals and makes friendship with Baloo a big and fat bear who loves to have fun and has a bad reputation in the forest because of that.

Beautiful

[elto-30283 · 10/10 · 22 May 2018]

A beautifully made movie, one of my favourites when I was a child.

The friendship between the boy and the jungle animals is shown in a funny and quite moving way.

A nice movie to watch with your kids on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon.

A jumpin' jungle good time

[goya-4 · 6/10 · 23 September 2000]

Based on the Kipling novel, this Disney animated classic has a young boy raised by wolves who must choose between his jungle friends and man. A lively score and typical great Disney animation make this a zany fun time for all ages. A great sound track as well with the famous "trust in me" and the oscar nominated "Bare Necessities" on a scale of one to ten...6

Most Disney films get better with age .... most

[karagoraymond · 5/10 · 18 March 2015]

As a kid, I loved this film. The Jungle Book was one of the first films I ever saw and is probably one the reasons I decided to pursue a career in films and I will always be fond of that. However, today, as a film, it's OK. That's not bad or good; it is just OK.

For one thing, the film is very slow, which for an animated film can be quite tedious at times. My second (and probably biggest) problem with the film is that it simply plays it too safe; I can't help but wish that if this film had come out during the era of the Disney Renaissance (Aladdin, The Lion King etc.) then a few more risks would have been taken, e.g. I felt the climax between Mowgli and Shere Khan was very underplayed and could have been a lot more tense and dramatic, for example, it would have been a lot more powerful if Mowgli had defeated his enemy for good and killed Shere Khan (in the manor that heroes normally defeat their villains in Disney films) or some of the characters could have been a bit more menacing such as Kaa or Louis. I also feel that film tired much too hard to make comedic moments through out the film. The songs themselves did not really measure up to the Disney standard (with the exceptions of The Bear Necessities and I wanna be like you) and felt that they where very dumbed down. I also felt the animation was somewhat lacking and again, I felt could have benefited had this film been made during Disney's golden age in the 1990's.

The film did have some positives as well, the best bit of the film is Shere Khan, and he's just a great villain. George Saunders gets the balance between Khan's sophisticated demeanor and his bloodthirsty intentions, the contrast is very effective and in my opinion, Shere Khan is one of the most memorable villains in Disney history. Baloo the bear was also a lot of fun, and it was really a shame when he appeared to have been killed at the end. Mowgli and the other characters are OK, and they all do their part.

Overall, I won't say I don't like the film or it's not worth watching because I can't imagine that anybody watching it would hate it. However, I can't see anyone today putting it at the top of their film watching priorities. With two film versions of The Jungle Book coming up (one by Disney, the other by Warner Bros.) I will be very interested to see how they deal with their adaptations.