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The Jungle Book DVD Review
The Jungle Book returned to DVD on October 2, 2007 in a 2-Disc Platinum Edition.
Buy it, read our review, or continue scrolling for our review of the movie's 1999 Limited Issue DVD.
The Jungle Book was Walt Disney's final animated classic, released within a year of his death. We are first introduced to Bagheera (voiced by Sebastian Cabot), a panther who hears the baby Mowgli crying. Taking pity, he takes the child to a wolf pack which look after him. Only ten years later, the wolf pack is threatened by Shere Khan (George Sanders) who has vowed to take revenge on all humanity. Mowgli (Bruce Reitherman) is his target. Bagheera tries to bring Mowgli to the man village where he belongs, but his plan is foiled by the crafty snake Kaa (Sterling Holloway), the military Colonel Hathi (J. Pat O'Malley), the bear Baloo (Phil Harris), and the crazy orangutan King Louie (Louis Prima). Bagheera is about to give up on his attempts to return the boy, but when Mowgli sees a pair of pretty eyes (we learn in the sequel her name is Shanti), he is lured into the village. The Jungle Book was first released as a Limited Issue, but it was among the ten bestselling titles announced as forming Disney's Platinum Collection. The slowest of Limited Issue discs to get upgraded, The Jungle Book finally gets its long-awaited 2-disc set in October 2007.
VIDEO and AUDIO Video on The Jungle Book does not look very spectacular at all. The colors looked completely faded and nothing in the film was sharp. In fact, it was comparable to the VHS copy, if not even worse. Audio was satisfactory in Dolby Surround. There is nothing to complain about, though this film could have used a Dolby Digital 5.1 track, especially during the scenes with Colonel Hathi. French and Spanish Language tracks are included, as is the usual English captions for the Hearing Impaired. BONUS FEATURES The only extra on the Disc is "Recommendations", in which the viewer is recommended to purchase other Limited Issue titles, including Pinocchio (which was subsequently released under the "Gold Collection" line, and later was moved to become a Platinum release), Mulan (also revisited as a "Gold Collection" and later a "Special Edition"), The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (re-released as a Special Edition), 101 Dalmatians (part of the Platinum line), Peter Pan (re-released as a Special Edition and then a Platinum Edition), The Litte Mermaid (reissued as a Platinum Edition), and Hercules (released as a "Gold Collection" title). This extra, now, is practically worthless. CLOSING THOUGHTS If you only need the "bare" necessities, you might be able to live with this ridiculously-priced DVD, otherwise hold out with the rest of us and enjoy the Platinum release to come later this decade.
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Reviewed March 12, 2004.
The Jungle Book: Platinum Edition (1967)
TaleSpin: Volume 1 (1990) | The Jungle Book 2 (2003) | Sing Along Songs: The Bare Necessities - The Jungle Book
Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book (1994) | Jungle 2 Jungle (1997) | Alice in Wonderland: Masterpiece Edition (1951)
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: The Friendship Edition (1977) | Tarzan: Special Edition (1999)
Robin Hood: Most Wanted Edition (1973) | The Sword in the Stone (1963) | The Aristocats (1970)
The Lion King (1994) | Sleeping Beauty (1959) | Charlie, The Lonesome Cougar (1967) | The Gnome-Mobile (1967)
Top Disney Animated Classics Countdown (#13)
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