I was recently sent a preview copy of The Jungle Book Diamond Edition, and I have to say I had forgotten what a fun movie this was. Truly a classic that my 5 year old enjoyed as much as I did. He knew some of the characters, but he really hadn’t seen the whole movie that he remembered, but he instantly loved every animal and song. A few days later, he started randomly singing “Bare Necessities” on his own. I love the diverse music within the film, from the background music, which reminds me of the old Adventureland music from the opening of Disneyland, to the swinging jazz numbers – eight original songs from the Sherman Brothers and The Bare Necessities, written by Terry Gylkinson. I have always loved Phil Harris and Sterling Holloway’s voices, so this movie is one of my favorites because of that.
The film itself looks great on Blu-ray, it’s been wonderfully restored. The opening selection screen is a fun addition too. There are some great bonus features for Disney buffs – concept art, deleted scenes, an alternate ending and backstory from Richard Sherman and Diane Disney Miller. There’s also a great featurette from Walt Disney Animation as well as things to keep the kids happy, like “Bear-e-oke” sing a longs. The movie also opens with a lovely preview of Sleeping Beauty, which looks gorgeous on blu-ray and Frozen. Can’t wait for those releases!
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