On Friday, Disney re-released The Lion King in theaters across the US, except this time the beloved Disney classic was in 3D. Due to the lack of success that has arisen when other movies are shot in 2D and then converted to 3D in an attempt to make a profit, I was skeptical that The Lion King's transition would be very graceful. Plus, I know very few people who doesn't like Disney's most successful movie, and even less people that haven't seen it at all, so why mess with something that already has a spot in America's heart? Not to mention the fact that 3D movies are a lot more expensive, and it's not like I'm going to forget what happens in The Lion King anytime soon. So I did some research, was paying to see Simba's transition from Jonathan Taylor Thomas to Matthew Broderick in 3D actually worth it?
Many reviews said yes. Obviously, there were a few glitches here and there that took you out of the savanna, but overall the 3D additions only enhanced Simba's world and most Disney lovers were happy with it. Not only that, but the film made $29.3 million at the box office this weekend, half of what the number two film made (Contagion). Looks like Disney found yet another way to make millions.
The blogs I found the most informative were IGN's and Very Aware's.
Watch the trailer below:
Unfortunately Disney will always find a way to make millions on other people's backs and I don't have a lot of sympathy for that. I realize I am talking about an American Icon, but some gods have clay feet as they say.
ReplyDeleteA case in point: Ozamu Tezuka is considered in Japan (and the world) the Godfather of Anime, the father of manga and the god of comics, to name a few epithets. His influence in visual storytelling is simply enormous, probably only comparable to Will Eisner in the US.
Disney (the company) shamelessly stole one of Tezuka's most popular stories, Kimba The White Lion,(Jungle Emperor in Japan) simply renaming it The Lion King! without giving him any credit whatsoever. Disney (the man) was notorious for his many ripoffs that not many could fight against, giving his enormous popularity and his political connections. One needs to put a historical perspective on this, of course.