The Jungle Book (Live-Action)

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Disney's Divinity
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Disney's Divinity »

So far this looks better than Cinderella, which is reassuring. I'd honestly prefer a trainwreck with a few good points like AiW and Maleficent over something dull that tried to be every adaptation you've seen before all at once (and failing).
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Musical Master »

Disney's Divinity wrote:So far this looks better than Cinderella, which is reassuring. I'd honestly prefer a trainwreck with a few good points like AiW and Maleficent over something dull that tried to be every adaptation you've seen before all at once (and failing).
Count me in on that team. Sure Disney fans are happy with films like Cinderella and probably The Jungle Book that are closer to the source material; but I find films like Alice in Wonderland and Maleficent far more interesting because of how much it has changed from their source materials that they're worth talking about and debating their merits. Though I personally find Alice a cliched meh fest, which Alice: Through The Looking Glass's story sounds like an improvement, while I highly enjoy Maleficent despite it's flaws.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Sotiris »

Lasseter has his hand in everything. :huh:
They also sought advice from both Walt Disney Animation and Pixar, and John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Disney and Pixar, had an idea that took the new "Jungle Book" back to the 1967 animated version, which had opened on a short live action segment with a book opening up onscreen.

“John sort of conceptualized and was insistent that we find -- we actually tracked down the original prop that was the physical book that was shot in 1967,” Taylor said. “And so we went to our friends at the Animation Archives and they found it. Ironically if you open it, for whatever reason that has maybe been lost to the sands of time, but you opened it and the cover page was actually ‘Robin Hood,’ as we know was produced in 1973, so they somehow mixed and matched, (but) we were able to use that original hardcover, and we were able to, rather than opening, we were able to close that book and be a true sort of bookend to what we feel like was a spiritual beginning of this in 1967.”
Source: http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainmen ... 93c92.html
Favreau says he collaborated with the Pixar and Disney Animation arms of the company on this film and he relished their “creative enthusiasm and an openness of idea sharing”. He showed early versions of the film to Pixar’s famed “Braintrust” of senior creatives and he drew on Pixar’s storytelling creative process by building his own story department.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/re ... 9098be6387
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

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Last edited by D82 on Wed Apr 20, 2016 3:35 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by candydog »

Just thought I'd put in my 2c after seeing the film today.

It was a good movie and I really did enjoy it. I don't like the overuse of CGI in movies nowadays but in this movie it really was pretty seamless.

The only things about it I didn't like were:

The voice acting: There was a time when Disney used a specific stock of accomplished voice actors for their films: Stirling Holloway, Verna Felton, Eleanor Audley to name just a few. It was wonderful to have actors (and singers) who were truly voice artists starring in these films. The trend nowadays, however, seems to be to cast big-name screen actors and I just don't think their voice acting is anywhere near as good. I thought Idris Elba was a weak link in both this film and Zootopia. His voice just lacks expression. Occasionally casting a TV/film actor works well, such as Robin Williams as Genie or Ellen Degeneres as Dory, but on the whole I don't think it's really necessary to have an "All-star cast" for voiceover roles.

The songs were a little weird. It wasn't a musical film, so having two songs performed by the characters seemed a little jarring and random. I liked the songs, they just seemed out of place, if they were going to make it a musical they should have just gone the whole way and added a few more songs.

I didn't like the predictable "Mowgli saves the day" ending. The whole subplot of him building weird contraptions and being shunned by the animals because of it didn't really work for me.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

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Sotiris wrote:Lasseter has his hand in everything. :huh:
They also sought advice from both Walt Disney Animation and Pixar, and John Lasseter, chief creative officer at Disney and Pixar, had an idea that took the new "Jungle Book" back to the 1967 animated version, which had opened on a short live action segment with a book opening up onscreen.

“John sort of conceptualized and was insistent that we find -- we actually tracked down the original prop that was the physical book that was shot in 1967,” Taylor said. “And so we went to our friends at the Animation Archives and they found it. Ironically if you open it, for whatever reason that has maybe been lost to the sands of time, but you opened it and the cover page was actually ‘Robin Hood,’ as we know was produced in 1973, so they somehow mixed and matched, (but) we were able to use that original hardcover, and we were able to, rather than opening, we were able to close that book and be a true sort of bookend to what we feel like was a spiritual beginning of this in 1967.”
Source: http://www.heraldextra.com/entertainmen ... 93c92.html
Favreau says he collaborated with the Pixar and Disney Animation arms of the company on this film and he relished their “creative enthusiasm and an openness of idea sharing”. He showed early versions of the film to Pixar’s famed “Braintrust” of senior creatives and he drew on Pixar’s storytelling creative process by building his own story department.
Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/re ... 9098be6387
Pixar also helped with a sequence that plays over the end credits.
One of the things I noticed when sitting through the credits, was that there was a special thanks to Mark Andrews, the talented Pixar artist who co-directed Brave and co-wrote John Carter. When I asked Favreau what this was about, he gave a surprising answer: Pixar helped out in a really fun sequence that plays over the closing credits, where the Jungle Book book gets reopened and all sorts of animals come spilling out. “So the end sequence, when the book opens up, Pixar pitched ideas of what to have at our end credit title sequence,” Favreau said, adding that Pixar’s storied Brain Trust also assisted in the story for The Jungle Book. “So they were very, very helpful—Pixar could not have been more collaborative, and I’m a huge fan. It’s as close as I’ll ever come to working on a Pixar movie because it’s such an enclosed ecosystem. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to actually make a full movie with them, but to collaborate with them on this was a huge treat and a dream come true.” So yes, stay through the credits and you’ll get a Pixar-assisted treat! Also interesting to keep in mind that this is the second live-action Disney film that Pixar has helped with. Last summer they created a retro animated prologue that ran in front of select screenings of Brad Bird’s Tomorrowland.
Source: https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2016/04 ... n-favreau/
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by RyGuy »

I saw it last night. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I like the original, but it's not one of my absolute favorites so that may color my impressions a bit.

I liked the art direction. I thought "the jungle" looked good. And I liked the character designs more than I thought I would. They seemed to strike the right balance between cartoony and photorealistic. Except for Kaa, who I thought looked weird.

I didn't mind the voice actors so much. No one's performance annoyed me.

I thinks the biggest drawback was the music. Like candydog mentioned, the songs just didn't fit. If they wanted to make a musical they should have gone for it and made a musical. If they wanted to be more live action, they should have embraced that and omitted the songs. Playing both sides made the film a bit of a jumbled mess to me. It wasn't awful, it just didn't charm me.

Maybe it will grow on me with another viewing. Maleficent did that. I hated it the first time, but it grew on me with repeat viewings. I still don't think Maleficent was a great film, but I do enjoy it. I suspect The Jungle Book will be the same.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by kbehm29 »

Saw it today and loved it. Can't wait to see it again on Tuesday.
CGI in the first scene was blurry to me, but after that it was consistently spectacular. It deviated just enough from the original animated classic to create a new experience for me. I cried twice during the movie, but I'm a sucker like that. I was never a huge fan of the original, but I now have a deeper appreciation for it. I thought everyone was well cast. There are many surprises in the film that weren't ruined by the trailers. The ending credits were unique and entertaining.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by ajmrowland »

I'm just dropping by to say that I loved this film. And I definitely thought it was the original prop at the end.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Vlad »

I saw it yesterday, in IMAX 3D, and I loved it. They really did a great job with this one. I loved the CGI, and the animation. The animals were perfectly done. I must say, I loved that they included The Bare Necessities and I Wan'na Be Like You.

The best thing about it definitely was Shere Khan. He was a great villain. The scene where he is first introduced was amazing. Everything about him was top notch. His presence exudes power, authority and fear. The voice work was also very well done. And I loved King Louie. Christopher Walken did an awesome job voicing him. He kinda sounded like The Godfather.

It made me excited about Pete's Dragon and Beauty and the Beast. If they'll be as good as this one and last year's Cinderella, we'll be in for a treat.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Barbossa »

Saw it last night. Great movie! Really enjoyed it.

Anyone catch the two references toother pop culture; the cowbell (SNL) and Baloo's line "no big deal"(Caddyshack)?

Also a shout-out to Garry Shandling in the end credits. 8)
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by justcuttinhair »

Just got back from seeing it, and have to say that visually...it is gorgeous!! It also, looks amazing in 3D. I took my 13 year old cousin, and while I am a fan of the original; her generation is not aware of the significance (Walt's last animated film) and nostalgia many older fans will; I have to say we both left pleased with the film. She said she loved it! and I have to agree, it is a feather in the cap, for Disney's recent live-action output. I loved the nods to the animated classic but wish that the elephants retained some of their characteristics from the animated films, Kaa's song, and the ending. oh well. Anyways, there was a lot to love, the directions, style, performances by the actors; some of who really delivered...yeah Bill Murray and Ben Kingsley..I'm looking at you...Chris Walken was a plus as well. Neel Seethi..did a commendable job for his very first movie role. All in all...it was worth my time and money. 90 out of a 100
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by disneyboy20022 »

I LOVED IT!!! I mean there was so much, I am very happy Disney cast an unknown kid for Mowgli who looks the part. Ben Kingsley's Bagheera and Bill Murray's Baloo had as much chemistry in the animated one. Just loved it. When I heard the other day a sequel is coming, I'm like how? He goes back to the man, or nope he doesn't. Makes total sense as to why they'd want it to not be with him back in the man village, so a sequel can start.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

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ajmrowland wrote:And I definitely thought it was the original prop at the end.
Yes, it is the same book. It was confirmed by John Favreau in an interview:
“At the end of the movie we found the book from the original Jungle Book in the archives, and so that book that opens at the beginning of [the 1967] Jungle Book, I noticed never closes at the end of Jungle Book,” Favreau explained. “Here we take the same book, the same blue velvet background and we close the book as though to, I think, pay homage to and maybe feel like we’re completing that chapter.”
Source: https://ohmy.disney.com/insider/2016/04 ... n-favreau/
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by milojthatch »

My wife and I saw the new live-action Jungle Book. I use "live-action" loosely as except for the human actors and a little of the sets that the actors were standing on, the whole thing is basically one giant animated film pretending to be live-action. I found that very jarring for most of the film. The story wasn't so bad and I enjoyed the Mowglii-Baloo relationship once again, but I felt that the depiction of some of the characters were off, especially King Louie.

I'd give it 6 out of 10. It's something fun to watch to kill a few hours, but don't spend very much on it if you can help it. I'd much rather watch the original '67 animated film or the '94 live action film. The latter was mostly shot on location in India with real jungle, and the film was so much better for it!
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by DisneyFan09 »

I saw it today and I loved it. A cute, thrilling and enjoyable movie. It was a blend of both Walt's classic and the original novel. The screenplay was solid and the films managed to strike the right chords where they needed to. I liked how it had it's throwbacks to Walt's classics.
The only elements that were misplaced were the songs. They felt jarring and completely out of palace. The 3D was a little blurry at some places. Otherwise, great movie. For some reason I was repulsed by Scarlett's delivery as Kaa initially. I felt the casting was distracting and not suitable for the character. But she was tolerable in the movie.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by stevemcqueen »

Should be taken with a grain of salt, but at the moment there is a 3D Blu-ray planned. There are even UPC numbers for all 3 releases:

1) 3D/Blu-ray/Digital HD: 786316498304 (Source)
2) Blu-ray/DVD/Digital HD: 786936850628 (Source)
3) DVD: 786936850604 (Source)

Release date currently set for August 16th, 2016 for all three.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Semaj »

Got to see it this weekend, and I have to say, I enjoyed it. I KNOW I saw the previous live action movie when it first came out, but because I can't remember much of it, I can't immediately compare it to this one.

It felt more like a remix of the animated film, in the sense that Mowgli's relationship with the jungle animals were tweaked. Mowgli himself was one of the more notable changes, where in the animated film he was less capable of handling his own business, here, he proves himself more than worthy of holding his own.

There is no cute girl to lure Mowgli out of the jungle this time around, but just as well. My girlfriend pointed out how Mowgli would technically be feral, which wasn't even suggested in the animated version.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by Disney Duster »

I thought this movie was pretty good. I thought it was better than the original, at least in story.

I agree with Sicoe Vlad that Shere Kahn was such a great villain and King Louie was good, better than I thought he'd be after I heard him in the trailer.

I can't believe what Shere Kahn did to the wolf father! I kind of wish the film ended more like the original film, but I heard it actually is closer to the book in that Mowgli stays in the jungle.
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Re: Disney's live-action Jungle Book

Post by D82 »

A new featurette about the making of the film:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkNArCG80Bg[/youtube]


And Disney has recently uploaded more clips and videos to YouTube:

"Bare Necessities" Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWu5FAJrUpQ
"Show Them Respect" Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKRr_f85shA
"Trust in Me" DJDS Remix - Scarlett Johansson & Mark Ronson: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0wlbFqoczA
Side by side of the live-action Jungle Book Trailer and animated film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SZS04vIyRao
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