The Lion King,(1994) - The big 30th year anniversary. Hard to believe this film is already 30 years old, and still as timeless and classic as ever. When I saw that the film was to be re-released again on the big screen, I knew I had to see it again. I'd recently gotten my monthly Regal Cinemas pass, so I'm ready to take full advantage of it and see all the movies I can this year in theaters. It had been so long since I'd seen the film at the movies. (I did not see it when it was released in 3D for a time) but I remember all the fun and excitement that I had the first time I saw it. The waves of nostalgia were already flooding back. The joy, the magic, and the sheer wonder of experiencing this beloved film in a theater setting are unmatched, and I'm thrilled to have had the opportunity to relive it.
I still remember the promos from the '90s marketing The Lion King. The '90s was an amazing era for animated films, and I was fortunate to experience it all firsthand. My mom, aware of my budding passion for art and entertainment, made it a point to take the whole family to see the latest releases. We never missed a new animated movie, and those outings remain some of my fondest memories.
The movie practically took on a life of its own, and we were all blown away. Everyone was watching it, and I remember all the toys and collectables, from toys from fast food places, stuffed animals, trading cards, posters, memorabilia of all sorts.
I became quite The Lion King fanatic! With wonderful characters, great story, catchy songs, beautiful art style, how could you not love it? It was clear everyone else felt the same. I'm quite sure I wore out my Lion King CD.
Speaking of CDs, I also had a special one called "Rhythm of the Pridelands" with beautiful music inspired by the film, including another version of Hakuna Matata, and the song "He Lives in You"
How excited I was when "The Lion King 2: Simba's Pride" released, featuring the song as the opening sequence! I heard the first few notes and said "Hey I know that song!"
The sequel was among my favorites of the Disney era of sequel releases. Of course, the sequels are usually unmatched in quality compared to the original- The main films will have higher budgets for better quality animation and story, but this one was still among the best, with fun new characters, songs, and just as dark an edge (They didn't shy away from heavy topics such as death here either!) I think the sequel is what really kicked off my interest in The Lion King lore. I found the family trees of all of the lions very fascinating! Who was everyone's parents, who ruled before Mufasa, and so on. As I developed my art, when I was in my teens and dabbling on the internet, I was even on an art website called The Lion King Fanart Archives, if anyone remembers that- where people shared all sorts of lore, OCs, stories, comics and so much more!
Then we had The Lion King 1 1/12, which was sort of the Midquel between 1 and 2, all about Timon & Pumbaa. This one, while I still enjoyed and laughed at, wasn't my favorite of the bunch as much as The Lion King 2, but I still had a great time, and I loved learning about Timon's family, and I especially liked seeing Timon & Pumbaa raise little Simba.
I'm sure many of us even remember the nearly-impossible Sega/SNES Lion King video game as well! (I don't think any of us liked Level 2 with the Monkeys, or the caves!)
I'm thrilled to see that The Lion King universe is still thriving! There's even a Disney Plus show called The Lion Guard, which serves as another midquel, set between the first and second films. It follows the adventures of Simba's son, Kion.
Even though the show is primarily for very young kids, if you're a Lion King and animation fan, it's definitely worth checking out. It features plenty of callbacks to the original movies and characters while offering a fascinating and richly colorful art style, especially during the musical numbers. The songs are incredibly catchy—after all, it wouldn’t be Lion King media without them. The talented voice acting includes some familiar favorites from other beloved animations. Plus, the show introduces interesting new critters and incorporates lots of Swahili words, adding to its charm with such a beautiful language.
As far as the recent movie (The remake), I'm not really going to get much into that. I was originally excited, but I just have to say that I could barely finish it, I was so incredibly bored. It was dreary, dull, and lifeless.
Either way, with The Lion King returning to theaters, I was there on opening night! Surprisingly, the theater was almost empty. It was a 9 PM showing on a Friday night, and my date and I were the only ones there. Oh well, that just meant we could sing along! He had never seen the film in theaters, so I was excited to share the experience with him.
During "I Just Can't Wait to Be King," the film actually cut out. He went to tell an usher, who initially offered us passes for another movie. However, after hearing about our excitement and love for the film, they fixed the projector, and the movie came back on. We were so grateful for that!
Everything was just as grand and epic as I remembered. We got into it as if we were kids watching it for the first time. The songs made us laugh and sing, and the stampede scene had us on the edge of our seats, even though we knew what would happen. Tears were shed as little Simba searched frantically for his father. We marveled at the gorgeous background paintings and felt the joy and wonder when Simba saw his father again in the ghost scene. We nearly quoted the entire end of Scar's monologue to Simba, cheered when Simba won, and felt shivers as the triumphant new king slowly climbed up Pride Rock to look over his kingdom and roar.
A wonderful movie experience that everyone should see if they get the chance!
If you're interested in backstories or anything related to The Lion King, I highly recommend checking out the sequels and shows I mentioned. But fair warning—if you start a conversation about The Lion King with me, I can go pretty deep into the lore!
Asante sana for joining me on this adventure through The Lion King! It's been a journey filled with nostalgia, laughter, and unforgettable moments. Whether you're reliving the classic tale or discovering it anew, the spirit of hakuna matata—no worries—remains timeless. Until next time, stay enchanted and kwaheri!
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