Toon Talk: The Lion King Diamond Edition Blu-Ray
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Highlights of the new bonus material are two �behind the scenes� documentaries, �Pride of the Lion King� and �The Lion King: A Memoir, Don Hahn.� The former offers reflections on the lasting impact and appeal of King, both onscreen and on stage. Those offering up their reminiscences on their involvement with The Lion King over the years include Disney execs Thomas Schumacher, Jeffrey Katzenburg, Peter Schneider and Michael Eisner, composers Hans Zimmer and Tim Rice, voice actors Matthew Broderick (adult Simba) and Nathan Lane (Timon) and the stage adaptation�s Tony Award winning director Julie Taymor. Also featured is a reunion of all the film�s animators and extensive footage of The Lion King on Broadway. Within �Pride,� you�ll learn some never-before heard backstage trivia, such as how Jeremy Irons didn�t sing all of �Be Prepared,� that Moira Kelly wasn�t the original voice of the adult Nala and how the film�s music was almost provided by... ABBA.
By comparison, Hahn�s �Memoir� is a bit �more of the same,� especially for those well-versed in the making of The Lion King. Curiously, with its extensive use of home video footage and Hahn narration, it plays like an extended sequence from Hahn�s acclaimed documentary Waking Sleeping Beauty.
Other fresh supplements include a crudely animated �blooper� reel, using audio out takes of the original cast, plus a new batch of deleted and alternate scenes. Introduced by the co-directors, these include the cut musical number �Mighty King of the Wild� (a song for Mufasa (!) that�s part �Circle of Life,� part �I Just Can�t Wait To Be King�) and a somewhat creepy scene wherein Scar wants Nala to be his queen (later revisited as the �Madness of King Scar� sequence on Broadway). An interactive Blu-ray art gallery is also included, and the �classic DVD� bonus features are accessible online via Blu-ray Live.
Toon Talk Rating: A-
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-- Kirby C. Holt
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Kirby is a lifelong Disney fan and film buff. He is also an avid list maker and chronic ellipsis user ... In addition to his Toon Talk reviews, Kirby is the creator of Movie Dearest, a blog for movie fans.
Took Talk: Disney Film & Video Reviews by Kirby C. Holt is posted whenever there's something new to review.
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-- Posted October 5, 2011