The Lion King 720p - (1994 Lang: English)

The Best Animated Film I Have Ever Seen - A Film For All Ages - The best Disney animated film ever...

The Lion King is a great film. Along with a great story (inspired by William Shakespeare's Hamlet), terrific animation, and an all star cast of voices, there are the lessons that are learned from this film (despite being a little rough for the younger children). Like responsibility and honor.

I rank this animated film among the great films I have ever seen. It was part of my childhood and it is a film experience I will never forget. And hopefully, you won't either.

This is a film that can entertain anyone young or old, I usually don't care for animated movies but this film is the real deal, this is one of disney's best animated movies. The animation is top notch and flawless. This film also features superb work from the vocal cast James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Whoopi Goldberg. This is a standout.

The best Disney animated film ever...This film had it all, it was funny, emotional, had family drama, and above all, great animation and songs! My personal favorite character is Rafiki, the Baboon! I still cant forget the line he says to Simbe, "Past can hurt, but as I see it, you can either run from it, or learn from it!" it is so true! i loved Zazu's weirdness, and shenzi's humor, above all, i loved Pumba's innocence and Timon's intelligence! In short, i found the film the best film ever... The voice cast is also great. Mathew did complete justice to Simba, and what can I say about Mufasa, He is the best King, and dad anyone can ever get! The movie is not meant for kids, its meant to teach every adult a lesson...to find our place in the great "Circle Of Life"

The Lion King is a 1994 American animated epic musical film, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 32nd Disney animated feature film. The story takes place in a kingdom of lions in Africa and was influenced by William Shakespeare's Hamlet. The film was produced during a period known as the Disney Renaissance. The Lion King was directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, produced by Don Hahn, and has a screenplay credited to Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, and Linda Woolverton. Its original songs were written by composer Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, and original scores were written by Hans Zimmer. The film features an ensemble voice cast that includes Matthew Broderick, James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Moira Kelly, Nathan Lane, Ernie Sabella, Rowan Atkinson, Robert Guillaume, Madge Sinclair, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings.

The Lion King tells the story of Simba, a young lion who is to succeed his father, Mufasa, as King of the Pride Lands; however, after Simba's uncle Scar murders Mufasa, Simba is manipulated into thinking he was responsible and flees into exile. Upon maturation living with two wastrels, Simba is given some valuable perspective from his childhood friend, Nala, and his shaman, Rafiki, before returning to challenge Scar to end his tyranny and take his place in the Circle of Life as the rightful King.

Development of The Lion King began in 1988 during a meeting between Jeffrey Katzenberg, Roy E. Disney, and Peter Schneider while promoting Oliver & Company in Europe. Thomas Disch wrote a film treatment, and Woolverton developed the first scripts while George Scribner was signed on as director, being later joined by Allers. Production began in 1991 concurrently with Pocahontas, which wound up attracting most of Disney's top animators. Some time after the staff traveled to Hell's Gate National Park in Kenya to research on the film's setting and animals, Scribner left production disagreeing with the decision to turn the film into a musical and was replaced by Minkoff. When Hahn joined the project, he was dissatisfied with the script and the story was promptly rewritten. Nearly 20 minutes of animation sequences were produced at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida. Computer animation was also used in several scenes, most notably in the wildebeest stampede sequence.

The Lion King was released on June 15, 1994, to a positive reaction from critics, who praised the film for its music, story, and animation; it finished its theatrical run as the highest-grossing release of 1994 and the second highest-grossing film of all time. The Lion King garnered two Academy Awards for its achievement in music and the Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy. The film has led to many derived works, such as a Broadway adaptation; two direct-to-video follow-ups—the sequel, The Lion King II: Simba's Pride (1998), and the prequel/parallel, The Lion King 1½ (2004)—; two television series, Timon and Pumbaa and The Lion Guard; and a 3D re-release, in 2011.

In 2016, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

A CGI live-action remake of the film is scheduled for a July 19, 2019 release in the United States.

In the Pride Lands of Africa, a lion rules over the animal kingdom from Pride Rock. King Mufasa's newborn son, Simba, is presented to the assembled animals by Rafiki, a mandrill who serves as shaman and advisor. Mufasa shows young Simba the Pride Lands and explains to him the responsibilities of kingship and the "circle of life" which connects all living things. Mufasa's younger brother, Scar, covets the throne and plots to kill Mufasa and Simba so he can become king. He tricks Simba and his best friend Nala (whom Zazu reveals is betrothed to Simba) into exploring a forbidden elephants' graveyard, where they are attacked by three spotted hyenas who are in league with Scar. Mufasa is alerted to the danger by his majordomo, the hornbill Zazu, and rescues the cubs. Though angry with Simba, Mufasa forgives him and explains that the great kings of the past watch over them from the night sky, from which he will one day watch over Simba.

Scar sets a trap for his brother and nephew, luring Simba into a gorge and having the hyenas drive a large herd of wildebeest into a stampede that will trample him. He informs Mufasa of Simba's danger, knowing the king will rush to save his son. Mufasa saves Simba but ends up hanging perilously from the gorge's edge and is betrayed by Scar, who sends him falling to his death. Scar convinces Simba that the tragedy was Simba's own fault and advises him to flee the kingdom. He orders the hyenas to kill the cub, but Simba escapes. Scar tells the pride that both Mufasa and Simba were killed in the stampede and steps forward as the new king, allowing a large pack of hyenas to live in the Pride Lands.

Simba collapses in a desert and is rescued by Timon and Pumbaa, a meerkat and warthog who are fellow outcasts. Simba grows up in the jungle with his two new friends, living a carefree life under the motto "hakuna matata" ("no worries" in Swahili). Now an adult, Simba rescues Timon and Pumbaa from a hungry lioness who turns out to be Nala. She and Simba reunite and fall in love, and she urges him to return home, telling him the Pride Lands have become a drought-stricken wasteland under Scar's reign. Feeling guilty over his father's death, Simba refuses and runs off. Simba encounters Rafiki, who tells him that he does not know who he is. Rafiki reminds Simba that he is Mufasa's son and Mufasa' spirit lives on in Simba. Simba is then visited by the ghost of Mufasa in the night sky, who tells him he must claim his rightful place as king. Realizing he can no longer run from his past, Simba chooses to return home.

Aided by his friends, Simba sneaks past the hyenas at Pride Rock and confronts Scar. Scar taunts him over his role in Mufasa's death and forces him to the edge of the rock, where he reveals to Simba that he murdered Mufasa. Enraged, Simba pins Scar to the ground and forces him to reveal the truth to the rest of the pride. Timon, Pumbaa, Rafiki, Zazu, and the lionesses fend off the hyenas while Scar, attempting to escape, is cornered by Simba at the top of Pride Rock. Scar begs for mercy and attempts to blame the hyenas for his actions; Simba spares his life but orders him to leave the Pride Lands forever. Scar then attacks his nephew, but Simba manages to toss him from the top of the rock. Scar survives the fall but is killed by the hyenas, who overheard him betray them to Simba. With his enemies gone, Simba takes over the kingship as the rains begin to fall, restoring life to the land.

Later, with Pride Rock restored to its former glory, Rafiki presents Simba and Nala's newborn cub to the assembled animals, continuing the circle of life.

Seriously, I know that sounds stupid as this is an animated movie, but why can't we have a favorite movie that's animated? If you ask me this is Disney's best animated film of all time. Why do you ask? The animation is just beautiful, the story is powerful and moving, the characters are terrific, the villain is one of Disney's most monstrous and the songs are out of this world incredible! Not only is it my favorite animated movie, this is one of my favorite soundtracks, with the strong power of Elton John The Lion King is absolutely beautiful and a pleasure to watch still to this day. I have to say also that this story is just so beautiful, it's still one of the movies that will always bring a tear to my eye. When I was 17 years old, I begged my dad to take me to the re-release of The Lion King, him and I being the only adults besides the parents who took their children to see the movie, Simba's father dies and I started balling! My dad looks around and said "Krissy, stop it!" and I just said "But it's so saaaaad! Simba's daddy!", yes I'm a sap, I can't help it, this is a powerful movie.

In the Pride Lands, Rafiki, a wise old monkey, anoints Simba, the newborn cub of King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, and presents him to a gathering of animals at Pride Rock. Taking advantage of the cub's naive nature, Simba's scheming uncle Scar, who is very angry because Simba's birth means that he's no longer next in line to the throne tells him about the elephant graveyard, a place where Mufasa has forbidden Simba to go. Simba asks his mother if he can go to the water-hole with his best friend, Nala, but they go to the graveyard instead. There, the cubs are met by Shenzi, Banzai and Ed, 3 hyenas who try to kill them, but they are rescued by Mufasa. But Scar doesn't give up there, he lures Simba into a gorge for a "surprise from his father" while the hyenas create a wildebeest stampede. Alerted by Scar, Mufasa races to rescue Simba from the stampede. He saves his son but is left clinging to the edge of a steep cliff. Scar flings his brother into the stampede below. Simba sees his father fall and rushes down the cliff after him, only to find him dead. Scar convinces Simba that he was responsible for his father's death and recommends that he runs away from the Pride Lands to avoid punishment. In a distant desert, Simba is found unconscious by Timon and Pumbaa, a duo who adopt and raise the cub under their worry-free philosophy, Hakuna Matata. When Simba has grown into an adult he is discovered by Nala, who tells him that Scar, through his irresponsibility, has turned the Pride Lands into a barren wasteland. She asks Simba to return and take his place as king but Simba refuses, still believing he caused his father's death. Rafiki arrives and persuades Simba to return to the Pride Lands, and face Scar once and for all.

I know that still that Beauty and the Beast is the only animated film to get a best picture nomination, but I don't understand why The Lion King didn't get the same treatment. I adore this film with such a passion, I will always defend it to the high end. I still watch this movie, ever since it's theatrical release in 1994, I still sing, dance, and rehears the lines back and forth. How could you not at least with Hakuna Matata? Timon is my idol, he's so care free, funny, and awesome during his drag hula scene… "Luau! If you're hungry for a hunk of fat and juicy meat, eat my buddy Pumbaa here, 'cause he's a tasty treat come on down and dine, on this tasty swine, all you gotta is get in line, are you achin',? For some bacon? He's a big pig. You can be a big pig, too. Oy!… Ahhhh!", best scene ever in film history! OK, not in history, but one of my favorites, it always has me on the floor laughing till my stomach hurts. If you seriously haven't seen this movie, see it! Who said that animated movies can't be true art? The Lion King is a fantastic film and deserves all it's praise and more.

One of my favorite movies of all time!