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Roundtable Interview: The Lion King
Posted September 28, 2011 02:38 AM by
Blu-ray.com had the opportunity to participate in two roundtable interviews with the filmmakers of The Lion King: producer Don Hahn and co-directors Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff. The trio discussed the film's production, its legacy, its 3D theatrical release and the upcoming Blu-ray editions of The Lion King, due on October 4th.
If you've spent much time watching Disney's special features, you're probably already well aquainted with Oscar-nominated producer Don Hahn. He not only lent his expertise to The Lion King and The Lion King 3D, he served as producer on Beauty and the Beast, The Emporer's New Groove, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Earth, Oceans, African Cats and The Nightmare Before Christmas 3D. His current project, Tim Burton's long-awaited Frankenweenie, is due in theaters in October of 2012.
Co-director Roger Allers has had a directorial or screenwriting hand in Open Season, The Little Matchgirl, The Lion King 1�, The Emperor's New Groove, Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. And co-director Rob Minkoff served as a character animator on The Little Mermaid and directed The Forbidden Kingdom, The Haunted Mansion and the first two Stuart Little films.
So does it feel strange to still be doing interviews about The Lion King after all these years?
Co-Director Rob Minkoff: It's odd because so much time has passed and yet it feels like only a short while ago that we made the film.
Are you proud to have been such an integral part of the Disney Renaissance?
Co-Director Roger Allers: When I was a kid, I always dreamed of going to work for Walt Disney and make animated features. In high school, when Walt died, I was crushed and thought I had missed my chance. I am thrilled and proud to be a part of the "Second Wave"!
Rob Minkoff: As a young boy, I was an ardent Disney fan. Some would say Disney geek. So for me, getting the chance to work at the studio and help revitalize animation is more than a dream come true. It's been very gratifying not only to have made this film, but that audiences have gotten so much enjoyment from it.
When you were working on The Lion King, did you ever imagine that it would become such a classic Disney film?
Producer Don Hahn: Did I imagine that it would be this successful? Not in my wildest dreams. It's an incredible and humbling reaction even now, seventeen years later.
Rob Minkoff: When we started working on The Lion King we were fourth in a succession of modern Disney animated classics. First it was The Little Mermaid, then Beauty and the Beast and, finally, Aladdin. They were all tough acts to follow. We only hoped we would be compared favorably and not disappoint the Disney fans that had been growing with each new hit. It wasn't until we finished "Circle of Life" and put it into theaters as a trailer that we knew we had something special. But we were never overly confident. So we continued to work hard to deliver a good movie.
Don, what originally put The Lion King on your radar?
Don Hahn: I was just finishing up on Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King was going through some big changes. The original director was leaving the film and the producer, Tom Schumacher, was moving to an executive position developing future films. I came on board in February of 1992 shortly after the team returned from Africa, just as Rob and Roger were made the directors. We sat in my office for two days with an amazing small-and-mighty team of story artists that included Chris Sanders, Brenda Champman and Beauty directors Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale, and over those two days, we wrote the complete outline for the film. There had been some amazing writers on the story, but those two days were an amazing time when the film came together in a big way.
What was the idea that brought The Lion King to life in 1994?
Rob Minkoff: Originally it was thought of as a Bambi in Africa. More true-life adventure than mythical epic. But when Roger and I finally got together on it, we imbued it with the more spiritual elements that are a hallmark of the film.
Don Hahn: It started out by wanting to do a story about growing up. We called it Bambi in Africa, a term that came from our development executive Charlie Fink. We looked at a lot of coming-of-age stories, especially Bible stories like Moses or Joseph where a character is born into royalty, is then exiled, and has to return to claim their kingdom. Those are ancient stories.. stories of underdogs that we as an audience love to see when we go to the theater. There is an underlying theme to The Lion King about that day when you are no longer a child. It's actually an age-old story not unlike so many Disney films that are all about growing up.
Roger Allers: We also wanted to do an animal picture based in a more natural setting. A story that dealt with the issue of taking on the responsibility of adulthood.
Roger, Rob. How did you split directorial duties between yourselves?
Roger Allers: I took all the best parts and gave Rob the rest. Kidding! We split up the film by sequences, being particularly careful in making sure we each had scenes that really spoke to us. We worked side by side on story, music and editing, and when it came to animation and backgrounds, we gave each other separate domains according to the sequence.
Rob Minkoff: After working on the story together, we divided up the sequences so that each one had either Roger or me leading the way. For example: Roger did "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" and I did "Circle of Life."
What do you think of The Lion King after 17 years?
Roger Allers: I still love this movie. I've been involved with the stage show all these intervening years, so for me it's never gone away! But I'm so pleased with the audience's positive response to this new release after all these years.
Don Hahn: I had a woman come up to me after a screening and she had just lost her husband. The film really helped her deal with the issues of loss and explain those issues to her children. Believe me, you never think that a film will have that type of effect, but it is very humbling and emotional when it does.
What's the secret to helming a "larger than life" film like The Lion King? And what is most important to you when working on such a project?
Roger Allers: Story-wise, it's important to stay rooted in the main character's experience and emotions; not to let the sweep of story plots take you away from experiencing what happens through the character's point of view. As for the work, what's most important to me is having an environment of mutual respect and creative energy with my co-creators/artists.
Rob Minkoff: Story is the most important thing! But beyond that, the creative process and the excitement of working with top notch artistic collaborators makes working as a director a very satisfying endeavor.
Don Hahn: People. I find the best possible people that I can find, then I hire them and do exactly what they tell me to do. It's like baseball... a team sport where the team is more important than the individual. Most people don't know this, but the Northridge, California earthquake struck us just six months before the film came out and the studio had to be shut down. For a few weeks we were driving drawings to animators' homes around southern California and making the film in garages and on kitchen tables. The crew was amazing. They were dealing with the stress of a major earthquake while finishing the film.
The themes explored in The Lion King are among the deepest in animation: responsibility, father/son relationships, power, death... how did you approach the challenges of these topics?
Roger Allers: Sensitively but with great gusto!
Many people have noted similarities between The Lion King and Bambi and William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Was that something you were conscious of when making the movie?
Roger Allers: I'd definitely say that Bambi was an inspiration. The similarities to "Hamlet" were only noticed after we had come up with the story structure and had been working on it for a while.
Rob Minkoff: Because The Lion King was considered an original story, there was always the need to anchor it to something familiar. When we first pitched the revised outline of the movie to Michael Eisner, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Peter Schneider and Tom Schumacher, someone in the room announced that its themes and relationships were similar to "Hamlet." Everyone responded favorably to the idea that we were doing something Shakespearean, so we continued to look for ways to model our film on that all-time classic.
Do family movies always need to have happy endings?
Rob Minkoff: The Lion King is unusual in that the film really focuses on the death of Mufasa and how Simba has to come to terms with that. So, in a sense, the film has very tragic elements. But ultimately there is reassurance in the final moments when we see that Simba and Nala have their own little lion cub. So yes, happy endings are important even though they may contain tragic elements. One of the most satisfying endings to a film is saying goodbye. It's true of The Wizard of Oz, E.T., Gone With The Wind and many, many more.
Was there any concern that the movie might be too scary or mature for children?
Rob Minkoff: We found ourselves constantly re-balancing the film to make sure there were enough comic elements to lighten the mood after the tragedy of Mufasa's death. Timon and Pumbaa really came along at the right time to give the film a lift and make it a more satisfying whole. The key is to make something that works for both children and adults. I love the films Pixar has made, particularly Finding Nemo and The Incredibles.
The Lion King also has a unique Shakespearean look. Are you a fan of Shakespeare works?
Rob Minkoff: Shakespeare is the greatest dramatist in history. His works have stood the test of time like no other. But it takes time to learn to appreciate Shakespeare and I was fortunate enough to grow up in Palo Alto, California, in a time and place where arts education was supported.
Roger Allers: I am indeed a fan but, again, the "Hamlet" parallels were discovered well after we had constructed the story. But I'd be happy if we had even unconsciously channeled the old Bard!
Quick tangent: what are your favorite films?
Don Hahn: Peter Pan! Flying kids in pajamas fight pirates? How great is that!?
Rob Minkoff: There are so many films I love it's hard to pick just one. But The Wizard of Oz is one that will always mean a great deal to me.
Roger Allers: As a child, Disney's Peter Pan fired up my imagination and inspired me to become an animator. Still love that film. But The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast hold very special places in my heart. (Well, The Lion King goes without saying!)
What do you feel has made The Lion King such a beloved classic?
Rob Minkoff: I think it's a combination of a classic coming-of-age story and an incredible musical score by Elton John, one of pop music's most prolific and successful composers. Plus, the overall design of the production and look of the characters make The Lion King feel like a traditional Disney Classic.
Roger Allers: It's also the balance of humor and drama, and the resonance of its themes. The issues of life and death, loss, the responsibilities of leadership, and finding one's place in life.
Would you change anything if you were making The Lion King today?
Roger Allers: The schedule. More non-working lunches!
Don Hahn: There is really nothing we would have done differently. Yes, there were songs written that were cut out and sequences like a scene of Pumbaa and Timon playing "bug football" that never made it to the screen, but these were all good choices. The film works as is and really doesn't need anything else.
At what point in the production did it hit you that The Lion King was becoming something special?
Don Hahn: I think when we heard Hans Zimmer's arrangement of "Circle of Life" with the final animation. We knew we had something different for sure and possibly something the audience would like too. We took a risk and sent "Circle of Life" out to theaters as a trailer six months before the film came out and it was a huge hit. Back at the studio, we were still struggling with the story but at least we knew we had a great opening; we knew if we could elevate the rest of the film to that level, we'd have something.
Could you talk about the contributions of Elton John, Tim Rice and Hans Zimmer?
Don Hahn: Tim came on first. He was finishing lyrics for Aladdin after the death of Howard Ashman. His pick for a song writing partner was Elton. Elton is a musical genius when it comes to melody, but we always knew that we'd need a musician to score his songs and pull them into the African musical space. Chris Montan, our music exec suggested Hans and it was one of the most important decisions on the film. Tim was a dramatist and was able to put up with the endless story changes that we went through. Elton delivered melodies that in my opinion are timeless. Hans was the lightning bolt that pulled it together. Hans brought in Lebo M, the amazing African singer who brings the opening song to life. His score won an Oscar that year as did Elton and Tim's song "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."
Roger Allers: Elton and Tim's songs help tell the story with humor and heart, while Hans' brilliant score and arrangements (along with Lebo M's choral work) gave it its scale, drama, and placed it in Africa. Mark Mancina's arrangements of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" and "Hakuna Matata" gave the film its moments of playfulness.
Rob Minkoff: It was Tim who suggested Elton for the job. Me, Don and Roger wanted Hans based on his work in The Power of One, the score to which also featured Lebo M. Their collaboration on the score and musical elements really brought the story to life and gave it its enduring power. Hans really brought the movie to life via the music. It was his ability to combine authentic African flavor that really made the film come to life musically. Mark Mancina was working for Hans at the time and also contributed greatly to the feeling of the movie. He also was musical director and composer for the stage production. As for his experience as a live-action composer, I think there is very little difference in how a composer works on animation and live-action. Although typically an animated score is more closely married to the images. It was a terrific collaboration.
How closely did you work with the voice cast of The Lion King? How essential are the right voices to an animated film's success?
Rob Minkoff: As directors, we work very closely with the actors to create their performance. Typically there will only be one actor recording at a time. This can make it challenging for the actors who are working in a vacuum. Sometimes we have their castmates reading lines with them. Other times I will read with the actor, which I find is an excellent way of getting the performance you're after.
Did you enjoy working with James Earl Jones?
Roger Allers: (Laughs) The very first time we had James in to record, he proceeded to clear his throat before his first lines. The strength and resonance of his "harrrunfs" practically blew us off our chairs in the recording booth! That man is a lion!
Rob Minkoff: James Earl Jones has one of the most incredible voices in the history of film. Perhaps Orson Welles is his only real rival in that regard. Getting to work with him, especially being such a big fan of Star Wars, was an amazing experience. Watching him warming up his voice before a session was remarkable. He would run through a bunch of vocal exercises and sometimes sounded like a real lion with a rumbling growl.
And Jeremy Irons?
Roger Allers: Jeremy is a gentleman and a brilliant actor. He always gave us extra interpretations of lines which were fantastic. I think I'd put Jeremy's performance up on the top of all-time best vocal performances.
I believe you struggled to get a handle on Rafiki. Robert Guillaume tells these great stories about being called back to re-record scenes he'd already recorded. One of you reportedly brought him back in and said " We finally figured out who Rafiki is. He's insane."
Rob Minkoff: I remember the big breakthrough came when I asked Robert to laugh. His laugh was so amazing and really brought out the character of Rafiki as a crazy shaman witch-doctor. We kept asking him to laugh before every line!
Did you originally consider any actors who were unable to sign on to the project?
Don Hahn: For a short time, we considered Sean Connery to play Mufasa, but after James Earl Jones became available, we abandoned that idea.
Because Pocahontas was considered a prestige project, most of the Studio's A-list animators gravitated to its production. Can you talk a bit about how you went about recruiting animators to work on The Lion King?
Rob Minkoff: The Lion King was originally called King of the Jungle and was not well regarded around the studio. So when Jeffery Katzenberg announced that the studio would be split in two to make two films simultaneously, many of the top animators wanted to work on Pocahontas instead of The Lion King. Jeffery had deemed Pocahontas the "home run" and The Lion King "the risk." That gave a lot of newer animators a chance to step up into leadership roles.
Roger Allers: The Lion King was the step-child project when we started at the studio. Developing it was a hard but satisfying journey. You can never know in advance how something will turn out or whether it will be a success, regardless of whether you like it or not. But The Lion King was a chance to give some really deserving young animators their chance to lead a character. Tony Bancroft (Pumbaa), Mike Surrey (Timon), James Baxter (Rafiki) are all brilliant guys. We lucked out!
How has the animation industry changed since 1994?
Roger Allers: I see more movies of different styles coming from many more studios now. The increase in diversity is really welcome, but I hope that traditional hand-drawn animation keeps being produced. It's an art form that's dear to my heart and one that I don't think has still been fully explored. It's exciting. Bring 'em on!
Don Hahn: I started at Disney 35 years ago and it's changed a lot. The one thing that I've seen the most is that Disney is at its best when we take creative risk and push to move the art form forward. You see it in the 1980's when Howard Ashman and Alan Menken came in and contributed songs to Mermaid, Aladdin and Beauty. You see it again when Pixar did the original Toy Story. It was an experimental film that the studio wasn't sure would work, but the risk paid off. I've been in so many discussions over the time I've been here about what makes "Disney." The one constant is change. Walt himself couldn't wait to dive into the next thing, be it technology, television, theme parks, urban planning. Disney is about change and innovation. That's why I've stayed here my whole career and still love the place.
Do you prefer hand-drawn animation or computer animation?
Rob Minkoff: I think computer animation has vastly improved over the years and has achieved a similar quality to traditionally hand-drawn animation. That said, nothing can replace the look and feel of human drawings. So I think there is room in the world for both, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses.
Does 3D add something to The Lion King or is it only "fashionable" right now?
Don Hahn: Everything and nothing. The film is well suited for 3D because of the style of direction. Rob and Roger crafted the film with longer shots and a sense of Africa as an unspoken character in the film. 3D brings this to life even more and lets the audience step into the film in a unique way. When I say that nothing is gained, I'm referring to the story. We worked hard to make the 3D reflect and support the story and not detract from it. There's a paradox to all this, which is the paradox of animation itself; you work for four years and spend millions of hours on a film with the goal of making the audience forget that they are looking at drawings. That's the magic of it all.
Roger Allers: I think it adds a more visceral experience to the film. It's been fun to see how three-dimensionally we'd been thinking when we originally made it in 2D.
Rob Minkoff: I must confess that I am a fan of 3D when it's done properly. Avatar was amazing on screen. There have been a number of films released in 3D which haven't really delivered on its potential. But I think The Lion King 3D does. It adds a dimension to the world of our characters that makes the experience of the film more immersive. And it doesn't take anything away from the 2D version either. So The Lion King 3D was a worthwhile endeavor in my opinion.
Were you surprised how well hand-drawn animation translated to 3D?
Rob Minkoff: I had seen some attempts at traditional animation rendered in 3D and saw great possibilities in it. But I think Robert Neuman and his team went beyond my expectations and delivered a really compelling presentation.
Don Hahn: When we made The Lion King in 1994, 3D was still a pretty clunky technology. Now the technique has caught up with us and gives us an amazing tool kit to transform the film into a new experience.
How involved were you in the actual 3D transfer of The Lion King?
Rob Minkoff: Don, Roger and I came in to meet with Robert Neuman and his team to launch them on the conversion. We watched the picture in 2D and conveyed our thoughts on things we'd like to see (and not see) in our 3D version. And then we met regularly to check the work in progress.
Roger Allers: We screened the movie without sound, watching for the scenes of greatest potential, and called them out to someone who was furiously taking notes! Seriously, though, we watched the 2D version to determine which scenes could be pushed in 3D to enhance the storytelling and emotional content. Throughout the process, we reviewed each scene to offer input to Robert Neuman, the 3D stereographer and his crew. I also oversaw the color correction of the final version.
Don, you were involved in the 3D conversion of The Lion King and The Nightmare Before Christmas. How did converting 2D animation compare to converting stop-motion animation?
Don Hahn: Nightmare was a nightmare to do in 3D. There was no separation on the characters and the stereographers had to literally build a complete 3D version of the puppets and sets, then "project" the original film onto that geometry. The Lion King had its challenges but the original film was stored in separate levels which gave us a great advantage to start the 3D process. Converting a hand drawn film into a 3D experience was a risk so we wanted to start with two films that we knew had audience appeal. The Lion King was at the top of the list. Beauty and the Beast next. The Lion King 3D experiment has exceeded our wildest dreams. 3D isn't right for every film, but wouldn't it be great to see Peter Pan fly over London in 3D. (No plans for it, just my personal favorite.)
Which scene or moment in The Lion King 3D is your favorite?
Don Hahn: That would have to be "Circle of Life." It was like all of Africa came alive on the screen right in front of us! And the wildebeest stampede. I couldn't wait to see it in 3D, and it didn't disappoint!
Roger Allers: I'd have to say it's in the "Circle of Life" sequence, when Zazu flies up to join Mufasa on the promontory of Pride Rock. Great sense of flying and space!
Rob Minkoff: I think, for me, the "Circle of Life" scene works amazingly well and it's a great way to open the experience of watching the film. It always had a power and impact, but now it really jumps off the screen.
Before now, which 3D movie do you think had the best animation?
Don Hahn: I had two favorites: Toy Story 3 and Avatar. Toy Story 3 was just a brilliant movie all around and the 3D was exquisite. Many people don't think of Avatar as animation, but Jim Cameron did an amazing job building a world and bringing his characters to life in 3D. He's a real pioneer in every sense of the word.
Were you surprised by the opening-weekend box office figures for The Lion King 3D?
Rob Minkoff: I couldn't believe it! I originally heard they were estimating something in the range of $12 million. When it topped $30 million, I was shocked and amazed, but also very pleased. It's nice that audiences still love the movie!
Don Hahn: I feel insanely great, humbled, happy for the artists, musicians and actors that made it all happen, and happy to have been there to see it all. The happy thing about animation is that it ages very well. The actors don't get older, and the story is universal and about some pretty timeless themes. When we did the film we deliberately left man out of the story so it is a story that could have happened today or a thousand years ago. That's the magic of animation. It's so humbling to sit in the back of a theater and watch a new generation of kids enjoy the film.
Is the success of The Lion King 3D a vindication of traditional animation techniques in the digital age?
Don Hahn: I think it's a vindication of good storytelling. The audience doesn't go to the theater to see a technique. They go to be told a story and The Lion King delivers that story. Techniques come into and go out of fashion but the truth is a good story is what is lasting be it told with pencils, puppets or pixels.
What has been improved in the film's conversion to 3D, as well as in its Blu-ray transfer?
Roger Allers: Besides the obvious addition of new depth and dimension, this print has the best clarity and color of anything previously released.
Why is "The Morning Report" no longer a part of the feature film?
Roger Allers: It was only included for the IMAX & first DVD release as a fun bonus. The song "Morning Report" was originally written for the stage musical. We wanted this current version to be true to the original release.
Were you ever tempted to pull a "George Lucas" and "improve" parts of The Lion King prior to this new release?
Roger Allers: No, I think we knew to leave well enough alone. I did some color correcting, though, on a few scenes that I was never happy with.
Do you have Lion King merchandise and memorabilia lying around your homes?
Roger Allers: To my wife's dismay, I have a life-sized Simba plush. And in my office I have some framed cels and a couple of character maquettes, which are sculptural reference models. I also have the original theatrical poster signed by the cast and crew. That's my favorite item.
Rob Minkoff: I do, but most of them are currently in storage. I sold my house a while back and am in the process of building a new one. I'm really looking forward to creating the perfect place to house them all.
How has The Lion King changed your lives?
Roger Allers: Wow. It has connected me to the world in an intimate way that I could never imagine. And as I have continued to work on all the international iterations of the stage musical it still takes me around the world.
Rob Minkoff: Hakuna Matata has become a phrase recognized around the world. And every time we get kidded on TV, including the recent Emmy Awards, it's very gratifying. It's nice to have a little shelf space in the pop culture universe.
Don Hahn: I was in Beijing a few years ago doing a lecture at an art school and everyone was bringing me their Lion King DVDs to sign. About half way through signing them, though, I realized that The Lion King hadn't been released on DVD yet in China. They were all bootleg copies! A film like The Lion King is a once in a lifetime experience for a filmmaker. We were able to do something together as a team that moved the audience and eventually contributed to popular culture. Of course I'm proud, but it's not my film alone, it really cemented in my mind the power of great artistry, and collaboration.
How do you feel about Julie Taymor's Broadway adaptation?
Don Hahn: Theater is a different animal and, when Tom Schumacher came up with the idea of using Julie Taymor to direct the show, the rest was history. I have seen the musical many times, and it is a magical thing.
Rob Minkoff: When I first heard that a musical was being contemplated for The Lion King I was concerned it would attempt to be too literal. Beauty and the Beast had already made the leap to the stage and it was very much a replica of the animated movie. I didn't think that kind of approach would work for The Lion King. When Julie Taymor was brought on board to re-imagine the musical for the stage it was put into the right hands. Her approach to re-conceptualize the show, utilizing her brilliant sense of stagecraft brought out its theatricality and made it a unique experience. When I saw the show for the first time I was delighted and gratified that our movie would live on, on-stage. And it hasn't disappointed, having been running since 1997.
What do you think is the future of animation?
Rob Minkoff: When I got started back in the early '80s, it seemed that animation was on its way out. But today there are more animated features, TV shows, commercials, and animated content of all kinds being produced. So I'm very bullish on animation. I think, eventually, more films will be made with more diverse content to reach audiences of all ages, and that animation finally achieves a level of respect that equals any other kind of filmmaking.
Roger Allers: I think the field will continue to open up in terms of technique and subject matter. The line between animated and live-action has already become so blurred, the entire distinction may disappear.
Is it more difficult to direct a live-action production (such as Forbidden Kingdom) or an animated project?
Rob Minkoff: Hugh Laurie once asked me if I wanted to erase his eyebrows and sketch in something else. There is a mistaken notion that directing animators is easier than live actors. It isn't. Animators are just as difficult. Especially the really good ones. The Forbidden Kingdom was an incredible challenge, though, because we made the film entirely in China. And Jackie Chan and Jet Li are the two biggest marital arts stars in the world. They were very competitive, but had a great report off camera.
Do any of you have any plans to return to animation in the near-future?
Don Hahn: I have animation in my blood and if the right story comes along, yes, I would love to do another film. For the last several years I've been working with Tim Burton on the stop motion animated film Frankenweenie. It's an amazing technique and Tim is a brilliant director and visual artist. Couldn't hope for more. Frankenweenie will be a treat when it comes out in October of next year! Still, I love the immediacy of the documentary medium. It takes four or five years to make an animated film. Good documentaries take time. We've been shooting Chimpanzee, the next DisneyNature film for three years now. But the ability to shoot and edit a story together quickly is a different experience. I think I was probably inspired by Walt Disney who turned to nature documentaries later in his career.
Rob Minkoff: I'm actually working on a new animated movie right now. It's based on the classic characters Mr. Peabody & Sherman who originally appeared on the Rocky & Bullwinkle show. We have Robert Downey Jr. on board playing the genius dog who adopts a red-headed human boy.
Roger Allers: You know, this can be a tough business. I have developed several movies since then which for one reason or another never made to full fruition. Want to finance a film?
Any final thoughts before we run out of time?
Don Hahn: First of all a big hug to the cast and crew of The Lion King. You have no idea how many hands and hearts have touched this film all with respect for the story and the audience. Hats off to them. Seeing the film on the big screen and watching the audience reaction is about the biggest treat a filmmaker could hope for. We've all worked equally as hard on the Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D release in the hopes that audiences can enjoy the film at home for years to come.
Roger Allers: I'm so happy that audiences are able to experience The Lion King in a theater on a big screen with other viewers. It's the communal experience, you know? Let's gather at Pride Rock, join the circle, and tell our tales.
Rob Minkoff: After 17 years it's been an amazing journey on The Lion King; one that I hope continues on, like the "Circle of Life." Thanks for joining us in this round table. Looking forward to the next time we all meet!
Saw it not 12 hours ago, and I cried a lot more than I should've >_>
The 3D was very satisfying. Being a stickler for details I noticed imperfections here and there, but those are to be expected and didn't really detract from the experience. The 3D was amazing for the backgrounds and I focused more on the backgrounds than the characters, really... some sweet detail.
@fl0w: Blame me for that one. Even though the interviews with Allers and Minkoff posted this morning, they were conducted before I received a screener and before the discrepancy gained traction in the thread in our forum. (Or at least before the cloud was a blip on my personal radar.) That doesn't necessarily mean the question would have been answered, but I would have asked
That said, I can see where the deleted cloud might be distracting for those who are intimately familiar with the film, but I think "ruined the scene" is a wee bit strong
Great lengthy interview. I especially loved this bit:
"I think computer animation has vastly improved over the years and has achieved a similar quality to traditionally hand-drawn animation. That said, nothing can replace the look and feel of human drawings. So I think there is room in the world for both, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses."
"Why is "The Morning Report" no longer a part of the feature film?
Roger Allers: It was only included for the IMAX & first DVD release as a fun bonus. The song "Morning Report" was originally written for the stage musical. We wanted this current version to be true to the original release. "
Of course, they could have done the same exact seamless branching they used for BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
Disney's "Diamond Editions" are being stripped slowly down to nothing more than fancy catalog releases. First BAMBI with the lossy audio, now a single disc LION KING with missing DVD features relegated to BD-Live. PINNOCHIO...SLEEPING BEAUTY...both were 2-disc editions with arguably less features available.
"Many people have noted similarities between The Lion King and Bambi and William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Was that something you were conscious of when making the movie? "
Many people have also noted similarities between The Lion King and this Japanese animated TV show by Osamu Tezuka called Kimba (http://www.kimbawlion.com/rant2.htm).
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