Archive from 10.01.03 to 11.12.2003
 

The Australian (PAL, Region 4) release of the TLK DVD now has an official release date set: February 25, 2004. According to
EzyDVD , the price will be $39.95 Australian.

Thanks to Jedd for the tip!

Harley Quinn reports that UltimateDisney.com is quoting Autumn 2004 as the projected release date for the Special Edition DVD of Simba's Pride . That, however, is as specific as it gets.

Simba B. forwards this LaughingPlace.com interview with Ellen Woodbury , the chief animator for Zazu (in the original TLK), which spends seven pages discussing her experiences on the project.

There's also a review of the TLK DVD by Kirby C. Holt.
 

Sarafina fans rejoice! The TLK DVD reveals all the rest of her character that has to this date only been the realm of speculation! ...Well, a little bit more of it, anyway. From ShakiraFuego:

I was watching Disc 2 of the Lion King SE DVD, more specifically The Story.  They showed clips of the director following the drawn storyline, and got to the part where Simba comes to tell Nala about the Elephant Graveyard.  I saw "Sarafina" in a caption underneath one of the pictures, so I rewound a few clips ahead and paused it.  It seems that she actually did have more lines before the movie was completed.  The two captions that I saw vividly (one right after another) are:

SARAFINA: Nala, you just had a bath!

and

SARAFINA: Try and stay clean for once!

I think these two lines alone let us see a little bit more of her personality, and Nala's as well.

Tanabi has noticed a number of other interesting things that have been redrawn or updated in the Special Edition DVD:

Apart from the alligators in the "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" sequence, there were several other changes I noticed. The waterfalls in the "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" scene are no longer blurs, they are drawn as running water. Don Hahn explained during promotional interviews for the IMAX release that they tried a special effect on the waterfall at the last minute, and it didn't turn out right, but it was so close to the release date that they didn't have time to fix it. Also, the ending credits no longer scroll by like a vertical marquee, they are shown in frames. The original end credits only showed stopped frames up until the "Busa" theme ended and "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" began.

And here's some mistakes:

The book sleeve opening DVD cover lists the deleted scenes as "Bug Football", "Hakuna Matata" and "Warthog Rhapsody". There is no "Warthog Rhapsody" included on the disc; it was replaced by Timon and Pumbaa's version of "Can You Feel The Love Tonight".

UPDATE: The "Warthog Rhapsody" sequence is in fact present on the disc. Go to "North America", then "Burbank", and it's on the second page. Thanks to Wishkres and Julie Schroeder for pointing this out!

And in the "Making of the 'Circle of Life' Video" (by the Disney Channel "Circle of Stars"), Hilary Duff claims that the original song was so "perfect and wonderful" and she is glad that the new track stays true to the original but only adds "the flavor of their voices". Unless she is referring to the Elton John version of "Circle of Life", which I highly doubt, then she has never even heard the original song. The version in the new music video is the same as that in Elton John's version, with the same lyrics and beats, and it is not in any way like the original film version. And then she says that "Lion King is like her favorite movie"... sure, Hilary, whatever you say.

According to Tanabi:

The Disney Channel "Circle of Stars" music video will appear on "Disney Mania 2", coming out this spring. The original "Disney Mania" included "Can You Feel The Love Tonight" (by S-Club), "Circle of Life" (by Ronan Keating), "Hakuna Matata" (by Baha Men) and "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" (by Aaron Carter).

From Mário in Brazil:

I got my Lion King dvd yesterday, and i still haven't got time to watch everything (hey, there are more than 3 hours of bonus!), but I can give some opinions.

As spotted by many others before me, I noticed the new crocodiles on the "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence. I'd rather see the original ones.

On the Morning Report sequence, it's clear the voice difference between the 'old' and the 'new' Simba. Although it's not THE voice, it's still a great sequence. But, again, I'd stay with the original one.

Another slip I noticed, but not on the movie: on the 'international cd covers' bonus, there's no Brazilian cover. Since it's a Brazilian edition of the dvd, I think it could have been included.

When it comes to music, I just LOVED the new version of Circle of Life, sung by Disney's Circle of Stars. It was thrilling to hear a new version of the song of my life. Also, it was great to see Elton John (my fave artist ever), Hans Zimmer (one of the most talented composers I know) and Hakuna Matata by Jimmy Cliff.

The brazilian dvd comes with six postcards with some images from the movie. And man, they're beautiful. I think I'll put one of them on a frame and place it on my desk. If you want, I can scan them and send to you.

To say more, only compliments. The visual, the sound, the colors... everything is so great and beautiful and brilliant. Definetly, the king has returned!

10.06.2003  Two More Reviews

Kirsten Gilson has found two more reviews of the Special Edition DVD:

http://dvdjournal.com/quickreviews/l/lionking_pe.q.shtml
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/dvdreviewsnews.php?id=1774
 

10.06.2003 DVD First Impressions

Laura (aka "Coolraptor") writes with the following:

Well, I came home from school today and guess what arrived a day early from the Disney Store and was sitting on my doorstep to distract me from more important work this evening? Yup, the new TLK DVD and VHS. Here are just a few highlights people will soon be finding out on their own if you're interested...

*Inside BOTH the VHS and DVD is a small mini-storybook of TLK 1.5 including new screenshots--with animation that looks VERY similar to Simba's Pride.

*I ordered the collector's set DVD. Very nice. The "booklet" is actually 160 pages long! The first half summarizes the info you'll see on Disc 2 while the second half is the story from "The Art of The Lion King" once again, whough a few new pics in the background.

*The character sketches are nice: big Simba on a hammock, young Simba, Scar, Rafiki, Timon, Pumbaa, Mufasa and Simba, Simba and Nala, and Zazu. All signed by the original artists and come in an equally handsome case. And all come in a paper "frame" that would serve nicely as a mat if you really wanted to frame the sketches!

*Sneak preview of TLK 1.5 at the beginning of the DVD--it's the one with Timon and Pumbaa and the remote.

Now some dirt on the actual movie! First, the BIG question (at least for me)...

*As we all feared, the "Original" TLK version IS just the IMAX version with "The Morning Report" cut out. Meaning it's NOT the original version at all. There is one bright spot though--apparently someone at Disney listened to the fans and added the retreating clouds back into the scene with Mufasa's ghost in BOTH versions :)

*The Morning Report--not as jarring to the flow of the film as I imagined. A LOT of recycled animation and the new animation with young Simba actually looks decent. As with Simba's Pride, Zazu and his movements were exaggerated a bit too much...

*The new Home Theater Remix is AWESOME. 'Nuff said!!!

*The computer animated opening is actually OK, EXCEPT for Zazu. His feathers look like fingers and his head is little squashed. Oy, and is he annoying!

*Deleted scenes include Warthog Rhapsody, Timon and Pumbaa finding Simba, Bug Football, Timon's Hakuna Matata Verse, Timon and Pumbaa singing CYFTLT and the original opening scene. Still, not all the deleted scenes as on the CAV laserdisc...no original CYFTLT version (the one I like), no fight scene and no Scar's reprise. In way though, it's kind of nice that there's still something that makes the CAV unique. For die-hard fans only I guess ;P

*There's actually two ways to navigate Disc 2--by continent (you'll see what I mean) and by "journey"--music, stage, film, etc. The little map in the booklet inside the DVD is a BIG help in finding one's way around.

Some good news, some bad. Ah well.

Sichi sends word of this forum thread at Animation Nation, wherein it's observed that the crocodiles with the birds in their mouths in the "Just Can't Wait to be King" sequence have been redrawn .

Not particularly well, either. I mean, I can see how the old ones look wonky, but the new ones are stylistically jarring, looking nothing like anything else in the movie... and they're in both the Special Edition and the so-called "original theatrical cut" of the movie.

Grrr.

Simba B, as always, notes:

Bill Elliott was in the top 10 for 220 laps Sunday. He led 115 laps, more than anyone else. Elliott finished 2nd while Jeremy Mayfield finished 3rd.

Here's ahoto of Bill Elliott's number 9 Lion King Dodge intrepi on the race track:
http://www.nascar.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/2003/10/05/cup_kansas/elliott.jpg

And later...
Here are some post NASCAR race articles from offical driver sites:

ROOOAAAARRRR!!!!! - Bill Elliott proves he’s king of the jungle with a second place finish at Kansas Speedway

http://www.billelliott.com/viewheadline.php?id=1849

Small photos are are at
http://www.billelliott.com/photos/2003/100503/index.html


ROOOAAAARRRR!!!!! - Jeremy Mayfield proves he's king of the jungle with a third place finish at Kansas Speedway
http://www.jeremymayfield.com/viewheadline.php?id=1850

Small photos are are
http://www.jeremymayfield.com/photos/2003/100503/index.html
 

Simba B. notes:

Target is selling the exclusive 2 disc set that includes The Lion King Special Edition Soundtrack and The Rythem of the Pride CDs for $12.99. This CD set includes "The Circle of Life" sung by the "Circle of Stars."

Some early buyers are happily reading the mini-storybook outlining the plot of The Lion King 1 1/2 that comes in the DVD pack. As expected, it covers the story of TLK, including the pre- and post- story, as seen from Timon and Pumbaa's perspective. "Ma" and "Uncle Max" appear late in the story, evidently taking part in the fight to reclaim Pride Rock by digging a tunnel under some of the hyenas.

More info (and a transcription) is available in the TLK 1.5 page .
 

Simba B. notes the following:

A technical glitch about the Lion King Platinum Edition has been mentioned on several DVD sites an a few forums. I am able to confirm the glitch.

It looks like the audio drop at the end of the pouncing sequence when I'm watching the original theatrical mix. In fact, the home theater system's text display goes blank, then redisplays [Dolby Digital 3/2.1] again. Weird huh? I only miss one short phrase from Mufasa: "That's" in "That's very good."

That's not very good.

Simba B. sends this link to publicity photos from the TLK DVD Premiere event at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood.

Apparently it was quite an event. Evan Saucedo, the voice of Young Simba for the new "Morning Report" scene, writes with the following:

Went to the Premiere at El Capitain last nite.............
Was incredible,The whole outside red carpet was transformed with a rock backgroud and LK feel. A real lion cub, Simba, romped around our feet. The party was in a huge tent and was incridible but the highlight was the live giraffe outside the tent entrance and sitting in front of Chich Marin in the theater where Elton John performed 2 songs from the movie LIVE!!! Very cool....star studded....shook hands and hobnobed with Dennis Quaid, Forrest Whitiker,Blair Underwood, Jeff Bridges, Dan Hahn, Hilary Duff and a bunch of other kid stars like me and went home with the Special addition mag, platinum edition DVD & stuffed animal.
It was a memory of a lifetime I'm excited to be a part of.......
Thanks for all the great info....(More than my Publicist...hehehe)

And the TLK DVD season is off with a bang!

Nuka writes with the following:

Toys R us know has all The Lion King toys,figures and The Lion King sing along songs tape&DVD..The toys are: My Singing Simba,Cradleing Cub Nala,pride pals beanies with characters:Simba,Nala,Pumbaa and Adult Simba,Ready to Roar Simba,Circle of life Figures set,Simbas andventure figure pack,(i think thats what it was called) prices:Ready to roar Simba:$19.99,Singing Simba:$29.99,Soft purring Simba and Nala:$9.99 each,Feed me Pumbaa:$15.99, cradleing Cub Nala:$15.99, pride pals beanies:$5.99 each,figure packs:$9.99 each.
And they had a poster and a promo with DVD cover on it...and they where playing Lion King music...

The Man Room , which had a mostly glowing audio-oriented review of the DVD earlier (though lacking a thumbs-up on the "Hot Women" score), now is holding a giveaway contest of five copies of the Special Edition DVD. You can enter the contest once a day, as many days as you wish; you need to be registered with the site in order to win, though.

Benjamin points out that Future Shop , an electronics chain in Canada, is running a major TLK-based promotion selling "King Size" home theater systems as well as the Special Edition DVD set. The site's intro is totally TLK-themed now.

Simba B. notes:

MickeyMouseboy at UltimateDisney.com's forum says: "the disney store is carrying the Limited Edition Lion King Soundtrack with lenticular cover like they did for the lilo & Stitch Limited Edition soundtrack :) $15.99"

Christian from my.lionking.org wrote on animated-movies.net: "the new soundtrack CD also includes a special edition of 'Rhythm of the Pridelands.' I'm not sure if all copies of the soundtrack have the extra CD so if you want to make sure yours does before you buy one just check to make sure it says '2 CD' on the front left spine. The whole thing is packaged very nice, with nice liner notes and new art on each disc and apparently the first CD also acts as a CD-ROM with special features."

Benjamin sends the URL to the Amazon.ca (Canada) page for the combined CD. (Although it appears that this is not the "Special Edition" soundtrack that was released on September 30, 2003, but rather the combined set featuring just a few RotPL songs, sold primarily overseas starting in September 2000.)