1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die- The Jungle Book

#492- The Jungle Book (1967)
Starring: Bruce Reitherman, Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot
Directed by: Wolfgang Reitherman


Plot Summary: A young child is found in a basket by a panther named Bagheera. He is taken to a pack of wolves where he is given the name Mowgli and raised as a "man-cub." 10 years later, the wolves learn that the tiger Shere Khan has returned to the jungle and will most likely come after Mowgli. To ensure his safety, Bagheera agrees to take Mowgli to the "Man Village," even though Mowgli wants to stay in the jungle. Along the way, Mowgli encounters many different animals and adventures, including Colonel Hathi and his troop of marching elephants, the hypnotizing and deceptive python Kaa, the swinging orangutan King Louie and his tribe of monkeys, a friendly barbershop quartet of vultures and the fun-loving bear Baloo that teaches Mowgli about the Bare Necessities.


Like Dumbo, The Jungle Book is one of those Disney movies on the list that I was originally confused of. Once I re-watched it and did my research on the film, there were a lot more technical and historical aspects of the film that I really appreciated. For example, this is the last film Walt Disney produced before he passed away in 1966, so it is a film that qualifies for the end of an era in Disney and animation history. I also enjoyed a lot of the iconic characters, the catchy music, and the animation style of the jungle and all its animals. So, it appears The Jungle Book is the kind of film that uses its resources wisely to make a really, really, really, really, really, ridiculously simple story still be able to stand out on its own.

The Jungle Book tells the story of a young "man-cub" named Mowgli, voiced by Bruce Reitherman. Honestly, Mowgli to me was always a bland character. Sure, he's courageous, but because of his age, his courage looks more like rash and impulsive behavior. I don't think Mowgli can go down as one of the great Disney characters, but The Jungle Book could be referenced as having one of Disney's best ensemble characters. There are tons of great supporting characters that make up for Mowgli's blandness thanks to his interactions with them throughout his journey.

Mowgli's two closest friends are Baloo, voiced by Phil Harris and Bagheera, voiced by Sebastian Cabot. The two characters are PERFECT character foils. Baloo is a carefree, lovable bear and Bagheera is a stern and serious panther. The two start out not getting along at all, but end up bonding by working together to help Mowgli and rarely alter their existing personalities. Of the two, Baloo is the more iconic in terms of Disney characters and a lot of that has to do with the amount of fun Baloo has. But he also knows how to be responsible and caring thanks to his friendship with Mowgli.

The most interesting characters in the movie, however, are the villains. Shere Khan, voiced by George Sanders, is a vicious tiger that also brings a great amount of class and elegance into his style. He is a clever and crafty with both his words and his claws. Kaa, voiced by Sterling Holloway, is a treacherous snake with hypnotizing eyes. Kaa's scenes are wonderful because of how intricate his body moves. There are seemingly no limits to how long he can stretch and how many loops and coils he can make (until he gets himself tangled). Watching these two villains converse with one another is fantastic as well, because it showcases how sneaky Kaa is trying to be and how much smarter Shere Khan is by comparison.

For the music, Terry Gilkyson wrote the songs, but when they were too dark and didn't fit the right tone Walt Disney was looking for, the legendary Sherman Brothers were brought in to have a go at it. The result was seven of Bob and Richard Sherman's songs and one of Gilkyson's for the film. Surprisingly, the one song by Gilkyson that was kept ended up being the film's most iconic song, "The Bare Necessities." That's not to say the other songs aren't enjoyable, but that song is one of the most beloved and cherished pieces of music Disney has ever produced.

One thing that absolutely stunned me about The Jungle Book was in the animation of the jungle itself. In animation, there are many different things to appreciate. Be it the character designs, the textures, the movements, there is a lot to discuss. So when a film like The Jungle Book is able to make beautiful, picturesque backgrounds for the jungle, it's a film that should stand out as one of Disney's most visually engaging films. Of course, the animal designs are wonderful, but that goes without saying (animal designs were Disney's bread and butter by that point). Had Mowgli, Baloo, and the rest of the characters had not been placed in such a captivating setting, then who knows if the film would have had the same effect if they relied on solely the characters and music.


Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

If you like your Disney movie to have memorable music, and spectacular animation, then The Jungle Book is a film that definitely qualifies, even if it isn't considered the first choice by many. Still, the film is enjoyable and I recommend all Disney and animation fans check it out at least once, and it's definitely worth owning in their collections.

The Jungle Book and movie images are copyrighted by Walt Disney Pictures