The Lion King

‘Mufasa: The Lion King” is now available on digital and also 4K, Blu-ray, and DVD

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

This “live action” prequel to the hit 2019 animated film The Lion King is filled with heart, spirit, and above all – family. Family is at the heart of this story. Mufasa: The Lion King tells the story of how Mufasa became the king of  Milele and how his family continues the Circle of Life.

Alert – sensitive viewers will most likely need to keep some tissues handy as there are many sentimental scenes and scenes of terror. Although this movie is filled with those scenes, it is an entertaining addition to the franchise.

The story begins with Simba’s daughter Kiara being looked after by Rafiki while Simba and Nala are away as she gives birth to a new cub. Left alone and wanting her parents, Rafiki distracts her with the story of her grandfather and how he came to Milele.

When Mufasa was a cub he was swept away by a great flood and washed far from his parents and home. He was rescued by cub from another tribe. Taka always wanted a brother but his father the king refused to acknowledge Mufasa as his son. So the queen cared for the little lost cub and brought him up to be strong and worthy. She also gave him courage to go out and look for his real family and follow the words of his mother.

Then a pride of outsiders, white lions who were outcasts from their own prides, attacked and the son of the king was killed. Soon Mufasa and Taka were sent away to start a new bloodline in Milele, with Taka being king. His father instructed him to fulfill his destiny and instructed Mufasa to take care of his son.

Along the way they meet Sarabi, a young lioness who, along with her protector Zazu, are wandering around after being separated from their pride. Mufasa takes them with him and Taka as they travel toward Milele. Joining them is a young Rafiki who is intent on finding Milele as well, as he is looking for his family too.

The story unfolds while Rafiki is telling this epic adventure to Kiera, Timon, and Pumba as they await the birth of Simba and Nala’s cub and their reunion with Kiera.

The visuals are beautiful in this “live action” story filled with heart, hope, and destiny. As Rafiki says, “The eye never forgets what the heart has seen.” 

Taka sees Mufasa as his brother. When he falls for Sarabi, he asks his brother for advice, which he gives him. Mufasa is supposed to look after Taka and does what he can for his “brother.” But when Sarabi shows more interest in Mufasa than Taka, Taka’s jealousy gets the better of him and he becomes a danger to them all.

As mentioned earlier, there are many scenes of terror and death. This is scary at times and emotional at other times. The ending is satisfying though.

Spoiler alert: They do make it to Milele, Sarabi and Mufasa get together, Taka’s betrayal is addressed and his name is changed to Scar due to the scar he received when he saw the error of his ways and saved Mufasa, and after the storytelling by Rafiki comes to an end, Kiera is reunited with her parents and introduced to her new baby brother.

The movie is filled with life-saving scenes, scenes of treachery, scenes of danger, and also scenes of love. Family is number one and the whole reason for making this movie.

Additional features include song selections, outtakes, a “making of” feature, and some fun Easter eggs which are called Ostrich eggs in this case.

Another brief bonus touches on the Lion Recovery Fund that helps protect lions in Africa.

There are several deleted scenes that were not completed and not included in the film however after watching them there are two that – in my opinion – should have been kept in: “What do you feel in there” includes Rafiki telling Mufasa “No matter how far you walk destiny will follow.” Another incomplete scene is about a dream Taka has about his father. 

The Lion King was a worldwide hit when it was produced in 2019 and there have been several films in this franchise. Mufasa: The Lion King brings everything together and full circle, filling in pieces of the whole story,  just like The Circle of LIfe. The movie is rated PG.

The movie is available on digital, DVD, Blu-ray, and 4K.

Fans of Mufasa, Simba, and the whole gang can also get the three-movie set that includes the original animated feature, the “live action” version and this new prequel.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 30 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. She is a longstanding member of the Television Critics Association and is accredited by the MPAA.

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Bring home ‘The Lion King’

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

This digital version of the classic 1994 animated film is even more endearing than the original. The Lion King is a heartwarming story of life, love, and family as young Simba learns what it truly takes to be king of the Pride Lands.

When his father Mufasa is killed, the little lion cub runs away because he is ashamed because his evil uncle Scar tells him he is responsible for his father’s death. Simba meets Pumbaa and Timon and the three of them become best friends. Then a grown up Simba is reunited with his old friend Nala and their relationship is rekindled. She tells him Scar has ruined the Pride Lands so now it is up to Simba, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa to take back what was stolen from the animals and return the land to its former glory.

There are plenty of bonus features on the 4K/Blu-ray combo pack that take viewers behind the scenes of the creation of this wonderful film. Everyone knows the great songs that came out of the movie, and they are back in this digital version along with a brand new song, “Never Too Late,” which was written by Elton John and Tim Rice specifically for this movie. Hans Zimmer returned to oversee the music in this new film.

Jon Favreau directed the film, which is more like a live action movie than an animated movie. He discusses the casting of this film. It was a coup to get James Earl Jones to reprise his role as the voice of Mufasa.

There is an interesting bonus looking at the evolution of several scenes from storyboard to animation to the final version. It is amazing to see how far digital animation has come.

And instead of having the actors simply record their lines in a booth, a special stage was created so they could act out their parts while saying their lines. This gave them more authenticity than being in a small room with a microphone.

A final bonus shows how the Disney studio joined with the Lion Recovery Fund to help the protection and preservation of the lion population. Long live these wonderful animals!

The Lion King is filled with pop culture elements that have embedded themselves into our lexicon and our lives. “The circle of life” is a phrase that we hear over and over, and also “Hakuna Matata” is another phrase that has become part of our vocabulary.

First as an animated film then a Broadway play and now a digital movie, The Lion King has touched the hearts of people around the world. This movie is beautifully filmed and adds a new dimension to the story without the animation we are all used to when it comes to viewing Simba. This story comes to the screen in a visually stunning way. And although the original had many comical elements, this newer version is filled with many more laugh-out-loud moments.

The Lion King is available on Blu-ray/DVD and in a 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray combo pack. Both come with a digital code.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County. Follow her on Twitter.

‘The Lion King’ Movie Review

Posted on by Francine Brokaw

In 1994 audiences took one little lion cub to heart, and everyone around the world started saying “Hakuna Matata,” or “No Worries.” Now the classic animated film The Lion King is reimagined without the animation, yet it still holds all the fun and sentiment of the 1994 classic.

Following the same story, Little Simba (JD McCrary) is the heir apparent. His father Mufasa (James Earl Jones) is the king of the Pride Lands. Simba is looking forward to his time as king, but his uncle Scar (Chiwetel Ejiofor) will do whatever it takes to make sure that will not happen. Scar is not happy being the “spare,” or second in line. And when Simba is born he knows he will never be king. So Scar develops a plan to get rid of his brother Mufasa and little Simba, take over the Pride Lands, and rule with an iron paw!

When his father is killed and Scar tells him he is responsible for his dad’s death, Simba runs off and finds Pumbaa (Seth Rogen) and Timon (Billy Eichner). The three of them become best friends and as Simba grows up (Donald Glover), he is happy with his new family. But one day his old friend Nala (Beyonce) runs into him and their friendship is rekindled, as Nala describes how Scar has ruined the Pride Lands.

Now it’s up to Simba, Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa to take back what was stolen from the animals and return the land to its former glory, with the natural Circle of Life.

This movie is beautifully filmed and adds a new dimension to the story without the animation we are all used to when it comes to viewing Simba. With live action and CGI, a new vision of this classic story comes to the screen in a visually stunning way. And although the original had many comical elements, this newer version is filled with many more laugh-out-loud moments (no spoiler alerts here!). This movie had the audience laughing at plenty of aspects while still touching their hearts with the sentimental story of the little lion cub. It is a pure delight from beginning to end and for those of us who are ambivalent about turning classic animated films into live action (even with CGI), it is an entertaining and endearing vision of the original story.

Going into the press screening I was eager to see if this version would be as endearing as the classic animated film. It did not disappoint me or the rest of the audience. It is a fun film with the popular characters and sentimental story we have known for over two decades. Hakuna Matata.

The Lion King is rated PG for sequences of violence and peril, and some thematic elements. It opens in theaters July 12, 2019.

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment industry for over 25 years. She also writes about products and travel. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books, is the entertainment correspondent for Good Day Orange County, and has her own TV show, Beyond the Red Carpet, on Village Television in Orange County.Follow her on Twitter.