Classic Review: The Jungle Book (1967)

"The Jungle Book" stars Bruce Reitherman, Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, and George Sanders. Released on October 18, 1967, the film is about a young boy who has many jungle adventures with a bear and a panther.

The film is directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who also directed other Disney films such as 101 Dalmatians, The Sword in the Stone, and Robin Hood. It is the 19th animated film in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and it is inspired by the book of the same name by Rudyard Kipling. It is also known to be the final film that Walt Disney produced before his death in 1966. I was quite little the last time I saw this film. I haven't had a chance to watch it again as an adult because I've been so busy with the other films that have been appearing in my life. After I got caught up with the new releases this weekend, I decided to take a trip down memory lane with this animated classic to celebrate the upcoming live-action remake set for release in 2016.

Pros:
Some solid voice work, especially Phil Harris as Baloo.

The animation looks gorgeous.

Great use of humor.

Great soundtrack.

A menacing villain, although he only appears in the second half of the film.

The score brilliantly captures the feeling of being in the jungle.

Cons:
A bit predictable at times.

Can be a little intense for younger kids, especially during the third act.
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Final thoughts: With its gorgeous animation, lovable characters, and some catchy tunes to boot, "The Jungle Book" has the bare necessities to make it a clever fit in the Disney library. It's amazing to see that while watching this film for the first time as an adult, my childhood memories came along to join in on the action. I would highly recommend this film to Disney fans and families in general.

A-