Lion King Circle Of Life Moment Of Zen

9:55 pm EST July 6th, 2009 | Movies | 12 Comments

For my money this is one of the greatest animated sequences ever.

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12 Responses to “Lion King Circle Of Life Moment Of Zen”

  1. News Reference says:
    July 6, 2009 at 10:13 pm

    The cartoon sequence in “The Lion King” by Disney/ABC that showed all of the predator’s prey worshipping the predator as a “King” was a perfect illustration (to me) of the right wing mindset: The expectation of the predators to be worshipped by their prey as Royalty.

    I found it extremely creepy.

    Starkly different art criticisms in 5, 4, 3, …

  2. Oliver Willis says:
    July 6, 2009 at 10:16 pm

    Except that the king is in this instance vital to the ongoing workings of the jungle. When the applecart is upended by the fascist brother (Scar) it goes to hell. Order is restored when the new king takes his throne and begins operating the jungle in the proper manner.

  3. Sharoney says:
    July 6, 2009 at 11:29 pm

    Oliver, if you think this was moving in animation, you should see it live, in the theater. Julie Taymor, who directed the Broadway production based on this film, is a genius. She transformed the opening sequence, through puppetry and dance, to a spectacle that encompasses and involves the entire audience.

    She and the producers also made the baboon character into a matriarch, a priestess who was not only acknowledging the future ruler of the jungle, but a female who was paying homage to another female who had just given birth. Somehow that made the sequence even deeper and richer for me.

  4. jojo says:
    July 6, 2009 at 11:57 pm

    …or it’s just “Hamlet” by way of the old Japanese Anime program “Kimba, the White Lion.”

  5. Frank DiSalle says:
    July 7, 2009 at 12:23 am

    I nominate the “Mongol avalanche sequence” in Mulan for the ‘greatest animated sequence ever’. Of course, there is no left wing ideology in it, but it is magnificent in its rendition.

  6. Quaker in a Basement says:
    July 7, 2009 at 12:30 am

    Man, I hope something interesting happens tomorrow. If we’re down to debating the political messages underlying a Disney cartoon, we don’t have much to work with.

    Not too long ago, a commenter over at Pandagon called Wall-E “a date rape movie for children.”

    Discuss.

    Good night.

  7. Frank DiSalle says:
    July 7, 2009 at 12:43 am

    Pick it up at 7:55

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXMbxBfBANA&feature=related

    See the end of the sequence on Part 7.

    Quaker : When there is political unrest in Iran, China and the Honduras, but the most important news in the world is the death of a child molesting song and dance man, why not discuss cartoons?

  8. Frank DiSalle says:
    July 7, 2009 at 12:44 am

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXMbxBfBANA&feature=related

  9. Oliver Willis says:
    July 7, 2009 at 1:03 am

    Sharoney: I took my mom for her birthday about 10 years ago to the Lion King at the Pantages theater in Los Angeles. One f the greatest things either of us have ever seen.

  10. I'm a Hick says:
    July 7, 2009 at 9:26 am

    Greatest cartoon ever (IMHO):

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uaMaMyj9i4

  11. Duros62 says:
    July 7, 2009 at 1:56 pm

    When there is political unrest in Iran, China and the Honduras, but the most important news in the world is the death of a child molesting song and dance man, why not discuss cartoons?

    Wow, that’s f*ing harsh.

    Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon, y’all.

  12. David in NYC says:
    July 7, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    Sometimes a cartoon is just a cartoon, y’all.

    Seconded.

    @I’m a Hick: Thanks for the post; that was great. It also, being an MGM flick, reminded me of one of my favorite jokes of all time:

    Two drunks have somehow wandered into the local zoo, and have managed to wind up in front of the lion cage. After the drunken hooting and hollering finally gets to him, the lion leans back his head and emits a ferocious roar.

    “Man, that’s scary! I’m getting out of here,” says Drunk #1.

    “Not me,” says Drunk #2. “I’m going to stay and watch the movie.”

    Thanks, I’ll be here all week. Remember to tip your waitress.