The
Jungle Book 3D Collector's Edition
(2016/Disney Blu-ray 3D w/Blu-ray 2D + DVD)
Picture:
B+/B+/B- Sound: B+/B+/B- Extras: B Film: B
Disney's
recent attempt at bringing one of their classic animated films to
live action is a huge success with Iron
Man
Director Jon Favreau's 2016 big screen adaptation of the The
Jungle Book.
With some familiar celebrity voices, a stunning performance by young
actor Neel Sethi, and breathtaking computer generated animation, the
film succeeds in being enjoyable family entertainment.
Everyone
knows the classic story but it hasn't been brought to life quite like
this. We haven't seen a fully realistic detailed digital world that
sells on film like this since James Cameron's Avatar.
Especially in this 3D version, you can really tell how much
attention to detail went into making the film pop. Having seen
several different versions of The
Jungle Book
over the years in animation and live action in the '90s, I would say
that this may well be the definitive version of the story that even
rivals the original animated classic.
The
film stars Neel Sethi and the celebrity voices of Bill Murray,
Christopher Walken, Scarlett Johannsson, Lupita Nyong'o, Idris Elba
and Sir. Ben Kingsley.
Mowgli
(Sethi) is a young boy who has spent his life living in the jungle.
His closest friends are a panther named Bagheera (Kingsley) and his
wolf mother named Raksha (Nyong'o) and her wolf pack. Life is good
until the evil tiger Sher Kahn (Elba) sees the boy as a threat as
demands that he leave the jungle and return to his man village.
Wanting the best for the boy, Bagheera leads him where he encounters
a fun loving bear named Baloo (Murray) who teaches him the 'bear
necessities' of life. When threatened by the monkey King Louie
(Walken) and Khan, Mowgli must decide whether his future lies with
his own kind, or in the jungle where he feels he belongs.
The
2D Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with a widescreen
aspect ratio of 1.85:1 and really looks fantastic on Blu-ray disc
with exquisite detail down to the last leaf on the tree. The 3D
Blu-ray MVC-encoded 3-D - Full Resolution high definition
presentation particularly shines, mirroring the original theatrical
presentation in theaters, that is a great showpiece disc particularly
in the scenes with the monkeys and King Louie which involves a lot of
movement and destruction. The sound mix on the discs is also
fantastic with a lossless DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 7.1 English track
that will engulf your room with sounds of the jungle, if still a
mixdown from the 11.1 Dolby Atmos. The DVD edition presents the film
is lesser standard definition with an anamorphic widescreen aspect
ratio of 1.85:1 and a lossy Dolby Digital 5.1 track that looks and
sounds fine for the format.
Special
Features repeat the previous 2D set. In expanded terms...
The
Collector's Edition provides fans with unprecedented access to this
production through exciting new bonus features, including a
performance of "The Bare Necessities" by Bill Murray (voice
of Baloo) and jazz greats Dr. John and Kermit Ruffins, an inside look
at the collaboration between director Jon Favreau and renowned
composer Richard Sherman on a new version of the classic song "I
Wan'na Be Like You," a fascinating feature exposing the visual
effects magic behind some of the movie's most memorable moments, an
early animatic of the scene where Mowgli meets Kaa, and a global
celebration as Mowgli and Baloo sing "The Bare Necessities."
''The
Jungle Book'' Reimagined
I
Am Mowgli
King
Louie's Temple: Layer by Layer
Audio
Commentary
Sure
to be become a classic and a film that lays the groundwork for many
live action Disney cartoon adaptations to come (including next year's
Beauty
and the Beast),
The
Jungle Book
shines on Blu-ray 3D and Blu-ray disc that will be a must for Disney
collectors.
For
another look at the film, try this link...
http://www.fulvuedrive-in.com/review/14395/A+Boy+Named+Charlie+Brown+(1969)/Snoopy+C
-
James Lockhart
https://www.facebook.com/jamesharlandlockhartv/
