The Lion King [DVD]

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The development of The Lion King started concurrently with Pocahontas, which most of the animators of Walt Disney Feature Animation decided to work on instead, believing it would be the more prestigious and successful of the two. [9] The story artists also did not have much faith in the project, with Brenda Chapman declaring she was reluctant to accept the job " because the story wasn't very good", [3] and writer Burny Mattinson saying to co-worker Joe Ranft about the film that " I don't know who is going to want to watch that one." [8] Most of the leading animators were either doing their first major work supervising a character, or had much interest in animating an animal. [4] Thirteen of these supervising animators, both in California and Florida, were responsible for establishing the personalities and setting the tone for the film's main characters. The animation leads for the main characters included Mark Henn on young Simba, Ruben A. Aquino on adult Simba, Andreas Deja on Scar, Aaron Blaise on young Nala, Anthony DeRosa on adult Nala, and Tony Fucile on Mufasa. Nearly 20 minutes of the film, including the " I Just Can't Wait to Be King" sequence, [6] were animated at the Disney-MGM Studios facility. Ultimately, more than 600 artists, animators, and technicians contributed to The Lion King over the course of its production. Weeks before the film was to be released, production was affected by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, which shut off the studio and required the animators to finish their work from home. [11] Season Two: " Babysitter Bunga" • " The Savannah Summit" • " The Traveling Baboon Show" • " Ono and the Egg" • " The Rise of Scar" • " Let Sleeping Crocs Lie" • " Swept Away" • " Rafiki's New Neighbors" • " Rescue in the Outlands" • " The Ukumbusho Tradition" • " The Bite of Kenge" • " Timon and Pumbaa's Christmas" • " The Morning Report" • " The Golden Zebra" • " The Little Guy" • " Divide and Conquer" • " The Scorpion's Sting" • " The Wisdom of Kongwe" • " The Kilio Valley Fire" • " Undercover Kinyonga" • " Cave of Secrets" • " The Zebra Mastermind" • " The Hyena Resistance" • " The Underground Adventure" • " Beshte and the Beast" • " Pride Landers Unite!" • " The Queen's Visit" • " The Fall of Mizimu Grove" • " Fire from the Sky" This is the only Disney animated feature from the 'Disney Renaissance' era to have absolutely no humans in the movie.

Jeremy Irons and Ernie Sabella both share the same birthday: September 19; Sabella was born on Irons's first birthday. Although this movie is rated G by the MPAA, it received a TV-PG rating on most TV channels for the violent content, especially the scene where Mufasa dies. Television: Find Out Why • Timon & Pumbaa ( videography) • Timon and Pumbaa's Wild About Safety • The Lion Guard ( videography) • It's UnBungalievable! Fireworks: Celebrate the Magic • Celebrate! Tokyo Disneyland • Disney Dreams! • Disneyland Forever • Happily Ever After • Harmonious • Ignite the Dream: A Nighttime Spectacular of Magic and Light • Illuminate! A Nighttime Celebration • The Magic, the Memories and You • Momentous • Once Upon a Time • Tree of Life Awakens • Wonderful World of Animation • World of Color • Wondrous Journeys

Musical: Lioness Hunt • Rafiki Mourns • One by One • Grasslands Chant • Chow Down • The Madness of King Scar • Shadowland • Endless Night • Simba Confronts Scar The Lion King: Simba • Nala • Mufasa • Scar • Rafiki • Timon • Pumbaa • Zazu • Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed • Sarabi • Sarafina • The Pridelanders • Pride Land Animals • Hyena Clan • Wildebeests • Gopher • Vultures • Grubs

The voice actors were chosen for how they fit and could add to the characters – for instance, James Earl Jones was cast because the directors found his voice "powerful" and similar to a lion's roar. Nathan Lane originally auditioned for Zazu, and Ernie Sabella for one of the hyenas. Upon meeting each other at the recording studio, the actors, who at the time both co-starred in Guys and Dolls, were asked to record together as hyenas. The directors laughed at their performance and decided to cast them as Timon and Pumbaa. [10] For the hyenas, the original intention was to reunite Cheech & Chong, but while Cheech Marin accepted to play Banzai, Tommy Chong was unavailable. Thus, his role was changed into a female hyena, Shenzi, who was voiced by Whoopi Goldberg. [6] The Lion King II: Simba's Pride: He Lives in You • We Are One • My Lullaby • Upendi • One of Us • Love Will Find a Way Rhythm of the Pride Lands: The Lion Sleeps Tonight • Kube • Lea Halalela • It's Time • Lala • Busa • NoyanaIn Mouse Hunt, Nathan Lane's character Ernie Smuntz says Hakuna Matata to one of the auctioneers, a reference to Timon in the Lion King.