The Simple Bear Necessities

Rating: 10/10 (1 September 2004)

The Jungle Book, one of Disney's ultimate classics, it has great characters, an awesome story and terrific animation. I'll admit it, I adore Disney movies, I could never choose just one Disney movie as my favorite, I love them all for so many different reasons. The Jungle Book is one of my fav's though, after buying the new release on DVD, I realized that I love this movie now more than ever. The reason that I think this movie is so wonderful is because of the characters, they just brought so much life to the story and really made this into a wonderful Disney classic.
Mowgli is found in a basket as a baby in the deep jungles. Bagheera, the panther who discovers the boy, promptly takes him to a wolf who has just had cubs. She raises him along with her own cubs and Mowgli soon becomes well acquainted to jungle life. Mowgli is shown ten years later, visiting the wolves and getting his face licked eagerly when he arrives. That night, when the wolf tribe learns that Shere Khan, a man-eating tiger, has returned to the jungle, they realize that Mowgli must be taken to the man village, to protect him and those around him. Bagheera volunteers to escort him back. They leave that very night, but Mowgli is determined to stay in the jungle and loses Bagheera. Kaa, the hungry python, hypnotizes Mowgli into a deep and peaceful sleep, traps him tightly in his coils, and tries to devour him, but comically fails. The next morning, Mowgli tries to join the elephant patrol. Bagheera finds Mowgli and they argue; Mowgli runs away from Bagheera. The boy soon meets up with the fun-loving bear Baloo, who shows Mowgli the fun of having a care-free life and promises not to take him to the man village. Mowgli now wants to stay in the jungle more than ever. Shere Khan is after Mawgli though and won't rest 'till he kills him.
Seriously, these are some of the most memorable characters in Disney history, we have Baloo, the care free party bear that just wants to have fun and only needs the "bear" necessities of life. Begheera, a panther, that we've all known this kind of person, the one that just wants to get down to business and get as much done as quickly as possible, the party pooper, but deep down still has that heart. And one of Disney's most memorable villains of all time, Shere Khan, voiced by George Sanders, classy, sassy, menacing and vicious, I wouldn't be surprised if he was Scar's inspiration(the lion villain in The Lion King). If you haven't seen The Jungle Book, just buy it, believe me, it's worth the money. It's a classic fun animated film that I will love forever, still to this day I will always sing along to Bear Necessities, it's a good time.
10/10