The Jungle Movie

Rating: 8/10 (12 September 2013)

This adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's popular jungle-themed tome keeps it all light and ditches anything deeper than superficial. One would expect this to have a detrimental effect but it all works in the movie's favor. It's basically a string of sketches and set pieces cobbled around a loose narrative, though it flies by quickly, especially when Baloo is on the screen.
Mowgli is a man-cub abandoned in the jungles of India and raised by wolves when Bagheera, a concerned panther, steps in and rescues him. Around 10 years later Bagheera tries to take him back to the man village but they are sidetracked by a variety of animals including Kaa, the snake, and lovable, floppy-armed King Louie, an orangutan who wants the secret of fire.
Much of the movie has a late-60s jazz theme which keeps it moving and jiving. The jungle animation, making great use of multi-plane cameras, is absolutely gorgeous, and makes every scene a joy to look at, even during some of the lulls (anything with the Elephants).
It's easy to see why it has become a classic as the characters are brilliant. Baloo and Co. came back in TaleSpin 23 years later and secured their status among the most popular Disney characters.