Mowgli is a boy who was abandoned in the jungles of India.  He is found by Bagheera, a panther, who takes him to a wolf family.  When Shere Kahn, a ferocious tiger, returns to that section of the jungle, the wolves decide it is safer for Mowgli to be among his own kind: men.  Bagheera takes him back, but Mowgli does not want to go, and is strengthened more in his decision by Baloo, a bear who is always looking for the beat.  Mowgli learns that he needs to return to civilization, despite his love for the jungle.

Availability:
    VHS: Pan and Scan

Cast/Crew:
Phil Harris                        Baloo
        Aristocats
        Robin Hood
        Rockadoodle

Miscellaneous:
    Disney did not want a literal translation of Kipling's book.  The original storyboards for the film were too dark, and Walt wanted to lighten it up a bit.  He told his animators to not read the book for inspiration, instead, they took what they knew of the story and created a new one.
    This was the last film Disney supervised before his death.
    Phil Harris originally did not want to be the voice of Baloo.  Only when he learned that Walt Disney wanted him to do it did he do a test.  In one of his first readings, he did not like the way they made Baloo sound, and he told the director that if he could not do the part his way, he wouldn't be able to do it.   The director consented, and we now remember Baloo as a hep swinging cat . . er, bear.
    Characters from the film were used in two television cartoon series within the last ten years:  Talespin and Jungle Cubs.  Talespin follows a dressed Baloo who flies a seaplane.  He is best buds with Louie, who runs a resturaunt on an island.  The only other character who returns is Shere Kahn, who happens to be a corporate raider.  The stories were good, but they eventually became tired.  I still do not understand why Disney chose to take these characters out of the Jungle and into buisiness suits.
    Jungle Cubs, the other series, is to be avoided at all costs.  It follows the story of the major characters from The Jungle Book (sans Mowgli) as they grow up.  They are all friends (I do not know why Shere Kahn is best friends with Baloo and Bagheera, but oh well).

MPAA Rating:
    G  Some animated animal violence.

My Rating:
    This is one of my favorite Disney cartoons.  The wit and wonder of all things Disney is apparant.  My only qualm about the film is what the company has done with the characters since (think Talespin and Jungle Cubs).  But for a film which truely captures the Disney magic and fun (and I'm talking about the real stuff here, not the mass marketed magic and fun of the Eisner era), watch the Jungle Book.
    ****
J - R                                     Night at the Movies