Simba, a young lion, sees his father killed as a result of his disobedience.  Unknown to Simba, his uncle Scar killed his father.  Scar then tells Simba that he should run away, leaving Scar to claim the throne.  Simba goes on to live a life with a warthog named Pumbaa and a meercat named Timon.  They teach him to forget about his past, but as he grows up, he cannot forget.  When a friend of his youth, Nala, appears, she implores Simba to come back to the pridelands and claim his right as king.  When Simba realizes that his father is within himself, he returns and fights Scar, who has abused his authority over the pride.

Availability:
    Currently on moratorium, but some copies may be available (not a whole lot, though)

Cast/Crew:
Johnathan Taylor Thomas                Young Simba
        Home Improvement (television)
        Man of the House
        Tom and Huck
        Wild America

Matthew Broderick                         Simba
        Ferris Beuller's Day Off
        WarGames
        Ladyhawk
        Out on a Limb
        Godzilla

James Earl Jones                              Mufasa
        Star Wars Trilogy
        Field of Dreams
        A Family Thing
        Coming To America

Jeremy Irons                                   Scar
        Die Hard:  With a Vengence
        Dangerous Liasons

Whoppie Goldberg                         Shenzi
        The Color Purple
        Jumpin' Jack Flash
        Star Trek: Generations
        Star Trek:  The Next Generation (television)

Cheech Marin                                 Banzai
        Cheech and Chong Films
        Born in East LA

Elton John and Tim Rice                Songs

Hans Zimmer                                  Score

Miscellaneous:
    The film was followed by Timon and Pumbaa, a television series which followed the exploits of the Hakuna Matata duo.  It took them out of the context of the film, in much the same way as Talespin.  This is good for a one shot, but try to stay away from too much.
    A sequel will be released in October, called Lion King 2: Simba's Pride.  It follows the futher adventures of Simba and his family.  It will only be released on video, though it may be released on DVD as well.

MPAA Rating:
    G  Stampeding death.

My Rating:
    The Lion King, in my opinion, was the last really good Disney cartoon (written before I saw Mulan.  Check back in Febrary to see if MHO has changed).  The story and the animation work together to create a harmonious blend that hasn't been seen since (with the possible exception of Mulan).  It's good for kids, but be warned, youngsters might have concerns over Mufasa's death (ala Bambi's mother).
    ****
J-R                                                 Night at the Movies