For my generation, there is no moment more iconic, more unifying in cinema than the opening second of The Lion King when Carmen Twillie belted out the beginning of "Circle of Life." With glorious Disney animation reaching its peak, it slowly pulled back on a tribe of animals, united to see the birth of a young cub named Simba. With Rafiki holding him high over the celebratory crowd, the music swelled and came to an abrupt halt with Hans Zimmer's orchestration. In the first five minutes, before we even saw the title card, The Lion King came out demanding attention. On its 20th anniversary, it has yet to turn its back on us, leaving us to wonder what's in that shadowy place.
Having been four upon its initial release, there is a sense of nostalgia that keeps this movie from ever feeling flawed. Even if a moment doesn't click, the childlike wonder has never left the film. The swelling strings that came in limbo between Zimmer's "faux-exotica" scores like Rain Man and the "overbearing" Inception would produce one of his most triumphant pieces of music with assistance from Tim Rice and Elton John working on the songs, which can be heard on the radio, and not just because it is a silly song to play. The story, based off of Shakespeare's "Hamlet," pitted anthropomorphic animals in a family film that remains exceedingly mature, dark, and powerful to the point that 18 years later, my screenwriting teacher used it as his reference.
It is hard to look at the film without dragging in the nostalgia. I was highly aware of the marketing with McDonald's in which I collected all of the toys. "Circle of Life" would wake me up everyday like a siren (thanks, dad). The music was even incorporated into performance pieces in middle school. This is all before you count the broader impact, including it being the highest grossing animated film of all time after inflation (without, it's still impressive). "Hakuna Matata" has become a catchphrase joke and I do own my share of VHS tapes from the Timon and Pumba spin-off (including their rendition of "Stand by Me"). The only missing piece is that I haven't seen the stage show.
So, what makes The Lion King such an important film? In a sense, it remains Disney's last truly great animated musical. Maybe it comes from the stars aligning with an envious cast of songstresses, but even the voice cast, featuring Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Whoopi Goldberg, Jeremy Irons, and James Earl Jones, remains unprecedented. No film since has really brought so many high caliber stars together for a project so ambitious. Along with Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin, the early 90's was a wonderful time for the studio. Then their magnum opus came out and came swirling with heightened emotions, songs, and characters. Even for a story about lions, it went places that are deemed too controversial nowadays.
But at its core, it was a sincere musical with hardened themes. It may have been based upon "Hamlet," but to a child, that doesn't matter. Seeing Mufasa speak to Simba from the clouds reflects something greater. It reflects emotional conflict to meet your potential and help those who need you. Along with some comical performances, the African-themed film made the exotic landscapes into a beautiful world of mysticism and it followed rules so primitive that it allowed the drama to take centerfold. The rules are basic (father dies, son becomes king) and by personifying it through a cute lion as he has a traumatic childhood, it allows the weight to carry, even through scenes that involve fart jokes and anachronistic hula gags. The film is funny, but not in a distracting way.
It is also extremely sad and dark. With rising smoke and Nazi symbolism, "Be Prepared" wasn't only lit darkly, but reflected a children's song that was basically about killing someone. It is expository at its best, set to an impressive beat that allows for humor, but a sincere menace to flow through it all. Not until "Hell Fire" in The Hunchback of Notre Dame has that song been usurped in disturbing kiddie fare. It is lucky that Rice and John were gifted performers of stage and balladry, allowing the themes to be insinuated rather than explained. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" carries a punch because of John's skill of making a piano beat that is crushing with a voice that exudes confidence. It isn't just a good romantic exposition song, it is a legitimate classic love song.
The film's weight comes from the fact that it took itself seriously. It challenged audiences to not shy away from hard subject matter. It may scar younger children, but it does give it the power of longevity. Because of those character deaths, we feel the payoff more effectively. It is a technique that has ingrained many moments into our heads. It is cynical, but only where necessary. Even really good animated musicals from Disney to follow (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Mulan) cannot compare to the universal appeal. Why? Because I haven't heard any of those songs on the radio as much as I have heard an array of The Lion King's almost completely perfect catalog.
The strangest element is that in 20 years, Zimmer has become the cliche composer. Even if he reached his bombastic peak with Inception, many audience members would be shocked to see him attached to The Lion King, if just to see where he ended up. There is some magic here that pitting Zimmer and John into the same song seemed to provide violent, beautiful melodies that boomed like the biggest blockbuster, but played like the best theater. It is a juxtaposition that sadly hasn't been matched. In a time where How to Train Your Dragon 2 is getting flack for a dark third act, it is hard not to think of how The Lion King grossed so much money. It challenged without losing its artistry.
While I decry that Disney hasn't made a great musical since, I simply mean on the level of The Lion King. There hasn't been one with radio friendly hits, a stage show, countless pop culture-inspiring quotes. This isn't to forget the most universal appeal for Shakespeare since West Side Story. Many could argue that Frozen is on par, but that's simply not true. Even with more revenue, the film's structure is debatable and it comes across as pandering, never really committing to its dark themes. Even if "Let It Go" is here to stay, it has to compete with The Lion King and Hans Zimmer. Sorry to say, but Frozen composer Christophe Beck is nowhere near as demanding. Also, the ones that are good have been sadly forgotten.
On its 20th anniversary, The Lion King remains relevant because it isn't just an animated film with music. It is, as the story suggests, about the circle of life. We live, we die. There's not much that we can do about that. By being honest, it had nothing to hide and allowed the optimism to soar alongside the tragedy, creating an almost unifying mixture of every emotion possible. It is art on par with the Hollywood epics that transcends the animation limitations. It was a film first and foremost that set out to entertain, and did it exceedingly well.
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