I know that your powers of retention are as wet as a warthog’s back side… and if that holds particular meaning for you then you’re going to like this video. It originally surfaced as part of “yet another” re-release of everyone’s favorite cartoon about daddy issues, The Lion King. That was back in the physical media days, of course. Now everyone just streams stuff.
How they used to do it
It’s been common practice (even back in the 1990s) to record animation voice actors saying their lines so the animators have a visual reference for the way the characters’ mouths are supposed to move. Call it a simple cheat that works for everyone. What it also means is that there’s a great record of the performances that drive the movie. In the video above you get a great look at Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and especially Jeremy Irons who completely acts out his lines as if he were on stage. It’s great fun for everyone and a quick video, so why not take it easy for a few minutes and visit the pridelands?
Why this movie endures
The Lion King came at a time when a lot of factors combined to create a “perfect storm” for animation. Disney had struggled in the 1970s but by the late 1980s the studio was flush with cash from booming theme park ticket sales. They rejuvenated their animation division, leading to some of the best animated films of the entire Disney catalog: Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and of course The Lion King. All of these movies used computers to help the animators realize their visions, but the end result was still real craftsmanship. Real animators illustrated real cels and made real magic.
The Lion King came out a year before the first ever fully CGI feature film, and the way I see it, it’s the last of a breed. It’s also one of the best. With catchy tunes from Broadway-tested writers and a halo song from Elton John, it proved what a film was capable of when it tried. No wonder it’s turned int Broadway’s longest-running musical and inspired a (far worse) reimagining in CGI.
Not to say anything bad about today’s movies but…
Plenty has been written about the sad state of animation today. I’ve even talked about it myself. Today’s animators have no time to do things right. Even though CGI costs millions, it’s still not enough to create a good product. Filmmakers are aware that their work will probably be seen on a TV, not a movie screen. So, they cut corners. They even fix edits after the film’s done. Back in the 1990s, that wasn’t the case. Back then, there was money to be made. So, there was money to spend. The result was enduring art, not just children’s puffery. I don’t know how we can get back to that point, but I sure wish we could.
