I just can’t wait to sing
Not long ago I saw a meme for adults from my generation, the elder Millennials, the ones who saw the 1994 The Lion King in theaters, and would be able to see the live-action remake in theaters this July. It was a seating chart, grouping movie-goers by altos, sopranos, and tenors, with a small section reserved in the less-than-desirable front rows where adults bold enough to bring their kids to a kids' movie would be forced to crane their necks to see the newest rendition of The Lion King.
The author of this amusing meme ordered, "this is not a rehearsal people...y'all have had 25 years to learn y'all parts."
It's hard to resist the power of the opening notes of The Circle of Life, "Nants ingonyama bagithi Baba/Sithi uhm..." The Lion King of 1994 is what Disney does best, heart, music, cultural appropriation. As a 6-year-old, I cried when Mufasa died, and as an adult, it moves me just as much. For a little girl whose mother died, Disney movies spoke to me in a personal way. How many Disney princesses had both parents? And while Ariel will always hold the top spot in my heart, The Lion King is easily in the top 3.
The early nineties saw a flood of now-classic Disney films: The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, Pocahontas, 101 Dalmatians. Think how many have seconds, thirds, and even fourths (looking at you Toy Story). Think how many have live-action remakes. If you've never read Disney War, I suggest you do, but know that your view will be forever changed. The animators, directors, writers - of musical scores, scripts, and lyrics - were geniuses, but they were adults with normal human flaws.
Just like the real-life iteration at Disney World, breath-taking animation is central. Disney does sweeping panoramas like no one else, and The Lion King's African plains made a perfect backdrop.
The Lion King offered boys a hero, and a movie they could watch without feeling as though they were watching "princess movies" at a time when boys' and girls' roles were still very much defined by American ideas about masculinity and femininity.
When I was a kid this was a fun movie about lions filled with songs I wanted to sing. The characters were lovable. Zazu, the humorous avian assistant to the king who was always a step behind. Scar, the nefarious brother of the king. Simba, the precocious heir to the throne. And, of course, Nala, who satisfies everyone's desire for a true love that lasts a lifetime.
The storyline itself, while simple, is a modern version of Shakespeare's tragedy, Hamlet, with Simba as the title character, and Scar replacing the traitorous Uncle Claudius, who has killed his brother, the king.
The creators of the new The Lion King knew what they were doing when they cast Beyoncé as Nala. The kids who saw the original in the theater were teens and preteens when Beyoncé made her debut as the assertive lead of Destiny's Child, and we've loved her ever since.
The musical scores of these movies were the real jewel of the Disney empire, which makes Beyoncé an even more auspicious choice. Everyone knows the lead title "The Circle of Life". "In the Jungle" made a cameo of sorts on Friends with the male Friends’ stars showcasing their vocals and dancing prowess. When a soundtrack includes powerhouses like Elton John and Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the Caribbean, Mission Impossible) you can see why the music was just as adored as the movie itself.
Here's what it comes down to: I'm not a movie fan generally speaking - I don't have the attention span. But for The Lion King, and most of the Disney line-up, I make an exception. Disney movies are made for kids, but they are just as entertaining for the adults. The added nostalgia of taking your kids to a remake of a movie you saw as a kid makes it all the more relevant.
So, will I be sitting stage right with my fellow altos on July 19th to see the opening of the live-action The Lion King? Um...yes! Will I be singing? That depends on how stiff the drinks are.
https://genius.com/Carmen-twillie-and-lebo-m-circle-of-life-lyrics
https://onsizzle.com/i/ok-so-now-that-we-all-know-that-we-have-99-f5283801ec4a4d4b90db0d92c1e2df9c