The Lion King, a 1994 animated classic from Disney, tells the story of Simba, a young lion who must overcome tragedy and exile to reclaim his rightful place as king of the Pride Lands. Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, this film combines breathtaking animation, unforgettable music, and a powerful narrative that resonates across generations.
What to Watch Out For:
Hero’s Journey
Three-Act Structure
Mise en Scène
Discussion Questions:
Hero’s Journey/Story Circle:
1. How does Simba’s journey exemplify the stages of the Hero’s Journey/Story Circle?
Three-Act Structure:
2.Discuss how the film’s three-act structure drives the narrative forward. What are the key turning points?
Mise en Scène:
3.How do elements like color, lighting, and setting contribute to the film’s themes and emotional tone? Pick a still or a 5-10 second sequnce to describe it.
Preference:
4.Did you like the film? Why/Why not?
1. Simba's journey exemplifies the idea of the hero's journey as he restores the balance in Pride Lands after the royal death of his father. In the ordinary world, Simba is born as a prince to King Mufasa in the Pride Lands. His call to adventure starts when Mufasa explains the circle of life to him, becoming dramatic as his uncle, Scar, tricks him into going to the elephant graveyard, where he almost dies due to the hyenas. When Mufasa saves him, he refuses the call, as he doesn't want to take on royal responsibilities. When Mufasa dies, Scar convinces him to run away, which is where he meets his mentors, Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him 'the way of life'. In terms of crossing the threshold, when Simba runs away, he leaves his home world, entering the desert then meets his mentors, who lead him to their home in the forest. Simba spends his adult years in the jungle with Timon and Pumbaa and his friends. This is tested when he is confronted by Nala, his old friend. After Nala finds Simba, she reveals the horrible state of the Pride Lands, leaving Simba to confront his past. With the help of Rafiki, the king's advisor, he looks in a pool and sees the reflection of his father, as his spirit appears in the clouds and reminds him of his true identity. This reward prompts him to confront Scar and return to the Pride Lands. On the road back, Simba, Tala, and his mentors return back to Pride Rock, representing a symbolic reclamation of Simba’s identity. In the resurrection, Simba (with the help of other lions) defeats Scar and reclaims his rightful title as king. After Scar’s defeat, Simba restores life and balance to the land, completing the circle.
ReplyDelete2. The three-act structure of the film propels the narrative forward as it thoroughly engages the audience while doing so. In the first Act, the characters and themes are introduced as it sets the stage for the tragedy of Mufasa’s death. His death marks the transition into the second Act as it explores Simba’s personal conflicts and avoidance of his past in The Pride Lands. After running away and adjusting to a new life, he has a reencounter with his past friend, Nala, who describes the desolate state of his homeland, prompting the realization that he must return. The third Act is introduced and delivers the climax through Simba’s confrontation with Scar, the discovering of the truth, and the resolution being Simba’s ascent to achieving the throne. Each of these acts illuminates the theme of reclaiming identity and responsibility, simultaneously engaging the audience as they become intrigued to find the overall outcome of this story.
3. An example of mise en scene is during Simba’s confrontation with Scar as he returns to Pride Rock. This scene occurs from 1:15:50 to 1:15:55, where the setting is dark and desolate, with gloomy clouds and a scorched earth surrounding Simba and Scar. These elements reflect Scar’s tyranny over the kingdom in The Pride Lands. As Simba is knocked down, lightning flashes behind him and rain begins to fall, symbolizing the reenactment of what happened with his father. The use of these colors symbolizes a dreadful atmosphere as it reflects the horrors found within Scar’s character. This brief sequence visually captures the film’s themes of fear and tragedy using the intense environmental depictions to heighten the emotional appeal of the audience without using direct dialogue.
4. In the end, I truly love this movie as I grew up watching it. By picking apart the film, I was able to rediscover certain parts of my childhood and decipher new meaning behind this film. I found the film to be quite enjoyable as it was very well written, being far ahead of its time in terms of animation. I am thoroughly glad I had the opportunity to rewatch this.
Simba from The Lion King exemplifies the hero's journey because, like any other film, his story filters through each part. Such as:
ReplyDelete-Ordinary World: Simba lives a carefree life as the prince of Pride Rock.
-Call to Adventure: Mufasa dies, and Simba is manipulated into believing it’s his fault by Scar.
-Refusal of the Call: He runs away and hides in the jungle, after Scar tells him he has to because he supposedly killed his father (Mufasa)
-Mentor/Friends: Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki teach him lessons about life and his identity
-Crossing the Threshold: Simba decides to return to Pride Rock.
-Ordeal: He faces Scar and confronts the truth about Mufasa’s death in a fight against Scar and the hyenas
-Reward: Simba claims his rightful place as king after defeating Scar.
-Return with the Elixir: Pride Rock is restored; he embraces his destiny and responsibility of being king
The film's act structure drives the film forward because it's a pretty standard setup of the film, making it easy to understand but also entertaining. In a scene, they introduce Pride Rock, Simba’s birth, his relationship with Mufasa, and Scar’s plot. The turning point is Mufasa's death and Simba's running away. Act two, they show Simba growing up in the jungle, while adopting “Hakuna Matata,” but is conflicted about his past. The turning point is that Mufasa's spirit shows up in the water, calling Simba back to fight for Pride Rock. Lastly, in Act Three, Simba returns, battles Scar, and reclaims his throne. This is where it ends as the climax hits, and Simba is now again, kind of at Pride Rock. So you see, this three-act structure drives the story in a pretty simple way, but also makes it entertaining to the viewers.
When Simba first returns to Pride Rock after Scar takes over it, we see the land is no longer green, there is barely life, and it's very cold in color. The colors seem to be very dull, and it's raining. Though after the lions defeat Scar and the hyenas, the rain clears, and the colors become much more vibrant than they were before. Showing renewal and the right leadership of Pride Rock, as it goes back to being a better place when Simba takes the throne. Rightfully so.
I love this film because I grew up watching it, and I really like the animation within it. :3
奥利
Delete1: Simba goes through most of the stages of the Hero's journey. When his dad dies, he goes away after Scar gaslights him into believeing his dads death was his fault. He meets friends along the way, Pumba and Timon. These guide him to adulthood where he struggles with the memories of pride rock. He then decided to return after meeting his long friend Nala. He is then thrown into clonflict when he faces scar, but ultimately beats him and restores order to Pride Rock. Even summarizing the story in a short form manner we see there is a call to action, friends or help along the way as he crosses into the unknown world, grows older and stronger which is the rebirth part, and comes back to complete the cycle.
ReplyDelete2. The 3 act structure in the lion king consists of the starting act, where we meet him and his family at Pride Rock. This act is important for the narrative as it is his home, a peaceful place he knows. His family and friends reside there, so its a place he cares about. Thats why it strikes us deeply when Simba's father, mufasa, dies. Then we move onto the 2nd act. We are thrust into it through the 1st act showing us this wonderful place then banishing us into an unkown jungle. This helps progress the plot and allow Simba to grow while being unaware of the trouble at home as he is preoccupied with survival of the jungle as well as a carefree attitude where he convinces himself that he doesnt have to worry. Its only at the end of act 2 do we see him begin to change his mind and decide to return to Pride Rock, the climax and beginning of act 3. Act 3 starts with him returning to Pride Rock and challenging Scar's authority. This is the height of the film as they have a fight to the death with Simba trying to show everyone he is a moral king unlike Scar. It ultimately ends with Scar's death to the hyena's he trusted and the conclusion of the film being a warm and welcome one, much like the start of the first act. These 3 acts drive the plot to progress by having an important moment at the end that thrusts the characters and audience forward into unkown boundaries.
3. The Mise en scene is extremely important from 1:15-1:16. This moment is crucial as its Simba's return to pride rock, a once glowing and lively place. What it has been reduced to during the time of Scar's rule is a burnt down dark and gloomy place. The mise en scene helps reflect the need for the hero (Simba) and establishes a clear right and wrong. It also helps us feel uneasy as this is not the same Pride Rock we knew and we must tread with caution. We as an audience feel betrayed by Scar and want to push Simba forward in order to establish justice and save his friends.
4. I really liked the film as its a great example of an undeniably good archetype which is the heroes journey. It is also important to me as I watched it all the time when I was younger so its nostalgic. Overall, I really like the film and even though its a kids movie theres obviously a deeper meaning which I appreciate.
1. How does Simba’s journey exemplify the stages of the Hero’s Journey/Story Circle?
ReplyDeleteSimba's journey heavily exemplifies the hero's journey. For example, if we put Simba’s into the creator of Rick and Morty’s story circle, we can see that Simba is a perfect example of it. First, the audience sees Simba's zone of comfort is the rainforest with Pumba and Timon. He has grown to like it there but it’s not until they discuss their interpretations of stars that we see that Simba feels like he has a higher calling; he is meant to be king after all. It’s not until he is confronted by Nala (his childhood bestfriend), to which she criticizes his new home and convinces him to go back to the Pride Lands, is when we see Simba leave his zone of comfort. He finally leaves his zone of comfort because his home is being ruined by Scar. Once he, Pumba, Timon, and Nala all travel to the Pride Lands, Simba sees his home has been effectively ruined by Scar, his family now fully under Scars rule where they are forced to hunt and then eat the scraps Scar doesn’t eat. Once Simba battles his uncle, it is there he finds that Scar is the one who killed his father and he kills Scars. Simba got his throne, and restored his homeland, all at the price of killing his uncle, who he once looked up to as a kid. Simba is accepted with open arms and is able to return home and claim his title as king. However, now Simba is able to fully accept his identity and let go of the lifelong guilt that had been holding him back from growing as a character. Thus, Simba’s journey fits into each part of the hero's journey story circle perfectly.
2.Discuss how the film’s three-act structure drives the narrative forward. What are the key turning points?
Each act of the film is carefully interwoven with each other to build upon the last act. Every plot line is intentional and every scene drives the narrative forward in some way, even if it’s eating bugs because even that represents Simba letting go of his old life and his old life's ways. In this film, the three-act structure repeats itself to emphasize Simba’s growth as a character.
The Set up 1: Simba’s home life at the pride rocks is established, it is also established that Scar and Mufasa have some past unresolved conflicts. It is made clear that Scar has a bad influence on Simba and causes him to be rebellious.
Confrontation 1: After Simba’s elephant graveyard stint, Scar takes Simba to a seemingly empty canyon. It is here that Scar sets up Simba to be caught in the stampede and force Mufasa to jump in there and save him, thus being weakened for Scar to be able to fight him. In this same scene, Scar kills Mufasa and blames Simba for his death, forcing him to “run far away and never return”.
The Resolution 1: Simba is found by Timon and Pumba, where they show him their way of life and he slowly grows up and adapts to their laidback way of life.
Most of Simba’s character growth here was indirect, and influenced by others. Yet, it still drives the narrative as these plot points will define his life and his character traits. Traits such as an overbearing guilt for the death of his father that later affected him by causing him to want to completely forget about his old life because he feels as if he doesn't deserve to be there any longer after what he’s done.
The Set up 2: Simba’s life in the rainforest is comfortable but he feels like something is lacking. He looks to Rafiki after his confrontation with Nala, to tell him who he is. Rafiki refuses to tell him, instead he insists that Simba needs to return home to find himself again.
DeleteConfrontation 2: Simba returns home with the others to where he fights with Scar. It is here that he finds out that Scar was the true murderer of his father. Simba’s lifelong guilt is finally relieved here and he makes the final move to uproot the weed that has plagued him ever since he left; he kills Scar.
The Resolution 2: Simba is finally able to fully accept who he is. He isn't the same cocky kid he once was, but he is a more wise and knowledgeable character now that he has finally confronted his past and let go of his trauma.
Simba’s character growth here is very direct, it is caused by the decisions he makes and thus he is able to grow much more mature and develop more positive character growth. Now that his past trauma has been lifted off of his shoulders, he is able to move on with his life and accept himself for who he is.
3.How do elements like color, lighting, and setting contribute to the film’s themes and emotional tone? Pick a still or a 5-10 second sequence to describe it.
If we go to around two minutes and twenty two seconds into the song Be Prepared, this short scene is able to make an impactful tone due to the elements within the shots. Examining the elements, we see that Scar is sitting up above on a rock looking down at his subjects (the hyenas). It is here that Scar takes a more authoritative approach to leading the hyenas, and his seat above the hyenas is similar to that of a dictator looking down on his loyal soldiers. It establishes Scar as an authoritative figure, symbolizing his power. Also, the hyenas are marching in a line, highlighting the theme of the song which is power and ambition as the hyenas are mindlessly marching to battle under Scars rule. The menacing tones of the lighting also play a role in this scene. Scar is slightly obscured in the shadows in this scene, the shadows mostly on his back, a metaphor for his manipulation as his back is obscured in the dark showing his deceitfulness. His face is bathed in light as he is telling the hyenas all of the great things to come from his rule as king, but his true intentions are obscured in the darkness. One other thing about this scene that sticks out is the color of the light on scar and the hyenas. The greenish-yellow makes up the grounds and the lighting on the front of the scar. Green, as we know, is a symbol of greed or desire, this reflects Scar’s ambition to become king as light hits his face and he stares down at his subjects. The hyenas (who are portrayed as his soldiers in this moment) are the source of Scars power and ambition, that is why they are bathed in the greenish-yellow. Without the power of the hyenas, Scar cannot live out his ambitions to become king because he would be powerless. This works to create a menacing and tense effect because the farther the hyenas get away from the scene, the light fades out. The audience doesn't know the true numbers of Scars power, but the lighting works to make him appear to be a huge threat to the Pride Lands as the light can't even cover every single one of the hyenas so they just fade out into the shadows eerily while they march on. Thus, the mise en scene of this scene heavily contributes to the menacing tone of the song and themes of ambition and power.
4.Did you like the film? Why/Why not?
DeleteI really enjoyed the film, it holds a lot of nostalgia for me. When I was a kid I used to watch it all of the time so it was really fun to analyze all of the intricate parts of Simba’s journey. Each character is well written and unique from each other and the plot is well thought out and excellently executed. I also really just like the old animation style of this film and the colors they use. They bring together the film along with the amazing character designs. It was an amazing film all around.
1. Simba’s journey demonstrates the Hero's Journey and even goes through all 12 steps of the writing process. For step 1, ordinary world, Simba is born in the Pride Lands and is the heir to his father, King Mufasa. Step 2, call to adventure, Simba is informed about the Elephant’s Graveyard by his father’s uncle, Scar, and he would later visit the location along with Nala. Step 3, refusal to call, Simba is led to believe the death of his father was caused by his actions and would later flee to avoid taking his father’s position of king. Step 4, assistance/meeting mentors and allies, Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, who would teach the young cub about “the circle of life”. Step 5, crossing the threshold, living in the jungle, now living a new life from his old lavish life in Pride Lands. Step 6, tests, allies, and enemies, Multiple allies have been established, including Timon, Pumbaa, and Rafiki, enemies are Scar and hyenas, and “test” is learning the state of the Pride Lands once Scar took sovereignty. Step 7, approach, Simba and his allies return to the Pride Lands to stop Scar. Step 8, ordeal, Simba faces Scar and learns the truth of his father's peril being caused by his uncle. Step 9, reward, Scar is defeated, Simba accepts the truth, and the once stubborn cub turns to accept his destiny and accepts his role as the rightful king. Step 10, the road back, as Simba becomes the new king, he returns order to the Pride Lands and fixes the wrongdoings from Scar’s tyranny. Step 11, resurrection, the Pride Lands themselves are resurrected as Simba fixes what was left by his Uncle, Scar. Step 12, return, Simba is now back in his original home, however, his life has changed, as he has now taken the role of king and must rule over the Pride Lands with Nala and their cub.
ReplyDelete2. The Three-Act Structure has a crucial role in driving the narrative forward as it not only keeps the audience engaged but also shows clear stages and transitions to display a shift in the story. In Act 1, several items are established, such as the theme of the circle of life and allusions to a villain. The turning point of this act is the murder of Mufasa and the fleeing of Simba. In Act 2 time passes and new objects of interest are introduced, such as Simba’s new life living in the jungle with Timon and Pumbaa, the introduction to an issue of a higher degree, being Scar’s reign over the Pride Lands, and the inner awakening of Simba of realizing who he is and who he is meant to be. The turning point of Act 2 is when Simba decides to return home to confront Scar to indicate the coming of a climax. The shift from avoidance to taking action transitions to Act 3, which is the point where Simba finally confronts Scar to reclaim the throne. This act consisted of Simba’s victory as well as the fall in tension as he rebuilds the Pridelands.
3. An example of mise en scene in the Lion King can be seen in Simba’s return to the Pride Lands after several years of Scar’s rule. The land has become desolate and even dead compared to years prior, when Mufasa was still king. The environment was drastically different from the start of the film as the atmosphere has become much more sinister. The land has become much more bland, evident from the lack of vibrant colors. The weather has also shifter from a brightly lit sky to a dark, gloomy atmosphere as a result of the overhead shade that is the clouds. The combination of the horrid weather and bland colors truly displays the effects made by Scar’s ruling and how it has taken a toll on the Pride Lands.
4. I thoroughly enjoyed this film even when revisiting it. The wide variety of characters and the exchange of internal and external conflicts were fun to track while observing the film. It was also entertaining to watch the initially guilty Simba to rise to responsibilities and become a hero and king of the Pride Lands.
The story of The Lion King is atypical to the Hero’s Journey, however it follows similar beats as the story begins with the birth of Simba, who is next in line to be king of the Pride Lands, displaying the ordinary world. The young lion next gets influenced by Scar, a mentor with ulterior motives and told about a place beyond the Pride Lands where only the bravest go. Simba takes this call for action and along with Nala and the king's advisor Zazu who gets intentionally lost by the two lions. Simba is revealed to the new unknown world as he enters the hyena’s den and experiences fear from hyenas. Simba also goes through another challenge when he meets with the wildebeest stampede, getting Mufasa, his dad killed. He then enters again into the unknown when pressured to run away from the kingdom by Scar. It is at this new land where he meets two new friends, Pumbaa and Timon who teach him about letting go and not worrying about his problems. When Simba is grown, he refuses a call to action from a grown Nala when he hears that the kingdom is under a terrible rule because of his absence. After convincing from his dead dad, Simba and gang return to the Pride Lands in order to take Scar down, which is his final approach along with the road back to his homeland. Simba nearly gets taken out in similar fashion to his dad, but he overpowers Scar and takes him down from kingship. Simba is rewarded by now being the new king of the Pride Lands, and all is returned to before Scar’s tyrannical reign. His life however, has changed as now he is both king, along with having to raise the next heir to the crown.
ReplyDeleteThe Lion King is separated into three separate parts that can be identified by both location and at what points in the plot they are. The first act takes place from the beginning of the movie to the point where Simba runs away from the Pride Lands and away from his mistakes. The second act takes place from Simba being found by both Pumbaa and Timon till a few years later when he finally agrees to go save the Pride Lands from Scar’s reign. The third act is from Simba’s approach to Pride rock and eventual fight with Scar, the third act continues till the end of the movie. The whole movie is structured this way to show Simba’s acceptance for responsibility. In the first act, he is reckless and is only saved by his father in the face of danger, but when Mufasa dies there is no one to help him and he runs off. The second act shows Simba growing up with the mindset of Hakuna Matata, where he should not care about anything and let go, even after getting called to action against Scar, Simba still did not pick up the phone. In the final act, Simba takes responsibility over the Pride Lands by kicking out Scar and taking his spot to bring the lands back to a better time.
The scene I chose was Scar telling Simba about the lands beyond the world he knows. However due to Plex being down I am unable to give an exact time stamp. (The moment where Simba moved from the light to the shadow as he follows Scar to his end of the overlook) In this moment, we can visually see Simba disobeying his father by shifting from his light, to the darkness Scar inhibits. This is further proven by Simba’s paws first being in the shade and when Scar moved into the shadows Simba fully committed and moved into it too. We can also see Scar at the later part of this snippet standing at the edge of a rock similar in show to Pride Rock, however as it is covered by shadows we can see what Scar could have been, however, because Mufasa is older he gets kicked out of a spot of royalty. Finally, Simba follows after Scar as he moves from the light into the shadow, also revealing who in the scene is in control and who is trying to lead the other into a bad predicament.
DeleteI enjoyed The Lion King, however because it was a rewatch I did not have full attention to it the whole time which did not matter because I knew what was going on in the scenes already. I did wish The Lion King was shorter by 15 minutes to more accommodate my attention span. I also enjoyed the animation style and visually seeing all the time spent on animating the characters and sets.
- Jacob Retana
1. Simba’s journey heavily exemplifies the stages of the Hero’s Journey. In the beginning, Simba is in the Ordinary World/the comfort zone. Good things await him as he is destined to be king after his father Mufasa. This is considered his “normal life.” In the Call to Adventure, Scar, the evil brother of Mufasa, manipulates Simba into a dangerous situation by going to the elephant graveyard. Later on, Scar causes Mufasa’s death and shifts the blame on Simba, telling him to leave the Pride Lands and to never return. He refuses the call, accepting his exile. However, as he ventures away, he meets and befriends his mentors Timon, Pumbaa and Rafiki, teaching him many life lessons as he grows up, such as Hakuna Matata. Simba crosses the threshold, becoming an adult in a new environment outside the Pride Lands. He learns how to survive and overall matures as a person. His tests, enemies and allies, he has Timon, Pumbaa, and later on Nala to help him, for whom she persuades Simba to return to the Pride Lands. However, in doing so he shall confront his enemy, Scar. As Simba approaches the inmost cave, Rafiki helps Simba accept himself and reminds him of who he is and where he comes from. In the ordeal, he returns to Pride Rock and challenges Scar, facing his greatest fear. He finds out that Scar was responsible for Mufasa’s death. At this point in time, Simba is almost complete with his development as a character, experiencing a “rebirth” and becoming the leader he was destined to be. The reward, Simba finally defeats Scar and restores order to the Pride Lands as the new righteous king. Returning with the elixir, he now rules over the Pride Lands alongside his queen Nala. He embraces and accepts the new responsibilities he is given and thus his development is complete, from an exiled prince to a strong and wise king.
ReplyDelete2. Act I: The Beginning
We are introduced to Simba and his father Mufasa in the Pride Lands. We are given ideas of “the circle of life” as well as the responsibilities and importance of the king. Simba is destined to take the mantle after his father. However, that changes when Scar is introduced and has a mischievous plan that puts Simba in danger and kills Mufasa. The first turning point, Scar murders Mufasa and shifts the blame on Simba, telling him to flee and never return.
Act II: The New World
Simba meets Timon and Pumbaa, and he grows up alongside them learning many valuable lessons as time goes on. He hides from his responsibilities as he continues to have no worries. However, once Nala shows up, it brings him the call to action to return to the Pride Lands. Simba is conflicted at first. However, the second turning point, with the help of Rafiki, he remembers his father’s legacy and decides to go back, this time as a leader.
Act III: The Return of the King
Simba finally returns to Pride Rock and confronts Scar. Although Scar uses Simba’s guilt of his father’s murder against him, the truth eventually comes out that Scar was responsible. Simba in turn defeats Scar, ending his evil reign once and for all. The final turning point and the resolution, Simba claims Pride Rock as king and restores balance and order throughout the Pride Lands. The cycle is complete.
- Eli M.
Delete3. An example of a mise-en-scene is when Simba, Nala and his group approach Pride Rock, and they come to a stop at a cliff, overlooking the land. At 1:11:40-1:11:46, the mise-en-scene is composed of a dark gloomy atmosphere with grey clouds hovering over the characters, creating a sense of dread and uneasiness as they approach the final stage of conflict. The camera then cuts to the Pride Lands, now a barren wasteland, reflecting the consequences of Scar’s tyrannical rule over the land. Additionally, the scene is almost devoid of any vibrant colors, once again emphasizing the horrific and unwelcoming atmosphere. This very short sequence alone captures the building tension and the inevitability of the challenges to come against them.
ReplyDelete4. Yes, I really enjoyed the film since it was one of my movies growing up, although I never really realized the significance of the Hero’s Journey in it at the time. It really is a reminder that movies are more than just for entertainment, they provide a meaningful story to the audience. Not to mention the animation, very classic and ahead of its time.
- Eli M.
Delete1. How does Simba’s journey exemplify the stages of the Hero’s Journey/Story Circle?
ReplyDeleteSimba’s journey exemplifies the stages of the Hero’s Journey because he moves through the story from innocence, then to exile, to transformation, and then return. The departure, loss, and introduction to the call to action is that Simba begins his life as a carefree cub who was destined to be king, living in safety with his father and family. Then Simba goes through the loss of his father, believing it is his fault for his father's passing, and is forced to overcome the guilt and is forced out of his land, stepping away from his heroic path he was meant to have. The meeting with the mentor and growth is while in the wild, young Simba is mentored by Timon and Pumbaa, who rescued him from the desert. Simba is taught the philosophy that Pumbaa and Timon teach him about “Hakuna Matata,” allowing him to change his mentality. The return and confrontation are when Simba is reminded of his past life when Nala, a childhood friend, stumbles upon their pack. Then also finds Rafiki and is given a vision from his father to remember who he is, which also assists Simba in gaining the courage to confront Scar and save his colony. The Ordeal and reward, along with the return with the elixir, is the fight between Scar and Simba to regain his power of being king. After exposing Scar and defeating him, Simba accepts the role of king, and the Pride Lands, which were once devastated and sad, are now joyous, and he restores balance. Ending with Simba continuing the cycle of life by presenting his own cub he has with Nala.
2. In Act 1, it is the setup of the story, which is where the film introduces Simba as their heir to the throne, and establishes his safety and harmony in the Pride Lands under the care of Mufasa. The turning point of this scene would be when Mufasa dies and leaves Simba in danger, and he is exiled by hyenas. His uncle Scar creates Simba to believe that he was the cause of his father's death, and closes Act 1 and starts Act 2. Act 2 is when Simba grows from a cub to an adult lion with his new friends Timon and Pumbaa, who teach him “Hakuna Matata”. In this act, he explores his identity and personal conflict running from his past, in contrast to embracing his destiny of being King. The climax in this act would be Rafiki reminding Simba to remember his identity and using Mufasa’s ghost to influence him, causing Simba to choose to return and transition the film to Act 3. Act 3, being the resolution, is when Simba confronts Scar at Pride Rock, and they physically fight eachother along with emotion. The scene allows for Simba to overcome his guilt that he had of believing his father was killed on his behalf when, in reality,he learns that Scar purposefully killed Mufasa and gives Simba the courage to defeat Scar and take over the land. The overall resolution is Simba restoring the Pride Lands and the time skip to Simba restarting the circle of life with his very own cub, with Nala symbolizing the closure of the story.
3. The color contributes to the film’s theme and emotional tone because certain colors are associated with different feelings, which helps the viewer to understand the mood of the scene and understand if it’s meant to be sad or happy, or even upset. This can also tie with the lighting because the lighting of a scene can create joy or suspense. A bright and colorful setting will bring the viewers to think it's happy a joyous, while a dark and dull setting will bring them to a scary and sad or emotionless scene. Mise en Scène in The Lion King would be in the beginning scene when Simba is being presented to the colony at 4:05-4:15. The Mise en Scène in this scene is the early morning glow of the sky and the highlighted sunlight onto Simba when he is being presented, emphasizing the importance of Simba and drawing attention to him. The sunlight on Simba also causes the animals to bow to the prince, who is destined to be king one day or sooner than later. The setting also of the king's rock being higher than the ground, where the rest of the animals give Mufasa and his family more power as they are higher up, also with the camera shot panning up from the ground up to above Pride Rock shows the elevated power for the new life being brought to the kingdom.
Delete4. I like the movie The Lion King, because it is one of the movies I enjoyed watching when I was a kid. I enjoyed the romance in the movie because it wasn’t too much, but also was enough for it to be good. I also enjoyed the songs in the movie because I like to watch movies that incorporate music into their films, not only as the soundtrack but as the storyline. Basically, I enjoy watching musicals. I also enjoyed the comedy in this movie, as although it is a kids' movie, it still has humor that can be enjoyed by many.
1. Simba's journey reflects what the hero's journey is because of his entire arc. He starts out in familiarity, when his call to action takes place as soon as his father, Mufasa, dies. Technically, you could argue that his real call to action is his first encounter with other lions after being raised by Timone and Pumba. He then goes through character development, finds comfortablility in strange places, takes down Scar, and realizes that killing him, though his goal, is not all glorious. He spares him, but leaves him for the hyenas. He returns home, but not as he used to be.
ReplyDelete2. Act One: The film introduces us to the world of the Lion King, establishing Simba as a king-to-be. However, plans foil when his father is betrayed by his brother Scar, killing him and leaving Scar with the throne. Simba is then left fatherless.
Act Two: After Simba's self-exile, he finds a home in Timone and Pumba. He becomes so adjusted with this life and finds his past as only memories of what used to be, and never what will be again. But when he meets Nala, he realizes he must face his fears and return to Pride Rock, to defeat Scar.
Act Three: After a ruthless rule in Pride Land, Scar has left the civillians starved and sick. Simba returns to challenge Scar, and ultimately wins, reclaiming the throne.
3. When Scar scares the Hyenas in his evil Lair, the color green symbolizes his evil. Along with this, the upward tilt of the camera shows his dominance over the Hyenas. Green is often in pop culture paired with slimy, evil people. Scar is no exception, as a long with this, his shadowy overcast upon the Hyenas insiuates a scary, bad person.
4. I quite love this film, as I have watched it since I was a baby, and every time I rewatch it, I find it to be more interesting and complex than the last. Having watched many other versions of Hamlet, I conclude that this is the best one. 9/10
-Liam Semensohn
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