The Lion King

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast also underwent the Imax treatment. For another Disney classic try Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Home Video Notes: Lion King 3D

Release Date: October 4, 2011

The 3D version of this classic Disney title becomes available to home video on October 4, 2011. The 4-Disc 3D Combo Pack includes Blu-ray 3D, Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital Copy. These bonus extras are offered:

- Never Before Seen Bloopers

- 4 Never-Before-Seen Deleted Scenes

- Deleted Song

- The Morning Report: Extended Scene

- Disney Second Screen

- Pride of The Lion King

- The Lion King: A Memoir - Don Hahn

- Disney Sing Along Mode

- Interactive Blu-ray Galleries

- Audio Commentary

- Disney’s Virtual Vault: Classic DVD Features Powered By BD-Live!

October 7, 2003, The Lion King Special Platinum Edition: DVD Release

Roaring into the market place once more (this time on DVD), The Lion King Platinum Edition offers a gorgeous restoration and re-mastering of the movie that conquered the world.

Much of the promotional hype has centered on the insertion of a new song taken from the hit Broadway adaptation. (Both the enhanced and original versions of the movie are on the disc.) Unfortunately, this amounts to “much ado about nothing.” The addition of The Morning Report extends the running length of the film by about 90 seconds. While it is “cool” that Sir Elton John and Tim Rice authored the punny tune, and that extra artwork was done to make it seamlessly fit, it is certainly not the reason to buy this re-release.

However, anyone who loves this tale will not be disappointed by the purchase. First, the movie didn’t look this good when I first saw it in the theater. The colors burst off the screen, and the most subtle artwork details are evident. And my techie husband Rod is convinced the digital surround remix also seems more alive than even the earlier Dolby 5.1 laserdisc release. (The disc also has a “Home Theater” sound mix that will wallop your subwoofer.)

The claim, “There is more to see than can ever be seen, more to do than can ever be done,” isn’t much of an exaggeration. The two disc set is offers interviews and audio commentary with the animation’s key creators, as well as information about the musical score, the work involved in making the film’s international début and the process behind converting the story to a stage play. For younger audiences, this edition also supplies sing along tracks, a music video (featuring the Disney’s Circle of Stars|not necessarily a selling point), some simple games and animal facts (these include mild animated and live-action animal violence, and flatulence humor).

Because I am technologically impaired, I found navigating a little confusing. The “extras” disc provides two menus; one listed by location, the other by topic. It took me a while to figure out both of them lead to the same clips just ordered differently. But even with my confessed shortcomings, I didn’t miss the self-promotional nature of much of the commentary|and you can bet your kids won’t either. Expect to be asked a few times when The Lion King 1½ will be coming out.

No one can contest the phenomenal success of The Lion King. The story speaks to our universal desire to be accepted, while illustrating the importance of taking responsibility and living up to our potential. So if it’s been a while since you and your cubs have visited this realm, you might want to pounce on this Platinum opportunity.