See full gallery on TechnoBuffaloFor Disney, the studio’s recent slate of live-action remakes has been decidedly hit and miss. Alice in Wonderland, for example, was a bit of a dud. But not all reboots are created equal.
Pete’s Dragon is a recent example of a live-action remake done right, but it’s perhaps Jon Favreau’s The Jungle Book that best highlights how to take a beloved property and instill it with new life.
Out today on Blu-ray and DVD, The Jungle Book is a gorgeous film that mixes live-action and CGI with impressive results. As we said in our review, the level of artistry behind the movie, which was filmed entirely in a sound stage in Los Angeles, is reason enough to watch the film. But it’s also the emotion, heart, and humor that makes The Jungle Book such a success.
The best part of the new home releases are the extra features included with the movie, giving viewers an idea of how everything came together to create a modern classic. Below are some of the extras you can expect.
Blu-ray & digital HD:
“The Jungle Book” Reimagined – Favreau sits down with producer Brigham Taylor and visual effects supervisor Robert Legato to discuss “The Jungle Book” and reflect on the years they devoted to the reimagining of this timeless tale. Discover how Rudyard Kipling’s original stories and the classic animated film influenced their unique approach, witness the technical wizardry that enabled the team to create a believable and thrilling movie-going experience, and learn how they borrowed a page from Walt Disney’s innovation playbook to make it all happen. Lastly, meet the all-star voice cast who help bring the film’s colorful characters to life, as well as the musicians who accent the adventure with a majestic music score.
I Am Mowgli – Follow the extraordinary journey of 12-year-old Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of hopefuls worldwide to play Mowgli “alongside” some of today’s biggest movie stars. Get a glimpse of Neel’s life before Hollywood came calling, check out his audition that sealed the deal, and see how a close-working relationship with Favreau brought out his best. Plus, Neel shares how filming “The Jungle Book” was one wild ride, from working alongside imaginary animals to performing some super-fun stunts.
King Louie’s Temple: Layer by Layer – So, exactly how do you create a musical number featuring one man-cub, a massive, legendary ape and an army of wild and wily monkeys in the Seeonee jungle? Viewers are granted rare and unique access to the development of the “I Wan’na Be Like You” sequence in which King Louie attempts to coerce Mowgli into giving up Man’s deadly “red flower” (fire). A fast-moving musical progression reel showcases storyboards, animatics, Christopher Walken’s recording session and visual effects layers, which ultimately merge to form one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
Audio Commentary – Favreau delivers his scene-by-scene perspective on the live-action adventure “The Jungle Book” with all the candor and humor you’d expect from this multi-talented actor-writer-director-producer.
DVD
King Louie’s Temple: Layer by Layer – So, exactly how do you create a musical number featuring one man-cub, a massive, legendary ape and an army of wild and wily monkeys in the Seeonee jungle? Viewers are granted rare and unique access to the development of the “I Wan’na Be Like You” sequence in which King Louie attempts to coerce Mowgli into giving up Man’s deadly “red flower” (fire). A fast-moving musical progression reel showcases storyboards, animatics, Christopher Walken’s recording session and visual effects layers, which ultimately merge to form one of the film’s most memorable scenes.
Because The Jungle Book is aimed at kids, only the biggest of geeks (me) will get a kick out of the extras. I particularly liked “King Louie’s Temple,” which revealed how that epic—and frightening—sequence was put together. For everyone else, the film transfers well to a home release, although some of the magic is lost without a proper 3D transfer.
Starring Neel Sethi, Bill Murray, and Ben Kingsley, The Jungle Book is available now on digital, DVD, and Blu-ray.