As I promised a while back, it is time for my Genuine Gems concept to get off the ground. First up in a regular series, I examine one of the most important examples of film in my life: The Lion King.
Simply put, this is my religion. I am not a religious person by any means, but if I did believe in a god, The Lion King would be it. The crutch of my morals, my beliefs in how to treat other people, how I examine my own life, and how to look to the future, are rooted in the lessons this film teaches. While I may not always adhere to my beliefs and morals the best I can, I always return to this film with a moment of silence every so often to remind myself of who I am.
And that is ultimately the beginning of the lesson of The Lion King. It is a story about life itself ("the circle of life") and all the trials and tribulations that come with growing up and maturing from an inexperienced child to a responsible adult - the process of growing to understand and accept one's place in the world. That such a serious lesson is taught in a Disney film for children is should not go without some kind of amazement.
Furthermore, an equally important lesson is taught that goes hand-in-hand with the lesson of growing up: while the mistakes in our lives may not always be our own, it is important to always learn from our past (mistakes and all), and never to run from them. This is the core of becoming a responsible adult - taking responsibility for one's actions.
While I definitely have had trouble in the past with accepting responsibility for my mistakes, I do not fear making mistakes anymore. Every decision I make may potentially lead to a learning opportunity in my future, and I push onward in all aspects of my life expecting the best but cautiously aware of what could go wrong one day with all the decisions I have to make.
On top of all this the The Lion King is a pretty solid Disney movie otherwise. Elton John's musical score is pretty much my favorite of any animated film (it was what got me to appreciate music in the first place). The animation isn't terribly outstanding, but the attention to detail does stand out (perks of ears, wagging tails, claws protruding). The script keeps a healthy pace every step of the way, but never makes the 90 minute move feel too short or too long - the adventure is solid and well-told even after the 100th viewing (I'm probably on my 400th viewing by now).
The Lion King might have just hit me at the right time. I was 10 years old in 1994 when I first saw it in theaters. I later learned that I had a natural talent for drawing, and put pencil to paper by sketching my favorite Lion King characters during my free time at school. This grew into an explosion of creativity that led to my full interest in music, movies, and eventually even writing.
I will keep The Lion King with me until I grow old and die, and now you know why.
B3 out.
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