Film: The Jungle Book (1967)

Film History and Context

The Jungle Book (1967) is an animated musical comedy film by Walt Disney Productions, adapted from Rudyard Kipling’s book of the same name.
The film is notable for being the last to be produced by Walt Disney, who died during its production.
It’s groundbreaking for its utilisation of technology and animation techniques at the time, which ranged from hand-drawn cells to early xerography.

Genre and Narrative Structure

The film falls under the genre of Animated Adventure and partially Musical, with a narrative that primarily follows a linear structure.
The Jungle Book uses the classic narrative tropes of a hero’s journey, focusing on the character of Mowgli as he navigates through challenges and personal growth.
The film utilises various sub-plots to explore themes of friendship, bravery, and acceptance.

Characters and Characterisation

Mowgli, the protagonist, is presented as curious and adventurous, often challenging traditional norms.
Baloo and Bagheera, animal companions of Mowgli, assume parental roles, showcasing contrasting parenting styles - carefree versus discipline.
Villain figure, Shere Khan, is characterised by his manipulative intelligence and fearsome presence, creating a sense of danger and conflict.

Sound and Music

Music is a key component in this film, with songs like ‘The Bare Necessities’ and ‘I Wanna Be Like You’ integral to both plot advancement and character development.
Disney employs leitmotifs for different characters, using variations in sound and music to denote different emotions or changes in situation.
The film also uses diegetic and non-diegetic sounds to build its narrative world.

Visual Design and Animation Techniques

The use of colour in the film is significant, with bright colours used to depict the lushness of the jungle and darker shades for more perilous scenes.
The animation technique of xerography, which was still quite new at the time, allowed for more detailed and realistic illustrations.
The character design successfully anthropomorphises the animal characters, conveying human-like personality traits and emotions, contributing greatly to the audience’s emotional engagement.

Themes and Messages

The overarching theme is the struggle between civilisation and nature, highlighted by Mowgli’s journey and his interactions with various jungle inhabitants.
Themes of identity and belonging are explored, questioning what constitutes a family and the importance of accepting differences.
Despite the light-hearted tone, the film does pose questions about danger and fear, represented by Shere Khan and the man-cub’s ultimate journey towards human civilisation.

Audience Reception

The film was a commercial and critical success, with critics praising the animation and voice acting. Its legacy continues today with various remakes and adaptations.
The musical elements of the film resonated with audiences, leading to a continued trend of musical numbers in Disney animations.
Despite the popularity, the film faced criticism for its westernisation and deviation from the original text by Kipling, showing a possible cultural bias within the film industry.