Family Bonding and Friendship Come to the Forefront in The Wild

Several years ago, Dreamworks released Madagascar, and shortly thereafter, Disney released The Wild. Both were computer-animated films about a ragtag group of animals who escape a New York City zoo and are forced to fend for themselves in the wild. Both groups included a lion and a giraffe. On the whole, the premises looked so similar that they sort of canceled each other out in my mind and I didn’t watch either of them, but I finally got around to seeing The Wild recently. While I occasionally found it a bit manic for my tastes, for the most part, I thought it was a fun movie.

The Wild, directed by Steve Williams, is a quest story in which daddy issues play a major role. In that regard, it is rather like Finding Nemo, but in this case, the father, a lion named Samson (Kiefer Sutherland), has several plucky sidekicks aiding him in his search every step of the way. Samson delights in regaling the other zoo animals with tales of his early years in the wild, back when the ferocity of his roar sent the most monstrous wildebeests running for cover.

His son Ryan (Greg Cipes), who can’t produce anything more than a kittenish snarl, does not appreciate the tales so much, and after a particularly humiliating incident, he decides to run away and find his roar. By the time he has a chance to rethink his plan, he’s already on a truck headed out to the harbor. Neither he nor Samson, who dashes off to the rescue, can imagine the perilous journey that lies ahead.

The movie’s early scenes showing the rapid transformation the zoo undergoes at night and the amusing ways in which Samson and his companions interact with the big city in which they find themselves are entertaining. While one scene involving a peculiar sport the zoo residents play dragged a bit for me, I loved the homage to Star Wars that accompanies the friends’ arrival in the city at large, and I also found the incorporation of animals reflective of the escapees amusing. For instance, the runaways catch a glimpse of Geoffrey, the Toys ‘R’ Us giraffe, on a sign as they run through the city streets.

Joining Samson on his mission are four close friends. The closest is the squirrel Benny (Jim Belushi), who is annoying but fiercely loyal. He also harbors a not-so-secret crush on Bridget (Janeane Garofalo), a dignified giraffe. I found this plot point pretty odd until I recalled the romance between Donkey and Dragon in Shrek and figured that if I could accept that, this wasn’t too much of a stretch. Ultimately I enjoyed the way their interaction with each other changed over the course of the movie. Many of the stand-alone comedic moments belong to Nigel (Eddie Izzard), a koala from a London zoo who is plagued by the popularity of a plush toy in his image. Of the four, the snake Larry (Richard Kind) made the least impact on me, but he still gets a few good gags in.

The movie includes several prominent nods to The Lion King, from a glimpse of the marquee for the Broadway show in the city to the general prevalence of wildebeests in the plot. The opening in particular offers many visual parallels with that Disney classic, as does the climax, revolving around a deranged wildebeest played by William Shatner – the only voice actor, incidentally, who I recognized at once. Meanwhile, another element of the climax reminded me of one of my favorite scenes in Return of the Jedi, though I don’t think that was a direct homage.

The visuals in the movie are excellent, from the natural landscapes to the bright lights of a New York City night, and most of the animals have a very realistic look to them. The lions and wildebeests often seem as if they were lifted out of The Lion King and given computer-animated embellishment. Some of the smaller characters, particularly the snake and the pigeons, look a bit cartoonish and silly, but in most cases, the animation is impressive. I wasn’t particularly fond of the soundtrack, mostly, I guess, because I tend to find it distracting when songs designed for radio are deposited in animated movies. I suppose I shouldn’t feel that way, since I often enjoy their use in live-action films, but I generally didn’t feel like the songs added much. The exception is the wildebeest song that is essential to the plot, though frankly, I just found that one pretty weird.

Overall, I liked the themes of father-son understanding and self-discovery, along with the importance of having friends who will stick with you no matter what happens. Some of the humor gelled with me and some of it didn’t; at times, I think there was a little too much going on and the jokes got lost in the shuffle. Mostly, though, this is a well-crafted movie whose characters complement one another well and conquer their fears through the power of love. Factor in the top-notch animation, and it’s easy to be wild about this family-friendly film.

The Circle of Life Sequence Gets the Picture Book Treatment in Morning at Pride Rock

There have been many movie previews that have made an impression on me, but none can match the impact of the one for The Lion King, which was simply the opening sequence of the movie. I had never seen anything as eye-poppingly epic as the sight of hundreds of animals rushing toward Pride Rock to the tune of African chanting, stirring instrumentals and a powerful lead vocal describing the “Circle of Life.” This is the scene recreated in Teddy Slater’s Morning at Pride Rock, illustrated by Robin Cuddy and David Pacheco.

The illustrations in the book are magnificent, recalling the majesty of that opening scene. While the last picture is on a single page, the book otherwise consists of 14 two-page spreads, most of which feature a particular type of animal reacting to the summons to Pride Rock. A cheetah. A pair of rhinoceroses. An octet of meerkats. We have gracefully wading storks, lumbering elephants and soaring flamingos, stampeding zebras, scampering moneys and galloping gazelles. Giraffes and topi are the final animals to be highlighted. It would have been nice if all 11 species could have been represented in the picture showing the animals bowing before the new prince, but the up-close view of the animals that we get instead is enjoyable.

The focus of this book is mostly on the diversity of the creatures who answer to the lions. Counting the royal family, Zazu the hornbill and Rafiki the baboon, there are 14 distinct types of animals here, and each reacts to the presentation in a different way. While it doesn’t quite have the same epic scope as that part of the movie, it’s perfectly plain that something big is happening. The sense of urgency and excitement is apparent throughout the book. It’s also interesting to watch the progression of the sunrise, which so gorgeously shapes the backgrounds. At the beginning, the sky is a deep reddish orange color. The shade shifts slightly from page to page so that by the conclusion, we’re looking at a brilliant blue sky.

I thought that Morning at Pride Rock might simply use the lyrics to Circle of Life as its text, but instead, the narration featured in the colored strip that runs along the bottom of each page is unique to this book. Written in large italics, the words are limited to one sentence on most pages. Usually it’s only one line of text, but sometimes there are two. The writing is fairly simple but has a poetic ring to it, especially in the descriptions of the animals. The giraffes are “elegant,” the gazelles “graceful,” the cheetah “tawny.” Slater incorporates some good verbs as well; the elephants “trumpet” the news of Simba’s birth; the storks “plod.” Even though this is far from a wordy book, youngsters might be introduced to a new word or two.

Without the exceptional music and fluid movement across a vast expanse, it’s hard for a book to truly pack the punch of one of my favorite Disney scenes ever, but Morning at Pride Rock comes close.

There's a Lion on the Loose in the Library!

The mascot of both my elementary school and college was a lion, and as both a youngster and a studious collegian, I spent a good bit of time in the library. Thus, it wouldn't be a huge stretch to call me a library lion. But I wouldn't be nearly as cuddly and eye-catching as the subject of Michelle Knudsen's Library Lion, recommended to me by fellow library lover Beth.

That lion looks pretty much how you would expect a lion to look, with big paws, a luxurious mane and sharp teeth that gleam when he opens his mouth for a mighty roar. Oh, this lion roars beautifully - loudly enough to startle anyone within a mile of the sedate library he frequents. But it isn't something that happens often because the lion learns on his first trip to the library that it is a quiet place and that such monstrous noises are frowned upon.

It's strange to think of a lion just randomly wandering into a library, and there's no explanation of where he came from. A circus? A zoo? Some guy's apartment? Or did he make the long trip from Africa with nothing but his charm to get him from place to place? We don't really know, but because he is so charming, it's easy to embrace him. He acts very much like a lion - never speaking, wearing clothes or walking on his hind paws, for instance - and even the anthropomorphic aspects of his character, such as his performance of useful tasks for strict but kindly librarian Miss Merriweather, are leonine. He dusts off shelves with his tail; he licks envelopes with his giant tongue; he allows children to ride on his back as they search for books on high shelves.

Though he is the main character, he is only referred to as "the lion". Since he can't speak, there is no one around to indicate what his name is, and I guess none of the library patrons took it upon themselves to assign him a new name. The only named characters are Miss Merriweather, a petite woman with tiny spectacles perched on her nose and her hair pulled up into a bun, and Mr. McBee, who also wears glasses and looks rather nerdy with his assortment of bowties. You might call him Miss Merriweather's deputy, and I like to imagine him with Don Knott's voice, especially as he goes hollering after the librarian to tattle on the lion. Mr. McBee is a long-time employee and a stickler for the rules, so he doesn't particularly approve of the lion's presence; in fact, he's a bit jealous of all the attention the big furry fellow has been getting.

To Mr. McBee's vexation, the lion is perfectly well-behaved following his first instance of rule-breaking, which was quickly forgiven, so he has to keep putting up with this unusual visitor, until one day the lion does break the rules, right in front of Mr. McBee - but for a very good reason. Is it reason enough for him to be allowed back in the library?

The story is well-written and entertaining, but it's the illustrations by Kevin Hawkes that are really attention-grabbing. Done in acrylic and pencil, they have a soft look about them, perfectly evoking the comforting feeling a library should bring. We get a good sense of prim Miss Merriweather, agitated Mr. McBee and the startled, curly-haired story lady through these pictures, but the lion is really the star of the show. We see the lion sniffing the card catalog, the old faithful system I relied upon throughout most of my school years, only to have it discarded in favor of new computer cataloging; rubbing his head contentedly against a bookshelf; flopping down for a nap right in the middle of the story corner with a bean bag for a pillow; hanging his head in shame after he breaks the rules by letting out an enormous roar; holding a basket of storybooks in his mouth; gazing in concern at his beloved librarian when she takes a tumble. He's there on nearly every page, looking incredibly warm and huggable - except in one illustration, in which he looks very cold, very wet and very miserable as he stares through the rain at his reflection in the library door, his mane plastered against his fur.

For lovers of libraries, lions or both, this is a wonderfully cozy book. I wish one of the libraries I visited as a child had been frequented by a lion - but only one as sweet and lovable as the title character in Library Lion!

11 Pairs of Outstanding Animal Movies

I am an animal lover, so movies about animals have always been among my favorites. Here are ten pairs of outstanding animal flicks - eh, make it 11 for good measure. There are just way too many good ones out there...

Two Brothers / The Bear - If you're looking for outstanding nature footage, either of these will do. Both are efforts by director Jean-Jacques Annaud attempting to instill in audiences a respect for nature. The Bear barely has any dialogue at all, leaving the bulk of the action to the bears, while the few humans in the film don't have much to say. Two Brothers involves a lot more people, but once again the main focus is on two creatures of the same species making their way in the world when their well-being is threatened by humans.

Old Yeller / The Yearling - Tearjerkers. Just about everybody must know by now how Old Yeller ends, and The Yearling isn't any better. But in the meantime, they are great stories about powerful friendships between boys and the animals they love, and about how life forces those boys to grow up too quickly.

Bambi / The Lion King - In the first, we get haunting hints of humans, while in the second, there are no traces of people to be found. The animation on both films is gorgeous, displaying all the glory of two very different natural landscapes and its inhabitants. Both feature fairly carefree young princes that lose a parent, drastically change their living arrangements, fall in love with childhood playmates and take on the leadership roles they were born to play in closing scenes that echo the films' dramatic openings.

The Shaggy Dog / The Incredible Mr. Limpet - Pure silliness about people turning into animals. The former has more ridiculous sight gags than you can toss a stick at, and its sequels are similarly ludicrous. I haven't seen the recent Tim Allen adaptation, but despite advances in special effects, I can't imagine it provided more laughs than the original. The latter, meanwhile, boasts Don Knotts, who's always good for a laugh, and Don Knotts as a fish is even better. I'm always a fan of half-animated, half-life action films, and this one is lots of fun.

Beethoven / 101 Dalmatians - I like the original 101 Dalmtians just fine, but the new version tickles my fancy even more. It's just the right amount of slapstick for a modern-day Disney movie - not quite as relentless as in years past, but still plenty of well-executed gags, not to mention some very sweet moments, all those adorable puppies, and Hugh Laurie. And Beethoven may have gone a little overboard with the sequels, but the first one is a blast, another throwback to classic Disney family films; Dean Jones even shows up as a not-so-competent villain. Grand fun.

The Rescuers Down Under / Cheetah - Down with poachers! One of these is animated and the other live action, but both feature valiant struggles to save endangered creatures. One is a bald eagle, the other a cheetah. The latter is an inspiring story of friendship and determination complete with wonderful footage of Africa, while the former features dazzling animation of the Australian outback and its dazzling array of creatures, not to mention one of my all-time favorite Disney villains, voiced by George C. Scott.

Andre / Free Willy - Both of these inspirational movies are about children who are outcasts in one way or another bonding with aquatic mammals. In each case, the animal is the child's closest friend, yet the time comes when they realize that it is in the best interests of the creature to depart. Both films thus come to a conclusion that is both exhilarating and sad.

Fly Away Home / March of the Penguins - Two very different types of migration, both very inspiring. The first is more of a traditional movie than the second, telling the true story of a girl and her father who use ultra-lights to help guide a flock of geese to their proper home at the changing of the seasons. The second is more a general story of survival that repeats itself again and again. It's a documentary, but that doesn't signal boring, since the cinematography is exceptional and Morgan Freeman's narration has all the right shading to help us see the beauty in these creatures forced to cope with such a forbidding environment.

The Incredible Journey / Homeward Bound - Same story, two different versions. The first is a lot closer to the real story, and the movements of the animals on their epic trek are compelling enough on their own that there's no need to imagine dialogue for the intrepid pets. But when they do talk, in the second film, it adds another, albeit not quite as realistic, dimension to the tale. The dynamics of the three very different personalities add to the fun and allow for some truly heartwarming moments.

Watership Down / The Rats of NIMH - Two fairly dark animated films about small animals - rabbits and rats - trying to start over after their lives are fundamentally altered by humans. The somber tone of each is alleviated by a raucous bird providing comic relief and a gorgeously soothing theme song.

Babe / Charlotte's Web - And we mustn't forget about the pigs. These two films feature beautiful cinematography and state-of-the-art computer animation techniques allowing real animals' mouths to speak in synch with human actors. Both movies are adaptations of classic children's books about porkers who evade the slaughterhouse thanks to a combination of sweet-naturedness and very good friends. The latter ends on a bittersweet note, but the former's conclusion is just plain satisfying, in no small part thanks to James Cromwell's outstanding portrayal of the taciturn farmer who sees the possibilities in an unassuming little pig.

Well, I think that's more than enough. I was supposed to list ten and instead I mentioned 22. And I've no doubt seen another 22 that are worth a look. What can I say? Movies and animals. They just go together so well...