Friday, April 29, 2016

The Jungle Book


Absolutely stunning and spectacular is how Walt Disney Pictures developed live-action/CGI adaptation with Justin Marks penning the screenplay and Jon Favreau directing the film, released on 15 April 2016; version of much edited or adapted by way of book, TV serials, movies - animated and otherwise on Mowgli and 'The Jungle Book' by Rudyard Kipling can be described. The film's cast includes Neel Sethi as Mowgli, Bill Murray as Baloo, Idris Elba as Shere Khan, Ben Kingsley as Bagheera, Christopher Walken as King Louie, Giancarlo Esposito as Akela, Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and Lupita Nyong'o as Raksha. There are a handful of moments that make you jump out of your seats.

"I have always been a big fan of Mowgli and his friends from the jungle." - even I had written here in 2009.

http://arunoday.blogspot.in/search?q=Mowgli

It is not right to dismiss Rudyard Kipling's masterpiece as literature for children considering the philosophical insights that it offers.

1. The Law of the Jungle - lay down rules for the safety of individuals, families, and communities;
2. The need is bare necessity.
3. It is not good to be alone.
4. How man prosper controlling the red tourch.
5. Need to respect and bow down on seeing others.
6. Mother's Love and the need to set free, what you love.
7. The Manager - Baloo

Set your love free, you will have it, if it is your's.

Disney indeed felt bullish about Jon Favreau’s live-action remake of The Jungle Book, is well evident from its conclusion, and there are chances for its sequel soon.

Where the original 1967 animated feature ended with Mowgli being seduced into returning to the “man village” by a pair of feminine eyes, Favreau’s film sends the boy hero (played by newcomer Neel Sethi) back to his wolf pack in the wake of vanquishing the menacing tiger Shere Khan (Idris Elba), while his animal pals Bagheera (Ben Kingsley) and Baloo (Bill Murray) look on proudly. For now, at least, Mowgli intends to enjoy the bare necessities of jungle life, rather than try to adapt to living around other humans.

There is the less-remembered elements of the original Mowgli stories penned by Rudyard Kipling.

Picking up from the moment when Bagheera and Baloo lead an unwilling Mowgli to the gates of the man village, this version of events has him laying eyes not on a girl but on a gruff older man holding a musket. This is Buldeo, a character Kipling introduced in the Jungle Book’s fourth story, “Tiger! Tiger!” Innately distrustful of anything wild, Buldeo fires a warning shot when he catches sight of Bagheera. The panther pushes Mowgli forward, telling him, “Get going, man cub!” As Mowgli rushes towards Buldeo, the older man takes aim again, until his gun is knocked away by another villager. Buldeo claims that the child is “bewitched,” but he’s overruled by a woman who takes a closer look at Mowgli and says disbelievingly, “Nathoo … can it be you?”

There are many other differences as well - basically being new tricks and thoughtfulness of Mowgli and his boomerang being absent, Kaa the python being a foe and not a friend, and there are some of his other friends missing as well.

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