Tag: Robert Sherman

Teaser Trailer for New “The Jungle Book” from Disney

new Jungle Book

One of my favorite Disney movies as a kid was The Jungle Book (1967), so I cannot help but be worried and excited that Disney is remaking the animated film as a live-action movie with CGI effects. On the other hand, the cast and the new teaser trailer make me think this new version of Rudyard Kipling’s story might just be a hit.

Iron Man director Jon Favreau directs the upcoming The Jungle Book film, which was written by Justin Marks. The actors selected to voice the various animals seem perfect: tiger Shere Khan is voiced by Idris Elba, panther Bagheera is voiced by Ben Kingsley, the bear Baloo is voiced by Bill Murray, the wolf Raksha is voiced by Lupita Nyong’o, the python Kaa is voiced by Scarlett Johansson, and the orangutan King Louie is voiced by Christopher Walken. The young boy Mowgli will be played by Neel Sethi.

Richard M. Sherman who wrote songs for the original The Jungle Book with his late brother Robert B. Sherman, is writing new songs for the new film. But we will still get to hear Bill Murray sing the original’s “The Bare Necessities.” Unfortunately, there are as of yet no reports that Christopher Walken will sing “I Wan’na Be Like You,” but I would think the movie must include it.

The Jungle Book is scheduled to hits theaters April 15, 2016. Disney also recently announced plans for a new Mary Poppins movie, which will be set twenty years after the original 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.

Will you see The Jungle Book? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Orangutans, Donald Trump, & The Jungle Book

    Jungle Book Louie News reports today are saying that Donald Trump is suing Bill Maher for $5 million dollars because of a joke Maher made at Trump’s expense. After Donald Trump made his famous offer that he would pay if President Obama released his college transcripts, Maher responded to Trump with his own offer on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, creating the basis for the lawsuit.

    On The Tonight Show, Maher referred to his “New Rules” segment on his own Real Time show, when they had supposed that “Donald Trump had been the spawn of an orangutan. . . .” Then Maher added, “I’m not saying it’s true . . . . But unless he comes up with proof, I’m willing to offer $5 million to Donald Trump that he can donate to a charity of his choice.” The video is no longer available for embedding, but you may watch it on YouTube.

    After Maher’s “offer,” Trump presented his birth certificate proving that he is not the son of an orangutan. Salon reported that Trump even explained that he did not believe Maher was joking. While Maher’s line on Leno was not one of his cleverest jokes (and I’ve often thought that most Trump hair jokes are lazy attempts at humor), I suspect that everyone else in America got the joke. If it goes that far, I am sure the courts will figure it out quickly (although some folks think Maher should pay).

    Since Donald Trump has proved he is not the world’s most famous orangutan, it raises the question of who carries that title. While some may make a case for Clyde from Every Which Way But Loose (1978), the most famous orangutan in film is probably King Louie from Disney’s The Jungle Book (1967). Louie in the film is voiced by singer and trumpeter Louis Prima, who passed away in 1978, while Baloo’s voice is from Phil Harris. King Louie’s big moment is “I Wanna Be Like You,” a song written by Robert and Richard Sherman (the pair who also wrote Walt Disney’s favorite song).

    This interesting video at the link (not available for embedding) explains how some of the animated action was inspired by Prima and his band. Prima used to lead his band members in a line into the audience, which was copied by the animators when they had King Louie lead his short procession. Also, in the movie, King Louie plays his hands at one point like Louis Prima played his horn. Prima’s dance moves provided further inspiration. Unlike Donald Trump, Louis Prima did not mind being associated with an orangutan.

    Who can hear “I Wanna Be Like You” and not feel happy? So, for Mr. Trump, here is a little something to cheer you up (without implying any relation between you and the singer).

    Who is your favorite orangutan? Leave your two cents in the comments.

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    Co-Writer of Walt Disney’s Favorite Song Passes Away

    Mary Poppins Robert Sherman, who with his brother Richard Sherman co-wrote numerous Walt Disney classics, has passed away at the age of 86. The Sherman brothers composed music for such films as Mary Poppins (1964), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Jungle Book (1967), and other films. They also composed the oft-played, “It’s a Small World After All.” Among their many awards, the brothers received Academy Awards for the score of Mary Poppins and for the best song, which also was from that film, “Chim Chim Cher-ee.”

    Richard’s brother Robert has explained that among their classic songs was Walt Disney’s favorite song, “Feed the Birds” from Mary Poppins.

    It is a beautiful song that is unusual for a children’s movie. The song is not about dancing and happy animated creatures, but instead it is about a poor (homeless?) woman taking care of birds. One commentator has argued that the scene has religious overtones about “stewardship” and “a responsibility on humanity to care for nature.” It’s an interesting argument that reflects on the pivotal role of the woman feeding the birds in contrast to the children’s capitalist father who balks at the children spending their money on bird feeding. Wikipedia recounts how when Walt Disney first heard the song, he recognized that it was the central meaning of the film about charity and caring for others.

    As a child, I found the scene both scary and intriguing (the latter of which might have been from the mystery to my American ears about what Julie Andrews sang when she sang “tuppence a bag”). Speaking of caring for others, the woman who played the small part of the bird woman was Jane Darwell, who had played Ma Joad in The Grapes of Wrath (1940). Disney coaxed her out of retirement to play the part in Mary Poppins, which was her last film and which had some similar themes to her role in The Grapes of Wrath. Not a bad message from her or the Sherman brothers. RIP. In their honor, be nice today.

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