#YOU TUBE LION KING CIRCLE OF LIFE MOVIE#

The power of The Lion KingвЂ™s opening scene wasВ obviousВ from the very beginning. вЂњCircleвЂќ Became the Defining Moment of the Movie, And The First Trailer (Photo by В© Walt Disney Co./courtesy Everett Collection) An artist in Burbank invented Pride rock.вЂќ Many people try to say, вЂPride Rock is based on this mountain here,вЂ™ but they are wrong. Co-director Roger Allers has reportedly said, вЂњвЂ¦.we used a variety of inspirations. While itвЂ™s true that the filmmakers traveled to KenyaвЂ™s HellвЂ™s Gate National Park to research the animals and landscape, the look of Pride Rock itself was something that came straight from the minds of the animators. Many curious fans have dug into The Lion KingвЂ™s production history in search of the real-life landmark that inspired Pride Rock, believing that it exists somewhere in Kenya. It would also go on to become the signature set piece in Julie TaymorвЂ™s Broadway production of The Lion King. It is where baby Simba is introduced to the world where Scar meets his fate and where Simba and NalaвЂ™s baby is held aloft in the filmвЂ™s final, bookending moments. The opening scene of The Lion King introduced audiences to the movieвЂ™s signature sound and feel, but also to one of its most indelible images: Pride Rock, a jutting formation of giant rocks that becomes almost an amphitheater on which much of the filmвЂ™s key action takes place. Then, suddenly, Lebo cried out вЂњNants ingonyama bagithi Baba,вЂќ and all present agreed вЂ“В instantly вЂ“В that the chant would open the film. At first, it looked like the session was not going anywhere, and that the team might not have the right music for the opening scene ahead of a screening for executives. Zimmer and the directors told theВ composer what they wanted to do with the opening scene, and, during one session, Lebo began to riff on ideas.

Hans Zimmer ( pictured above), who had been brought on to compose the score, tapped Lebo M., a then-exiled South African composer living in the U.S., to help with the music. The Zulu section вЂ“В including the famous вЂњNants ingonyama bagithi Baba!вЂќ вЂ“В came about in similarly inspired fashion. вЂњBy half-past three, heвЂ™d finished writing and recording a stunning demo.вЂќ вЂњI gave him the lyrics at the beginning of the session at about two in the afternoon,вЂќ Rice says in The New Illustrated Treasury of Disney Songs. Lyricist Tim Rice has said that the main melody was dreamed up by Elton John in less than two hours. Both of the songвЂ™s key elements вЂ“В the memorable Zulu chant that opens the film, as well as the sung English verses and chorusВ вЂ“В were created in moments of sudden inspiration. ItвЂ™s hard to believe that a song as powerful as вЂњThe Circle of LifeвЂќ вЂ“ which opens the film, stage show, and presumably also the upcoming live-action filmВ вЂ“ came together so quickly.

The Song Was Written in Two Major Flurries of Inspiration Ultimately, the filmmakers went in a different direction, opting for zero dialogue, and move history was made. Also, in one early incarnation of the scene we were to meet The Lion KingвЂ™s villain, Scar, who was to be shown angrily watching over the proceedings until being noticed and slinking away. For starters, rather than simply show the animals wordlessly moving towards Pride Rock, the scene was to feature dialogue one early iteration would have them sing a prayer in Swahili.

#YOU TUBE LION KING CIRCLE OF LIFE MOVIE#

Originally, the scene вЂ“В now widely regarded as one of the most awe-inspiring movie openings ever вЂ“В was going to be quite different. Twenty-five years on, it has lost none of itsВ abilityВ to drop your jaw. The opening moments of The Lion King are some of the most powerful moments Disney animators have ever put to screen: from the second Lebo M.вЂ™s Zulu chant kicks in over a rising red sun, to the moment that same sun slices through the clouds to bless baby Simba, held skyward by Rafiki, the sequence holds the audience in its thrall. вЂњThe Circle of LifeвЂќВ Might Have Looked Very Different HereвЂ™s how it came together вЂ“ and how it almost looked, and sounded, completely different.

To celebrate the anniversary of the original game-changing animated classic, weвЂ™re looking back at its first few minutes, which make up one of the most spellbinding opening sequences in movie history. And itвЂ™s just less than a month before DisneyвЂ™s new take on the story lands inВ cinemas across the country. ItвЂ™s been 25 ears since The Lion KingВ was released in theaters on June 24, 1994. (Photo by В©Walt Disney Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)

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