Film on Friday #50 - Disney's The Jungle Book

When I was young, I always begged my grandmother to read me stories from  her copy of The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. I wanted to live in the jungle with those talking animals for friends. Walt Disney produced an animated version in 1967 that had music and comedy as the focus. And for the time, it was good.

But, director Jon Favreau's version of The Jungle Book  has just released on Blu-ray and DVD for home viewing - and I have to say - it is absolutely fantastic!

Favreau has employed 'live-action' filming. It is miles beyond that '67 version. You'd swear that the animals were real, yet the only 'real' actor is Mowgli - played by Neel Sethi. (His journey to being cast and his time on set is one of the special features) The all-star cast includes Bill Murray as the voice of Baloo, Sir Ben Kingsley as Bagheera and Lupita Nyong’o as the voice of mother wolf Raksha. Scarlett Johansson gives life to Kaa, Giancarlo Esposito  provides the voice of alpha-male wolf Akela, Idris Elba roars as the voice of Shere Khan, and Christopher Walken. These voices were absolutely perfect for each character. I have to say I probably enjoyed Baloo the most.

Favreau has stayed very close to the stories I remember. Even though I knew what would happen, I found myself caught up in the story, crying for the wolves, frightened of Kaa and Shere Khan and protected by Bagheera and Baloo. He's also included music from the '67 version. Walken's King Louie song is priceless. But my fave is Baloo's The Bear Necessities. Again, I can't stress how good the graphics are - check out the trailer below to see for yourself. The bonus features are great, giving you a look at behind the scenes. This new version is a wonderful tribute to Kipling's stories. Just excellent for this viewer.

This is a family film with a few caveats - there is a death and some danger. I'll be sharing the stories and movie with my grandson when he's a few years older. Until then, I am so happy to have this in my DVD library - I can still dream of living in the jungle with talking animals for family!

And if you too would like to add The Jungle Book to your library, enter to win a copy from this blog HERE. Ends Sept. 10/16.

The Revenant on Blu-ray and Digital HD

It seems to me lately that the best movies I've watched have been based on really great books. Such is the case with Director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's award winning film The Revenant. (Based on Michael Punke's book) I always try to read the book first and then watch the movie. The book was fantastic and I hoped the movie would be as well.

The Revenant on Blu-ray and Digital HD is newly released from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

And my hopes that the movie would be good were met and far exceeded. Leonardo DiCaprio won an Academy and Oscar Award for Best Actor. The film won numerous other prizes.

DiCaprio portrays Hugh Glass, a frontiersman/tracker in 1823 America with a fur company, who is severely mauled by a bear. With both winter and hostile natives on their heels, the company commander assigns two men, Fitzpatrick and Bridger to stay with Glass until he dies, bury him and then catch up with the rest of the company. Also with Glass is his son Hawk, who is sure his father can survive. Seemingly close to death, everyone figures it won't be long 'til the end.

Fitzpatrick, played by Tom Hardy, decides that he doesn't want to wait around for Glass to die and instead chooses to leave him on his own. Hardy brilliantly interprets the despicable character of Fitzpatrick. I don't know how many times I yelled at the screen.

But it is Leo who steals the show. He has very little dialogue, but his physical acting and his facial expressions (especially his eyes) transmit so much more than words could have. His courage, grit, perseverance and determination to hunt down Fitzpatrick becomes the viewer's goal as well.

Not far behind Leo is the cinematography - the backdrops are simply spectacular - the choice of actual settings instead of green screens brings the wildness and wilderness of the time and place to life. Costuming and physical props are just as believable. The bear attack is also really believable. (and a bit hard to watch)

Iñárritu has changed some of the events from the book - most notably, Glass's reason for revenge. But it works. This reason is more personal and will have the audience even more invested in Glass's drive for revenge. With every tortured step and obstacle thrown in his way, I was urging him forward, just as determined that he have his retribution. Iñárritu has also changed the ending from the book. It wasn't what I expected and I watched it two or three times. In the end, it seemed right and fit with the 'extra' character(s) that he had brought to his version of the story.

Brutal and brilliant, The Revenant is a welcome addition to my film library. Check out the trailer below. Gentle readers/watchers please be warned there are some graphic scenes. @RevenantMovie

   

The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge by Michael Punke

Michael Punke's 2002 novel, The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge, isn't one that I would have noticed or picked up were it not for the 2015 award winning film of the same name.

And that would have been a shame, as it's a he** of a good read. What surprised me even more is that it's based on factual historical events and persons. (At the end of the book, I went online to suss out the real story - absolutely fascinating reading)

1823 America. Hugh Glass is one of the best trackers and frontiersmen around, working for The Rocky Mountain Fur Company. When he is severely mauled by a bear, his compatriots carry him as far as they can in the winter mountains. Company Commander Captain Henry pays two men - Fitzgerald and Bridger - to stay with Glass until he dies, then bury him properly. But Fitzgerald has different ideas..... he decides that staying with Glass isn't worth his while. He forces young Bridger to leave Glass to die on his own and the two take off. But not before they steal Glass's gun and knife, leaving him alone and exposed to the elements.

And here's where the revenge part comes into play......Glass is as tough as nails and bent on revenge. And he wants his gun back. What follows is a nail biting fight for his life as Glass begins crawling towards the fort two hundred miles away where Fitzgerald and Bridger are to meet up with the rest of the company.

Punke has brought in many factual events and people - the conflicts between the native tribes and the white men who have come to trap and settle their land. The wilderness and the men living in it are brilliantly described, but it is Hugh Glass who captures the reader. The injustice done to him and his single minded desire to seek revenge on Fitzgerald will have the reader on the edge of their seat, urging him to take one more breath, one more step forward until.....

As I said not my usual fare, but I absolutely loved it. Punke is an absolutely wonderful writer.  Read an excerpt of The Revenant. And now that I've read it, I'm off to watch the movie....stay tuned for my review.

Winner - The Book of Life Blu-ray Combo

The randomly chosen lucky winner of a copy of The Book of Life on Blu-ray courtesy of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is:

TammyKD!

Congratulations! I've contacted you for your mailing address. Please respond with 48 hours. After that time, a new winner will be chosen. Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!

Winner - Gone Girl Blu-ray/Book Bundle

And the randomly chosen (very) lucky winner of copy of Gone Girl on Blu-ray  AND a copy of the novel Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn, courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment is:

Jordan Gibbs!

Congratulations! I've contacted you for your mailing address. Please respond within 48 hours. After that time, a new winner will be chosen. Keep your eye on the sidebar for other great giveaways!