The trailer for Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of The Jungle Book hit me in a way I didn’t expect. In addition the breathtaking CGI jungle and animals and Scarlett Johansson’s haunting Kaa, the footage mashed buttons attached to nostalgic feelings I didn’t know I had for the animated Jungle Book from 1967. The trailer had a similar effect on YouTuber Omer Eliraz. He thought of the animated film and cut together footage from that movie to match the images in the live-action trailer.
Need a refresher? Watch:
The music, sounds, and voice fit the animated film surprisingly well–they completely changes the tone. It’s been a while since I’ve seen the animated movie, but I remember it being focused on the fun aspects of jungle life as Mowgli got to know the world around him and befriended animals like Baloo. Any danger the boy found himself in wasn’t too terribly scary. Seeing the mash-up makes me more curious about the live-action take and just how different the world will be. The darker route isn’t always the way to go and seems to have become the default in Hollywood, but in this case, I think it’s a good fit for the story. I want to reserve further judgment until I see footage of more animals speaking though because that has the ability to make or break the film.
Do you hope they’ll keep the lighthearted tone of the animated film in the remake or do you want them to go darker? Let me know in the comments.
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HT: Slashfilm