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5.0 out of 5 stars
See this movie on DVD!, October 25, 2002
First of all, I would like to say, PLEASE do not be misled by the few negative customer reviews. Check out the honest editorial review. Also, I was puzzled to see only a few customer reviews for such an amazing and worthwhile film.This film is a prequel to Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, the live action film released by Disney. It looks and feels very similar to that film, as it was produced by the same team. My family was familiar with the VHS version. We loved the film, but we noticed some of the limitations in a few of the special effects sequences. We were also painfully aware of the limitations of the full frame format. This is truly one of the most stunning films we have seen on DVD! The improvement over the VHS version has to be seen to be believed. This is not just exaggerated praise. We have watched well over 200 movies on DVD, and this is one of the best. The film was shot entirely on location in beautiful Sri Lanka, and the cinematography is breathtaking. Now, thanks to the widescreen DVD format, you can see it all. Also, in widescreen you can now see all the actors. Many scenes were shot with four or five actors on screen. In full frame, two or three of them are always getting cut off. Many of the animal scenes have four or five species of animal in the picture. On VHS, you could only see two. Now you can see the whole stunning scene. The movie has everything -- humor, drama, adventure, excitement, -- and a hauntingly beautiful musical score. At the end, the entire family had tears of joy in their eyes. Special mention must be made of young Jamie Williams, who gives a most convincing performance. The film also stars Bill Campbell (The Rocketeer), and Roddy Macdowell in one of his last film roles. Do not let Columbia Tristar's slightly higher price tag turn you away. And if you have only seen the VHS version, you really owe it to yourself to see the widescreen version on DVD. One word of caution. The film features Indiana Jones-like action sequences involving live pythons and cobras. It may be too intense for very young children.
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