I got an early look at 'The Lion King' on laser, and predicted with more than a little certainty that fans of Disney's latest animated money machine to hit laser disc would be very pleased.
The laser transfer of 'The Lion King' is, like 'Beauty And The Beast' and 'Aladdin' before it, outstanding. Unlike 'Beauty And The Beast' and 'Aladdin', both the CAV collector's edition and the much less expensive CLV edition share the same transfer. Also, the aspect ratio is the theatrical ratio of 1.85:1 rather than the 1.66:1 (or less) that the two previous animated films were transferred at. Colors on this disc are wonderfully vibrant with only the barest hint of noise in some of the reds and oranges. Sharpness and detail are excellent, as is contrast and brightness. Both editions of 'The Lion King' are THX certified.
As good as the video is, what knocked me out was the sound. The opening sequence ('Circle of Life') is bound to become demo material in many home theatres. The range and dynamics of the soundtrack are simply stunning. From the deep, solid bass at the low end to the clear, sparkling highs at the top, the digital capabilities of the laser format are used to their fullest. If one has a decent Pro-Logic or AC-3 system at home and only saw this film in analog Dolby (or, heaven forbid, mono), the soundtrack alone is worth the price of the CLV disc.
The film runs 88 minutes and contains 27 chapters. The side break is about as perfect as they get, placed at a fade to black. No extras are included on the CLV disc (hey Eisner, would one steenkin trailer have killed ya!?). Of course, for the "animation obsessed", there is the $124.95 CAV edition that probably has more than anyone needs to know about this film in it, but my interest in this sort of thing is a bit more casual so the CLV edition, at a very reasonable $29.95, does the trick.
"Hakuna Matata"
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