Jungle Book (1942)
7/10
Brilliant and stunning adaptation with sympathetic characters and colorful outdoors
17 March 2009
Based on Rudyard Kipling's known classic novel , it concerns a little boy named Mowgli (Sabu) . He's living at an Indian village with his warmhearted mum (Rosemary DeCamp) . But he's lost and raised by a wolf pack . Along the way , he encounters a variety of jungle animals , including a complete menagerie , such as : the ferocious black panther named Bagheera , the evil tiger named Shere Khan , the Croc , the bear, elephant , monkeys... Mowgli stays among his animals friends . He takes on a jungle journey and knows the location of a hidden treasure ; then three of the village men (Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Puglia) follow him and many adventures ensue .

This lavish version of the great classic displays adventures , fantasy , exotic atmosphere , and breathtaking scenarios . This is the first acting to the young Indian boy named Sabu , an American actor , even though he was born in India . In fact he never actually performed in Indian pictures , and was only in British , European, and Hollywood films . He was lined up to star in Indian flicks , and even regarded as an Indian actor , but could not get a valid work permit , because he was a naturalized US Citizen . As he followed a Hollywood 's successful career : ¨The thief of Bagdad¨, ¨Elephant boy¨ and ¨Arabian nights¨ . Rudyard Kipling's two Jungle Book anthologies comprise fifteen stories , four of which were used is this film : "Mowgli's Brothers," "How Fear Came ," "Tiger! Tiger!," and "The King's Ankus¨. Colorful and glimmer cinematography by Howard Greene and Lee Garmes in glamorous Technicolor with shimmering matte shots that make some landscapes look like they were added with magic markers . Exotical and oriental musical score by the great master composer Miklos Rozsa . It was the first film for which original soundtrack recordings were issued . This big budgeted movie is well made by Korda family . Vincent Korda created the impressive sets , Zoltan Korda directed brilliantly this familiar story and magnificent production by Alexander Korda . A must see for children of all ages. Adults will find the picture a little boring , but the younger to be amused.

Other adaptations about the vintage tale are the following ones : the Walt Disney animated classic version ¨Jungle Book¨ by Wolfgang Reithman (1969) and its sequel (2005) , and in the 90s , a beautifully and enchanting filmed version , live-action by Stephen Sommers with Jason Scott Lee, Lena Headley and Sam Neill .
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