
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, July 4, 1994                   TAG: 9407220037
SECTION: EXTRA                    PAGE: 4   EDITION: HOLIDAY 
SOURCE: KATHERINE REED STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

EVEN A 5-YEAR-OLD CAN DETECT LACK OF HEART IN 'LION KING'

There's something disturbing about ``The Lion King'' - and it has nothing to do with the controversial death scene that has been written about so much since the film's release two weekends ago.

What really bothers me about "The Lion King" is its cynicism, its lack of heart and its utter lack of strong female characters.

One of the perks of parenting - depending on the film - is having an excuse to see beautiful, animated movies for children. In the past five years, I have loved seeing movies like "Fern Gully," "Aladdin" and, despite everything, "Beauty and the Beast." I spend a significant part of the time, however, looking at my son's face during scenes I want a ``read'' on. I want to know what makes him laugh, what makes him afraid, and I have been surprised many times on both counts.

During "The Lion King," I turned to look at my 5-year-old's expression many times; I was less entertained and charmed by the movie than any Disney film in recent memory, and I wanted to see if he was liking it any better than his jaded, old mom. He was impassive, and so were his two friends.

Apparently even a 5-year-old can detect lack of heart.

I think the problem is in the story. A psychologist writing a defense of the film in the New York Times called it Shakespearean, and the death of the wise ruler Mustafa - father of Simba - at the hands of his evil brother, Scar, is classic tragedy. The simple-minded Simba is easily convinced by Scar that he is responsible for his father's death and should flee. Pretty heavy stuff.

But it's a good thing for the audience that Simba does flee, because he soon encounters the strongest comic relief in the story - the noxious warthog Pumbaa (voice by Ernie Sabella) and his wisecracking meerkat sidekick, Timon (Nathan Lane). Their "don't worry, be happy" philosophy is strongly reminiscent of Baloo the bear's in a much better (although surprisingly racist) Disney film, "The Jungle Book."

The story alternates neatly between moralistic tale and pure, calculated entertainment. You can almost imagine the meetings on the story - the first completely original story Disney has used in its animated film history: "OK, we've got 71/2 minutes of dark stuff between Simba and Scar, then a 5-minute production number, then the DEATH SCENE, then fun stuff with Pumbaa and Timon ..."

Buffeted along on this cinematic Disney ride, I clung to the character of the shaman baboon, Rafiki (Robert Guillaume), because he gave the story authenticity and magic; he is the seer, the wise man, and his spirituality helps Simba remember his roots and return to the pride.

But then in the film's violent climax, Rafiki wields his magic staff like a truncheon and picks off one after another of Scar's hyenas with Bruce Lee screams. The Teen-age Mutant Ninja Turtle fans in the audience shrieked with delight, but I felt my respect and expectation of "the new Disney" films melt away.

Obviously Disney has always known how to make a buck. And there has been a calculatedness about the recent films, but "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast" were so beautifully animated and so entertaining, the filmgoer couldn't feel the strings being pulled quite as easily - or just didn't mind.

And it was easier to forgive the sexism of a movie like "Beauty and the Beast" (when will a Disney story center on a female character who doesn't end up in a big wedding scene at the end?) because "Beauty and the Beast" is a love story, adapted by Disney. Now that Disney is writing for itself, one would hope for and expect something more than maternal, or romantic roles for the female characters. In "The Lion King," we are told that "the lionesses do the hunting," but men have the power - all of it. The lionesses do nothing on their own behalf until Simba returns to the pride - with a little help from his betrothed, Nala.

"The Lion King" looks like it was put together as quickly as possible - in time for a summer release maybe? The animation isn't as rich-looking as recent Disney films, and the cinematography lacks the fluidity of "Beauty and the Beast."

But Disney will make a gazillion dollars, anyway, because children's movies are so few and far between, and "The Lion King" will ensure a string of successors, as carefully plotted for success and equally as undeserving.

Katherine Reed is a copy editor and occasional film reviewer for the Roanoke Times & World-News.

by CNB