About The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book is an American animated film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released in 1967. The 19th Disney animated feature film, the film is an adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's stories about Mowgli, an orphaned boy raised by wolves in the jungle. The story focuses on Mowgli who is raised in the jungles of India by a pack of wolves, guided by the wise black panther Bagheera and the carefree bear Baloo. He faces challenges from the fierce tiger Shere Khan and the sneaky snake Kaa.

Making / Production

The Jungle Book was the last film personally overseen by Walt Disney himself. The animations were done in the xerography process, where the animators' drawings were directly transferred onto the cels, allowing for a more rough artistic look that reflected the jungle setting.

Actors

• Phil Harris as Baloo: He brought a fun and carefree persona to Baloo, the bear who becomes Mowgli's friend and protector.
• Bruce Reitherman as Mowgli: He provided the voice for the young boy who is the protagonist of the film. His innocence and adventurous spirit were very well portrayed.
• George Sanders as Shere Khan: Sanders brought an elegant, commanding presence to the role of the dangerous tiger.
• Sterling Holloway as Kaa: Holloway's distinctive voice added an eerie charm to the cunning snake Kaa.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The movie was the last one to be personally supervised by Walt Disney himself.
• The character of King Louie was not in the original book. He was created for the movie.
• The vultures in the movie were originally going to be voiced by The Beatles. However, due to scheduling conflicts, this did not happen.

Awards

The Jungle Book was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Song for "The Bare Necessities" in 1968.

Quotes

• "Look for the bare necessities. The simple bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife." - Baloo
• "You have the word of Bagheera. - Bagheera
• "Trust in me, just in me. Shut your eyes and trust in me." - Kaa

Music, Soundtrack

• "The Bare Necessities" - Performed by Phil Harris and Bruce Reitherman
• "I Wan'na Be Like You" - Performed by Louis Prima and Phil Harris
• "Trust in Me" - Performed by Sterling Holloway