STEPHEN SOMMERS
Bil’s rating (out of 5): BBB.5.
USA, 1994. Vegahom Europe, Walt Disney Pictures. Story by Ronald Yanover, Mark Geldman, Screenplay by Stephen Sommers, Ronald Yanover, Mark Geldman, based on characters from the novel by Rudyard Kipling. Cinematography by Juan Ruiz Anchia. Produced by Edward S. Feldman, Raju Patel. Music by Basil Poledouris. Production Design by Allan Cameron. Costume Design by John Mollo. Film Editing by Bob Ducsay.
Exotic, visually opulent adaptation of the famous children’s book features a more robust Mowgli (Jason Scott Lee) and a wilder adventure than was featured in the Disney version. A young boy is abandoned in the jungle and raised by animals, only to find himself at odds with humanity when civilization starts to encroach upon his beautiful jungle. Upon meeting a beautiful young woman (Lena Headey), his ideas about the scary white people start to change (but of course there’s a priggish suitor rival to contend with). It’s exciting, but not very memorable or extremely charming, more suited to youngsters than anyone else.
