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I'm sure by now you've seen Disney's The Jungle Book. However, this month Disney released it on Blu-ray Diamond Edition for the first time ever. Not only is it remastered to look absolutely incredible on your HD television, but it includes tons of awesome special features to extend your Jungle Book fun for hours. If you're a fan of behind-the-scenes information like I am, this is a must for your collection.

A Conversation with Richard Sherman, Floyd Norman, and Diane Disney Miller

This little feature is a fun look back at the making of The Jungle Book through the eyes of composer Richard Sherman (of the famous Sherman Brothers), Story Artist Floyd Norman, and daughter of Walt Disney, Diane Disney Miller, who sadly passed away last year after the feature was filmed. They have interesting insight about how the project changed, and Diane Disney Miller talks about her father's influence in her childhood and how the film reflected that. I actually got to speak with Floyd Norman last month, and he's just as incredible to talk to over the phone as he is a speaker in this short. Photos of the crew working on the film as well as those from the Disney family are showcased as background to the conversation between the three, thanks in part to contributions from the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco.

I Wan'na Be Like You - Hanging Out at Disney's Animal Kingdom

This feature was broken up into shorts for various Disney Channel bumps, and features Disney Channel familiar faces "Blake and G" as they take a behind the scenes tour of Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in Florida.

They get to see how the animals are fed, cared for, trained, and more. It also features a sort of "pop-up video" vibe with links to more information about the individual species as well as internships in animal husbandry for interested youngsters. The kids get to see what it's like preparing over a thousand meals every morning, as well as how the animals are enriched in interesting ways including spices and perfumes on paper toys. They also get to meet a singing parrot and explore the park a little bit in the Jungle Expedition ride.

@Disney Animation - Sparking Creativity

This is a fun look at the Spark program at Disney Animation Studios, where anyone is allowed to pitch an innovative idea. The short follows the "sparks" of two specific projects. One of the ideas showcases a new look to CG animation, while another demonstrates a new computer motion capture and animation technique. Plus, it features a neat insider look at the studios themselves and the people who work there.

Bear-E-oke Sing Along

A fun sing along featuring all the major songs from the film, including Trust In Me, I Wan'na Be Like You, Bare Necessities, Colonel Hathi's March, and That's What Friends Are For.

 

The Blu-ray also includes the special features from the original DVD release of the film, with an extended behind-the-scenes look at the making of the film that includes interviews with most of the film crew, some as old as the 1980's, animators, voice actors, and historians. They share insider information about how the film changed over the course of its life, as well as Walt Disney's direct involvement and how the team dealt with his death in 1966. Fun facts about the film are shared, such as other characters the voice actors worked with, such as the fact that Mowgli's voice actor is also the voice of the original Christopher Robin!

 

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.