THE JUNGLE BOOK

THE STORY:
 First published in 1893-94, the Jungle book is a
collection of stories by the English author Rudyard
Kipling, focusing on the adventures of a young boy
living in the rainforest of India. After being abandoned
he is raised by a wolf pack and panther and lives like
them. Kipling was born in India himself, and was a
journalist, poet, novelist and short story writer. Key
themes in the Jungle book are abandonment, law and
freedom. In the film/book there are rules surrounding
Mowgli about obedience and knowing one’s place in
society with "the law of the jungle". The stories also
represent growing up and moving on as Mowgli travels
out of the jungle to the village. It also shows the
message of challenging the rules he is held down with
and becoming independent as well as learning how to
come back into human civilization.

 In 1962 Disney gained the rights to the Jungle book.

 Disney wasn’t intending to make a huge hit on the world
ADAPTATIONS:

with the 1967 film but they couldn’t afford it to fail as
during this time Disney wasn’t doing as well with their
 There has been several adaptations films. Now it has made $141 dollars (19th highest grossing
from the classic book. Disney made film of all time in the US) and $205 worldwide. This film
the first animated film of the story in was the 19th Disney animated film, and was directed by
1967, which included iconic songs Wolfgang Reitherman. It was also the last film made by
Walt Disney before he died.
throughout the film. Disney released
a live-action remake in 1994
directed by Stephen Sommers
based on the Mowglis stories (the
second book written by Kipling.)
They also released an animated
sequel, The Jungle Book 2 in 2003
produced by Disney Toon Studios.
More recently in 2016, a live action
film remaster was made again.
THE 1942 ADAPTATION:
 A 1942 film was made by a different
company as they tried to make their
own interpretation of the story. Made
by the Hungarian Korda brothers, it
was based on a screenplay
adaptation by Laurence Stallings of
Kipling’s Jungle Book. Their
interpretation was about a wild boy
who is kidnapped by villagers, who
are cruel to animals and attempt to
steal a dead king's cursed treasure.
They also try to teach Mowgli how to
act human again.
CONTEXT OF THE 1967 FILM:
 In the 1967 film, the songs were a jazz
genre (which originated from black  Walt Disney thought at first the main
culture.) Also the characters voices antagonist Shear Khan was too cliché
varied in their accents and speech and the story too dark. Therefore he
which made the film appear very aimed to make the film up-beat,
multi-cultural. Because of the time it colourful, fun and family friendly for
was made, the film was influenced by the audience.
what was happening in the real world.  1960’s- more liberal, more
For example the Civil Rights racial/social rights
Movement, therefore the film
embraced the idea of using different
cultures to support and appeal to
those who were aiming for equality in
the real world. This helped appeal to
the audience and for more people to
identify with it.
THE 2016 ADAPTATION:
 Directed and produced by John Favreau, produced by Walt
Disney Pictures, Brigham Taylor and written by Justin Marks.
 It is a live action CGI film (the whole film including the settings
used CGI except for Mowgli)
 It was filmed in Los Angeles (using green screen, multiplane
camera, motion capture, photorealistic engineering, key frame
computer animation, toy props etc.) These cost $175 million.
 Music by John Debney
During production, Favreau noticed the lack of female characters in the
 Distributed by Walt Disney Studios and Motion Pictures
previous film. He addressed this by casting Scarlett Johansson as Kaa and
 Released on 4th April (EI Capitan Theatre) and 15TH April (in the making Raksha a more prominent and significant character to the story.
US) Another alteration he made was to King Louie. He decided to make him a
 Running time: 106 minutes Gigantopiticas and was partly inspired from the character Colonel Kurtz in
 Budget: $177 million Apocalypse Now.
With the casting of Neel Sethi as Mowgli, he had to act with objects,
 Box Office: $966.6 million imagining a huge panther or wolf beside him. They had part of the set built
 Favreau aimed to retain some of the classic spirit of the 1967 film, out for him to run through performing his tricks and jumps across the
including some of the iconic songs but also to add the new canopy which was brought to life with special affects afterwards.
element of peril and realism to the story, fitting with the life-like
animation. The animals were created using computer animation. As a reference they
studied the movements of animals in real life and performance capture.
 Along with inspiration from Kipling's books and the animated
1967 film, several inspirations where taken from other films too. To make sure these effects applied with the animals speaking was
These included; the child-mentor relationship in Shane, the use of convincing and effective, the company also studied other films such as
rules from Goodfellas and the atmosphere of the jungle from Babe to gather ideas on how to do it. MPC developed new software for
Apocalypse Now.
animating muscular structure in the animals to increase the realism of their
 Around 1,000 Rainforest locations in India were fur, facial expressions and movement.
photographed for references in set building.
 It made $966 million, making it the fifth highest grossing film
of 2016 and the 40th of all time.
 At the 89th Academy Awards the film won the awards for
best visual effects.
CHARACTERS: 

Link to Propp’s Theory:
The Hero: Mowgli- As the main protagonist who leads the narrative- he is on a
quest to survive and find a new place where he can live and belong.
 The main antagonist of the story is Shere Khan the tiger,
who Mowgli fights at the end of the film.  The Villain: Shere Khan- The main antagonist who disrupts Mowgli in finding a
home and escaping danger. He also threatens Mowgli and causes him so face
 Bagheera the panther and Baloo the sloth bear are several challenges. His character is shown to be morally bad so the audience
Mowgli’s two main companions throughout the story. want to support the main character.
They guide and protect him in his adventures and
teach him how to survive.  The Dispatcher: In the Jungle book you could say the law of the jungle is part of
this role. The law says that humans are forbidden in the jungle and Shere Khan is
 There is also the wolf pack who adopt Mowgli and raise hunting Mowlgi for revenge on man. Therefore the law of the jungle forces
him as one of their own. King Louie the orang-utan is Mowlgi to move on and eventually leave the jungle to find a new home.
also another big character who at one point tries to Bagheera could also play this role as he instructs Mowgli to go to the village
trick Mowgli into staying with him forever. Throughout and leave the Jungle.
the story these different encounters of animals such as
the monkeys, elephants and the python teach Mowgli  The Helper: Bagheera supports Mowgli throughout his journey to protect and
important lessons. guide him. He is the main helper (and father figure) as he believes it is his
responsibility to help him find a new home after he lead him to the wolf pack
when he was a baby. Baloo could also be the helper as he later joins Bagheera
Not all in protecting Mowgli.
characters  The False Hero: King Louie could be seen as the false hero as he appears to be
a good and friendly character at first but Mowgli soon discovers his bad
necessarily intentions with keeping Mowgli trapped forever against his will. King Louie also
showed a link demands for Mowgli to tell him the secret to fire. Baloo could also be seen as a
false hero before he changes and befriends Mowgli. This is because in the film
to all of he uses Mowgli to his own advantage, lying to him and getting him to do things
for him like collecting honey. He claims he needs it for hibernation but sloth
Propp’s theory bears don’t hibernate since you don’t get winter in rainforest climates. A third
false hero could be Kaa the python. Although the use of dramatic irony is used
but there were where the audience knows the snake’s true intentions, Mowgli still believes she
several that could help him and is tricked as she manipulates him, trying to take him as her
own prey instead.
followed some  Other Character Roles: Raksha plays the role of being Mowglis protective
key roles. motherly figure.
 Raksha- Voiced by: Lupita
Bagheera-Voiced by: Ben
Nyong’o
Kingsley
Other films: Black Panther
King Louie- Voiced by:
Christopher Walken

Kaa- Voiced by: Scarlett

Johansson With the few examples
Other films: Several marvel films shown of previous films
playing as Black Widow
these voice actors have
been in, this is a good
example of how films
can use intertextuality to
relate to the audience.
By using recognisable
voice actors, this
creates a sense of Shere Khan- Voiced by: Idris Elba
familiarity with the Other films: Thor Trilogy,
Avengers Infinity War as the
viewers who can link the Gatekeeper Heimdall, Pacific
Mowgli- Acted by: Neel Sethi Baloo- Voiced by: Bill Murray
actor to their previous Rim Other films: Groundhog Day,
films, giving a powerful Garfield, Ghostbusters
synergy.
 Voiced by: Louis Prima
Similar to Kaa, the 1967 film makes King Louie
energetic and light hearted with a very catchy
and colourful song. The whole scene where
Bagheera and Baloo try to get Mowgli away
from the orang-utan is funny with lots of ridiculous
moments that creates a hilariously chaotic scene
for young audiences. However in the 2016
version, King Louie becomes very intimidating
and serious when he chases after Mowgli,
smashing down his temple in order to find him. His Voiced by: Sebastian Cabot
destructive nature therefore makes him to be In both films Bagheera watches over
Voiced by: Peri Gilpin Mowgli as a teacher and guide. He has a
much scarier and dramatic for the audience. Raksha maintains some of the similar role to Raksha as he feels it is his
Voiced by: Sterling Holloway closest similarities between the films. duty to look after him. However in the
In the 2016 adaptation, Kaa is manipulative and enticing In both she is a clear motherly animated film his frustrations of teaching
similar to the 1967 version. However, in the 1967 one Kaa is figure, she is kind and gentle as she him are emphasised more. Unlike the
portrayed in a more comical way as Mowgli obliviously protects Mowgli and tries to defend 2016 version where he remains calm and
messes up his plans. They use exaggerated cartoon effects him from the rest of the pack when firm, the 1967 version of Bagheera often
on their eyes when he is hypnotising Mowgli to make the they discuss him leaving. She feels comically loses his patience with Mowgli
situation more light hearted. In contrast, the realistically responsible of raising him and sees and acts exasperated. He often
animated Kaa in the 2016 version acts serious and calm, him and the rest of her cubs equally. expresses his annoyance of having to
not goofy and humorous. They do use a Homage to the first follow him everywhere with Mowgli not
film by quoting a familiar line said by the snake ‘Trust in me’ doing as he’s told.
but she creates a much more sinister tone.

Voiced by: George Sanders Voiced by: Phil Harris

Voiced by: Bruce Reitherman Unlike in the animated film, the realism of the 2016 film Baloo’s role is very similar in both films. He is cheerful,
Mowgli is naïve, stubborn and adventurous in made Shere Khan sinister and threatening. He has violent relaxed and tries to use Mowgli to his advantage.
both films but later becomes more experienced fights against Bagheera and with the realistic effects it However as time passes he forms a strong friendship
as he learns lessons in his encounters. makes his threat seem a lot more serious. with him and tries to help him against Shere Khan.
One promotional method was to photograph actors posing,
paired with their onscreen characters. This is a great way of
showing the familiar actors and engaging the audience with
their roles and who they are representing. It also makes them
appear to fit the personality of their character which connects
them, making a stronger performance because they are suited
to their characters. It is also a way of promoting towards an
older audience with more serious, dramatic and mature
impressions.
 INTERTEXTUALITY:
 The Lion King was one of Disney’s
most popular films and there are
scenes reminiscent of it in the Jungle
Book. These could be a homage
towards the previous film, creating a
sense of familiarity between the film
and the viewer, cross promotional or
just subliminal advertising.
 DISTRIBUTION:
 Film distribution is the process of making a movie available for viewing by the audience.
 This is normally the task of a professional film distributor, who would determine the marketing
strategy of the film, the media by which a film is to be exhibited or made available for viewing, and
who may set the release date and other matters.
 The film may be exhibited directly to the public either through a cinema, television, DVD, Blu-ray,
video on demand, downloads etc.
 The distributor will enter into an agreement with the cinema to screen the film on certain dates. The
showing of films in cinemas is a time-pressured activity. Cinemas spend their money publicising film
dates and times in local papers or through published programmes.
 There's an imperative for the distributor to deliver the film on time
 Process of Distribution- Advertisement/Trailers/marketing, cinema release, release on other networks
(TV channels, Netflix etc.), reviews and interviews/events discussing the film.
 Distributors do not treat all films equally when getting film’s to the publics attention. They key players
are the big companies who control much of the industry, controlling distribution of their own products
and of others.
 Films are loaned out to cinemas for a finite period and release deals are done that secure access to
a certain number of screens at a time.
 Weather can impact the box office for a film- this could be because on a rainy day more people
are likely to go somewhere for entertainment that is inside and warm. On a sunny day however,
people may be interested more in outdoor activities.
 Timing is essential to attract the right audience and a good amount of people. For example, Frozen
would do a lot better if released in the Christmas holidays as it fits well with the theme of the film.
Other films may want to release during the summer where people have holidays and free time
wanting to have fun. If they want to target certain audiences (such as teenagers) they may release
the film during a time where they are off school to increase the chances of getting more people.
 DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION:
 Towards the end of 2005, the UK distribution and exhibition sectors were
starting to move towards digital distribution. For exhibitors, digital projection
can surpass the image quality of conventional 35mm cinema presentation.
Digital sound systems have also been used in cinemas for some time.
 In distribution terms, the advantages of digital technology are also shown. It
offers a more cost effective and logistics-light alternative to the model of
35mm print distribution. It will eventually be cheaper and much less stressful
to send films as computer files to cinemas across the UK, than to transport 20-
25kg tins of film to it.
 There are still however some disadvantages: If you send anything digitally it
is open to piracy. A recent analysis shows that piracy hurts movies
financially. Almost 30% of British people are now watching movies illegally
online or buying counterfeit DVDs, costing the industry £500m a year.
EXHIBITION: (IN CINEMAS)
 The number of screens the film is released on will be key to its success.
 The box office takings show if a film is successful or not
 Multiplex Exhibition:
 Multiple revenue (up to 30 screens)
 Mass audiences
 Revenue from non-ticket price sales
 Blockbuster- more than one screen (600+ screens)
 Can move films to smaller screens
 Most are out of town- easy access and rent is cheaper
 Wide choice
 Independent Exhibition:
 Films as a cultural experience (solitary viewing/couples are main audiences)
 Niche- older more educated audience
 Different atmosphere and architecture
 Single screen cinema
 Commonly found in cities and university towns
 Independently owned
THE JUNGLE BOOK AT THE CINEMA:
 Certification- PG (parental guidance suggested)
 BBFC Certification Reads:
 TYPE Feature
 Approx. running minutes- 104
 Release dates- (30/06/2016) (11/06/2016) (30/05/2016) (15/04/2016)
 BBFCINSIGHT: mild threat (some versions of this film are displayed in the 3D or
IMAX format which some younger children may find this a more intense
experience.)
 What impact can certification have on the film?
 Audience limitations
 Losing out on Box Office takings
 Not hitting intended target audience
 All of these will impact the profit of the film

 It made $20million on 901 IMAX 3D screens globally- making it the best ever
IMAX opening of a PG rated title. The films IMAX income reached $21.1 million,
international IMAX weekend results for the film reached a new April record of $9.7
million on 525 IMAX screens, including China where IMAX contributed an
estimated $5 million on 279 screens.
MARKETING
 ‘Above the line’ advertising (trailers, posters)- mutual benefit to the film
 ‘Below the line’ advertising (An interview with a star/ magazine reviews) publicity which is not
paid for but again generates mutual interest)
 (Actors photographed next to the characters they play)
 Adult audience- t-shirts with ‘adult’ art

 Target Audience/Who will be interested?

 Children who know the original Jungle Book story
 Adults who will take their children to see it
 Adults/teenagers who want to see the realistic and possibly darker remake of the film they
grew up with.
 Entertainment- the thrill of a well made film full of action, showing a new interpretation of a
classic film many are familiar with.
 Escapism
 Well Known Actors- some people may watch the film being fans of an actor in it
 Large Special Effects- people may be interested and excited to see how immersive and well
done the special effects are. It brings to life their childhood film and can make the film very
enjoyable to watch as you can imagine yourself with the characters more since it is so
realistic.
WHAT WAYS CAN YOU MARKET A FILM? HOW TO PROMOTE A
FILM TO AN AUDIENCE
 Trailers/Teasers
 Posters/boards
Media Language,
 Franchise
Media
 Merchandise released early to build up release of film (mugs, pillows, art, clothes, toys etc.)
representation,
 Social media/YouTube
media industry,
 Brand names (products that promote a film in their adverts)
audiences, Social
 Star names (familiar actors to get people interested/involved)
and Cultural
 People talking about it and recommending to watch it
context
 Websites
 Clothing
 Interviews

 In teaser trailers for example, they cleverly get their audience invested in subtle ways. For example, the
Beauty in the Beast teaser trailer shows different shots of the castle knowing their keen audiences will
recognise the scenes from the original animated movie. Other fans may recognise the soundtrack playing in
the background or recognise the imagery of the castle becoming neglected over time, being covered in
cobwebs etc. Therefore the trailer successfully shows a very minimal amount of information but enough clues
for people to know what it is. Towards the end they show the iconic rose in the glass container which confirms
the audiences guesses. It then ends with one reveal, the main actor for the role of Belle, Emma Watson. This is
a strong way to end the teaser as audiences who have grown up with Harry Potter will immediately recognise
her and be excited for her to be in the film, therefore being more invested in it’s release.
MARKETING IN THE JUNGLE BOOK:
 Disney combined typical marketing approaches, special opportunities available only to Disney, and a few unique techniques
and messaging particular to this film.
 Disney’s method: Each layer feeds into each of the previous layers- they began with the fanbase, then the social media
reached out to the fanbase consistently later. Theme parks offered them more footage and merchandising, the stores targeted
fans, trailers promoted the Disney brand even when altering the tone and visual imagery for each age or gender
demographic. So fans were then energized and built up at each new stage of marketing and promotion. Disney also built sand
sculptures at its Animal Kingdom and Epcot parks in Florida.
 To emphasise the immersive world of the Jungle Book, Disney released an interactive website touring virtual-reality
experience and 360 degree videos showing characters popping out of the screen to further engage the audience.
 Recognising that the Disney Magic Castle logo does not effectively appeal to the majority of the male demographic, Disney
promoted the more mature and darker- action filled side to this film to appeal to a wider audience. In the trailer instead of
stating ‘from the studio that brought you Cinderella’ they say ‘from the studio that brought you Pirates of the Caribbean’ and
‘with the director of iron man’. Furthermore, an extended trailer of the Jungle Book was attached to the film Star Wars: The
Force Awakens.
 Aiming at the Hispanic market, Disney teamed with Univision to bring Jungle Book characters and clips to telenovelas, talk
shows and sports coverage.
 Favreau emphasised how hi-tech filmmaking techniques to create compelling animal characters and overcome resistance
to the ‘talking animals’ concept.
 Also recognising the influence older children have on their younger siblings, they restrained from making the film look too
childish by including tense high action scenes and keeping characters goofier moments, and cheerful songs to a minimum.
 Since this film was taking a realistic approach on the visual effects and was a remake of the original, Disney knew that
particular scenes and exaggerated comical moments would look odd in this format. Therefore they had to apply these
moments or change them to suit the aesthetic of the film to avoid breaking the atmosphere and immersion.
ADVERTISING AND CROSS PROMOTION:
 The movie ran its first TV spot during the Super Bowl 2016, though it
teased it ahead of time. It gained the second most brand mentions
of the movies advertised. It was one of the only movies to have a
game spot specific hashtag included to give viewers something
specific to use while talking about the spot.
 More TV spots would set up the story of how the animals in the jungle
are either trying to help or hunt Mowgli.
 Kenzo: The fashion retailer created a limited-edition line of clothing
inspired by the movie and it’s classic characters.
 Airbnb: Ran a promotion offering $100 off tree houses listed on the
service that was supported by a co-branded TV spot including
footage from the movie.
WHY DOES DISNEY MAKE SUCCESSFUL FILMS?
 Horizontally and vertically integrated- patterns of ownership and
control are the most significant factors in how the media operate.
 Steve Neale states that genres all contain instances of repetition
and difference, difference is essential to the economy of the
genre.
 High production values, clear distribution strategies, excellent
marketing techniques and clear release plans.
 Large reputation
THE POSTER CAMPAIGN:
 Selling lush visuals to the movie in addition to the all-star cast alongside the
various animal characters. Creating a visual consistency across the whole
campaign.
 New technologies such as Photoshop and graphic design programmes have
enabled Disney to produce eye-catching posters.
Jungle Book
Posters
 Actor name followed by character in Character’s eyes are looking beyond the viewer which
Mowgli is carrying a flaming torch with flecks of flame
different font/colour creates suspense and adds to the dramatic
surrounding him. This could have several
atmosphere of the scene. It suggests he is facing
representations: Firstly the raging fire is symbolic of
ferocity and anger- an unrelenting force of power something dangerous, but he appears to be facing it
similar to Shere Khan’s personality. With him holding it, bravely and seriously.
it suggests he has control and is prepared to face his
enemy. Secondly, flames and light is symbolic of hope
and life, implying his good and heroic intentions-
however, they can also represent danger. With the
embers around him, this therefore suggests that he still Colour Symbolism: The
struggles with the challenges he faces and dangers colour pallet is yellows,
are still present, meaning events are still browns, oranges
unpredictable.
(warm colours)

Mid shot of Mowgli with a concentrated and

determined expression. He also has a scar across
his chest implying he has faced conflict and
survived, now continuing to face these dangers. Jungle book Title: The film title
This creates an overall representation of his is centralised at the bottom
character being strong. The scar also could of the poster (marketing)
symbolise the loss of innocence, showing how he
has changed throughout the film. The Mise-en-
scene also shows him dirty and shirtless with
ragged hair further implying his rough way of
living, battling for survival and appearing natural in Composition:
the jungle environment. Formal balance
of main subject
(Mowgli) To signify
Disney his significance
Effect on Audience:
Logo: big and main role
Suspense,
distinguish
Excitement, and it
able
represents the
Release date and formats- marketing young boy in a
powerful way.
Bagheera is crouched looking
down at Mowgli from above. This The poster includes several characters,
implies he is watching over him Kaa, Bagheera, Mowgli and the
monkeys. This is to tell the audience these
which represents his protective
iconic characters will be included in the
nature and role as a guide in the film and shows it is playing homage to the
film. original 1967 film. It also is a good
representation of how this 2016 version is
Mowgli is sitting with the lighter a remake- showing familiar characters in
background behind him which a new perspective with advanced visual
makes him stand out. His is effects to give it that fresh and new
positioned about centre frame as feeling. Each animal is looking at Mowgli
he looks up confidently at which directs the viewer towards Mowgli
Bagheera. His posture is relaxed, as the centre of focus.
implying he feels safe and
comfortable in this environment. He
is looking directly up at Bagheera, The colour scheme of dark
emphasising there is a connection greens and blues help
between them. As he is not looking establish the setting is a
towards us as the viewer, it also rainforest. The rich colours
suggests his separation from humans give a sense of mystery, with
and how he feels like he belongs in the lighter greens and golds
the wild forest. It also implies we are adding to this atmosphere, it
distant from him- we won’t learn gives a warmer and more
what he is like until we experience magical appearance. It also
the film and get to know the new adds depth, with the jungle
recreation of the character Mowgli. fading into the distance. This
This suggests a new start, where the emphasises the scale of the
audience watches this from a fresh rainforest, with endless
perspective not knowing what to Jungle book Title: The film title is centralised at the bottom of the adventures and places to
expect. poster with companies and release dates (marketing) discover/explore.
THE 1967 JUNGLE BOOK FILM:
Q1) What type of film is it and who do you think was their target audience?
Predominately white race, middle class people- a family friendly audience for young children and their parents to enjoy together. Interactive
and fun with engaging catchy songs and iconic characters. Disney are recognisable for these types of films so people will know what to expect
and trust for a good, enjoyable film.
Q2)What Economic and Historical contexts meant that the American Film Industry was struggling in the late 1960’s?
Pre-holly wood (before 1911) The film industry was in New Jersey (East Coast) which eventually moved to California. 1917- The American
government intervened because one person was controlling all of the films. People moved to California because it was easier for them to
escape certain rules of the industry and get away with things. 1929 first film with sound was developed. In the 1920’s-1940’s Hollywood became
huge, opening cinemas etc. It was dominated by a few specific companies- 20th Century Fox, Warner Bros, Paramount Pictures and a few
more (vertically integrated). Holly wood declined in late 1950’s-60’s because of TV becoming popular and easily accessible. Therefore people
were preferring to find their entertainment from TV and cinemas drastically declined in popularity. This caused Hollywood to aim to create
something TV couldn't- big budgets and more technologies (3D, unique effects and experiences). The new Hollywood era began in 1960/70-
independence, new actors, new scripts (low budget big hits like Star Wars and Jaws) more power to directors to create unique films.
Q3) How vertically integrated was Disney in 1967, and why was this important for the films economic success?
They owned their own distribution company allowing them to ensure their film was delivered and released on time. Disney had also begun
developing their own theme parks and owned their own studios. However, they were only partially integrated at this time. Walt Disney owned
the Disney films and how they were made and, therefore when he died they lost their main person of the whole company meaning they no
longer had a huge figure to rely on. Recently they hadn’t been doing as well with previous films such as The Sword in the Stone. Therefore,
Disney but a lot of effort into Jungle book which was luckily a huge hit and raised Disney’s economic success significantly.
Q4) The original Jungle Book although successful, was the last commercial success for Disney for some time. Why might have this been the
case?
The issue with the huge decline in cinema use by the public due to increase in TV in the 1960’s/70’s could have been a large contributor, as
many companies were effected by less people watching films at the cinema which is a vital source of income for a films success. In the 1970’s
cinema became more serious and political, therefore Disney was stuck making films that weren’t necessarily suited to what people were
interested in a the time. Furthermore, many of the people who watched their other films were now grown up which could have caused a
decline due to the generation of people knowing Disney films to temporarily die out before they had children and then they brought interest
back into the films again. Also during the 1970’s after the Jungle Book not many of the films were as big or memorable as Jungle Book so didn’t
get as much success or attention. This consistent pattern of films not doing as well could have given Disney a long term impact on their success
and confidence of their style. Disney appeared to lose it’s direction at this point, they changed in style and made some unusual, cheap films
such as Charlie The Cougar or darker ones like The Black Hole.
Q5) What major projects pre-occupied Disney from the 1950’s to his death and how was this a sign of how the company would grow and change in the years
between 1967 and 2016?
One major project was the making of Disneyland, the first opening in July 1955. This shows how Disney began looking to aim bigger with their audience, creating
theme park attractions, merchandise, TV channels etc. to make the company even more popular and well known (they became more vertically integrated.)
Disney experimented with different styles in the 1960’s and as time grew, technologies improved which allowed them to produce better animations. By 1999 you
can see quite a big change in their animation quality with Tarzan. Compared to older animations like The Jungle Book or Dumbo it had more detail and the
animation was much cleaner due to advancing technology. Then in 2001, Disney released it’s one of it’s first big CGI project film, Dinosaur, which was the
beginning of them changing to adapt to new styles. Eventually their traditional hand drawn animations stopped, and new technology took over in their films as
they began to make computer animated films instead. This continued to progress up to 2018 where they have established a new style (such as Tangled, Frozen,
Moana). Disney has also now began making live actions of classic films with advanced motion capture, CGI, computer graphics and more. Cinderella was the first
film they released after 8yrs of nothing, now they release a film almost every year showing how much more efficiently Disney are producing films.
Q6) The Jungle Book was re-released in cinemas several times after 1967. What does this tell you about how film exhibition and consumption has changed since the
film’s last theatrical re-release in 1990?
The Jungle Book was re-released theatrically in North America 3 times (1978, 1984, 1990.) It was also re-released in Europe throughout the 1980s. The 1978 re-release
increased its North American rentals to $27.3 million, which surpassed Snow White, making it the highest grossing animated film of all time. The film’s total lifetime
gross in the US and Canada is $141 million. These re-releases are important in keeping it alive and popular, by reminding people of it and spacing out the times of
the releases cleverly to encourage people to want to see it again. Therefore, this tells us they are becoming broader with their releases. Now, instead of just being
shown in cinemas, there has been big changes in exhibition and consumption. For example, they are now able to re-release their films like the Jungle Book on TV
channels for digital consumption at a much more frequent rate. There were also VHS tapes, Disney live, and platforms like Netflix for easy accessibility to the films. As
well as this, with increasing technology, we can now watch films anywhere on our phones, laptops, tablets etc.
Q7) What was the Hollywood Production Code and what replaced this the year after the film was released in 1968? What would be implications of this for future
Disney releases?
During this time there was lots of censorship (restricting of media.) The hays code was introduced in 1930, with the rules stating they would have respect for every
religion, race and nation. They were self regulating as they didn’t want the church to get too much power over controlling what was allowed in cinema. Some
strange restrictions for cinema included, no slang words, no kissing that was too lustful or lasted too long, no depicting childbirth as painful and use of alcohol. Films
became more restricted and less exciting because they have to be so careful with these new rules. The MPAA Rating System was introduced later, which was more
relaxed and fitted different rules/guidelines into categories. (G-general audiences, PG- parental guidance, PG-13, R, NC-17) they are tying to make sure they don’t
block out a large amount of their target audiences and prevent their films from becoming boring. This was important because they didn’t want to lose their
reputation or their style of film and these more relaxed rules allowed them to go back to producing their more classic animations more easily.
 Notes on how to answer exam question:
 used film reels, changed to digital
 better quality and realism- more immersive/engaging
 production is more efficient in CGI
 The evolution of digital media has had a huge impact on the production, distribution and
exhibition of films. This can be seen in the evolving processes of The Jungle Book movies from
1967 and 2016. All three processes have drastically changed in the 50 years between the
release of the two films.
 Production- quality of animation/change in style
 Distribution- more efficient ways of spreading info of the films (billboards/posters/tv ads) and
marketing/promoting it/films reels/digital
 Exhibition- new ways to display the films (cinema and TV, streaming sites-Netflix, dvds, old
video tapes, phones, tablets, laptops)
 cgi easier/quicker to fix mistakes and better sense of realism