The Jungle Book [1942]

This was a present. But very good quality.

I like the way the story presents all the characters

Set in India, a small child wanders from the village and gets lost. But he is adopted by a wolf family and raised as their own. When he grows up to be a youth (Sabu), he accidentally stumbles onto the village of his birth where his birth mother (Rosemary De Camp) takes him in and teaches him the way of man but his heart is still with the jungle. This handsome, Technicolor adventure based on Rudyard Kipling's short stories is still the best of all the film versions. A family affair: directed by Zoltan Korda and produced by Alexander Korda with art direction by Vincent Korda, it's an enjoyable adventure yarn that should please both young and old. Vincent Korda's art direction is superb. Though filmed on a studio sound stage, his lush overgrown jungle somehow feels authentic unlike other jungle movies filmed on Hollywood sound stages. Sabu is perfectly cast (along with BLACK NARCISSUS, it's his best film work) with a sweetness and charm that doesn't show up much in all those Maria Montez films he did at Universal. The gorgeous score by Miklos Rozsa is a classic on its own. With Joseph Calleia (who bookends the film as the narrator) as the duplicitous Buldeo, John Qualen, Frank Puglia and Faith Brook.The Network DVD via Great Britain, though soft in places, is a colorful and faithful transfer. Not that it couldn't use more restoration work but its miles ahead of the countless public domain copies here in the States.

THE PRICE*****

Yes, 1942 The Jungle Book DVD released by Network got the best transfer so far, compared to so many other DVD released in the market! The rest can't even compare to my DVD-R copied from my old NTSC laser disc released by Hallmark. Detail is good enough and color is vibrant!Best Jungle Book DVD in the market! Get it if you are a fan!

Very pleased with this original classic Saw it years ago on the old TV's But this is remastered not to be missed This beats all tthe modern versionsBuy it and be amazed and enchanted Thankyou Colour and sound Great

I saw the original Disney film with my two sons when they were young, they are now 61 & 63.I was really looking forward to seeing what I thought was a copy of the original 1942 . There was no songs from the original , I found this version absolutely violent and filling children's mind with greed and murder, no talking animals . I could go on but there isn't enough space , don't buy this video cd

The original story is much better than the Disney distortion. It shows the consequences of human greed and selfishness rather than the myth of the American dream he peddled. There's plenty of action, animals and excitement. The only problem is the picture quality, which is not so good in parts, but it's so old I assume not much could be done with it.Worth buying to see the real Kipling story and show children an alternative to the schmaltz.Addition- I've just read the Kipling Jungle Book (from Amazon £2.50) and have to say that neither film portrays the 'real Kipling story'. Both are loosely based on it and elaborate different parts of the original. But, the 1940's one with Sabu keeps to the spirit, or ethos, much more faithfully. So, I'd say order the book too and make your own mind up.

Un bon film d'aventures du roman de Rudyard Kipling paru 15 ans avant le dessin animé Disney très connu.

En el anuncio del producto decía que la película estaba remasterizada, pero no es así. He comprado otras películas muy viejas que se han remasterizado y la imagen es bastante buena a diferencia de Jungle Book. Lástima, porque la adaptación es muy buena, al igual que la fotografía de la película original, que tuve la fortuna de ver varias veces en una sala de cine.

die Qualität dieser DVD ist so grottenschlecht. Man kann kaum etwas sehen. Echt fürchterlich. Würde am liebsten 0 Sterne vergeben. Wie kann so etwas noch angeboten werden??? Nie wieder...

An excellent production reminiscent of the exciting Saturday afternoon matinees years and years agoThe ageig process cannot be eliminated, unfortunately, but the DVD settings of the original VHS holds up well. May not be to the taste of today's sophistocated and perhaps spoiled audiences but I loved every moment - liked the animals especially .The copying/ reproduction technology may be the best but there are tell-tale signs of the age in the streams, ... of the marked film.

I saw part of this movie again recently and revisited the joy. Sabu has charisma and the costumes and sets are lovely. It's exciting and old-style adventure story. Sabu is a boy raised by wolves and grows up in the jungle learning the language of animals. There's a lot of animism in it, which pertains to world mythology and languages you should understand are you to understand cults, religious programs and other symbols almost universally used in our world environment. The snake - venomous liar - in world symbols represent some politicians, religious tyrants and liars etc... the cat - the aristocrat, black panther, or tiger as some of our famous creative types, or models might be - a predator, beautiful and cruel to the deer and rabbits (a monster in disguise they are predators kill what's deer (DEAR) to you and also your young like your pure SHEEP and Hares (who are gentle followers or who play and imagine) or CHICKENS who are gentle and teach you to value life, be silly if you need to preserve it and set up your nest egg.The cats are the alluring propaganda artists and those who lure us into painful deaths and teach us to be cruel to the gentle and pure vegan types who protect the gentle. All good people must learn to avoid the allure of cruelty disguised as charisma and beauty. It is very difficult - religious leaders, Hitler and many others who practice torture and cruelty and yet have the charisma to sucker nations are these types. We must preserve gentleness to the small as we acquire strength, or we become predators. (The exception being the impossible situation, where you have no choice but to commit violence or be hurt worse by predators. Gentle people will protect and sacrifice if there are no other options to be given)Sabu could talk to all the animals in their language - he understood the language of the snake, and could charm him, he could fight off the Tiger and talk to the monkey kings. All of these animal symbols can teach us different life skills and moral strength. They are very good for children and for adults who don't like learning about the world and life to be dry and without fun or joy.I like the scene where Sabu charmed the snake into carrying him across the river, or when he talked an old venomous guy into letting him take some treasure. There's a great scene where he rides gracefully into the village on a steer's back all the other herd following behind. Old crumbling temples, cozy, exotic villages.... mmm. I didn't like the scene where he kills Sher Kahn. I wish he'd charmed him like the snake, penned him up in a garden, and been smart enough to feed him an alternative diet and keep him from breeding. Didn't have the technology then perhaps. Sabu is just starting out in animal charming. He's very good though. I like his adopted mother. Is his new village symbolic of the wolf pack? Are the villagers predators and wolves? It seems they are sometimes. The man is vicious and verbally aggressive to his daughter, many disrespect their new son. It's a mystery I get something new out of each viewing. Sometimes I wait and re-watch old movies and find new things. Worth it!