If you haven't had a chance to see The Jungle Book yet, Walt Disney Home Entertainment has announced that the flick will be available to purchase on digital distribution platforms on 23 August 2016 and a week later for physical formats! (That's 30 August 2016.) A 3D edition will be coming later in the year that might be worth double dipping for.
Disney has been notoriously cheap/skimpy/whatever when it comes to bonus features of late, and this release doesn't appear to change that. The doc could be good, but it remains to be seen whether or not it'll be an edit of the featurettes that were released online prior to release. A commentary track is nice, but it's also going to depend on how engaged Favreau is. I've listened to a couple where the lone commentator was silent more often that not, and when they did speak it was to offer a quick anecdote.
BONUS FEATURES
The Jungle Book Reimagined (34:55) ? Favreau sits down with producer Brigham Taylor and visual effects supervisor Robert Legato to discuss ?The Jungle Book? and reflect on the years they devoted to the reimagining of this timeless tale. Discover how Rudyard Kipling?s original stories and the classic animated film influenced their unique approach, witness the technical wizardry that enabled the team to create a believable and thrilling movie-going experience, and learn how they borrowed a page from Walt Disney?s innovation playbook to make it all happen. Lastly, meet the all-star voice cast who help bring the film?s colorful characters to life, as well as the musicians who accent the adventure with a majestic music score.
I am Mowgli (7:57) ? Follow the extraordinary journey of 12-year-old Neel Sethi, who was selected from thousands of hopefuls worldwide to play Mowgli ?alongside? some of today?s biggest movie stars. Get a glimpse of Neel?s life before Hollywood came calling, check out his audition that sealed the deal, and see how a close-working relationship with Favreau brought out his best. Plus, Neel shares how filming ?The Jungle Book? was one wild ride, from working alongside imaginary animals to performing some super-fun stunts.
King Louie?s Temple: Layer by Layer (3:24) ? So, exactly how do you create a musical number featuring one man-cub, a massive, legendary ape and an army of wild and wily monkeys in the Seeonee jungle? Viewers are granted rare and unique access to the development of the ?I Wan?na Be Like You? sequence in which King Louie attempts to coerce Mowgli into giving up Man?s deadly ?red flower? (fire). A fast-moving musical progression reel showcases storyboards, animatics, Christopher Walken?s recording session and visual effects layers, which ultimately merge to form one of the film?s most memorable scenes.
Audio Commentary by Jon Favreau ? Favreau delivers his scene-by-scene perspective on the live-action adventure ?The Jungle Book? with all the candor and humor you?d expect from this multi-talented actor-writer-director-producer.
Happy International Tiger Day!
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