Representation
There are six very different main characters, which exclude Timon and Pumba who become Simba`s friends whilst he was cast out of the kingdom. Two of the most important characters are Simba and Mufasa, where Mufasa is brown and yellow in colour and has a red mane is seen as a good dictator, a hero figure and a powerful leader. His son Simba on the other hand is presented as not as strong, not quite as brave as his father but still a very proud little cub that accepts even the silliest challenges. Being Sarabi and Mufasa's son, he is supposed to become the future King of Pride Land, also represented as a hero figure but firstly presented to the audience in a cowardly way, because he runs away from his responsibilities. Also shown as a playful child who is also happy, and who later comes across a variety of ways of living.
Scar who is Mufasa`s brother is presented with dark colours like browns, yellows, black hair, scar on right eye and green eyes which connote evil. He is portrayed to the audience as a sinister and gets a negative approach as he is shown as a fascist dictator which is connoted throughout the film as the villain, also being manipulative, deceitful, evil and seeking revenge against his brother for getting the thrown.
The three hyenas who are Scar’s sidekicks are presented with vulgar imagery and colours like greys, blacks, big teeth and cocky yet scary at the same time, also as dark and retched creatures which connotes terror, danger and them being vicious. Since the hyenas do not like to make much use of their brains and senses, Scar uses them for his evil plans. He wants them to kill Mufasa and they obey him, because he threatens them.
Whoever dares to come on their land may be sentenced to death; these three hyenas are very possibly the reason why lions and hyenas can not stand each other. Shenzi, Bansai and Ed's home seems to be the Elephant Graveyard at the northern border of the Pride land. They could just live in an old grotto and never mind the darkness there, because they are perfectly silly and always in a bad mood. The hyenas have a contact (can't call that "Friendship") with Scar and are willing to serve him when he becomes king, they believe his promises that times will be better with Scar on the throne instead of Mufasa.
However Nala and other lionesses are represented as supportive within a patriarchy. Nala is presented as fun loving like Simba and this dynamic duo are supposed to become the Queen and the King, but instead of learning the 'majestic' ways they happily frolic around the Pride land as explorers of the fearless kind.
Mise en Scene
Wild Africa is the setting for this animated tale of a young lion cub whose evil uncle usurps his father's crown and lets hyenas overrun the kingdom. Dodging danger and befriending some oddball characters, the cub wanders until the day he's ready to return. In this part I have chosen to look at only five main parts of the film, which are very significant, for example the colours at the beginning are of the sun rising. Animals and nature is tranquil in the beginning when Simba is born the wise baboon holds him up and the light shines on him, which connotes that one day he will have power. In this animated movie light signifies good and dark connotes evil.
The beginning scene is an establishing shot of pride land which shows some bright colours. For example the green which connotes the environment, the yellow which connotes the sun and the happiness of the animals in pride land and the white connoting purity and innocence of the baby cub. These colours specifically emphasise the beautiful landline, and showing the audience nature at its best.
Mufasa and Simba are golden brown; the gold represents power and also connotes royalty. Whereas in the second scene yellow represents a sign of trial when Simba is passing through the dessert, it’s like a test to see if he will survive. When the audience starts see the greens again it connotes that there is a sign of life present. Scar has a black mane, which connotes he is a villain and has green eyes which connotes envy and jealousy, also in this case yellow could connote cowardice.
In the third scene everything is grey which connotes sadness and gloom that was brought upon pride land after Mufasa died, black connotes death and moaning. When Simba gets back he sees dark, and no beautiful landscape that once existed. The symbol of rain connotes the rebirth of a new life, also represents joy in some sense and could linked with being cold. By the fourth scene the reds, yellows, oranges and black all connote rage and anger it also represents that everything will come to an end. This fighting scene is powerful and the blazing fire in the background signifies danger, and connotes that Simba is fierce. Lastly in the fifth scene everything is beautiful again when Simba takes to the thrown, the bright landscape with all the yellow’s, green’s, white’s, blue’s and bright browns of the animals all connote good life and happiness has been restored once again.
The facial expressions of Mufasa are serious which show nobility, whilst Scar keeps a straight face with no emotion and has an evil grin. The hyenas smirk and evil grins connotes stupidity, and in the beginning all animals look happy and living a healthy existence. Although Simba in most parts of the film is shown with childlike expressions, he is shown growing up and he grows out of that childlike behaviour even despite the fact that by the end it changes and he becomes much like his father Mufasa.
In the beginning the lighting is bright and when Simba is born light shines on him to connote that some day he will have power and that he is of great importance to the kingdom, also meaning good chosen one. Scar is always shown in a shadow which connotes how evil he is, and when he was plotting against Mufasa they used green lighting to connote the envy and jealousy that possessed Scar. However through out the most of the film lighting was bright and dark shadows used to juxtapose the difference between good and evil, which act as helpful visual aids.
The camera angles in the beginning are an establishing shot, which is close up shots of e.g. giraffes, elephants and etc. Although when Simba is returning to pride land, long shot of him running and whilst he is still running a dissolving shot is used. On his return as he comes to see the damage that is done, there is a long shot of pride land and there is a close up of Simba standing alone and a close up of the remainings of the dead bodies. So therefore at the end of the film there is a low angle shot of Simba, which connote power. Scar and Mufasa`s close ups connote rivalry and intense emotion. In the end Scar is show in high angle shots, which connote him losing power and close up of Rafiki, Simba and Nala when lecturing Simba to come back to his rightful home.
The setting and props used in this film in the beginning peaceful, bright, and colourful all connote a healthy kingdom. When Scar takes over the kingdom is destroyed, and his leadership is corrupt which leads to destruction and devastation, this connotes a very important point Scar does not really care about the kingdom or does he care about the leadership. When Simba returns scenery returns to colourful and beautiful environment, which connotes that Simba is the right leader and that he cares about the kingdom.
Ideology
The most important and basic ideology in this animated movie is that life is continued through all forms, the sun is the provider for all animals who live under the sun, as well as the lions who possess the divine right to be kings and that the great “circle of life” is in some form a religious aspect for the animals. For example early in the movie King Mufasa brings his son Simba to the top of a hill, where they look out over the lands controlled by their kind. There are many species living there but the proud, strong, wise lions are their undisputed masters. Although the lions eat all the other animals it is still portrayed as the right thing to do, because it is part the “circle of life” and no one can change this order. No one makes any excuses for this order of things, and no one questions its wisdom.
All the animals are much better off this way than they would be without the elite looking after them, and the word "democracy" holds no value here, simply because it is a benevolent way of life and how it should always be. The only reason is that the elite (King Mufasa) has a very clear and noble mission which is to protect Life. Mufasa emphasizes that his son and all lions must always strive to protect the strength of life, or "the circle of Life."
The kingdom is threatened by the non believers of the natural ideology or way of life, both from the outside and the inside; for example from the outside by the vile hyenas which are the lowest form of life because they are violent, lazy and stupid. They are banned from the Lion Kingdom and lead a destructive existence without any hope of improvement in their own, dark territory. Naturally they constantly long for the riches of the Lion Kingdom, but they have no chance of ever realizing the plans of the “superior” lions. Whilst the inside and major threat being Scar the king's evil brother, who is truly a despicable creature, and when he rules there is no life and no religion. While he looks almost like the other lions he is physically inferior to his larger and stronger brother, and he is marked by a black mane instead of a golden one.
Despite the fact that he prospers as much as anyone else from the order of things, he covets the power that is denied him. The king is aware of Scar's evil nature, but he under estimates his powers of deception and tolerates his presence. However when Scar takes over the kingdom, he rules with fear and violence because he is a fascist and very selfish dictator. Whilst Mufasa has a much centred ideology, which is to have “democracy” and be responsible for all the other animals well being.
However a new reformed ideology is brought forth of “communism” in the movie, when Simba runs away and meets his new found friends Timon and Pumba, who introduce the new ideology “Hakuna Matata” which means “no worries”. This ideology is under minded and childish, but because Simba is feeling guilty and sorry for himself goes along with this new ideology, and forgets all about what he was once taught by his father.
Even though the new ideology is passed on in the movie, Simba understands that he has been misled by a selfish ideology and the true way to live is by serving a greater good. He returns to his people when his childhood love finds him and pleads to him to return to the kingdom after many years in exile, only to find a society that has taken a drastic turn for the worse. Scar and his dark legions have bled the kingdom dry, and neither lion nor hyena can now survive much longer.
The lionesses regret their earlier cowardice at a time when they could have stood up against Scar, it is clear they now understand their situation better than ever but still they do nothing despite their greatness they will do nothing on their own, not without the right leadership.
Disney animated features are utilized to demonstrate the importance of character accents in teaching children to discriminate between character roles in the films and also to help emphasises that these animated films are made in USA, who have their own ideology and they are more superior to the rest of the world. Disney portrays USA as being a “democratic” country, and for example in “The Lion King” the lions are the rulers just like the Americans, who possess some form of power over other countries.
The movie ends with Simba as the rightful king and his son being shown to the animals and audience, which is a symbol that things have returned to normal and the centered ideology is once again restored. So the lions are once again the masters of their own destiny, their destiny as the guardians of the “circle of life”. Although I think that as child this message that Disney is trying to convey to them, is very much misunderstood, but having watched this movie again as a young adult you see a whole new perspective to it and get better understanding of the film.
