Der König der Löwen Article: Why I wish The Lion King 1½: Hakuna Matata didn't exist

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Why I wish The Lion King 1½: Hakuna Matata didn't exist

posted by bendaimmortal

First off; Yes, I do realize It was clearly meant as a parody of the first film and not as an actual serious midquel. At the most it was to give a backstory for Timon and Pumbaa's friendship. And yes, I know that some jungle scenes between Timon, Pumbaa and Simba were written Von the first film's creators but since we don't know which ones, I wouldn't regard them at all as canon.
And I'm 99% certain that they weren't any of those parenting scenes because they completely and utterly contradict their Motto "Hakuna Matata" and from the first film it appears their relationship were bachelor friends, not dads and a son. Plus, I can not see Simba calling, much less accepting, anyone as a father figure after losing Mufasa. Especially after losing him the way he did.

Don't get me wrong, I like parodies and I do have a sense of humour. But I've been a huge, passionate Fan of The Lion King since 1995 when I first saw it as a child. That is, it's not just a movie to me - it's also a story that meant a lot to me already as a child and something from my childhood that's left me with many dear memories.

And I feel like:

1.) Something as epic as The Lion King would've deserved a serious midquel instead of that thing. Not that it needed a midquel, but anyway. It's not even The Lion King anymore when it's 99% about a meerkat and warthog.

I especially dislike the fart joke in the Simba's presentation scene. It quite literally almost took a crap on the most majestic and powerful scene and moment in the entire original movie. And it's stupid anyway! This parody makes it sound as if they bowed down only because of a misunderstanding over fainting and that they would never have done it normally. (And how stupid do Du need to be to confuse a bunch of fainting persons to bowing?) Anyway, right down to Zazu's remark to Mufasa: "Look, sir, how how they kneel for the royal son!"
Like, what the hell?
Yes, I acknowedge that fart joke is kind of clever and amusing in its own rights - especially for parody purposes, but that doesn't make it good in the end. Du know, in the eyes of someone who feels the original movie would've deserved better than just a parody, anyway. And even as it is, that moronic line from Zazu kind of ruins the joke anyway.

2.) Mufasa and Simba's relationship and story has been close to my herz and emotional to me ever since I was little. So though I know it's a parody, it puts me off when teen Simba calls Timon "daddy" and Timon says "That's our son/boy!" in the scene where Simba walkls up the Pride Rock to be crowned as king.
And all in all the whole "parenthood" thing, because...in my opinion, there is no way Simba would've ever called someone "daddy" oder accepted someone as a father figure - after he Lost his actual daddy at a very young age and especially the way it happened.
And in my eyes, the whole point of the first movie is that Simba doesn't get over his daddy's death and the guilt while he keeps running away from his past Von living a bachelor "care-free" life with new scoundrel friends. He remains a child inside because nobody raises him, nobody teaches him respnsibility. Until his past comes literally back to make him take resposnsibility for his kingdom and his rightful place in the kreis of life.

That's exactly why he is the way he is in The Lion King 2; he isn't grown-up inside and he's paranoid and in pains about his current family members' safety because he grew up without any parents oder real family to raise him and guide him while the pain of his daddy's death and having to stay away from his mum, far from home, ate him inside...so now he makes sure he doesn't lose his own child, too.

In my view and opinion, Zira and teh other Outlanders did nothing illegal. Zira simply was a Scar fanatic which naturally would result in an exile and I believe the other Outlanders were exiled with her simply for being associated with Scar whom Simba deeply hated. That would surely be enough for someone with Simba's backgrounds.
Plus, of course, because if there was anything elese it would've been mentioned in the film.

Anyway - though The Lion King 1½ does have its funny moments and it offers a nice background story for Timon and Pumbaa's friendship...It kind of shoots itself in the leg Von being Mehr oder less nonsensical parody of something as huge and epic and more-deserving as The Lion King was and is. And I can't find it in my herz to appreciate it, though I can live with it.

So...If Du like The Lion King 1½ oder even if Du downright Liebe it - that's fine Von me. Good for you, I guess, as Du don't have to have these negative feelings related to it. Just, personally for me it's not the comedy bomb it tries to be, and The Lion King's story and power means too much to me to be able to appreciate a parody like this. Maybe I would feel differently if it was made with adapted characters...you know, in the style of Spaceballs - (a star, sterne Wars parody which I like), but it wasn't.

Why couldn't they have made a prequel instead? Like, what were they thinking? How was it not Mehr likely in their eyes, that Disney's version of Mufasa and Scar's backstory would sell and be much Mehr interesting than the comedic relief side-characters and a parody?

And no, the Tale of Two Brothers is not Disney's own version of their backstory. The tale is an original story Von Alex Simmons who didn't work at Disney Co. and his story was okayed only Von Disneys' marketting division and not Von the original movies' creators oder any of their movie creating teams.

Final thoughts; I can live with TLK1½: Hakuna Matata in the world, as it's just a movie and I don't have to talk about it whenever I don't want to.
I just feel that The LIon King's legacy and the franchise would be so much better without that movie. And I guess feel a bit sad that the dearest movie of my childhood and its characters were disrespected the way they were in certain scenes of that parody - but in the end that's okay because nothing can ever really take away from the majesty and power of the original. It's still the rotyalty of Disney's animated production and a timeless classic that will go on delighting and capturing the hearts and enrichening the lives of genearations to come.

kionlion443, lionking1993 and 3 others like this

misanthrope86 I have pretty much the exactly opposite feelings about the movie. I feel like it fits perfectly in alongside The Lion King, and makes me feel better about the stuff that happened in the first movie. I think it's intention was to poke fun at itself while reminding people who grew up with The Lion King of the significance of not only the Lion King storyline and message, but also the significance of the more minor characters like Timon and Pumbaa. On the other hand, I [i]hate[/i] The Lion King 2. One of my most hated movies ever. There is literally not a thing I like about it. So I think some fans like that extension of the Lion King legacy that The Lion King 2 offers, but others of us prefer the story we got in the first movie and thus enjoyed the 1 1/2 movie as it expanded the world of the first movie more. I actually don't think this debate is about the quality of the movies so much as it is about [i]how[/i] we experienced the first movie.

bendaimmortal I prefer the story we got in the first movie. So very much over the Simba's Pride. And as I said in this article, it's been very close to my heart ever since I was a child. But I still enjoy Simba's Pride because it's logical continuense for the first movie - and though is nowhere near as big and well-written as the original, is still much more so than the parody film. I see Simba's Pride being a story about Simba and Kovu and their hardshipsand relationship, not about Kovu and Kiara. She and their love story is just a plot device. I really can't see TLK1½ fitting or expanding the first movie's story/world. Most essentially for the reasons I already mentioned in this article, but also because it has so many human world stuff - from Timon and Pumbaa watching the original movie and talking about us, the audience, to references to disco music and so on. Even with the animals being the humans of the story in the first film, that's just way out of the line. And also, it includes many moments that clearly didn't fit in the same scene in the original movie - such as the one where Nala tells Timon and Pumbaa that Simba has returned home. The original movie has the two understand it just fine right awasy, there was no room for that silly multiple explaining joke. For me TLK1½ is right down there with the Timon & Pumbaa TV sseries, just a needless spin-off meant for laughs with very little realism included or intented. To me, the significance of The Lion King sotryline and messge was very clear and memorable from the very beginning and I would suppose it was to most people, totally without any reminders. As was the significance of Timon and Pumbaa - I mean, it's obvious Simba would've died if they hadn't saved him from the sun, and taught him to eat bugs and given him friendship. I appreciate much more the realistic continuense that Simba's Pride offers, and the chance to see what became of Simba after all he went through in the first film which didn't need anything additional in itself - it was perfectly clear and paced as it is.

nicker11500 I think this movie fits in a way like not only it gives a background story on Timon and Pumbaa, but it gives how the characters made it where they were in the first movie like for example the hyenas, they wouldn't of made it to the bottom with Scar if it wouldn't of been for Timon and his not wanted family, and what Simba and Nala were up to when they met and were "bonding" (which gave us some wonderful shots). But either way comedy parody or serious Lion king 1 will always be the best :D. ( which also means Lion King > Frozen)

misanthrope86 The Lion King was a formative movie for me too. And that is why I love 1 1/2 and hate 2. I understand your objections to the movie. What I am saying is that I have the opposite feelings to you. I either disagree with your arguments or I don't see anything you have said a problem. Some of us were pretty traumatised by the events of the Lion King. I cry more now at Mufasa's death than I did as a kid. So when Timon and Pumbaa provide me with a laugh, I'm grateful for it. That doesn't mean the events of the first movie are any less significant to either of us. Attempting to forge a new emotional element with new characters in the second movie, to me, was the abomination. The events, and characters, of the second movie are trival. At least 1 1/2 takes re-iterates the significance of the first movie by offer an alternate perspective. To me, the second movie adds literally nothing to the Lion King world, whereas 1 1/2 offers a light-hearted alternative perspective on events that shaped my childhood. Maybe that isn't of any interest to you, but preferring the second movie isn't a superior position. It is simply a different one. Of course The Lion King didn't need anything more added to it, which is why Lion King 2 is so terrible to me. I saw no realistic character development at all. The first movie was important for those characters and the second movie extending on that story was, to me, unjustified. However, 1 1/2 takes the first movie, the important movie, and looks at those events from a different angle. That is so much more important to me, and I think to the franchise, than anything from Lion King 2. This is what I mean about this debate not being about the quality of the movies so much as how we appreciate the first movie. You are welcome to not like 1 1/2, but fans who do love it are not less than.

bendaimmortal No, I didn't mean anyone is in any way lesser a fan, for liking TLK1½. I was simply, and still am, confused as for how you see any of that in that film - but I don't need to understand everything. I think it would be pointless to try and debate//discuss this as we clearly come from very different places when it comes to the original movie and thus can't see eye to eye. And that's just fine. I'm glad we both have something to enjoy in addition to the first movie, seeing to that there has to exist more than the first movie. (That is, in my opinion every movie would be so much better off if they were the only one. Sometimes even those that were planned to be trilogies to begin with.) Unless of course they were based on a series of books or every movie included 100% the original creators and cast and everything...In those cases them being all one entity.

misanthrope86 Well, that is what I was saying. I have a totally opposite experience of these movies because different things are important to me. I don't really know what there is to be confused about. Those are the reasons I like the movie, just as you give your reasons for liking the 2nd movie. It isn't any different. We all take what we want and need from these movies and it isn't any more complicated than that.

boytoy_84 I never liked TLK 1 1/2, I love the first and the second. For one thing I was never a big fan of Timon and Pumbaa and the 1 1/2 is too phoney in my opinion. I wish they never made this film ether. TLK should always be about the lion characters just like the title says it all. I'd love to see a film about Mufasa and Scar's childhood and how Scar got his scar. Whoever made TLK 1 1/2 did a huge mistake. In fact I have both TLK 1 and 2 but I don't have the 1 1/2 only because of my reason. I love the article and agree of every bit of it.

bendaimmortal Thanks. :D I own TLK1½ anyway, though I wish I didn't have to pay money for it. First time I paid for the DVD back when it was originally released because I hadn't seen any trailers or reviews. Then I eventually sold it away but later I figured I want a complete TLK movie collection, so I guess I need it after all. Fortunately I found a VHS copy for only a couple of euros, from a second hand store. I wonder why they still aren't making a prequel about Mufasa and Scar, but only some preschool age kids TV show and movie about a completely new character. *sigh*

nicker11500 Probably my guess is that bring it back might lose fans because the animation won't be the same because I think the old animator retired if I'm correct and some voices won't be the same :/, but that's just my guess :P

bendaimmortal I don't think so. After all they are making a show and movie including SImba and Nala, and Kiara. A show that will just as much have different animation and possibly different voice actors. Also, I don't think anything has ever lost fans just because one part of the franchise has different style or actors, that particular part simply has its own group of fans. And a prequel wouldn't be any different from what they've already made; a sequel (SImba's Pride), and a parody (Hakuna Matata), which all have difrent animation styles and some different voice actors.

nicker11500 I guess your right on the fans and animation. I think the voicing is what might get most people (maybe not in a way to not be a fan anymore), like in all of the lion king movies the cast has (surprisingly) stayed the same but when they did a spin off TV show with Timon and Pumbaa ( I didn't watch it because I didn't knew it existed, but I've seen a little bit on an episodes on YouTube ) it had a different cast leading to a different tone of voice (they were close on some characters like the hyenas), and the way they did it had a "not the same" feel on most fans I'm guessing. and the TV show that's coming up is going to be on Disney Junior (they're actually not doing too bad on bringing other classic movies, like Peter pan as Jake the never land pirates and others) but I would of thought it would of gotten something better for it's 20th anniversary in 2014 :^\

lionkingartist First of all I would like to say to @bendaimmortal that I completely agree with your article. I mean granted I too own this movie mostly for the sole purpose of having the trilogy,and yes I do like certain scenes like seeing Simba as a teenager. BUT!!! I completely agree with the fact that it would have been WAY more beneficial from a fans point of view to see a prequel instead of a parody. I can't help but love all things The Lion King that's why I can say I "like" this movie in a way,but that doesn't change the fact that it is pretty much unnecessary to the continuation or even to the franchise in general even to this very day I hold out hope that they would make something of a prequel but I guess that's just a dream. Especially now that we are getting The Lion Guard which is just a crap of an idea for the 20th anniversary! Not to say that I won't watch it too see how it is but it will most likely feel better if I view it as a stand alone project instead of a continuation of the story. @nicker11500 Yes as an avid fan of TLK I can safely say that I would be very bummed out if the original characters did not voice they're own because I can not see Mufasa being played by anyone else than Mister James Earl Jones himself or even someone else play Scar besides the one and only Jeremy Irons it...it..just wouldn't work! So in a way I can see why they never went in that direction but also I remember when Treasure Planet came out and I saw TLK 1 1/2 commercial for the first time and Timon's expression in the last bit he goes "we're going waaaay back to before the beginning..." And that's how It ended the commercial you know and so that gave all us fans a thought of "hey they're finally going to tell the story we've all been waiting for!!!" And when it came out it was like NOPE!! A huge slap in the face with a parody movie and it just seriously angered me to death! So like I said I watch it for the sole purpose of it being TLK related but as it is it could never have existed and I would be okay with that! As for TLK 2 I really like that movie it had great songs and great additional characters even though known of the new characters except maybe Kiara have any real meaning to the original concept of the movie but I still love love love it any way! Yes of course it has a ton of flaws and many plot holes but it just wraps the story up nicely I think. So to come out with the lion guard completely makes no sense yo me but that's a different rant of mine! All in all great article I agree with pretty much everything you said!

lionkingartist This movie would be better titled: Timon and Pumbaa the movie! Anyone else agree?

bendaimmortal ^ Agreed. After all it is 95% about Timon and Pumbaa. But I don't see any plot holes in The Lion King 2. (I've written [url=http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/the-lion-king-2-simbas-pride/articles/79095/title/lion-king-2-simbas-pride-what-plot-holes]an article[/url] about it.) And yeah, TLK would've deserved something closer to the original's epicness and style, for its 20th anniversary celebration. Not a completely new show made for preschool aged kids. :/

nicker11500 For the Timon and Pumbaa commercial if it was going to be about Mufasa and Scar's past wouldn't you think it would of been Scar or Mufasa or them together in the commercial instead of Timon and Pumbaa? Because if it's just Timon and Pumbaa then it kinda gives a hint on which background story it's going to do plus "before the beginning" the movie does take place before Simba's presentation or before the first movie's playing time. It's not my favorite TLK movie either but it gave some awesome perspective looks of what happened in the first movie, like a look at what Simba and Nala did that was never seen before during the "Can you feel the love tonight song", even though they could of left out Timon and Pumbaa trying to stop them, but that kinda made up for the lost love for me. And I agree with the disappointment on the Lion Guard announcement if Walt Disney was still alive he would fire whoever idea it was for The lion Guard and Disney Junior, because he said his movies and shows are meant for all ages not just one age group.

lionkingartist @bendaimmortal sure okay,I can agree with you but I just don't understand some things when it comes to the events of the second film although I have many many theories on it. @nicker11500 I guess you're right but it still doesn't change the fact that it was a huge disappointment.

Simba Concept Art

added by Okami_Amaterasu

Source: My Lion King

Lion King Scans

added by Okami_Amaterasu

Source: My Lion King

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Lion King

added by alinazeer

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The Lion King Zira's story

posted by ola9

On a very rainy Tag in the Wildlands a little cub was born it's mum named it Zira.Zira loved her mum but one Tag she died,she got killed Von another lion in a fight for the land.Zira was very unhappy about her mum's death,so she run away into the Pridelands and when she was running she slipped and fell into the water.
When she was calling for help a different lion heard her and came to save her.Once she asked the lion "What's your name" she asked
"My name is Scar" he replied "My real name is Taka" sagte the lion,"How did Du get the name Scar" Zira asked him and he sagte "I have an older brother...

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PART 1!! Lion King 3 : The return of Kopa! (Made it all Von myself XD)

posted by mogositymo12

Kopa and Simba

I wrote the whole thing myself and i am hoping this is gonna be good.

*The Lion King 3: The return of kopa*

*Part 1*

The sky was reddish pink, it was turning morning the Tiere lined up for Kiara and Kovu's official wedding at the Pride Lands, Vitani stood up looking proud at her brother. Wind blew againts her brownish-gold pelz and through her bangs as she watched her brother and the other lionesses roar. Kiara and Kovu stepped up the pride rock and roared as the Tiere went wild. Kiara and Kovu hugged each other as Nala and Simba roared with them.

Later on, Simba and Nala were walking along...