Has it really been 17 years since The Lion King was first released? Wow, it seems like just yesterday. At that time, Disney was enjoying a renaissance with its animated feature films. After a few years of being in a slump, The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast has once again proven that no one does animation like Disney. These two films were quickly followed by The Lion King, which many consider to be the best of that era. While I prefer Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King is very good and this new Blu-ray Disc releases will certainly be a welcome addition to my library.

(CONTAINS MINOR SPOILERS) The Lion King is set in Africa, and tells the story of a pride of lions who live on Pride Rock. As the film opens, King Mufasa (voiced by James Earl Jones) and his mate, Sarabi (voiced by Madge Sinclair), are welcoming their son, Simba (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas), into the world. Simba is introduced to the other animals in the kingdom, who know that he is the heir to the throne. This doesn't sit well with Mufasa's brother, Scar (voiced by Jeremy Irons), who had his sights set on ruling. As Simba begins to grow, and spends his days playing with his friend, Nalla (voiced by Niketa Calame), and learning about the land from his father, Scar begins to hatch a scheme to rid the kingdom of both Mufasa and Simba. Once Scar's plan has been set into motion, Simba flees from Pride Rock, and finds himself in an oasis, where he meets a sassy meerkat named Timon (voiced by Nathan Lane) and a naive warthog named Pumbaa (voiced by Ernie Sabella). Timon and Pumbaa take in Simba, who grows into an adult lion (voiced by Matthew Broderick). As Simba grows up, he realizes that he must return to Pride Rock, face scar, and fulfill his destiny.

The Lion King is the perfect blend of grandiosity and simplicity. The film's story, which involves jealousy, greed, family, and responsibility, is as old as time itself. There are some subtle plot twists here, but for the most part, the plot is very straightforward and easy-to-follow. The majority of the characters are archetypes, and easily identifiable. That's not to say that the characters aren't charming. While the lions are a bit dry, as usual in a Disney film, it's the side-kicks, Timon, Pumbaa, and Mufasa's assistant, Zazu (voiced by Rowan Atkinson), who steal the show.

This familiar tale lends itself to the technical splendor of the film. The animation in The Lion King is simply breathtaking, and there are many multi-plane shots which will have one asking, "How did they do that?" Unlike many Disney films, which include fantastic characters, the real-life animals in this film are given a great amount of detail and actually resemble their flesh-and-blood counterparts (save for Timon, who looks nothing like a real meerkat). The colors and landscapes in the movie are magnificent, and the music by Elton John and Hans Zimmer, with lyrics by Tim Rice, adds another level of emotion to the movie. (Of course, all of this makes the film perfect for home video.) While some of the film's themes and a few scenes may be too much for younger children, The Lion King is an excellent family film, and a shining example of how an animated film can transcend its genre and becoming something much more.

The Lion King comes roaring onto Blu-ray Disc courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. The film has been letterboxed at 1.78:1 and the Disc contains an AVC 1080p HD transfer which runs at an average of 30 Mbps. The image is incredibly sharp and clear, showing no blemishes -- no grain or defects from the source material. The image is remarkably crisp and we see no jagged lines or stuttering in the animation. The colors look fantastic and the image is never overly dark or bright. This HD transfer makes the multi-plane animation look even more detailed and deep. The Disc contains a DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio track which runs at 48 kHz and an average of 6.0 Mbps. The track provides clear dialogue and sound effects. This is a powerful track which matches the visuals. The surround sound effects work very well, as the mix takes advantage of the multiple animals sounds to create a nice web of audio. The stereo effects emphasize the off-screen sounds and noises which move from right-to-left in the front channels. The subwoofer effects are great, most notably during the stampede scene.

The Lion King Blu-ray Disc is loaded with extras. Disc 1 contains the film and it can be watched in "Sing-Along Mode" or with an AUDIO COMMENTARY with producer Don Hahn, and directors Rob Minkoff and Roger Allers, in which they speak at length throughout the film, balancing tech-talk with information about the evolution of the story and anecdotes about the actors. The newly added 4-minute reel of "Bloopers & Outtakes" is painful to watch and not funny. Let's leave this stuff to Pixar, OK. "Pride of The Lion King" (38 minutes) is a mini-documentary which looks at the legacy of the film through interviews with those involved with the movie. "The Lion King: A Memoir - Don Hahn" (20 minutes) is a piece featuring the film's producer who recounts his history with the film. The Disc contains five DELETED & ALTERNATES SCENES which run about 14 minutes, including intros from Minkoff and Allers. These are presented in rough animated form or simply storyboards. "The Morning Report: Extended Scene" (2 1/2 minutes) offers a new scene which features a song taken from the Broadway musical. This scene had previously edited into a "special edition" of the movie which was on the DVD release. The "Interactive Art Gallery" contains four sections; character design, visual development, storyboards, and layouts & backgrounds. "Disney's Virtual Vault" is an odd area which contains ten featurettes and segments which have previously appeared on home video releases, most notably the DVD release of The Lion King.