We weren’t ready and here we are forever haunted: if they tell you “The Lion King”, you know. And do you feel the chills?
For the generations from the 40s to the 80s, it was Bambi. For the 90s generation, it was The Lion King. And yes, Disney likes to traumatize us from a very young age with the disappearance of beloved parents. A mom, a dad… and what a dad.
We are of course talking about the great Mufasa and his tragic death in the cult film of 1994, a death which is considered one of the most significant in the history of cinema, all genres combined, which shocked us from a very young age. .
A fall in a canyon invaded by panicked wildebeests and he disappears, while he was coming to the rescue of his beloved little Simba – this is enough to feel guilty forever, especially if your responsible and murderous uncle accuses you of brazenly, putting his evil plan into action and causing you to run away. “Leave. Go far away and never come back“: ah Scar, you have charisma and we love your song but hey…
But it was especially the discovery of Mufasa’s lifeless body by mini Simba that broke our hearts, as he tries to “wake up” his dad with his sad little voice… Oh the chills, they’re coming back Already.
And since then, it has been a rite of passage: each generation must go through it when its young members discover the film for the first time and experience this trauma too. “Where did his dad go?“, asked your child or your 4-year-old nephew as he watches the scene in disbelief? Yes, so there, we had to kindly explain that he had gone to a better world…
But if it is certainly traumatic, the scene is also a perfect example of writing with breathtaking visuals which did not prevent audiences around the world from rushing into theaters when the animated film was released, which reached 10 million in admissions in France and grossed $1.65 billion worldwide, making it the 20th biggest hit of all time (adjusted for inflation). Just that.
And yes, “Long live the king!“
The Lion King can be seen streaming again on Disney+. Prepare the box of tissues: it is still necessary even 30 years later.
