10 Best Musical Numbers In Film

The Lion King is packed to the brim with memorable musical sequences. This is the animated film that became a multiple Tony-winning Broadway musical a mere 2 years after it opened in theatres, after all. It is one of the most beloved films of all time, certainly amongst adults who grew up in the 90s.

While so many numbers in this film could be considered "iconic", the one that hits harder than any other is its villain song: 'Be Prepared'. As performed (mostly) by Jeremy Irons, this song is memorable and catchy, but what makes it more than just another deadpan villain ballad is the visuals.

As the song dives into Scar's motivation, we see Hyenas emerge and start marching in formation - framed to reference Leni Reifenstahl's Triumph of the Will, and other Nazi propaganda films.

Is it lazy to compare villains to Nazis? Perhaps. But it is also an absurdly gutsy move for an animated film targeted at children to break out this sort of reference for the older folks in the audience. It's an artistic move that means this song only gains more depth as children grow older, while "Hakuna Matata" remains exactly the same amount of shallow.