8 Reasons The Jungle Book Remake Is Better Than The Original Animation

2. The Balance Between Story And Animal Culture

The Jungle Book is a very sixities movie. The songs are heavily influenced by the music of the time, of course (The Beatles were approached to play the vultures), but a lot of innate societal views and prejudices are also transferred across. I mean, do I even need to nod towards Louie? Of course, most Disney movies have traits of their time - from Lady & The Tramps siamese cat song through to whatever Home On The Range was trying to be - and there's plenty else beside that works, but even though there's quite a bit of anthropomorphisation going on here.

This is something Favreau corrects fully, not simply updating caricatures, but linking characterisation back into the culture of the jungle. So, yes, Louie is now a more primal primate, but elephants are also these revered creators instead of British troops and Baloo is more bear-like. Heck, on a more contextual level, there's talk of how cuckoos take advantage of other birds and the mystification of fire is ramped up.

What's important though is that the animals are treated as genuine creatures with species-accurate characteristics that remain consistent throughout; all this animal research is tied into their motivations and part in the plot. Kipling would be proud.