DVD review (region 1 & 2)
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman
Starring the voices of Bruce Reitherman, Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima
Release date Out now (region 1); 5 November 2007 (region 2)

Mowgli, the man-cub, is raised by wolves in the jungle before being befriended by an exuberant bear named Baloo. But Bagheera, the panther, demands that Mowgli be returned to the humans, despite the boy wanting to stay in the jungle with his animal friends…

The Jungle Book has always been one of the most popular of Walt Disney’s animated films, and the ‘House of Mouse’ has gone all out with this release of one of the jewels in its fairy tale crown. The main feature is presented in a stunning digital restoration from the original negative. Nearly 337,000 frames have been scanned to sharpen the image and it really shows. The film has never looked so beautiful. Its original 1:75:1 aspect ratio has been restored, and the sound has been given a bold 5.1 mix that effectively wraps the sound around the audience.

The Jungle Book features more than its fair share of classic song and dance numbers, including the wonderful ‘Bare Necessities’, the elephant's march and the entire subplot featuring King Louie and his monkeys. It’s certainly one of the top animated features of all time, even leaving aside its Disney heritage.

The second DVD features a 46-minute ‘Making of’ documentary that offers insight into the differences between the initial conception of the film, overseen by the veteran Disney animator Bill Peet (who had a darker take on Kipling’s material) and Walt Disney's final version, which has a lighter tone more in keeping with the house style. In a rare reported example of discord in the company, Peet left the studio over the conflict, and his original outline and storyboards are displayed in the special features section, which also highlights the awkward process of converting Kipling’s often surreal tales into a manageable film.

With extras split between fascinating behind-the-scenes materials and fun games aimed at the kid audience, this is a DVD that animation fans simply need to own. Jonathan Wilkins

VERDICT: 9/10
An essential animated classic.