Almost 20 years before Elsa and Anna cast their icy magic over our children, there was another Disney film that stole hearts with its heart-wrenching storyline and emotionally charged soundtrack that played all summer long.
The Lion King was released back in June 1994 and being 11 years old at the time I remember how there was no escaping those Elton John songs for weeks on end. A year after Jurassic Park had stormed the box office, Disney’s The Lion King set out to be the next big summer blockbuster and it did just that, becoming the highest grossing film of the year ahead of Forrest Gump.
I’ve since rewatched the film with my own children (Circle of Life and all that) and while the animation looks a bit dated by today’s standards, it still has the power to make you cry, smile and sing at the top of your voice, repeatedly for 90 minutes. The film’s legacy lives on, with a stage version that’s touring the UK and Ireland and audiences have another month to see it at Manchester’s Palace Theatre.
