BBC to Make Live-Action Version of 'The Jungle Book'
Filed under: Classics, Deals, Family Films
It seems that the time has come to take another stab at Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book. We've had some animated versions over the years -- including, of course, Disney's animated classic -- as well as a live action feature back in the '90s. Now Pathe and the BBC are coming together to create a pricier live action adaptation, one that currently has a $50 million price tag. The big endeavor will be helmed by John Downer, a BBC vet who directed the lion drama Pride, from a script by Richard Kurti and Bev Doyle.Of course, the Kipling classic is all about anthropomorphic animals, so they will be talking, using the technique from Pride. According to Variety, Downer plans to shoot at a tiger reserve (Ranthambore) in India, and will combine that with footage of trained animals on jungle sets and in front of blue screens. Downer says: "My ambition is to use pioneering digital and wildlife filming techniques to portray one of the greatest stories of all time just as the author intended -- with real live talking animals inhabiting the jungle world of Kipling's India." Obviously, there's a lot to bring together to make it work, so while the film will start next month, it will take about two years to complete. Personally, I'm not big on talking animals unless they're animated or done with a nice Milo & Otis-type voiceover, although I'm sure that this project will be a big, successful hit. How about you? Live action, talking animals: yay or nay?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
8-13-2007 @ 2:19PM
Jonathan Lapper said...
Yay or Nay? That depends on the animal. If it's Sam Carr's dog Harvey the answers a big 'Nay'.
Actually I pretty much despise seeing animals talk when not in cartoon form. And Monica, you know I try to be kind and give up the love in the comments, but I CANNOT STAND "Milo and Otis"!!!!!!! Seeing the cutesy-wootsy fluffer muffins running around with an insipid voice-over by the immensely talented Dudley Moore (poor Dudley) pretty much guarantees I'll be in a mood to break something before the film's over.
Can't we just read "The Jungle Book" and not make a movie at all. There have to be a billion other ideas that clever screenwriters could come up with aside from yet another remake of a classic book.
Jonathan Lapper
http://cinemastyles.blogspot.com
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