Memory lane - the Djunglebook

Good sunday!!

On this glorious sunday , with snow, hail and sunshine in a fine mix, I find myself by the computer. It's not even mine, mind you, it's the oldest ones, she's got two....
The message in todays scripture is to grow in faith. I do try. Some days it's a bit hard knowing what the best option for growing really is and if I am on the right path. GPS malfunctioning somewhat?

Anyway, yesterday evening we made a run for it, husband and I. He got back shortly after 6, dinner  was on the table and the movie started at 7. We have the most lovely cinema in our small town, I think I have told you about it before. Run by an elderly couple, their son and several of friends and enthusiasts. House is old, the lobby is filled with old velvetcovered sofas and mahagonytables from God knows where and inside they have invested in good chairs and a good surroundsystem, not Imax or anything but good enough. We have worldopenings....

When I was a child, a visit to the cinema was a real treat. I think my first film was Bambi. And then there was the Djungle book...I can remember to this very day the exitement and thrill when the music started.. I had never seen anything like it, and through the years it has reamined my favourite. I bought the album as well, I doubt it can be played anylonger...

That same autumn there was a commercialevent in the city, Baloo and King Louie came to visit and I was absolutely terryfied, being what, 5 years?
Never got close enough to say hello...

This 1967 adventure has followed us since and our girls has enjoyed it, especially the oldest one. We read the book, she has devoured every book I own!!! I can still feel the thrill when the music starts...we have to dig in to filmmusic in some post!
So last wednesday, she and her friend went to see the new one, anticipation very high set. And she wasn't disappointed!! This was quite another film, not for the youngest ones.
And so we skipped off to see it last night, and yes, it's quite another film. The story partly follows the book more closely, the tone is darker and more, modern? We enjoyed the animations, it's absolutely astounding. The child Mowgli is however, a real living boy - Neel Seti. The way he is acting towards things and animals he can't see is almost scary. Perhaps they have used the animationtechnic also used in the Hobbitfilms and Lord of the rings, with a real person doing the moves and then covered with paint....OH, too technical!

Everything is bigger, perhaps it's in the childs perspective, King Louie is enormous, with the voicetalent of Christopher Walken.
There are laughs, oh yes, Kaa has a female voice, Scarlett Johansson and Baloo is laidback, goodhearted and plump with the voice of Bill Murray. Shere Kahn is malvolent and icy. The original music is heard here and there, nice for us oldfolks.
There is a danger in all these remakes, people take sides. But it does show that the story is a good one and stories needs to be told, over and over. The treasure of storytelling , in moving pictures as well as in books( real ones, with actual paper...) can't be underestimated.
We need both fairytales and real stories, the greatest real story have been filmed over and over again but in that case, there is nothing better than reading, meeting and being overwhelmed. Nothing but the liveexperience can do justice to that evertrue story.

Still, I will continue visiting the cinema or parking myself in the sofa, enjoying the skill and bravery is modern moviemaking as well as old goodies. Can't be any harm in that, can it?