The Jungle Book (1994)
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A wild man raised by animals in the Indian jungle must navigate the dangers of humans and predators to protect those he loves.
The story
During the British Raj, a five-year-old boy named Mowgli is orphaned in the Indian jungle and raised by a wolf pack. While navigating the wild, he befriends a panther named Bagheera and a bear cub named Baloo. Years later, Mowgli encounters his childhood friend Kitty Brydon and her father, Colonel Geoffrey Brydon. However, the peace is threatened by Shere Khan, a Bengal tiger who stalks the group, and Captain William Boone, a vicious big game hunter who seeks the treasure of an ancient abandoned city. Mowgli must balance his jungle upbringing with his connection to humanity as he faces these growing threats.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
During the British Raj, Mowgli is orphaned in the Indian jungle after his father Nathoo is killed by Shere Khan, a Bengal tiger. Raised by wolves, Mowgli befriends Bagheera the panther and Baloo the bear. Years later, Mowgli encounters his childhood friend Kitty Brydon and her father, Colonel Geoffrey Brydon. Mowgli also discovers an ancient abandoned city ruled by an orangutan named King Louie, where he battles Kaa the royal python to retrieve a bracelet. Meanwhile, Captain William Boone, a hunter seeking the city's treasure, captures Mowgli and tortures him for information. After being released, Mowgli refuses to lead Boone to the treasure, citing jungle law. Boone eventually recruits soldiers and bandits to hunt Mowgli, leading to a series of violent encounters where Baloo is shot and several men are killed. The men eventually take Kitty and Brydon hostage. Shere Khan returns, and Mowgli escapes with Bagheera's help. After a series of deaths including Harley and Tabaqui, the group reaches the city. Buldeo is entombed in a trap, and Boone is killed by Kaa. Mowgli saves Kitty and Brydon, eventually becoming the lord of the jungle and starting a romance with Kitty.
- Original title
- The Jungle Book
- First release year
- 1994
- Runtime (minutes)
- 111
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Stephen Sommers
- Writers
- Stephen Sommers · screenplay; Ronald Yanover · screenplay; Mark Geldman · screenplay; Ronald Yanover · story; Mark Geldman · story
- Cast and characters
- Jason Scott Lee · Mowgli; Cary Elwes · Captain William Boone; Lena Headey · Katherine "Kitty" Brydon; Sam Neill · Colonel Geoffrey Brydon; John Cleese · Dr. Julius Plumford; Jason Flemyng · Lieutenant John Wilkins; Stefan Kalipha · Buldeo; Ron Donachie · Sergeant Harley
- Genres
- adventure; comedy-drama
- Themes
- nature vs. civilization; identity; survival
- Tone and mood
- lush; romantic; adventure
- Premise and plot tags
- interracial romance; orphan; animal adventure
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Jungle Book (1894) and The Second Jungle Book (1895) by Rudyard Kipling
- Franchise connections
- The Jungle Book
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews and was well received, with praise for its performances, action, and visuals, though it was chided for not staying true to Kipling's work.
- Awards and nominations
- Golden Angel Award · Best Motion Picture · 1994 · Nomination
- Production trivia
- The film's animal characters do not talk.; The film was shot in Jodhpur, India, and various locations in the United States.; The sounds used for the monkeys were actually those of chimpanzees and siamangs.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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