'I was disappointed to see whatever transgressive edge there was to the original sanded away,' writes McHenryJD
What is this? You’re giving me nothing! Photo: Disney If there’s a moment where my vague, miasmatic disappointment in the uncanny, “realistic,” nature documentary-like universe of Disney’s CGI remake of The Lion King solidified into antipathy, it came between the parentheses on the film’s soundtrack, in the song titled “Be Prepared .” In the original movie, Jeremy Irons plays Scar’s villain song like he’s leading a dance party in hell, with full-on sulfur and camp.
Gay villains, and especially the Disney kind that flourished in their animated movies in the late ’80s and early ’90s are, on the one hand, pretty obvious stereotypes. Scar is a preening lion with a limp paw who complains about being surrounded by idiots like he’s trying to establish some rules in his Fire Island timeshare. Jafar, in Aladdin, seems primarily interested in Jasmine for the drama of it all and the chance to purchase some new outfits in the process.
It’s useful to think of Disney’s live-action remakes, alongside the fact that they’re immensely profitable, as large-scale restoration projects on the company’s own intellectual property. In addition to reintroducing audiences to stories they’ve seen before, Disney has made a concerted effort to at least superficially right the wrongs of the past movies. The Lion King, set in Africa, now has a black voice cast.