Out of the Celluloid Closet: The Jungle Book

Oftentimes, a beloved childhood favorite can reveal previously undetected subtext when viewed through adult eyes. Such is the case with The Jungle Book. Disney's classic musical adventure, recently re-released on DVD in a Platinum Edition (click here for my full Toon Talk review).

First of all, there are the two fey villains of the piece: Shere Khan the tiger (a clear predecessor to The Lion King's prissy Scar) and Kaa the (phallic?) python, who even has a lisp. Both of these characters have one thing in mind: to eat the "man cub". Yikes. I'll just leave it at that ...

Then there is Baloo, a freethinking bear obsessed with party beats who, when the occasion calls for it, isn't afraid to throw on a little drag. It doesn't take much to associate this Disney bear with a gay bear, especially when he and the prim and proper panther Bagheera finally get Mowgli to the "man village". Baloo has a hard time letting his "Little Britches" go, and his jealousy is pretty obvious when a flirtatious female lures the kid away; he gets over it pretty quickly, though, when he hauls "Baggy" back into the jungle to the tune of "The Bare Necessities". And that, it seems, is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

Click here to purchase The Jungle Bookon DVD from Amazon.com.
Links via Imdb.com, LaughingPlace.com and YouTube.com.