M-Net Movies Bucket List Countdown Trivia – Movie 10

The M-Net Movies Bucket List pop-up channel (109) is well under way as the channel counts down 100 popular and iconic Hollywood movies to see before you die.  Along with the M-Net Movies Bucket List countdown are an added extra treat- The M-Net Movies Bucket List Bonus Features comprise additional classics which can’t be ignored but which will appeal to niche audiences. Among these titles are vintage silver screen darlings that were ground-breaking at their time. (M-Net Movies Bucket List Bonus Features in red)

The big moment has finally arrived. It’s time for the M-Net Movie Bucket List Top 10 Countdown.

#10

The Lion King at 18:30

An animated masterpiece about love, family, power and betrayal. A lion cub who is heir to the kingdom, is pushed out. He is forced to not only searches for his identity, but also save his land and the people he loves.

Before Rowan Atkinson was cast as Zazu, many other British comedy actors were considered for the role, these include Tim Brooke-Taylor, Graeme Garden, Bill Oddie, David Jason, Peter Cook, Dudley Moore, Spike Milligan, Ronnie Barker, Ronnie Corbett and Vic Reeves.

A few weeks before the film opened, Elton John was given a special screening. Noticing that the film’s love song had been left out, he successfully lobbied to have the song put back in. Later, “Can You Feel the Love Tonight” won him an Academy Award for Best Original Song.

The wildebeest stampede took Disney’s CG department approximately three years to animate. A new computer program had to be written for the CG wildebeest stampede that allowed hundreds of computer generated animals to run but without colliding into each other.

Several character names are based on Swahili words:

Simba – lion, Nala – gift, Sarabi – mirage, Rafiki – friend, Pumbaa – simpleton/weak-minded, Shenzi – barbarous/uncouth/uncivilized/savage, Banzai – skulk/lurk

Despite the fact that Zawadi is the Swahili word for gift, Nala’s name does indeed also mean gift.

The team working on the movie was supposedly Disney’s “team B,” who were “kept busy” while “team A” worked on Pocahontas (1995), on which the production had much higher hopes. As it turned out, The Lion King became a huge critical and commercial success, whereas Pocahontas met with mixed reviews and a much lower box office.

 

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb