The Lion King Screening Annotation
Day 1
1. Simba is being baptized by Rafiki in this pro-religion film. Rafiki is introduced coming
from the sun; we can hardly see him. The sun acts as a major god in this plot. Mufasa
and Sarabi really trust Rafiki, as he holds the baby over a cliff for presentation.
2. Why are the animals thrilled another predator is born? (Because he will be taught by
Mufasa to keep the balance in the world. Because Simba has been anointed/chosen/
blessed by the heavens—and has won the genetic & environmental lotteries. Similar to
most Homecoming Queen & King candidates, the audience honors the “best” among
us.) The other animals understand the “Circle of Life,” too, even if it means they are
prey. They know their place, like good middle-class people do in America.
3. Scar’s introduction is in huge contrast to the title sequence. He is in cave (always
darkness) with a mouse—and is the first character to speak. Why is he British? He
always speaks in literary devices or puns.
4. From where did Scar get his scar? How is he emotionally scarred? Should we feel
sorry for Scar? Why doesn’t he get a cool African name?
5. Mufasa stops Scar from coming out of the darkness. Have Mufasa and their father
always stopped Scar from “entering the light” of affection, honor, appreciation?
6. Very cool camera angle shifting—from flying in with Zazu to standing with the
gazelles in the audience to lording over Rafiki presenting Simba.
7. Rafiki is a priest/shaman/mystic/monk/hermit. There is no evidence he is married or
has children.
8. Film seems to promote anti-intellectualism: Scar is smarter, but not King. Zazu is
brilliant, but mocked and pounced upon.
9. “The Circle of Life” = capitalism. Efficient capitalism has producers and consumers.
The hyenas
10. The sky rains and rains for Mufasa’s reign, because he will rule properly.
11. Mufasa wants to keep the hyenas in the shadows. What have they done wrong, other
than being born as hyenas?
1
Day 2
1. Simba’s Oedipus complex is prevalent during the song “I Just Can’t Wait to be King!”
For him to be King, Mufasa must die. If Simba becomes King, would he then fornicate
with his own mother and sister? Yikes.
2. Nala should be King; she whips Simba in many ways throughout the film, starting
with her pinning him just before they go “into the wrong neighborhood” of the
elephant graveyard. Why does he protect her from the hyenas (if she can whip him)?
3. The two children venture into the “North Omaha” or “North Minneapolis” region.
They are fortunate to be saved by Mufasa; the first of Scar’s plans to kill Simba is
foiled.
4. Scar is much like Hitler in these scenes. Extremely clever lyrics about power and
needing the stupid, impoverished hyenas to gain. The hyenas need Scar’s position and
meticulous planning to gain.
5. Scar is portrayed as ultra-feminine—even gay/transvestite.
6. Cerberus in mythology and Fluffy in Harry Potter are referred to when the three
hyenas surge out of the ghastly smoke. Scar = Hades.
7. The moon behind Scar makes a prominent “hammer & sickle” symbol of communism.
8. The green eye of envy is in the animated gorge. Scar is the tear dropping away (but
also surging into the light for the first time in the film). Joey Boy, class of 2011
9. Why aren’t the lionesses summoned to help save Simba? Do they lounge all day long?
10. MOTIF: when Simba tries to rouse Mufasa. Mufasa rises the first time, because he is
just sleeping. Then Mufasa talks to his son. This time, in the gorge, Mufasa will not
wake, unfortunately for Simba.
11. There are many parallels to William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Hamlet’s uncle has
ascended the throne of Denmark, marrying his mother. Hamlet undergoes all sorts of
emotional anguish & ponderous emotional burden.
12. Scar is guilty of hubris, letting the hyenas kill Simba—which they fail to accomplish.
If he were not arrogant, Scar would have killed Simba himself. HUBRIS = excessive
pride or arrogance that leads to obstacle or downfall. Because Scar is so almighty now
that Mufasa is dead, killing Simba would be “beneath him.” Scar is royalty and royalty
does not do the dirty work.
2
Day 3
1. The sun literally sets as Simba runs away; the sun is metaphorically setting on
Mufasa’s time (as he mentions earliers in the film).
2. When the hyenas and Scar take over, GREEN is prominent throughout: envy,
jealousy.
3. RACISM: Scar is like Malcolm X or Martin Luther King, Jr., bringing races together!
Scar leads a degraded population to prominence. Does this film imply that races
should exist entirely apart? Does it imply blacks & Hispanics should not try to
advance themselves, even if they are suffering in poverty?
4. Timon and Pumbaa are happy bachelors, living on golf courses and satisfying their ids
(selfish, hedonistic sides) and avoiding all responsibilities to others.
5. On the obvious level, Timon & Pumbaa are cute comic relief. On the scholarly level,
Timon & Pumbaa are entertaining jesters for the royalty; they are not eaten because
they saved Simba (albeit selfishly) and own a vacation-style resort of pleasure (like
Aspen, Colorado) where the lions could “get away” like wealthy people.
6. Simba is declawed by the meerkat—literally and figuratively. He is basically castrated.
Timon looks like a thief with his gloves and mask; he has stolen Simba from the Circle
of Life (Frank Parker, class of 2012).
7. Simba’s adolescence is essentially spent in front of a television or computer eating
Doritos—while having no responsibilities or consequences or structure other than
“Hakuna Matata.”
8. Simba is rescued, but falls into a narcissistic bliss, forgetting what his forefathers have
called him to do. With much power comes much responsibility.
9. When they sing “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Timon & Pumbaa may be celebrating
their dominance over a lion (a wealthy kid who can protect them and buy them stuff).
Simba is figuratively “sleeping” because he is not “awake” or aware or alert to his
responsibilities. WITH MUCH POWER COMES MUCH RESPONSIBILITY.
10. MOTIF: Rafiki “breaks bread” again, just like the baptism. We are supposed to get the
clue that Rafiki is getting the clue that Simba is yet alive.
11. Timon & Pumbaa = Pat Donelan (“Your life is over” when learning I was having a
daughter.)
3
12. Hyenas = al Qaeda terrorists. They are mad, jealous, hungry, wicked poachers who
want the lions to burn and fall.
13. MOTIF: Again, Nala should be King. She dominates Simba in many ways. She also
motivates him to return! Women are often the catalysts behind powerful men.
14. Jacques Lacan & the mirror stage! Separating from self & other & wondering about
place in world.
15. Many hyper-rich kids go off to Europe or California to “sow their wild oats” before
being called to return to the family company, firm, or business.
16. The religious factor enters again as Rafiki reminds Simba who he is. Is religion good
for us? Is religion necessary for us to live productive, focused, determined lives of
dignity? Rafiki senses that Simba is still alive.
17. The shooting stars that follow Simba off into the distance = the KINGS of the past
that support him and will ensure Simba’s success.
18. The sun and rain help Simba after denying Scar and the hyenas. Do the gods/God
dislike certain ones of us? Do the gods/God favor wealthy, handsome, ambitious
people? CATHARSIS = a mass cleansing; the rain washes away all the
19. MOTIF: “It is time,” spoken by RAfiki. Timon & Pumbaa “bowling for buzzards”
and then bashing the hyenas in the same way. Scar lording over the dangling Simba
just as he had over the dangling Mufasa.
20. The hyenas don’t need any lions, do they? Couldn’t they organize? They are the
“mindless mob or masses” that fail to structure themselves into a cohesive unit to get
what they want. What if we saw BABY HYENAS? Would we care for them more
and sympathize with their cause more? (During commercials for charities in Africa,
we always see babies covered in flies and sleeping in trash—making us care and write
checks because we have sympathy…)
21. Scar’s hubris leads directly to his death; he felt he could reign with the hyenas, but they
end up killing him. He thinks he can control 500 hyenas?! We see Scar’s shadow die,
of course, because he has been in the shadows this entire story.
22. Film starts the way it ends. CIRCULAR, like the Circle of Life!
4