What is the circle of life? In a time when Disney's animation renaissance dominated the world of cinema, one film had entirely ruled over them all. In 1994, at the height of the company's resurrection, Disney released the epic musical drama The Lion King. It was a critically acclaimed film that became a Broadway musical, a spin-off show, and two sequels. I first saw The Lion King when I was three years old and to this day it is one of my favorite films. Little did I know that The Lion King was much more than a film about a young lion who takes the place of his father's absence, but more of a twist on Shakespeare's Hamlet. The film resonates with me now more than ever as I am older and can identify the themes and influences in the film. The film begins with the sun rising in the jungle of the African Sahara. A loud scream is heard followed by feedback from the backing singers as a choir begins to sing what would today be a memorable opening theme in cinematic history. As a child I didn't know what I was looking at as all different types of African animals began to climb up through the land to a huge rock. On this rock we see a pair of lions smiling while a strange monkey appears and stops a young lion cub and all the animals rejoice in the presence of the young cub. Watching it as a child I was very confused and didn't really understand what I was watching. Now that I'm older, I understand that the gathering of animals and cheering for the new lion cub was a celebration of royalty and a celebration of the future lion kingdom. This scene is very similar in history to what we see in real couples, such as Prince Harry's wedding. We get a big celebration for what would be England's next power couple; the whole world was watching the wedding while… the middle of the paper… turned off the dandi lions. As the wind carries the pollen, the letters SFX and are seen when you take a break. This keeps me watching the movie to this day to see what undiscovered gems I can try to find that were hidden in the movie. The Lion King I believed can be forever remembered for the impact it had on the world and the way it took the world by storm. It was an epic and memorable film that took my imagination by storm. Talking about lions and singing took my breath away. As I grew up I was able to appreciate the amazing storytelling and impact this film had on my life and the way it made me look at the world. Watching the film I sometimes forget that it's an animated film because the voice actors and narration are so convincing that it could be a live action film. This movie captured my imagination as a child and continues to capture my attention today when I watch it.