Product Description

Disney presents the smash hit comedy that families and critics everywhere went bananas over! Deep in the heart of the African jungle, a baby named George, the sole survivor of a plane crash, is raised by gorillas. George grows up to be a buff and lovable klutz (ENCINO MAN'S Brendan Fraser) who has a rain forest full of animal friends -- like Tookie, his big-beaked messenger, Ape, a talking gorilla who's smarter than your average rocket scientist, and Shep, a gray-haired peanut-loving pooch of an elephant! When poachers mess with George's pals, the King Of Swing swings into action. But before you can say, "Watch out for that tree," George comes face-to-bark with a few vine-covered obstacles! You'll go wild for this "wonderfully wacky comedy" that People Magazine calls "impossible to resist!"

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6715 in DVD
• Brand: Disney
• Released on: 2000-12-12
• Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, Live, NTSC
• Original language: English, French, Spanish
• Subtitled in: English
• Dubbed in: Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 92 minutes

Amazon.com
Not even the executives at Disney could have predicted the runaway success of this live-action movie inspired by Jay Ward's goofy 1960s cartoon character. Not only did George make a killing at the box office, but Disney's marketing wizards turned it into one of their best-selling videos. It's hard to begrudge the movie's success, even if this is the kind of mindless entertainment that caters to the lowest common denominator. In any case, it's obvious that kids love this movie, in which the idiotic George (Brendan Fraser) repeatedly swings into trees and attracts the attention of a lovely jungle explorer (Leslie Mann) who decides to call off her engagement to a wealthy snob (Thomas Hayden Church) in favor of the vine-swinging hunk with an elephant named Shep (that thinks it's a dog) and an ape named Ape (with a proper Brit voice provided by John Cleese). Filled with slapstick gags and some funny special effects, the movie can be a bit of a trial for adults, but it's a hilarious treat for its intended audience. --Jeff Shannon

Customer Reviews

Fun Movie, Poor DVD Package
A friend gave my kids this movie--I didn't buy it because the idea of a live-action GEORGE OF THE JUNGLE seemed silly to me. Fortunately for my family, this movie is silly in a good way, gleefully silly, with lots of physical comedy, puns, in-jokes, and high ridiculousness. This movie has good-natured fun. The casting of Fraser and Mann as George and Ursula is inspired, and Cleese as the voice of Ape works wonders. Movies that elicit joyful instead of derisive laughter deserve our attention, so unless you're sensitive about the requisite animal excrement jokes (the easiest way to avoid a "G" rating), watch this movie with your kids. Then watch it with your buddies. It might even be a good date movie.

The DVD package, however, offers another example of Disney's charging premium prices for few extras. Unfortunately, the disc is also pan-and-scan instead of widescreen. If you already own the videotape, you might as well wait and hope that Disney upgrades the DVD package.

Swinging Disney Film
This film was made in the great tradition of Walt Disney's live action films aimed at the adolescent audience that his studio produced in the 60s and continued into the 70s. It works beautifully tweaking the formula for the 90's audiences. Brendan Fraser is perfect as George in his own likeable but not very bright way. You really feel for this guy because he wants to do what is right and get the job done. The special effects are excellent because they not only look good but they add to the effect of the storytelling and create an innovative world for the audience to immerse themselves into. The casting is also good. Thomas Hayden Church as an equally not-very-bright cad is perfect. You almost feel sorry for this guy. John Cleese doing the voice of Ape is a riot. He has several funny scenes, especially near the very end. This is film is excellent no matter what age you are. I highly recommend this one.

Fun family film
This movie is one of my kids' favorites. In fact, it was the first live-action movie my older daughter could sit through, probably because it's pretty cartoonish live-action. The nice thing is that grownups can stand to watch it, too. It's very silly, of course, but there are lots of funny gags, many of which go right over the heads of children. There's a little bathroom humor, but what else would you expect in a movie with talking gorillas and an elephant that plays fetch? Best of all, from my point of view, is the fact that perfectly-cast Brendan Fraser spends a good portion of the movie wearing only a loincloth.

I agree with other reviewers, however, that it would be nice if the DVD were in widescreen and came with some extras. But I'll settle for 90 minutes of happy children plus Brendan Fraser in a loincloth.