THE KING AND I (G). (Warner Bros/Village Roadshow) Director: Richard Rich Stars: the voices of Miranda Richardson, Martin Vidnovic, Ian Richardson, Darrell Hammond Running time: 88 minutes.
Rogers and Hammerstein's enduring musical about the prim English governess who tamed the humourless king of Siam returns to the screen in this animated tale from Warner Brothers. For most, the role of the stern but enlightened king is indelibly associated with the late Yul Brynner, who performed it countless times on stage, in the film version (for which he won an Oscar), and even in the short-lived tv series. Although he does a moderate job of voicing the character here, Martin Vidnovic lacks Brynner's commanding presence.
Miranda Richardson provides the voice of Anna, the English widow who travels to Siam in the 1860's to educate the king's children. She unwittingly becomes caught up in the intrigues of the villainous Kralahome (voiced with sinister relish by Ian Richardson, from Dark City). With his incompetent, overweight sidekick Master Little (Darrell Hammond), the Kralahome attempts to usurp the throne away from the king. It is this character who provides the bulk of the film's humour. Anna also helps the king see the error of following traditional ways when his attitude threatens the romance between the crown prince and a slave girl.
Created mainly in Asian studios under the direction of Richard Rich, the standard of animation is largely uninspiring and fairly straightforward, and the film lacks real impact. The King And I follows the formula for this type of animated film long set by Disney, but without the same sense of flair or imagination. Amazingly, there are numerous continuity goofs throughout the film. The producers have deliberately aimed it more at juvenile audiences, who will probably be unaware of the original movie. Many of the familiar songs (including Getting To Know You and Shall We Dance?) remain, but there have been numerous other changes made to accommodate younger audiences. Thus, in true Disney fashion, we get a number of cute animals, including a troublesome monkey, a black panther, and a pair of rare white elephants, which will appeal to children. Adult audiences will find little here to excite or entertain.
For the most part, this version of The King And I is rather dull stuff, and many in the audience will quickly tire of it.
** greg king http://www.netau.com.au/gregking
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