«The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

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Another film adaptation based on the famous story of Rudyard Kipling’s «The Jungle Book,» about a boy named Mowgli, who grew up in a wolf pack.

About heroes

Mowgli

In the new film emphasis on the fact that Mowgli – people. He is in many ways weaker animals around him: he is inferior in speed, reaction force, he does not have fangs and claws. He grows and develops Mowgli also much slower than his counterparts in the pack of wolf. Thus, through the character Mowgli is given the main question: «What distinguishes man from animal? What is the most important superiority of man over the animal world? «And these questions not remain unanswered.

Naturally, Mowgli differs from animals his inquisitive mind. The mind makes him to be creative, to resort to all sorts of tricks and thus compensate for their weakness. It is through the mind survives Mowgli in the jungle, where he remains all alone without the support of his pack, thanks to the mind he  helps  Baloo to get honey,  save an elephant , and thanks to the mind he ultimately wins his chief enemy Sherkhan.

Still there is something serious that distinguishes man from the animal and makes his much more powerful – is the ability to control fire. Tamed «red flower», give person  strength and he  has ceased to be so vulnerable to the world of wildlife.

In this movie has echoes of the ancient Greek myth of Prometheus, according to which Prometheus and Epimetheus (his brother) were charged to distribute capacity between the humans and animals. People are left defenseless, as Epimetheus expended all ability to live on land animals. With this knowledge, Prometheus stole fire for the people.

To some extent, Mowgli in the new film adaptation – this is a prototype of the Prometheus. Especially I felt this similarity in the scene when Mowgli runs through the jungle with a torch of fire, showing the victory of reason over primal fears.

the jungle book 2016 human being on the way to the light 2 «The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

Mowgli, is not being able to control the fire, he start a fire  in the jungle, and seeing that he did, he throw the torch, but that without the «red flower,» he can not win Sherkhan. Now, he realizes the power of «red flower». Without proper control, the fire can kill all living things, and Mowgli  refuses from it as a weapon. Thus, it explained that a person has the power to destroy nature, but he should not do that. His duty – to take care of nature, protect it. This was one of the goals of the filmmakers, so at the request of director Jon Favreau picture:

«This story – old. But it will always be relevant. And each generation, for each epoch can be interpreted in different ways. Our relationship with nature changed greatly since the days of Kipling. And one of the goals that I set before myself, creating «Jungle Book», the opportunity to explain to the younger generation the importance of environmental integrity and respect for the resources of our planet. The storyline about a «red flower» conveys to the viewer the idea that we need to think again and look around, and realize what because of our negligence, because of our errors, greed, we destroy our house. Seeing what a «red flower» without skilful handling, without the control and proper use, Mowgli throws the torch from the hands, despite the fact that the fire makes  much more powerful Mowgli.

As a result, the character Mowgli was surprisingly good, and reflects the main idea of the work Rudyard Kipling, namely that distinguishes man from animal. And it is – not only the mind and the ability to control fire, but also awareness of the consequences of their actions, knowing full responsibility for their actions, understanding that – well, and that – bad.

Sherkhan

In the new film adaptation of Sher Khan becomes even angrier. So,in the new version Sherkhan kills Akela and takes his place. Before that, he threatened wolves that after the truce begins to kill them one by one, if they will not give him a human cub. After he taking place of the leader of the pack, Sherkhan threatened Raksha reprisals against her cubs. Also, to make the image of Sherkhan even more bloodthirsty they show us the scene of his attack on Mowgli’s father. Sher Khan is no longer lame, but he blind in one eye, which gives it even more terrible view.

the jungle book 2016 human being on the way to the light 3 «The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

In general, the new Sherkhan fully complies with the book version. For example, in the story «How comes the fear,» Kipling describes as Sher Khan hunts and kills a man for the sake of excitement.

Interestingly, in the new film adaptation of the missing approximate Sherkhan – jackal Tobacco.

Bagheera and Baloo

Unlike our cartoon characters, in this version of Bagheera – man, which, incidentally, corresponds to the book. Then he is found very young Mowgli in the jungle and leads him to the wolf pack. Bagheera and Mowgli is actively involved in learning. He reminded something like Diego from Ice Age – a kind of a good predator. Bagheera – is archaic and unorthodox in his approach to teaching Mowgli. It calls on Mowgli learn to do everything like a wolf, thereby preventing Mowgli in discovering his potential. Apparently, he believes that only strength and agility can protect Mowgli in the jungle, and pays no attention to what Mowgli – a man and his power is hidden in a very different things.

But it, that does not see Bagheera – saw well Baloo, and therefore offers Mowgli to stay and not go back to the people. Baloo  invents job for Mowgli  – to extract honey, and  contrary encourages creativity  Mowgli , helps to realize its advantages, as a person.

At first glance, Baloo looks like mercantile dunce, lazy, that emphasizes only «simple pleasures», and it seems that he dissuaded Mowgli from returning to the people only for their own benefit, but actually under the outer shell hiding wise inhabitant of the forest . He really wants to help Mowgli, knowing that Sherkhan already killed Akela, and he and the wolves that have fallen on its side, is already scouring the jungle in search of a human baby. If Mowgli, unprepared,  wants  revenge to Sherkhan, he will be defeated, and this defeat will cost lives. Baloo can not afford it, so he by resorting to tricks, it helps Mowgli develop their abilities.

the jungle book 2016 human being on the way to the light 4 «The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

The first test for Mowgli is help an elephant.  Mowgli has to use different tools to pull of an elephant from a huge pit. Then Bagheera and begins to understand that sooner or later the human element will win Mowgli (or has already won), and there is no point in trying to somehow block it there.

Louie

A second test for Mowgli becomes a meeting with Louis – he moved in Walt Disney`s cartoon «Jungle Book» in 1967. Louis is depicted as a local mobster with claims of absolute power in all jungle. It offers Mowgli get him «red flower» and learn how to manage them, and then Louis will become omnipotent. And this is the exam for morality Mowgli whether he conspired with obvious criminal for the sake of power, wealth, status, wealth, or goes the other way? Rejecting the offer, Louis, Mowgli successfully pass this exam too. Now he is ready to meet with his chief enemy.

Elephants

Elephants – are the first of spirits, ancestors, gods or, if you prefer, the founding fathers of the jungle. In the cartoon sound a phrase: «Elephants have created this jungle where their tusks furrowed the land – been laid river where trumpeted their trunks – born the trees. They – the creators of the very nature and crowns of trees, and the birds in their crowns, but not human …

the jungle book 2016 human being on the way to the light 5 «The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

The image is very interesting, as little affected by the topic of religion, to some extent reflects the primitive religious beliefs, introduces young viewers with it. The elephants intervene in what is happening when the jungle begin to blaze,  no other animals and even Mowgli, can not stop the «red flower». The main message here is: some problems can not be solved without the intervention of a higher power, without the support of God.

The spirit of collectivism

Another detail which creators embody very well and convey to the audience – this is the spirit of collectivism. Although among wolves and was dominated by controversy over the presence human but the main law of the wolf is as follows:

This is the age-old law of the jungle, eternal as the sky,
Who honors him – will live long, and the one who will break – will die.
As drooping tree – liana, loop weaves its law,
What a pack of strong power the wolf, and the wolf strong of power a pack

This poem is repeated several times in the film and is very well conveys the essence of what is collective. The team – it’s not just an association of individuals for the sake of survival, the team – it is also the realization that you are – a part of something much more significant, part of a single organism which faces more global challenges, and without the joint efforts of these problems can not be solved. This idea is reinforced by the action of the picture, when in the end, all the wolves take side of Mowgli against Sherkhan.

The second semantic row and possible scenarios

Sherkhan, as mentioned earlier, is depicted not lame and one-eyed, and he brutally disposing of Akela, the one-eyed beast sat on the top of the mountain, where the leader should sit. One eye on the top of the mountain – quite common symbol in the conspiracy, and could indicate a specific structure dedicated to the Western elite. It is important to note the behavior of the Sher Khan in a new place: he immediately takes control above pack of wolf, using fear and force. This is very similar to the aspirations of those structures and societies of the West who claim to world domination.

However, there comes a time when patience ends. In addition, they see that Mowgli – though the man, but not an enemy to them. And all the wolves and the animals are protect Mowgli from Sherkhan. As a result, Mowgli – character, very similar to the Prometheus (the very name of Prometheus with ancient Greek means «thinking first», «visionary», «foresees») – together with a pack, which again is becoming a team spirit and unity, wins the one-eyed enemy and restore the old order in the jungle.

What is it? Message for certain forces? 

Maybe it is forming a new scenario of Western elites, which have no place for groups and organizations, that eager to ensure that the whole world stood in front of them on their knees, and they ready for this purpose, destroy civilization?

Or maybe it is unknowingly RELAY BROADCAST noosphere of the planet as an inevitable process, which should happen in the future?

Reply difficult, but the global elite is to think about its activities, once these images are starting to go down in the masses. Moreover, it is not the first occurrence of such an image: as the movie Tomorrowland was possible to observe the destruction of the pyramid with an eye on top.

On the screens it is not the first film where the main semantic tab is that knowledge and mind  – are the main human virtues that help him overcome any difficulties. One gets the impression that the Western establishment is experiencing a serious shortage of personnel, and the people are so saturated with the idea of ​​consumption that a desire to learn is an exceptions. People are less and less interested in the breakthroughs in science, in the space sector, are less and less interested in creative work, people want to eat well, dress up, drive expensive cars, live in the eternal holiday without worries and hassle.

The new version of The Jungle Book in this sense, looks like an attempt to revive the idea of a man-creator and maker of that knowledge and intellectual capabilities in their moral application ensure our survival as a species, and we can not descend to the level of animals, because we simply perish .

the jungle book 2016 human being on the way to the light 6 «The Jungle Book» (2016): Human being on the way to the light

Mowgli – is the image of a man-creator, also teaches the care of nature. It is thanks to his inquiring mind, inventiveness, curiosity, he triumphs over the most terrible and powerful predator of the jungle, which frightened even the wolf pack.

Drugs:

When Mowgli is watching the people in the village, there, amid the blazing fire, silhouettes of men something to drink, probably alcohol. Perhaps Mowgli in this scene is contrasted with people and looks much more human, though, and grew up among animals.

Sex:

None.

Violence:

The age limit of the movie – 6+, but we do not recommend that children watch this film at the age of six years, especially in the theater since the film contains quite brutal scene of fights between animals. Also, there are many scenes with the element of surprise that makes literally tremble in chair. Therefore, we believe that the film has more appropriate for teenagers.

Moral:

It is necessary to say that children love to imitate the protagonists, so this way of Mowgli uniquely useful in terms of the educational function,and  the formation at the child the correct goal setting.

The revival of the idea of man-creator, also has a certain moral yardstick (Mowgli will not set fire to the forest because of a whim), may help to reverse the trend, «Take everything from life», will help the younger generations to understand what they should do as they must relate to the world around them, to continue to build a bright future.

Oleg Ishushiy 

Translated by Svetlana Kuntu

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