In 1967, one year after Walt Disney died, his last animated film came to theaters: The Jungle Book.

The Jungle Book came to theaters on October 18, 1967, and was an instant hit. The film, based on the 1894 book of the same name by Rudyard Kipling, was one of Walt DIsney's last contributions to the world. The film ended up eventually grossing over $140 million in the United States alone, at that time a blockbuster success. It has been released on every kind of home video format, often with record-breaking sales. The character Baloo was named #35 in the "Best Friends of the Past 100 Years" by the American Film Association.

The success of the film spawned two TV series and a sequel. The series, TaleSpin and Jungle Cubs, were huge hits in the 1990's. The sequel, The Jungle Book 2, was originally meant to be a Direct-to-Video film, but this was switched last-minute to become a theatrical release. Both the television series and the sequel film received critical acclaim, and today are among the legacy that The Jungle Book first created almost 45 years ago.

Jungle Book Source is dedicated to recognizing Walt Disney's final animated film, as well as its legacy of films and TV shows. Enjoy the site, and all its Bare Necessities!

The Jungle Book was originally written by Rudyard Kipling and published in 1894. Walt Disney picked up the rights to make it into a movie in 1960, and worked on it from then until his death. The film was released in 1967, and was on the short list for the Academy Award for Best Picture, narrowly missing the nomination.

The story follows Mowgli, an Indian boy picked up by a pack of wolves after his mother was killed by Sheer Khan prior to the events of the movie. After a threat from Shere Khan to kill the boy, the jaguar Bagheera attempts to take him to the Man-Village. Mowgli, intent on staying in The Jungle, runs away, and is picked up by the bear Baloo.

Through a series of misadventures, which include a run-in with King Louie, Kaa the snake, an band of marching elephants, and even vultures resembling the Beatles, Mowgli eventually contronts Shere Khan and bests the tiger using fire and help from his friends. At the end of the movie, he eventually goes to the Man-Village.