The Lion King Beginning Part Funny

What better way to teach your son to hunt than having him pounce your right-hand man—er, right-paw bird?

The very beginning of the movie has a rather meta one with the song "Circle of Life". If one knows their Zulu and listens to the famous chorus that starts the song, it translates that someone was pointing out to his father that a lion is coming. The father confirms that it is, indeed, a lion.

• It gets even better when the only lion coming...is the one being born. The father is literally telling his son that Mufasa and Sarabi had sex and a baby lion is coming from it. In other words, a lion is coming because a lion came.

The wildebeest stampede is by far among the most dramatic and serious scenes in Disney animation. That is, until you watch it in reverse.

• In some parts it looks like Mufasa is deliberately grabbing Simba and leaving him for dead amidst the thundering feet of the herd.

Simba is Swahili for lion. Simba is a lion named lion.

• And Mufasa is Swahili for king. So the Swahili title of the movie could be "The Simba Mufasa".

The start of movie after the "Circle of Life" number which introduces Scar. After Zazu reprimands him for missing Simba's ceremony, Scar tries to replace his previous "meal" with Zazu:

Mufasa: [shows up] Scar!
Scar: [with his mouth full] Yes, Mufasa?
Mufasa: Drop him.
Zazu: [his beak pops out of Scar's mouth] Impeccable timing, your majesty. [Scar spits him out]

Mufasa then complains that Scar wasn't in Simba's presentation. Cue Scar hammily snarking, "That was today? Oh, I feel simply awful!" while scratching a rock, making Zazu wince.

• In Finnish version, Scar says mockingly "Oh, this tears my heart apart!".

In the very same scene above, we get this little dialogue - in which Zazu (and Rowan Atkinson) makes a self depreciative joke - after Scar walks out on Mufasa:

Zazu: There's one in every family, sire. Two in mine, actually. And they always manage to ruin special occasions.
Mufasa: What am I going to do with him? (meaning Scar)
Zazu: He'd make a very handsome throw rug.
Mufasa: Zazu!
Zazu: And just think, Whenever he gets dirty you can take him out and beat him.

• This becomes a hilarious cross-film Brick Joke when Scar, as a throw rug (or, more accurately, a cape), shows up ◊ in Hercules. Helps from the fact that both Disney characters were animated by Andreas Deja. ^note He didn't come up with that joke, though.
• It's also an In-Universe funny moment, since Mufasa can't help laughing, despite himself.

This easy-to-miss exchange:

Simba: (in the background) Dad, dad, dad, dad, dad, dad...
Sarabi: (half asleep) Your son is awake.
Mufasa: (half asleep) Before sunrise, he's your son.

• Made even funnier because that Mufasa is king of all that the light touches, which before sunrise doesn't include Simba.

Early on the film, Zazu comes to deliver his morning report, which consists of animal puns, to Mufasa. Simba gets bored and attempts to pounce a bug, but with little success. Mufasa decides to teach him how to pounce and asks Zazu to turn around. Zazu complies without giving a second thought and continues to give the report until he gets suspicious.

Zazu: (getting suspicious) What's going on?
Mufasa: A pouncing lesson.
Zazu: Oh, very good. Pouncing... (the realization sets in) Pouncing!? Oh no, sire! You can't be serious! (Mufasa motions for Zazu to turn back around, all with an amused look on his face. Zazu reluctantly complies.) Oh, this is so humiliating…
Mufasa: (whispering to Simba) Try not to make a sound…
Zazu: What are you telling him, Mufasa? (looks around uneasily. Simba and Mufasa seem to have disappeared.) Mufasa? Simba?
(Simba leaps out of nowhere and tackles Zazu to the ground.)

• Mufasa is so frank about using his Number Two for his son's target practice; that by itself is funny.
• Even more amusing if watching the special edition, as the sequence is a song number originally being performed by Zazu, which Simba hijacks.

Scar being Deadpan Snarker at his best to hide the fact he cannot stand Simba's enthusiasm for being destined to the throne.

Scar: Yes. Well, forgive me for not leaping for joy. Bad back, you know.
Simba: Hey, Uncle Scar, when I'm king, what'll that make you?
Scar: A monkey's uncle.
Simba: Haha! You're so weird!
Scar: You've no idea.

Zazu getting crushed by a rhino at the end of "I Just Can't Wait to Be King".

Zazu: I beg your pardon, madam, but... GET OFF!! ^note According to the DVD Commentary, the writers tried many other things for Zazu to say, such as "Haven't we met before?" and "I'll never tango again."

• Just before that, an elephant falls on a sable antelope's horns butt-first and is shown doing a pain-induced Wild Take, complete with pink circles in its eyes.
• Earlier in the same song sequence, when Simba and Nala walk through an honor guard-style arrangement of zebras who then promptly reverse face and have tails erect, to Zazu when he tries to follow them.
  • Even funnier when you see how Zazu is covering his head protectively...
• Also, when Simba says that part of the reason he wants to be king is because nobody would be allowed to boss him around, and one of the phrases he uses as an example of being bossed around is "See here!". Zazu's response to this is "Now, see here!"

Pretty much the entirety of the famous "Pinned Ya!" scene. Simba and Nala get into a scuffle and Simba is shocked when Nala manages to flip him and pin him, even when he was the one who pounced on her twice. Nala just looks and sounds so smug looking down at her best friend and it's amusing how easily she manages to beat the prince of the Pridelands and tease him about it. First she chuckles and playfully teases him, then after the second time she smugly taunts him with a smirk. Plus, despite being prince, all Simba can do is glare silently at Nala as she teases him and holds him down, knowing he can't do anything about it.

Simba: I am a genius.
Nala: Hey "genius", it was my idea.
Simba: Yeah. But I pulled it off.
Nala: With me!
Simba: (gets ready to pounce) Oh yeah? Roar! (Tackles Nala, who easily flips him)
Nala: Ha! (pins Simba down, who is shocked) Heh, pinned ya.
Simba: Hey, let me up! (Pushes Nala off him and glares at her as she turns with a smug satisfied smile. His glare turns to a smirk as he pounces again while she's distracted, but sends them both rolling down a hill)
Nala: Haha! Haha! (Nala is laughing as she and Simba roll down, while Simba is shocked and scared. They reach the bottom with Simba on top, only for Nala to once again flip him and pin him. She looks and sounds even more smug now) Pinned ya again.
Simba: (Only glares silently in defeat as his best friend holds him down)

• Also, it is funny how they wrestled right into the Elephant Graveyard but didn't notice until a geyser went off.

The Elephant Graveyard scene:

"We could have whatever's...lion around!"
"Make mine a cub sandwich!"
"It's not funny, Ed." [bursts into hyena laughter]

• Simba, Nala and Zazu are cornered by the hyenas:

Shenzi: Do you know what we do to kings who step out of their kingdom?
Simba: *scoffs* You can't do anything to me!
Zazu: (nervous chuckle) Technically, they can. We are on their land.
Simba: But Zazu, you told me they were nothing but slobbery, mangy, stupid poachers!
Zazu: (whispering) Ix-nay on the upid-stay...
Banzai: WHO YOU CALLIN' "UPIDSTAY"?!

• Also:

  Banzai: Hey, did we order this dinner to go?
  Shenzi: No, why?
  Banzai: 'Cause THERE IT GOES!

• We also can't forget about the birdie boiler right after that either.

  Banzai: And so the major-dodo bird hippity-hopped all the way to the birdie boiler.

  Zazu: OH, NO! NOT THE BIRDY BOILE-AAAAAAAAHHHHH!

  (Zazu gets blasted out of the sky and the hyenas laugh hysterically.)

• Even better, the dialogue from both Zazu and the hyenas imply that this has happened before.
• After Simba sees the above happen:
• Simba tries to stand up to the hyenas by roaring at them. Shenzi taunts him into doing it again, and he does... except they hear a grown-up roar. Cue mystified faces on the three before Mufasa pounces on them. What also sells it is the look on Nala's face the second time Simba "roars".
  • Despite the gravity of the situation and how angry/scared for Simba he was, you can't help but wonder if Mufasa timed his roar with Simba's just to troll the hyenas!
• Shenzi and Banzai try to feign ignorance, saying that they didn't know that Simba was Mufasa's son. Then they try to get Ed to back them up.

  Shenzi: No, of course not.

  Banzai: No!

  Both: Ed?

  Ed: (nods vigorously)

• After the hyenas flee, Zazu flies up to Mufasa with a "you sure took care of them!" expression, only to cower when Mufasa gives him a Death Glare.

After Banzai and Ed's scuffle in the Graveyard, Shenzi remarks that they're the reason why hyenas are dangling at the bottom of the food chain. Banzai, with a drip of spit dangling from his lip, says "Man, I hate dangling."

Scar's use of the phrase "practically gift-wrapped" to describe how easy killing Simba and Nala was supposed to be for the hyenas.

This exchange:

Banzai: Now that's power.
Shenzi: Tell me about it. I just hear that name and I shudder.
Banzai: MUFASA!
Shenzi: Oooh.
[*Beat*]
Shenzi: Do it again!
Banzai: MUFASA!
Shenzi: Ooh!
Banzai: MUFASA MUFASA MUFASA!
Ed: [cracks up laughing]
Shenzi: Ooh, it just tingles me!
Scar: [massages his forehead softly] I'm Surrounded by Idiots.

• And the exchange right before it, when Scar first shows up and surprises them. Even funnier, as Shenzi and Banzai don't even seem to be trying to insult him.

Banzai: Oh, Scar! It's just you!
Shenzi: We were afraid it was someone important.
Banzai: Yeah, you know, like Mufasa.
Shenzi: Yeah.
Scar:' [As drily as possible] I see.

The entire song "Be Prepared" just crosses into all sorts of territory, from Nightmare Fuel to Funny Moment to Awesome Music and Moment of Awesome.

• When Scar hammily sings, "...Be prepared for sen-sa-tional news..."
• The hyenas don't get that Scar is saying that he will be king once Mufasa is dead, so they think there will be no king. They start dancing in circles, chanting, "No king! No king! La la la la la la~!"
• Just before that, this exchange:

  Banzai: Yeah, be prepared! Heheh, we'll be prepared! Heh. For what?
  Scar: For the death of the king!
  Banzai: What, is he sick?
  Scar: (candidly) No, fool, we're gonna kill him, and Simba, too.

• Three words: Goose-stepping hyenas. It's just as silly looking as it sounds.
• At least a couple of times during the song, Scar actually insults the hyenas directly to their faces while outlining his Evil Plan.

  Scar: It's clear from your vacant expressions / The lights are not all on upstairs / But we're talking kings and successions / Even you can't be caught unawares!

The hyenas piling up one after the other at the edge of a cliff, eventually pushing Banzai into the briar patch.

• "What, you want me to come out looking like you, cactus butt?"
• And considering that it was slashed earlier by Mufasa, Banzai was having a really bad week trying to sit.
• And, like the audience, Shenzi and Ed are laughing their (non-cactus) butts off at the sight of him flying out the briar patch.

Timon and Pumbaa are unable to tell Simba is a lion until Timon lifts up his paw, despite the fact they had several minutes and could have easily seen he was a lion well beforehand.

This little aside from "Hakuna Matata":

Timon: When he was a young warthog...
Pumbaa: When I was a young WARTHOOOG...
Timon: (while cleaning his ear out) Very nice.
Pumbaa: Thanks!

• And this one:

  Pumbaa: And oh, the shame!
  Timon: He was ashamed!
  Pumbaa: Thought of changing my name!
  Timon: Oh, what's in a name?
  Pumbaa: And I got downhearted...
  Timon: How did you feel?
  Pumbaa: ...Every time that I--
  Timon: Hey, Pumbaa! Not in front of the kids!
  Pumbaa: Oh, sorry.
  Simba: [Aside Glance]

The part where Zazu has essentially been reduced to Scar's court jester, and starts off singing "Nobody Knows":

• And afterwards, when the hyenas complain about there not being any food, Scar dismissively suggests that they eat Zazu.

  Zazu: Ohh, you wouldn't want me. I'd be so tough and gamey and, eww.

  Scar: Oh, Zazu, don't be ridiculous. All you need is a little garnish.

• Right after that, this moment when Banzai unwittingly mutters Mufasa's name in Scar's presence.

  Banzai: (to Shenzi and Ed) And I thought things were bad under Mufasa.
  Scar: (turning around suddenly after hearing him) What did you say?!
  Banzai: I said Mu- (Shenzi nudges him whilst smiling nervously) I said, uh, "Que Pasa?"
  Scar: Good. Now, get out.
  (The hyena then leave the cave of Pride Rock, but they pause)
  Banzai: Yeah, but... we're still hungry.
  Scar: OUT!
  (The hyena immediately scurry off with Ed laughing)

• Later on, during the climax, Timon is being chased by the Hyenas, and then he runs into Zazu's cell:

  Zazu: Let me out! Let me out!

When Timon, Pumbaa and Simba lie in the grass looking at the stars.

• Hilarious in Hindsight if you've seen The Princess and the Frog.

When Simba arrives to save Timon and Pumbaa from Nala, Nala briefly loses her ferocious snarling look and gets one that looks like a mix of surprise and shock as Simba lunges at her and briefly pins her before she breaks free. Then as the two start snarling and clawing at each other Timon starts cheering Simba on from the sidelines instead of trying to free Pumbaa. Then he briefly tells Pumbaa he told him Simba would be on their side.

Timon: Get her! Bite her head! Go for the jugular! The jugular! (turns to Pumbaa) See, I told you he'd come in handy.
(Simba lunges at Nala, who flips him and pins him down with a hard slam. Simba now looks confused instead of threatening, and looks up at Nala. The lionness is nose to nose with him, all her teeth bared and sporting a Death Glare.)
Simba: Nala?
(Nala drops the threat display all at once and staggers back).

Timon's absolute confusion when Nala and Simba are delighted to see each other after being at each other's throats, and after Nala tried to eat Pumbaa, who, after pleasantries, seems to have completely forgotten about it. Which only confuses Timon more!

Simba: Nala, this is Pumbaa. Pumbaa, Nala.
Pumbaa: Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Nala: The pleasure's all mine!
Timon: How do you do.. Whoa! Whoa. Time out! Lemme get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to eat him. And everybody's ''okay'' with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?!

Timon and Pumbaa's verse at the end of "Can You Feel the Love Tonight". Their genuine-looking grief, and bursting into tears afterwards, over nothing.

• Pumbaa's cluelessness during the opening also:

Timon: I can see what's happening.

Pumbaa: What?

Timon: And they don't have a clue.

Pumbaa: Who?

Timon: They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line: our trio's down to two.

Pumbaa: Oh.

• Another one during the main chorus. After Simba pulls Nala into the water unexpectedly and she swims out, she looks at Simba for a brief second, then she shoves him back in to the water, with a grin on her face. This could be simply revenge for pulling her in, or because of Simba's absolutely ridiculous appearance with his mane completely drenched and flattened over his eyes and head. Simba may not have ever been a dignified lion (or trying for it in that particular moment), but this may just provide an explanation for why lions generally don't like getting wet...
• Then after this, Simba starts chasing Nala into the jungle and the two begin to play wrestle again, until they tumble down a hill while holding on to each other the whole way. When they finally reach the bottom, Simba has finally managed to pin Nala. It's humorous that the only time Simba has ever been able to beat Nala was by complete accident and was the least like a "fight" out of all their scuffles.
  • Also, while Simba is chuckling to himself over this, Nala suddenly gives him a surprise lick on the cheek as a reward for finally beating her. Simba is surprised and looks at her, but she just gives a seductive stare at him while he holds her down. He seems unsure at first, but quickly smiles and goes along with it.

Timon and Pumbaa singing and bawling about how their pal is supposedly doomed because he's fallen in love.

• In the soundtrack version of the German dub, Ilja Richter (Timon) does a hilariously hysterical sobbing noise.

Rafiki smacking Simba upside the head with his stick, - "OW! Jeez, what was that for?!" Again it is Simba's priceless expression (and head-rub) that sells it. Even funnier after watching the DVD Commentary; co-writer Irene Mecchi suggested that bit as a joke.

• Then there's Rafiki's response: "It doesn't matter, it's in the past!" And when he finally gets through to Simba:

Rafiki: So, what are you going to do?
Simba: First, I'm gonna take your stick! [grabs and throws it]
Rafiki: No, no, NO! Not the stick! [chases after it, then sees Simba running off into the distance] Hey! Where you goin'!?
Simba: I'm going back!
Rafiki: Good! Go on, get outta here! [Starts laughing, first madly then triumphantly]

Speaking of Rafiki:

Rafiki: Come here. [pulls Simba close to whisper in his ear] It's a secret.
[Beat]
Rafiki: [whispering and getting louder] Asante sana, squash banana! We we nugu, mi mi apana!

• And when asked what the song means, Rafiki says, "It means you are a baboon. And I'm not."
• It's even funnier when 'Asante sana' means 'Thank you very much,' so put it together like this:

  "Thank you very much, squash banana!
  You are a baboon and I'm not!"

Another easy-to-miss one:

After Timon and Pumbaa meet Rafiki for the first time:

Timon: Hey, what's going on here? Who's the monkey?
Nala: Simba's gone back to challenge Scar!
Timon: Who?
Nala: Scar.
Pumbaa: Who's got a scar?
Nala: No, no, no. It's his uncle.
Timon: The monkey's his uncle?
Nala: No! Simba's gone back to challenge his uncle to take his place as King!
Timon and Pumbaa: Ohhhhhh.

• Earlier in that scene, when Nala comes to wake them up after Simba leaves. Timon opens his eyes and sees Nala right up in his face, causing him to shriek with terror, startling Pumbaa awake:

Nala: It's OK. Whoa, whoa! It's OK! It's ME!
Timon: Don't ever do that again! Carnivores, oy!

"What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?"

• (drum beats) LUAU!
• Aaaaaare ya achin'? (Yup yup yup). Fooooor some bacon? (Yup yup yup.)
• This scene had people falling out of their chairs during the premiere showing.
• Helps that that line was ad-libbed by Nathan Lane.

Rafiki going all Bruce Lee on the hyenas could qualify both as this and a Moment of Awesome. Monkey-style kung fu, indeed!

Just about all of the Virtual Safaris, but highlights are:

• From the Jeep tour, we get a darkly funny reaction from Timon and Pumbaa when they sidle up to the drive-thru run by the hyenas:

Pumbaa: Meerkat tail on the cob? Warthog snouts and tusks?! [shudders]
Timon: Mongoose pot pie?!?!?!? AAAHHHHHH! It's *US* on the menu!
Banzai: (over the intercom) Welcome! Would you like to try our warthog special?
[Timon and Pumbaa drive away in terror]

• Pumbaa mistaking Timon's tail for his blanket in the same tour.[[labelnote:Context]]After the stampede, if you choose to go into the cave, the Jeep momentarily sputters to a stop, and the headlights go out.[[/note]]
  • Followed by Timon and Pumbaa getting attacked by bats.
• In the Boat tour, Timon jumps out of the boat after getting scared by thunder.

• One of the two endings of the above tour, which involves Timon and Pumbaa getting caught in a whirlpool.
• The other ending is also funny, but replace "whirlpool" with "waterfall".

Another meta one. Everything is literally said

Banzai: (after falling into antelope skeletons and getting them stuck on his (and the other two) head) So we're dead?

Scar: From that fall you should be

Banzai: I climb really fast!

Scar: None of you will be skeletons anymore, after I drop you.

Banzai: Wow, we're really good at surviving falls!

Banzai and Shenzi: Disney Plot Armor, la lala lala la!

Scar: Idiots! Plot armor is for main characters!

Banzai: But Mufasa.

• Hilarious in Hindsight because Scar dies, and the Hyenas survive.

One comparison between The Lion King and Hamlet gives the role of "something rotten in the kingdom of Denmark" to Pumbaa's gas.

The Look-And-Find adaptation of the film has several funny moments, such as Timon and Pumbaa getting AbhorrentAdmirers as Simba and Nala feel the love tonight, or several examples of Misplaced Wildlife as Easter eggs. In the adaptation of the final battle, we see an angry hippo who joined the battle to help Simba about to crush several hyenas under his giant ass. We also see in the background a hyena who has become morbidly obese with tiny stubs for legs.

Even though Mufasa's death was a massive Tear Jerker, there's something oddly hilarious about the last wildebeest running to catch up with the rest of the stampede. You can just imagine him calling out to the herd, "Hey, wait for me!"

The climax of the movie is serious event after serious event: Scar hitting Sarabi, Simba forcing the truth out of Scar, and then the final battle. However, there's a Funny Background Event occurring as Sarabi makes her way to Scar: among the crowd of snarling, angry hyenas...is one hyena putting on the biggest nervous smile, almost as if he's standing to attention as the Queen approaches.

When Scar lures Simba into the gorge, we get this gem:

Scar: No, no, no, no, no, this is just for you and your daddy. You know, a sort of father-son...thing.

Every single one of Timon's lines. Nobody does comic delivery quite like Nathan Lane.

As a bit of Black Comedy, a grown-up Nala pins Simba again when they're fighting each other. Some things never change. Except they do, one Love Song later.

The Hilarious Outtakes made for the Blu-Ray. See them here.

• The entirety of Mufasa attempting to get ready for a roar, complete with one particular expression making him look high as a kite. It builds up over the course of several scenes, only to end with Mufasa literally going "Roarrr!" and then saying "That's as close as I can get right now".
• "Well, Simba, now's your chance to grow up, and tell them - tell them who's...[stumbles over his words] I don't know what I'm doing."
• The scene of Shenzi laughing hysterically while Ed is looking serious, as if he's quietly saying, "Hey, That's My Line!".
• Simba messing up his lines. He mispronounces "Hakuna Matata" a few times as he trips on the words, then when he finally gets it right, he laughs mid-sentence.

  Simba: "I don't speak this African stuff."

• Nala flubbing her dialogue:

  Scar: They think I'm king.
  Nala: Well we don't. Simba- Uh bleh um eh.
  (the other lionesses all laugh)
  Nala: Wooh! Can you just erase all that and start again?

• Rafiki falls asleep while meditating. Even after Simba scratches his nose, nudges him, and shakes him hard, the old monkey's still asleep, even toppling off the rock he's sitting on!

  Simba: [sheepishly] Maybe we should try this tomorrow.

• This:
• But the Crowning Moment has to be when climbing Pride Rock, Rafiki trips and drops baby Simba over the edge. Rafiki then crawls over to the edge with goofy music playing and looks down, saying "Simba?"
• Timon practicing his hula scene in different poses. At one point, he doesn't do it because he's busy sipping his drink. But then he opens his eyes, looks at the audience, and apologizes for the delay.

A meta example is the opening of the DVD Commentary:

Don Hahn: Hi, I'm Don Hahn, I'm the producer of Lion King.
Robert Minkoff: I'm Rob Minkoff, director of The Lion King.
Roger Allers: And Roger Allers, director of The Lion King.
Don Hahn: And we're here to perform the Top 40 hits for you. No, we're here to comment for you on the making of The Lion King.

It's been reported that ever since personalized ringtones came around, Prince Charles Of England has used "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" as his. ^note His mother Queen Elizabeth is the longest reigning monarch in British history, living into her 90's and ruling for over 60 of those years, while Charles is in his 70's and still waiting to take the throne himself.

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Source: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Funny/TheLionKing1994