Marissa Reviews The Lion King
The year was 1994. It was a simpler time, abundant in one-strap overalls, jelly shoes, and all assortments of butterfly hair clips. It was the year Ruth Bader Ginsburg was sworn in as a U.S. Supreme Court Justice. It was the year Amazon (and Austin Film Festival!) officially launched. And for little three-year-old Marissa, it was the year that would come to define the rest of her future.
On June 15th, 1994, The Lion King came out in theaters. The timing was perfect; it was mere days after my third birthday. So, to celebrate, my dad decided to take me on a daddy-daughter date to see my very first movie in a theater. Now, almost thirty years later, the memory is still vivid in my mind. I was buzzing with excitement all day. I was going to see a real movie! In a real theater! With my favorite person! The idea of it all was thrilling to me, but I had no idea just how important that day would become in shaping who I’d be for the rest of my life.
When we arrived in the theater I wanted to sit as close to the screen as we could. Being the wonderful father that he is and not wanting to dampen the excitement, my dad happily obliged. Despite being nearly in the front row, I scooted to the edge of my seat to be even closer, my tiny legs swinging from the edge as I looked from the screen to my dad, around the theater, and back to the screen. After what felt like an eternity of anticipation, the lights finally dimmed, and the movie roared to life on the screen in front of us. Whoa.
I had never experienced anything like this, the sounds, the colors, the massive feeling of it all. My heart pounded in my chest; my once-swinging legs froze in captivation, my seemingly never-blinking eyes transfixed on the moving images. This was magic, real-life magic. And then, it was over. The lights came up, and I was left frozen in my seat, totally changed, and having no idea why yet. We left the theater, but that experience never left me. It was the first time I fell in love, and whether it has been as an actor, filmmaker, or festival programmer, that love has defined my life ever since.
“The question is, who are you?”- Rafiki. How lucky am I that I have known the answer to that question ever since I was three? How lucky we all are to have movies.
To learn more about the writing of The Lion King and other Disney animated classics, check out On Story episode 2 season 9: A Conversation with Linda Woolverton.
OUR 2023 SCRIPT AND FILM COMPETITIONS ARE NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSIONS!
Click here to learn more about our competitions and submit your story.