Though the lion may indeed sleep tonight, the kind folks at Campus Life have been working tirelessly to bring you quality, family friendly entertainment in the form of The Lion King.
As part of the Family Film Series, the beloved Disney film will be coming to a theater near you in the close future—specifically the Student Center auditorium. The 1994 animated classic, a Hamlet-inspired story set in the African wilderness, focuses on a young lion named Simba and his struggle to reclaim his father’s kingdom from his sinister uncle, Scar. Some would argue the movie’s target demographic is far younger than the average college student, but Gregg Costanzo
begs to differ.
Costanzo is the coordinator of arts, entertainment and marketing for Campus Life, the organization that is also responsible for the various lounges on Thursdays and the Friday night movies. His passion lies in bringing enjoyable diversions to students for little to no charge.
“The majority of Campus Life’s programs are at a free or low rate so that students can have a cultural or entertainment experience,” he said.
But why children’s movies?
“We want to meet the needs of diverse populations, and we also want to collaborate with other people on campus.”
The films chosen for the Family Film Series are indeed chosen with help from an outside source, the people involved in the children’s literature program. As a matter of fact, the series began as an idea presented to Campus Life from a faculty member who wanted to present films that tied in with the syllabus. Now in its third year, the Family Film Series has shown movies such as Up, Ponyo, all three parts of the Toy Story trilogy, and most recently, Gnomeo and Juliet.
The Family Film Series also provides an indispensable service to EMU staff and students with children by providing an opportunity for good, clean, kid-friendly fun in a setting typically catering to the interests of young adults. According to data collected from clasp.org, nearly a quarter of college students have kids. Events such as this allow for an inexpensive bonding activity for parents and children. In addition, the outing could function as a form of “take your child to work day” for faculty, according to Costanzo.
At the same time, many students can concur the Lion King isn’t “just for kids.”
Nostalgia is a powerful thing. Take a cursory look around campus and you’ll find everything from Pokemon cards to stacks of movies featuring the Disney Princesses. There may be a simple explanation to this phenomenon—when under the stress of adjusting to life as an adult, many students turn to the things that made them happy as a child to give them solace. This is especially true for those who have moved far away from home for the first time.
“Sometimes movies like this from their childhood can give them peace of mind,” Costanzo said.
Bily Simmons, a junior who also works for Campus Life, was also quick to express his adoration for The Lion King.
“It’s one of my favorite movies!” Simmons said. “It’s the current college generation’s movie, like The Breakfast Club in the 80s.”
He’s not the only EMU student with love for The Lion King. Freshman Luke Bromberg has a soft spot for the cast of numerous likeable and interesting characters, “Especially Simba.”
Sophomore Andy Raby is also a fan. As a music major, he’s quick to point out the film’s score is riddled with fantastic music. At the same time, he and many others can attest to the compelling plot that seems to transcend age demographics.
“It’s a family-friendly movie that’s still interesting to adults,” Raby said.
Perhaps there are some things you’ll never be too old for.
The Lion King will be showing on at 8 p.m. on Dec. 3. Admission is free.
