Welcome to another episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? The podcast that compares the top box office earner and the Academy Award Best Picture Winner of the same year. For this episode, the year is 1967 and the two films are In The Heat Of The Night (Best Picture) and The Jungle Book (Top Box Office).
In In The Heat Of The Night, directed by Norman Jewison and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger, Virgil Tibbs (Poitier), a black detective from Philadelphia, becomes entangled with a murder mystery in the rural south. Fighting racist attitudes throughout the investigation, Virgil manages to stay one step ahead of the local authorities with his seasoned forensic skills. This earns him the begrudging acceptance of police chief Gillespie who becomes an unlikely ally against the growing threat of the townspeople's racism. Poitier carries the film, pushing his strong black character hard against racist stereotypes, while Steiger manages a subtle tension between the chief's inherent racism and his professional respect of Tibbs. The editing and cinematography have a "film school" edge to them, lacking polish. But this is made up for with a dynamic and gritty shooting style. This film is a must see, not only for its cultural significance but just because it is a great film.
The Jungle Book, directed by Wolgang Reitherman and starring Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, and Bruce Reitherman, is another Disney marquee picture in their line of classic animated films. The film features man-cub Mowgli, a wild boy raised by wolves, cast out of his pack due to their fear of the tiger Shere Khan, whose prey is man. Bagheera, a black panther and mentor of sorts to Mowgli, offers to take the boy back to his own kind where he'll be safe. Mowgli doesn't want to leave his jungle home however, being more interested in a carefree life with his friend, Baloo the bear. In addition to the fearsome Shere Khan, Mowgli has to cope with dangers from crazy monkeys and treacherous snakes. While the song and dance in the film is fun and enjoyable, the main story lacks structure and a feeling of real threat to Mowgli's life. The animation is satisfactory, but not up to par with other Disney classics. The jazz influences on the music and style of the film are unique and add a vibrant element to the story. Ultimately though, this film ends up being too light in its presentation, as it can be difficult to stay engaged.
Which film will we choose in the latest episode of Highbrow! Lowbrow? The classic Disney animation The Jungle Book with its jazzy dance numbers and memorable songs or the cultural milestone In The Heat Of The Night with the slap heard 'round the world? Find out on the latest Highbrow! Lowbrow?
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