Hand-drawn Disney on actual 35mm is a vanishing thing, and Metrograph's It Started With A Mouse series exists to keep it in front of people. The Jungle Book is the ideal entry point: 78 minutes, George Sanders purring as Shere Khan, and Louis Prima detonating I Wanna Be Like You. If you want a morning that gets a five-year-old and a film obsessive into the same room, take this one.
What to expect
A late-morning show in a proper repertory house, projected from film rather than a hard drive, with the color and grain that a print carries. The feature runs 78 minutes with no added program listed, so you are back out on Ludlow Street before lunch. Expect a mixed crowd of families and repertory regulars.
Good to know
- Metrograph sits at 7 Ludlow Street; take the F to East Broadway or the B and D to Grand Street.
- At 78 minutes this is one of the shortest features on the repertory calendar, which suits short attention spans.
- A 35mm print carries wear, so expect scratches and reel changes rather than a pristine digital image.
- Morning shows are the calmest slot of the week here, which makes it a good first cinema outing for a young child.
- The upstairs bar and bookshop are worth ten minutes before or after.
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Common questions
Is this the original 1967 animated version?
Yes - Wolfgang Reitherman's hand-drawn feature, not a live-action remake. Metrograph is showing it on 35mm as part of a series devoted to hand-drawn Disney classics.
How long is it?
Seventy-eight minutes, with no shorts listed before it. A morning start means you are out well before lunch.
Do I need to book ahead?
Booking online is the safer bet. Family-friendly morning shows at repertory houses fill up, and Metrograph's theaters are not large.
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