Here's how 'The Jungle Book'- the most visually stunning movie of the year - looks without special effects
"The Jungle Book" is being hailed one of the most visually stunning movies of the year thanks to its beautiful jungle and striking animals.
![Here's how 'The Jungle Book'- the most visually stunning movie of the year - looks without special effects](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-53859573%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-832665%2Fthe-jungle-book-is-being-hailed-one-of-the-most-visually-stunning-movies-of-the-year-thanks-to-its-beautiful-jungle-and-striking-animals-.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
In the movie, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) wanders the jungle and runs into a wide array of creatures, such as a gigantic snake (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).
![In the movie, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) wanders the jungle and runs into a wide array of creatures, such as a gigantic snake (voiced by Scarlett Johansson).](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859576,width-700,height-525,imgsize-815214/in-the-movie-mowgli-neel-sethi-wanders-the-jungle-and-runs-into-a-wide-array-of-creatures-such-as-a-gigantic-snake-voiced-by-scarlett-johansson-.jpg)
In reality, the movie was mostly shot in a warehouse in Los Angeles, and Neel Sethi wandered around a handful of plants.
![In reality, the movie was mostly shot in a warehouse in Los Angeles, and Neel Sethi wandered around a handful of plants.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859577,width-700,height-525,imgsize-779237/in-reality-the-movie-was-mostly-shot-in-a-warehouse-in-los-angeles-and-neel-sethi-wandered-around-a-handful-of-plants-.jpg)
Early in the film, Mowgli visits the crowded watering hole and has his first face off against Shere Khan (Idris Elba).
![Early in the film, Mowgli visits the crowded watering hole and has his first face off against Shere Khan (Idris Elba).](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859578,width-700,height-525,imgsize-755328/early-in-the-film-mowgli-visits-the-crowded-watering-hole-and-has-his-first-face-off-against-shere-khan-idris-elba-.jpg)
In reality, he faced down some cutouts and a puppet.
![In reality, he faced down some cutouts and a puppet.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859579,width-700,height-525,imgsize-585659/in-reality-he-faced-down-some-cutouts-and-a-puppet-.jpg)
Look at these things!
![Look at these things!](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859582,width-700,height-525,imgsize-143714/look-at-these-things.jpg)
This imposing cliff?
![This imposing cliff?](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859584,width-700,height-525,imgsize-687104/this-imposing-cliff.jpg)
Entirely CGI.
![Entirely CGI.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859585,width-700,height-525,imgsize-645306/entirely-cgi-.jpg)
This incredible buffalo stampede ...
![This incredible buffalo stampede ...](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859586,width-700,height-525,imgsize-473632/this-incredible-buffalo-stampede-.jpg)
... was once a patch of mud in the studio.
![... was once a patch of mud in the studio.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859587,width-700,height-525,imgsize-896435/-was-once-a-patch-of-mud-in-the-studio-.jpg)
Here's Mowgli hanging out with his buddy Baloo.
![Here](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859594,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1024664/heres-mowgli-hanging-out-with-his-buddy-baloo-.jpg)
In reality, his animal friends were puppets.
![In reality, his animal friends were puppets.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859595,width-700,height-525,imgsize-741411/in-reality-his-animal-friends-were-puppets-.jpg)
Here's a closer look at them:
![Here](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859597,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1262587/heres-a-closer-look-at-them.jpg)
All of the jungle's animal inhabitants were created in post-production.
![All of the jungle](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859598,width-700,height-525,imgsize-825501/all-of-the-jungles-animal-inhabitants-were-created-in-post-production-.jpg)
The details were slowly but surely fine-tuned ...
![The details were slowly but surely fine-tuned ...](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859599,width-700,height-525,imgsize-745194/the-details-were-slowly-but-surely-fine-tuned-.jpg)
... until they looked like this. King Louie (Christopher Walken) became larger than life in the film's final version.
![... until they looked like this. King Louie (Christopher Walken) became larger than life in the film](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859601,width-700,height-525,imgsize-697181/-until-they-looked-like-this-king-louie-christopher-walken-became-larger-than-life-in-the-films-final-version-.jpg)
And while Sethi was sliding through mud and braving rainstorms ...
![And while Sethi was sliding through mud and braving rainstorms ...](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859603,width-700,height-525,imgsize-863859/and-while-sethi-was-sliding-through-mud-and-braving-rainstorms-.jpg)
... the voice actors recorded comfortably from a studio.
![... the voice actors recorded comfortably from a studio.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859604,width-700,height-525,imgsize-702220/-the-voice-actors-recorded-comfortably-from-a-studio-.jpg)
Bill Murray and Giancarlo Esposito were able to watch their animated selves as they recorded their voices.
![Bill Murray and Giancarlo Esposito were able to watch their animated selves as they recorded their voices.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859606,width-700,height-525,imgsize-832584/bill-murray-and-giancarlo-esposito-were-able-to-watch-their-animated-selves-as-they-recorded-their-voices-.jpg)
Sethi was mostly on-set by himself.
![Sethi was mostly on-set by himself.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859607,width-700,height-525,imgsize-765626/sethi-was-mostly-on-set-by-himself-.jpg)
Crew members could see what shots would eventually look like through their monitors. This log ride ...
![Crew members could see what shots would eventually look like through their monitors. This log ride ...](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859608,width-700,height-525,imgsize-748870/crew-members-could-see-what-shots-would-eventually-look-like-through-their-monitors-this-log-ride-.jpg)
... would eventually turn into this.
![... would eventually turn into this.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859610,width-700,height-525,imgsize-550469/-would-eventually-turn-into-this-.jpg)
The crew was able to see a rough version of the jungle that the young star could not while performing.
![The crew was able to see a rough version of the jungle that the young star could not while performing.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859612,width-700,height-525,imgsize-665005/the-crew-was-able-to-see-a-rough-version-of-the-jungle-that-the-young-star-could-not-while-performing-.jpg)
While he wasn't always hanging out with Bill Murray, Ben Kingsley, or Scarlett Johansson, the first-time actor still had plenty of face time with director Jon Favreau.
![While he wasn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859614,width-700,height-525,imgsize-800057/while-he-wasnt-always-hanging-out-with-bill-murray-ben-kingsley-or-scarlett-johansson-the-first-time-actor-still-had-plenty-of-face-time-with-director-jon-favreau-.jpg)
Favreau helped guide Sethi to a great performance.
![Favreau helped guide Sethi to a great performance.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859615,width-700,height-525,imgsize-574095/favreau-helped-guide-sethi-to-a-great-performance-.jpg)
"[Favreau] told me not to overreact," Sethi said.
That small piece of advice proved helpful: in the movie, it always felt like he was reacting to a real monkey, as opposed to a blue man with a puppet on his hand.
Besides Favreau, Sethi had other company on set.
![Besides Favreau, Sethi had other company on set.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859616,width-700,height-525,imgsize-738320/besides-favreau-sethi-had-other-company-on-set-.jpg)
He was chased around by a man acting as the tiger nemesis, Shere Khan.
![He was chased around by a man acting as the tiger nemesis, Shere Khan.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859617,width-700,height-525,imgsize-600971/he-was-chased-around-by-a-man-acting-as-the-tiger-nemesis-shere-khan-.jpg)
In the epic finale, Mowgli sets the jungle on fire.
![In the epic finale, Mowgli sets the jungle on fire.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859619,width-700,height-525,imgsize-653115/in-the-epic-finale-mowgli-sets-the-jungle-on-fire-.jpg)
It looks a bit less epic behind the scenes.
![It looks a bit less epic behind the scenes.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859621,width-700,height-525,imgsize-532414/it-looks-a-bit-less-epic-behind-the-scenes-.jpg)
It's incredible what CGI could turn a simple warehouse in LA into.
![It](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-53859622,width-700,height-525,imgsize-895069/its-incredible-what-cgi-could-turn-a-simple-warehouse-in-la-into-.jpg)
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