Aladdin

 

Aladdin (1992) 90 mins.
directed by Ron Clements and John Musker
starring Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin

Aladdin is a street-urchin "diamond in the rough" who finds a magical lamp.  He teams up with the Genie of the lamp to make all his dreams come true.  

Q Says:

i haven’t seen this one in a long time and i remember enjoying it a lot more then.   firstly, the animation is just kinda bland and there’s heavy use of CGI which at the time may have been state of the art but now looks cheap.  nextly, the beginning is pretty boring.  it’s same old “oh, i’m a bum but i have a dream to be somebody” and “oh, my life of riches is actually kinda boring and unfufilling.”  typical stuff really.  i’m also gonna take a moment here to talk about my annoyance at voice actors not doing their own singing.  i find it…annoying.

next-nextly, the story doesn’t really kick in until robin williams shows up.  williams is both perfect and a total miscast at the same time.  he’s funny, of course, but way to reigned-in (it is a disney movie after all).  But with casting williams you lose all connection to the era they tried to replicate because all his humor is “current” (at least for that time…now it’s dated, especially the arsenio hall reference).  i would have liked to have seen a more faithful adaptation of the arabian nights, but whatcha gonna do??

i would probably watch this again, but it would be several years from now…or if ruby wants to watch it, i guess.

L Says:

   This used to be one of my favorite Disney movies.  However, watching it again, and I mean really watching it, it is hard for me to pinpoint why I liked it so much.  I like the story of Aladdin finding the lamp and discovering the Genie.  The movie isn't fun until Genie shows up.  Genie makes the movie and Robin Williams makes Genie.  Robin Williams is brilliantly out-of-control.  But, not too out-of-control.  This a Disney family movie after all.  Much of the dialogue between the characters is not that funny or interesting.  I read that Robin Williams improvised much of his dialogue.  So much, that the studio ended up with over 16 hours from him alone.  Jafar is the quintessential Disney villain with a twisty beard and snake-like demeanor.  Jasmine is the first "non-traditional" Disney princess.  And they made Aladdin a bit hunky so he could really appeal to the ladies.  And, no, I'm not joking about that.  The studio wanted him to resemble Tom Cruise. 

   The animation is not the best.  I know this is early 90's, but it just feels so bland and cheap.  The backgrounds were sorely lacking the detail you would come to expect from Disney. 

  Of course, the day is saved, Aladdin wins over Jasmine, Genie is freed and everyone lives happily ever after...until the straight to video sequel a couple of years later.  I probably will not be watching it again until Ruby is old enough.