Day 31: Aladdin

Aladdin (1992)

Starring: Scott Weinger, Brad Kane, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin, Lea Salonga, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale, Jim Cummings, Bruce Adler, Charlie Adler, Hal Smith 

Songs: "Arabian Nights," "One Jump Ahead," "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali," "A Whole New World"

Aladdin is the thirty-first Disney animated movie, and is based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and in the magic lamp from One Thousand and One Nights.  It tells the story of Aladdin, a poor young man who finds a magic lamp with a genie inside.  He uses the Genie's help to try and win the heart of the beautiful Princess Jasmine.

The idea to make an Aladdin movie originated with lyricist Howard Ashman.  The story was initially to be about a younger Aladdin who had a mother.  The story was eventually reworked when Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered the script to be rewritten.  Aladdin became older, more of a leading man, and Alan Menken and Tim Rice (who replaced Howard Ashman after he passed away) added and changed some of the existing songs.  Jasmine was also retooled into a stronger character to set her apart from some previous Disney heroines.

An interesting fact is that the character designs were inspired by the rounded, flowing lines of the artist Al Hirschfeld's style.

This is a movie I love and always have loved.  I find it fun and entertaining, as well as beautiful to look at and listen to.  The animation is technically impressive as well as stunningly beautiful -- and the CGI elements and traditionally animated elements are blended nearly perfectly.  Not as seamless as Beauty and the Beast, but still very good.  The music here is some of the best in any Disney movie, and the voice acting, of course is top notch.  Robin Williams is at the top of his game as Genie, but all the other performers own their characters as well.  In short, everything works about this movie... as evidenced by the huge financial and critical success it received.

But despite loving this film quite a lot, I feel like I don't have much to say.  However, the movie probably speaks for itself, as the best movies do.

What I Liked: The music.  The love story between Aladdin and Jasmine.

What I Disliked: Nothing, unless you count the fact that it made me feel a tad nostalgically sad over Robin Williams' death. 

Should You Watch This Movie: No question about it.  Of course!