Drawn That Way
By Daniel Pellegrino
January 28, 2010
BoxOfficeProphets.com
Much has been made of The Princess and the Frog finally introducing an African American princess. Some would argue that it doesn't matter what the characters look like - kids will identify with the film. I disagree. As a young kid I had dark hair, olive skin and brown eyes. I look European, often mistaken for Greek or Middle Eastern. Most Disney characters are blue-eyed, brunette or blonde, and Caucasian looking. Sure, I had Ralph Macchio in The Karate Kid, but no cartoon characters. Suddenly there was a character onscreen that I saw myself in, the same way that ethnic girls could see themselves in Jasmine. On top of that, Aladdin was an adventurer, someone who found magic, love and respect. In 1992, I saw Aladdin. I was six-years-old and it was one of my very first theater experiences. I was hooked on Aladdin. And because the film offered so much, I was in love with cinema- a love affair that is still draining my wallet to this day.
Aladdin (over $217 million domestic gross) is the story of a homeless boy who lives with a monkey, steals food and dreams of a better life. There are countless men in Southern Los Angeles who live a similar life. I digress. Aladdin meets Jasmine, a princess who can only marry a prince. Evil Jafar takes advantage of Aladdin's youth, sending him into a magical cave where he retrieves a lamp that holds the wish-granting Genie. Aladdin carefully uses his wishes as Jafar tries to get a hold of the lamp. A talking parrot and music ensue.
The film follows the popular formula of fairytale set to music that had proven popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s with the Disney Renaissance. When looking at the films that Aladdin is lumped in with, it isn't the game-changer that The Little Mermaid was and it isn't as epic in scope and story as Beauty and the Beast or The Lion King, but it is pretty darn funny. This is no doubt attributed to Robin Williams as the Genie. I'm not sure how much of his role was scripted and how much was ad-libbed, but no one else can do what Williams does. His ability to vocally change from an impression of Jack Nicholson to a high school cheerleader is uncanny. It is really a shame that his performance was not nominated for an Academy Award. The only vocal talent that has even come close to an acting nomination since Williams is Ellen DeGeneres as Dory in Finding Nemo. Comedians can do voices and they get no respect (cue the Rodney Dangerfield impression). One day the Academy will realize that a strong vocal performance can be just as challenging as an onscreen role.
It's also important to note the rest of the voice cast. Fellow comedian Gilbert Gottfried plays Iago, a wisecracking parrot. In another world, Iago would have a spin-off film where he falls in love with a lady parrot, voiced by Fran Drescher. Only dogs would be able to understand the movie, as their voices are at a pitch not intended for human ears. Again, I digress. Gottfried gets through Aladdin without being too annoying; occasionally, he's even funny. Scott Weinger, who audiences might remember as the always-hungry Steve on Full House, plays Aladdin. That's right, his most recognizable character trait on Full House was that he was always hungry. That's about it. Cleveland native Jonathan Freeman provides the voice of the villain, Jafar. He does a fantastic job, making him the right mix of scary and believable. Finally, Linda Larkin provides the voice of Princess Jasmine with equal amounts kindness and sex appeal.
I recently discussed the music in The Princess and the Frog. Taking another listen to the Aladdin soundtrack, it is clear that the former doesn't measure up. Aladdin has amazing hooks, flawless voices and one of the most memorable ballads in the last few decades. "A Whole New World" still stands as one of the greatest Disney ballads. Ever.
The visuals in the film are fantastic. At the time, the cave of wonders scene was considered revolutionary in its use of computer graphics. It still looks good today, but not as impressive as you might remember. The colors are crisp, while the characters are well defined and distinguishable. The animation feels slightly more Warner Bros. than Disney, but I think that is because the film is more playful, with the Genie being more frenetic than a lot of other Disney characters.
Aladdin was recently released on DVD as part of Disney's Platinum collection. The DVD was given a fantastic treatment, but it sadly didn't sell as well as some of the other titles in the line. Disney announced that it wouldn't be part of the Platinum Edition BluRay releases. It is still likely to be released on BluRay at some point, but it won't be held in the same regard as films like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. It's a shame because the film really resonates with many people in my generation. If you're in the mood for some adventure, humor, romance and heart, pull out your VHS or DVD copy of Aladdin and try and remember what it was like the first time you saw it. Enjoy the smile it brings to your face and allow yourself to hum the tunes for at least a couple hours after the credits roll- its part of the experience. Oh, and if any of you find any video of me in college singing "A Whole New World" after a couple cocktails with my friend Tina, please delete it or email me personally. Thank you.