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caption = Promotional Poster For ''Aladdin''|
caption = Promotional Poster For ''Aladdin''|
writer = [[John Musker]]<br>[[Ron Clements]]<br>[[Ted Elliott]]<br>[[Terry Rossio]] |
writer = [[John Musker]]<br>[[Ron Clements]]<br>[[Ted Elliott]]<br>[[Terry Rossio]] |
starring = [[Scott Weinger]]<br>[[Robin Williams]]<br>[[Linda Larkin]]<br>[[Jonathan Freeman]]<br>[[Frank Welker]]<br>[[Gilbert Gottfried]]<br>[[Douglas Seale]]<br>[[Jim Cummings]]<br>[[Russi Taylor]] |
starring = [[Scott Weinger]]<br>[[Robin Williams]]<br>[[Linda Larkin]]<br>[[Jonathan Freeman]]<br>[[Frank Welker]]<br>[[Gilbert Gottfried]]<br>[[Douglas Seale]]<br>[[Jim Cummings]] |
director = [[John Musker]] <br> [[Ron Clements]] |
director = [[John Musker]] <br> [[Ron Clements]] |
producer = [[John Musker]] <br> [[Ron Clements]] |
producer = [[John Musker]] <br> [[Ron Clements]] |
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music = [[Alan Menken]]
music = [[Alan Menken]]
}}
}}
:''For the [[Golden Films]] film, see [[Aladdin (Golden Films film)]]''
{{otheruses4|the [[Walt Disney Feature Animation|Disney]] film|the [[Golden Films]] production|Aladdin (Golden Films film)}}
'''''Aladdin''''' is a 1992 [[animated feature]] produced by [[Walt Disney Feature Animation]], and released by [[Walt Disney Pictures]] on [[November 25]], [[1992]]. The thirty-first [[animated feature]] in the [[Disney animated features canon]], it relates a version of the story of [[Aladdin (Disney character)|Aladdin]] and the magic lamp from ''[[The Book of One Thousand and One Nights]]''. As is usual with [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] [[film adaptation]]s, many aspects of the traditional story were changed for the [[film|movie]]. It was released at the peak stretch of the Disney renaissance era beginning with ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]''. It was the most successful film of 1992, with over $217 million in domestic revenues and over $504 million worldwide.
'''''Aladdin''''' is a 1992 [[animated feature]] produced by [[Walt Disney Feature Animation]], and released by [[Walt Disney Pictures]] on [[November 25]], [[1992]]. The thirty-first animated feature in the [[Disney animated features canon]], it relates a version of the story of [[Aladdin]] and the magic lamp from ''[[The Book of One Thousand and One Nights]]''. As is usual with [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] [[film adaptation]]s, many aspects of the traditional story were changed for the [[film|movie]]. It was released at the peak stretch of the Disney renaissance era beginning with ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]''. It was the most successful film of 1992, with over $217 million in domestic revenues and over $504 million worldwide.<ref name="boxoffice">{{Cite web|url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=aladdin.htm|title=Aladdin box office info|publisher=[[Box Office Mojo]]|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>


It was directed by [[John Musker]] and [[Ron Clements]], both of whom had just finished writing and directing ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]''. The musical score was created by [[Alan Menken]], and the lyrics were written by [[Howard Ashman]] and [[Tim Rice]]. Alan Menken received the 1992 [[Academy Award for Original Music Score]] of ''Aladdin''. The main soundtrack song "[[A Whole New World]]" (sung during the closing credits by [[Peabo Bryson]] and [[Regina Belle]]) won a [[Grammy Award]] as well as the [[Academy Award for Best Song]] for Menken and Rice in [[1992]].
It was directed by [[John Musker]] and [[Ron Clements]], both of whom had just finished writing and directing ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]''. The musical score was created by [[Alan Menken]], which received the 1992 [[Academy Award for Original Music Score]] for his work<ref name="awards">{{cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0103639/awards|title=Aladdin awards and nominations|publisher=Internet Movie Database|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>, and the song lyrics were written by [[Howard Ashman]] and [[Tim Rice]]. The main soundtrack song "[[A Whole New World]]" (sung during the closing credits by [[Peabo Bryson]] and [[Regina Belle]]) won a [[Grammy Award]] as well as the [[Academy Award for Best Song]] for Menken and Rice in [[1992]].<ref name="awards" />


[[Voice actor]]s included [[Robin Williams]] as the [[Genie (Aladdin)|Genie]]. Although this was not the first time in which a major actor provided voice-over work for an animated film, it was the first major [[United States|American]] animated feature film in which particular attention was paid to a [[celebrity]] cast member, such as a major [[movie star]], in the film as part of its promotion. This has led to a subsequent increased attention to the casts of later productions, such as ''[[Toy Story]]'' and ''[[Shrek]]'', as a major element of animated film marketing.
[[Voice actor]]s included [[Robin Williams]] as the [[Genie (Aladdin)|Genie]]. Although this was not the first time in which a major actor provided voice-over work for an animated film, it was the first major [[United States|American]] animated feature film in which particular attention was paid to a [[celebrity]] cast member, such as a major [[movie star]], in the film as part of its promotion. This has led to a subsequent increased attention to the casts of later productions, such as ''[[Toy Story]]'' and ''[[Shrek]]'', as a major element of animated film marketing.


''Aladdin'' was followed by two direct-to-video [[sequel]]s: ''[[The Return of Jafar]]'' ([[1994]]) and ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]'' ([[1996]]), and an [[animated series|animated television series]], ''[[Aladdin (television series)|Aladdin]]'', set between the two sequels.
''Aladdin'' was followed by two [[direct-to-video]] [[sequel]]s: ''[[The Return of Jafar]]'' ([[1994]]) and ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]'' ([[1996]]), and an [[animated series|animated television series]], ''[[Aladdin (television series)|Aladdin]]'', set between the two sequels.
==Production==
In 1988, Howard Ashman suggested Disney to make an animated musical version of Aladdin. After writing songs with partner Alan Menken and writing a storyline, he delivered it to directors [[John Musker]] and [[Ron Clements]]. In 1991, the script was delivered to studio chief [[Jeffrey Katzenberg]], but he thought the script "didn't engage", and only approved it after rewrites from Clements, Musker and the screenwriter duo [[Ted Elliott]] and [[Terry Rossio]]. Among the changes, the character of [[Aladdin (Disney character)|Aladdin]]'s mother was removed, [[Princess Jasmine]] became a stronger character, and Aladdin had his personality reworked to be "a little rougher, like a young [[Harrison Ford]]".<ref name="time" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ultimatedisney.com/aladdin.html|title=Aladdin DVD review|publisher=UltimateDisney.com|accessdate=2007-03-20}}</ref>

Most characters' design was based on caricaturist [[Al Hirschfeld]] (except for [[Jafar (Aladdin)|Jafar]], specially because animator [[Andreas Deja]] wanted him to be contrasting).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www-tech.mit.edu/V112/N64/aladdin.64a.html|title=Aladdin animator used subtlety to design strong villain|date=1992-11-20|publisher=[[The Tech (newspaper)|The Tech]]}}</ref> Aladdin was drawn originally based on actor [[Michael J. Fox]] but during production it was decided that he wasn't "appealing enough" and they decided to draw to instead resemble actor [[Tom Cruise]].<ref name="ew" />

Musker and Clements created the Genie with [[Robin Williams]] in mind - even if Katzenberg suggested names such as [[John Candy]], [[Steve Martin]], and [[Eddie Murphy]], the actor was approached. Receiving a high salary, the actor came for dubbing sessions during breaks for the shooting of ''[[Hook (film)|Hook]]'' and ''[[Toys (film)|Toys]]''. Williams also played a merchant in the opening scene, in a completely unscripted scene (the production left Williams a table with props and asked him to describe the object in character). The double role would originally lead to the merchant revealing to be the Genie disguised, but that idea was later dropped (the merchant returned in the ending of ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]'').<ref name="ew" />

The production deadline was delayed many times due to the high improvising of Robin Williams and [[Gilbert Gottfried]], which dubbed the parrot [[Iago (Aladdin)|Iago]].<ref name="ew" />


==Synopsis==
==Synopsis==
{{spoiler}}
{{spoiler}}
[[Image:Palace city.png|left|200px|thumb|Agrabah]]
[[Image:Palace city.png|left|200px|thumb|Agrabah]]
The film begins with a merchant in the mystical city of Agrabah, telling the story of a magical lamp and how it changed a young man's life ("Arabian Nights"). The story begins on a dark night, where [[Jafar (Aladdin)|Jafar]], the [[grand vizier]] to the [[Sultan]], and a follower of his, Kazim the thief, attempt to access the Cave of Wonders, a magical trove where a magical lamp containing a genie is hidden. He and his talking parrot, [[Iago (Aladdin)|Iago]], learn that the only one who can enter the Cave of Wonders is the metaphorical "Diamond in the Rough," after the cave collapses on Kazim when he walks in.
The film begins with a merchant in the mystical city of Agrabah, telling the story of a magical lamp and how it changed a young man's life ("Arabian Nights"). The story begins on a dark night, where [[Jafar (Aladdin)|Jafar]], the [[grand vizier]] to the [[Sultan]], and a follower of his, Gazeem the thief, attempt to access the Cave of Wonders, a magical trove where a magical lamp containing a genie is hidden. He and his talking parrot, [[Iago (Aladdin)|Iago]], learn that the only one who can enter the Cave of Wonders is the metaphorical "Diamond in the Rough," after the cave collapses on Kazim when he walks in.


Meanwhile, the street urchin Aladdin is fleeing guards with his pet monkey, Abu, after stealing a loaf of bread ("One Jump Ahead"). He eventually gives the bread to two homeless children before being knocked to the ground by Prince Achmed, who is on his way to attempt to marry [[Princess Jasmine]]. Jasmine, the teenage daughter of the Sultan, must be married before her upcoming eighteenth birthday, but she rejects every prince she meets, wanting to be married for true love. Achmed is one of those rejected by Jasmine, and to add injury to insult, he is bitten in the rear by Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah. (One of the morning scenes involves Rajah with part of Achmed's boxers in his mouth.) Later that day, Jasmine, frustrated with "having her life lived for her," climbs over the palace walls, and in the morning sees the marketplace for the first time, where she meets Aladdin and Abu. Meanwhile, Jafar has tricked the Sultan into giving him his ring, which allows Jafar to see who the "diamond in the rough" is, and it is in fact Aladdin. Jafar sends a group of guards out to capture Aladdin, and they do, while Jasmine is still with him. Later, Jasmine tells Jafar to release him, but Jafar lies to her that he was executed, when he is in fact in a dungeon.
Meanwhile, the street urchin [[Aladdin (Disney character)|Aladdin]] is fleeing guards with his pet monkey, Abu, after stealing a loaf of bread ("One Jump Ahead"). He eventually gives the bread to two homeless children before being knocked to the ground by Prince Achmed, who is on his way to attempt to marry [[Princess Jasmine]]. Jasmine, the teenage daughter of the Sultan, must be married before her upcoming sixteenth birthday, but she rejects every prince she meets, wanting to be married for true love. Achmed is one of those rejected by Jasmine, and to add injury to insult, he is bitten in the rear by Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah. (One of the morning scenes involves Rajah with part of Achmed's boxers in his mouth.) Later that day, Jasmine, frustrated with "having her life lived for her," climbs over the palace walls, and in the morning sees the marketplace for the first time, where she meets Aladdin and Abu. Meanwhile, Jafar has tricked the Sultan into giving him his ring, which allows Jafar to see who the "diamond in the rough" is, and it is in fact Aladdin. Jafar sends a group of guards out to capture Aladdin, and they do, while Jasmine is still with him. Later, Jasmine tells Jafar to release him, but Jafar lies to her that he was executed, when he is in fact in a dungeon.


A disguised Jafar leads Aladdin and Abu to the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin and Abu enter and encounter a [[magic carpet]] before Aladdin finds the lamp. Abu attempts to steal a ruby and the cave collapses with them inside. When Aladdin awakens, he rubs the lamp and unleashes the magical, humorous genie, who reveals that he will now grant Aladdin three wishes ("Friend Like Me"). As they leave the cave, the sultan scolds Jafar while Jasmine plans to fire him once she is ruler of Agrabah. After they leave the room, Iago suggests that Jafar become Jasmine's husband in order to gain power.
A disguised Jafar leads Aladdin and Abu to the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin and Abu enter and encounter a [[magic carpet]] before Aladdin finds the lamp. Abu attempts to steal a ruby and the cave collapses with them inside. When Aladdin awakens, he rubs the lamp and unleashes the magical, humorous genie, who reveals that he will now grant Aladdin three wishes ("Friend Like Me"). As they leave the cave, the sultan scolds Jafar while Jasmine plans to fire him once she is ruler of Agrabah. After they leave the room, Iago suggests that Jafar become Jasmine's husband in order to gain power.
Line 97: Line 105:


==Crew==
==Crew==
{| class="wikitable" width="65<!-- <!-- Comment --><!-- <!-- Comment --><!-- Comment --> --> -->%"
{| class="wikitable"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
|- bgcolor="#CCCCCC"
! Crew Position !!
! Crew Position !!
Line 113: Line 121:
| Art Director || [[Bill Perkins]]
| Art Director || [[Bill Perkins]]
|-
|-
| Production Designer || [[R.S. Vander Wende]]
| Production Designer || [[Richard Vander Wende]]
|-
|-
| Film Editor || [[H. Lee Peterson]]
| Film Editor || [[H. Lee Peterson]]
Line 121: Line 129:
| Artistic Coordinator || [[Dan Hansen]]
| Artistic Coordinator || [[Dan Hansen]]
|-
|-
| Supervising Animator || [[Glen Keane]] (Aladdin)<br>[[Eric Goldberg]] (Genie)<br>[[Mark Henn]] (Jasmine)<br>[[Andreas Deja]] (Jafar)<br>[[Duncan Marjorbanks]] (Abu)<br>[[Randy Cartwright]] (Magic Carpet)<br>[[Will Finn]] (Iago)<br>[[David Pruiksma]] (Sultan)<br>[[Aaron Blaise]] (Rajah)<br>[[Kathy Zielinski]] (Jafas as Beggar/Snake)<br>[[T. Daniel Hofstedt]] (Gazeem/Achmed)<br>[[Chris Wahl]]/[[Phil Young]] (Guards)
| Supervising Animator || [[Glen Keane]] (Aladdin)<br>[[Eric Goldberg]] (Genie)<br>[[Mark Henn]] (Jasmine)<br>[[Andreas Deja]] (Jafar)<br>[[Duncan Marjorbanks]] (Abu)<br>[[Randy Cartwright]] (Magic Carpet)<br>[[Will Finn]] (Iago)<br>[[David Pruiksma]] (Sultan)<br>[[Aaron Blaise]] (Rajah)<br>[[Kathy Zielinski]] (Jafar as Beggar/Snake)<br>[[T. Daniel Hofstedt]] (Gazeem/Achmed)<br>[[Chris Wahl]]/[[Phil Young]] (Guards)
|-
|-
| Production Manager || [[Alice Dewey]]
| Production Manager || [[Alice Dewey]]
|}
|}


==Music==
== Academy Awards ==
{{main|Aladdin (soundtrack)}}
{| border="1" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0" bgcolor="#000000"
{{Sound sample box align right|Music sample:}}
| bgcolor="#75B5F6" | '''Award'''
{{Listen
| bgcolor="#75B5F6" | '''Person'''
|filename=A_whole_new_world.ogg
|-
|title="''A Whole New World''" (1992)
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Music, Original Score]]
|description=19 second sample of the Aladdin and Jasmine version of "''A Whole New World''".
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Alan Menken]]
|format=[[Ogg]]}}
|-
{{sample box end}}
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Academy Award for Best Song|Best Music, Original Song ("A Whole New World")]]
''Aladdin'' was praised for its musical score<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&token=&sql=10:0hvsa9qgy23d|title=Aladdin soundtrack review|publisher=[[All Music Guide]]|accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref> by composer Alan Menken and songwriters [[Howard Ashman]] and [[Tim Rice]]. The following six songs are featured in the movie.
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Alan Menken]]<br>[[Tim Rice]]
|-
| colspan="3" bgcolor="#F2D5A6" | '''Nominated:'''
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Academy Award for Sound Editing|Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing]]
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Mark A. Mangini]]
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Academy Award for Best Song|Best Music, Original Song ("Friend Like Me")]]
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Alan Menken]]<br>[[Howard Ashman]]
|-
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Academy Award for Sound|Best Sound
]]
| bgcolor="#ffffff" | [[Terry Porter]]<Br>[[Mel Metcalfe]]<br>[[David J. Hudson]]<br>[[Doc Kane]]
|}


*'''"[[Arabian Nights]]"''' (Ashman) is the intro theme, sung by an off-screen Bruce Adler. It was later the title theme of the TV series, and featured with slightly altered lyrics in ''Return of Jafar'' and ''Aladdin and the King of Thieves''.
== Issues with dialogue, appearances and lyrics ==
One of the verses of the opening song "Arabian Nights" was altered following protests from the [[American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee]] (ADC). The lyrics were changed in July [[1993]] from "'Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home," in the original release to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home." The change first appeared on the 1993 video release. The original lyric was intact on the initial CD soundtrack release, but the re-release uses the edited lyric. [[Entertainment Weekly]] ranked ''Aladdin'' in a list of the most controversial films in history, due to this incident.


*'''"One Jump Ahead"''' (Rice) features Aladdin ([[Brad Kane]]) singing while running from the guards. Later, Aladdin sings a small song in the same vein, entitled '''"One Jump Ahead (Reprise)"'''.
==Similarities to ''The Thief and the Cobbler''==


*'''"[[Friend Like Me]]"''' (Ashman) sung by the Genie ([[Robin Williams]]). In the song, the Genie shows off his powers to Aladdin, telling him that he is a friend unlike any other.
<!--Please remember to source claims of similarities in this section using reliable source. Evidence can NOT be observational.-->


*'''"[[Prince Ali]]"''' (Ashman) is sung by the Genie (Robin Williams), and is used to introduce Aladdin's royal alter ego, Prince Ali Ababwa.
Animation enthusiasts have noticed similarities between ''Aladdin'' and [[Richard Williams]]' unfinished film ''[[The Thief and the Cobbler]]'' (also known as ''Arabian Knight'' under Miramax and ''The Princess and the Cobbler'' under Majestic Films International). These similarities include a similar plot, similar characters and background designs, and the antagonist Zig-Zag's resemblance in character design and mannerisms to Genie and Jafar.<ref>[http://www.dvdsnapshot.com/January07Review/ThiefAndCobbler.html DVD snapshot]</ref><ref name="nytimes">[http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6DE153DF935A1575BC0A963958260 NY Times review]</ref> Though ''Aladdin'' was released prior to ''The Thief and the Cobbler'', it has been noted that ''The Thief and the Cobbler'' was started much earlier in the 1960s, but its production was mired in difficulties including financial problems, copyright issues when it was about ''Mulla Nasruddin'' in the 1970s, and late production times caused by separate studios trying to finish the film after Richard Williams was fired from the project.<ref>[http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700013169 TV Guide editor]</ref> This late release, coupled with Disney's purchase and re-editing of the film through Miramax, has sometimes resulted in it being ironically labeled a "copy" of ''Aladdin''.<ref name="nytimes"/>


*'''"[[A Whole New World]]"''' (Rice) is a love theme sung by Aladdin (Brad Kane), and Jasmine ([[Lea Salonga]]) while they travel the world in the magic carpet. The song won the [[Oscar]], [[Grammy Award|Grammy]] and [[Golden Globe]] for Best Original Song during the 1994 [[Academy Awards]].
==Robin Williams and the Disney studio==
{{Unreferenced|date=February 2007}}
In gratitude for his success with the Disney/Touchstone film ''[[Good Morning, Vietnam]]'', Robin Williams voiced the Genie for [[Screen Actors Guild|SAG]] scale pay ($75,000), on condition that his name or image not be used for marketing, and his (supporting) character not take more than 25% of space on advertising artwork, since his live action film ''[[Toys (1992 film)|Toys]]'' was scheduled for release one month after ''Aladdin'''s debut. The studio failed on both counts, especially in poster art by having the Genie in 25% of the image, but having other major and supporting characters portrayed considerably smaller. Disney's Hyperion book, "Aladdin: The Making Of An Animated Film", listed both of Williams' characters "The Peddler" and "The Genie" ahead of main characters, but was forced to refer to him only as "the actor signed to play the Genie".


*'''"Prince Ali (Reprise)"''' (Rice) is sung by Jafar ([[Jonathan Freeman]]). Using his newly gained powers, Jafar sings this spoof of "Prince Ali" while revealing Ali is only a street rat, and sending him to a far place.
Williams and Disney had a bitter falling out, and as a result [[Dan Castallaneta]] voiced the Genie in ''[[The Return of Jafar]]'', the ''Aladdin'' animated television series, and had recorded his voice for ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]''. When Jeffrey Katzenberg was fired from Disney and replaced by former [[20th Century-Fox]] production head Joe Roth (whose last act for Fox was greenlighting Williams' film ''[[Mrs. Doubtfire]]''), Roth arranged for a public apology to Williams by Disney. Williams agreed to perform in Hollywood Pictures' ''[[Jack (film)|Jack]]'', directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]], and even agreed to voice the Genie again for the ''King Of Thieves'' sequel (for considerably more than scale), replacing all of Castallanetta's dialogue.

Eight others were written, but removed from the film (most of them sung by Jafar).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aladdincentral.org/articles/score.html|title=Unsettled score|work=Entertainment Weekly|publisher=Aladdin Central|date=1992-12-04}}</ref> One of them, '''"Proud of Your Boy"''' was later featured on the DVD Special Edition released in 2004, performed by [[Clay Aiken]].<ref name="ign" /> That version also appears on the album ''[[DisneyMania 3]]''.

==Reaction==
''Aladdin'' was well-received by critics,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1042582-aladdin/|title=Aladdin reviews|publisher=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref> with most praise to Robin Williams' Genie. Warner Bros. animator [[Chuck Jones]] even called the film "the funniest feature ever made".<ref name="time">{{cite web|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,976941-2,00.html|publisher=[[TIME magazine]]|title=Aladdin's Magic|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>However, criticism was made for the couple Aladdin and Jasmine<ref name="ign">{{cite web|url=http://dvd.ign.com/articles/549/549036p1.html|title=Aladdin: Ultimate DVD review|publisher=[[IGN]]|date=2004-09-17|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref> and many reviews considered it inferior to its predecessors ''The Little Mermaid'' and ''Beauty and the Beast''.<ref>{{cite web|author=[[Roger Ebert|Ebert, Roger]]|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19921125/REVIEWS/211250301/1023| title=Aladdin review|date=1992-11-25|accessdate=2007-03-17}}</ref>

It was the most successful film of 1992, with $217 million in the United States and over $504 million worldwide<ref name="boxoffice" />, being the biggest gross for an animation until ''[[The Lion King]]'' two years later.
===Awards===
''Aladdin'' won two [[Academy Award]]s, [[Academy Award for Original Music Score|Best Music, Original Score]] for [[Alan Menken]]'s soundtrack and [[Academy Award for Best Song|Best Music, Original Song]] for "A Whole New World" (Alan Menken and [[Tim Rice]]), and was also nominated for [[Academy Award for Sound Editing|Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing]], [[Academy Award for Sound|Best Sound]], and another Best Song nomination for "Friend Like Me". <ref name="awards" /> The movie also won the [[Golden Globe]]s for Song and Score and a special achievement award for Robin Williams (and was nominated for [[Golden_Globe_Award_for_Best_Motion_Picture_-_Musical_or_Comedy|Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.hfpa.org/browse/film/23558|title=Golden Globes for ''Aladdin''|publisher=HFPA|accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref>, the [[Annie Award]] for Best Animated Feature, the [[MTV Movie Award]] for Best Comedic Performance to Robin Williams (the only one ever delivered to an animation) and the [[Saturn Award]]s of Best Fantasy Film, Best Performance by a Younger Actor ([[Scott Weinger]]) and Best Supporting Actor (Robin Williams).<ref name="awards" />

==Controversy==
==="Arabian Nights" Lyrics===
One of the verses of the opening song "Arabian Nights" was altered following protests from the [[American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee]] (ADC). The lyrics were changed in July [[1993]] from "'Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home," in the original release to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home." The change first appeared on the 1993 video release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adc.org/index.php?id=283|title=Arab Stereotypes and American Educators|publisher=[[American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee]]|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref> The original lyric was intact on the initial CD soundtrack release, but the re-release uses the edited lyric. [[Entertainment Weekly]] ranked ''Aladdin'' in a list of the most controversial films in history, due to this incident.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,1202224,00.html|title=The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>

===Similarities to ''The Thief and the Cobbler''===
<!--Please remember to source claims of similarities in this section using reliable source. Evidence can NOT be observational.-->
Animation enthusiasts have noticed similarities between ''Aladdin'' and [[Richard Williams]]' unfinished film ''[[The Thief and the Cobbler]]'' (also known as ''Arabian Knight'' under Miramax and ''The Princess and the Cobbler'' under Majestic Films International). These similarities include a similar plot, similar characters and background designs, and the antagonist Zig-Zag's resemblance in character design and mannerisms to Genie and Jafar.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.dvdsnapshot.com/January07Review/ThiefAndCobbler.html|title=The Thief and the Cobbler review|publisher=DVD snapshot}}</ref><ref name="nytimes">{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE6DE153DF935A1575BC0A963958260|title=The Thief and the Cobbler NY Times review|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=1995-08-26}}</ref> Though ''Aladdin'' was released prior to ''The Thief and the Cobbler'', it has been noted that ''The Thief and the Cobbler'' was started much earlier in the 1960s, but its production was mired in difficulties including financial problems, copyright issues when it was about ''Mulla Nasruddin'' in the 1970s, and late production times caused by separate studios trying to finish the film after Richard Williams was fired from the project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://community.tvguide.com/thread.jspa?threadID=700013169|title=The Best Animated Movie You've Never Heard Of|publisher=[[TV Guide]]|date=2006-11-28}}</ref> This late release, coupled with Disney's purchase and re-editing of the film through Miramax, has sometimes resulted in it being ironically labeled a "copy" of ''Aladdin''.<ref name="nytimes"/>

===Robin Williams and the Disney studio===
In gratitude for his success with the Disney/Touchstone film ''[[Good Morning, Vietnam]]'', Robin Williams voiced the Genie for [[Screen Actors Guild|SAG]] scale pay ($75,000), on condition that his name or image not be used for marketing, and his (supporting) character not take more than 25% of space on advertising artwork, since his live action film ''[[Toys (1992 film)|Toys]]'' was scheduled for release one month after ''Aladdin'''s debut. The studio failed on both counts, especially in poster art by having the Genie in 25% of the image, but having other major and supporting characters portrayed considerably smaller. Disney's Hyperion book, "Aladdin: The Making Of An Animated Film", listed both of Williams' characters "The Peddler" and "The Genie" ahead of main characters, but was forced to refer to him only as "the actor signed to play the Genie".<ref name="ew">{{cite web|url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,312562,00.html|title=DISNEY'S GOT A BRAND-NEW BAGHDAD|publisher=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|date=1992-09-04|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>

Williams and Disney had a bitter falling out, and as a result [[Dan Castallaneta]] voiced the Genie in ''[[The Return of Jafar]]'', the ''Aladdin'' animated television series, and had recorded his voice for ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]''. When Jeffrey Katzenberg was fired from Disney and replaced by former [[20th Century-Fox]] production head Joe Roth (whose last act for Fox was greenlighting Williams' film ''[[Mrs. Doubtfire]]''), Roth arranged for a public apology to Williams by Disney. Williams agreed to perform in Hollywood Pictures' ''[[Jack (film)|Jack]]'', directed by [[Francis Ford Coppola]], and even agreed to voice the Genie again for the ''King Of Thieves'' sequel (for considerably more than scale), replacing all of Castallanetta's dialogue.<ref>{{cite web|author=Hill, Jim|url= http://www.aladdincentral.org/articles/careful.html|title=Be Careful What You Wish For: Robin Williams' less-than-magical relationship with the Mouse|publisher=Aladdin Central|accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref>


When Williams' re-teamed with ''Doubtfire'' director Chris Columbus for 1999's ''[[Bicentennial Man (film)|Bicentennial Man]]'', Disney asked that the budget be cut by approximately $20 million, and when the film was released on Christmas Day, it failed at the box office. Williams blamed Disney's marketing and the loss of content the film had suffered due to the budget cuts. As a result, Williams is again on bad terms with Disney, and the DVD release for ''Aladdin'' has no involvement whatsoever from Williams in any of its retrospective footage, although some of his original recording sessions can be seen.
When Williams' re-teamed with ''Doubtfire'' director Chris Columbus for 1999's ''[[Bicentennial Man (film)|Bicentennial Man]]'', Disney asked that the budget be cut by approximately $20 million, and when the film was released on Christmas Day, it failed at the box office. Williams blamed Disney's marketing and the loss of content the film had suffered due to the budget cuts. As a result, Williams is again on bad terms with Disney, and the DVD release for ''Aladdin'' has no involvement whatsoever from Williams in any of its retrospective footage, although some of his original recording sessions can be seen.


== Trivia ==
==Cultural references==
''Aladdin'' features many references to popular culture, especially from Disney's previous works. While the Sultan is making a pile of toy animals, one is [[Beast (Disney)|Beast]] from ''Beauty and the Beast'', Rajah's head briefly resemble [[Mickey Mouse]], the Genie pulls [[Sebastian (Disney)|Sebastian]] (from ''[[The Little Mermaid (1989 film)|The Little Mermaid]]'') out of a recipe book (meanwhile the first notes of "[[Under the Sea]]" are played), turns his head into [[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio's]], and dons a [[Goofy]] hat before leaving on his vacation.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://disney.wretch.cc/Joke/c31.htm|title=Aladdin in-jokes|accessdate=2006-03-17}}</ref>
{{toomuchtrivia}}
* There are several references to the company's previous productions:
** The Genie's head briefly turns into that of ''[[Pinocchio (1940 movie)|Pinocchio]]''.
** The Genie pulls [[Sebastian (Disney)|Sebastian]] (from ''[[The Little Mermaid (movie)|The Little Mermaid]]'') out of a recipe book (and the first few notes of ''Under the Sea'' are played).
** [[Beast (Disney)|Beast]], from ''[[Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)|Beauty and the Beast]]'', can be seen among the stack of the Sultan's toy figurines.
** The Genie dons a [[Goofy]] hat before leaving on his vacation.
** The Genie's appearance during the "phenomenal cosmic power" scene and Jafar's appearance as a genie are similar to that of the genie in the Walt Disney educational work ''[[Our Friend the Atom]]''.
**During the song "A Whole New World" when Jasmine sings the line "Unbelievable sights, indescribable feeling" a stork is shown, surprised by Aladdin and Jasmine flying on the Magic Carpet, the stork resembles the one who delivers Dumbo to his mother, in the movie ''[[Dumbo]]''.
**When Rajah is changing back to his normal self, his head turns into Mickey Mouse's head for a split second.
* [[Robin Williams]], the voice of the Genie, also voiced the Merchant. The Merchant was originally supposed to return at the end singing a reprise of the opening song "Arabian Nights", revealing that he himself was at one time the Genie but had transformed into a human. This was changed during production and the Merchant only reappeared at the end of ''[[Aladdin and the King of Thieves]]'', singing the "Arabian Nights" reprise that had already been recorded for the original movie.
*The prince bitten by Rajah at the start of the film is addressed by the Sultan as Prince Achmed, possibly a reference to the 1926 animated film ''[[The Adventures of Prince Achmed]]''{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
*The design of the Genie resembles that of a character shown in a 1959 Disney Short "Eyes in Outer Space" which can be found in the Walt Disney Treasures: Tomorrowland DVD set. [http://www.ultimatedisney.com/tomorrowland.html#E]{{Fact|date=February 2007}}
*The animated character of Aladdin was originally designed based on actor [[Michael J. Fox]] but during production it was decided that he wasn't "appealing enough" and they decided to draw to instead resemble actor [[Tom Cruise]]. This is mentioned several times on the Platinum Edition DVD.
*Frank Welker, in addition of voicing Abu, he also voiced the Tiger God and Rajah and is also mentioned on the Platinum Edition DVD.
*During the scene where the Genie lifts the palace into the air, the villagers flee in terror and one of them emits the [[Wilhelm scream]]


Other impersonations of the Genie include [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]], [[Ed Sullivan]], [[Groucho Marx]], [[Robert De Niro]], [[Carol Channing]], [[Arsenio Hall]], [[Rodney Dangerfield]], [[Jack Nicholson]] and [[William F. Buckley, Jr.]].<ref name="time" />
==Soundtrack==
{{main|Aladdin (soundtrack)}}


==References==
==Home video==
''Aladdin'' was first released in [[VHS]] in [[October 3]], [[1993]], as part of the "[[Walt Disney Classics|Classics]]" line. In its first week of avaibility, it sold over 10.8 million copies<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.imdb.com/news/sb/2002-06-06#film1|title=Harry's Hot -- But No King|publisher=IMDb news|date=2002-06-22|accessdate=2007-03-20}}</ref> and went on to sell over 25 million in total (a record only broken by the later release of ''The Lion King'').<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movieweb.com/dvd/news/50/2650.php|title=Disney Rubs Aladdin's Lamp|publisher=Movie Web|accessdate=2007-03-20}}</ref> It entered [[moratorium (entertainment)|moratorium]] in [[April 30]], [[1994]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E05EFD61238F933A15756C0A962958260|title=Home Video|publisher=[[The New York Times]]|date=1994-05-20|accessdate=2007-03-20}}}</ref> The movie was also released on [[laserdisc]] in 1994. The CAV Japanese version had many extras, such as documentaries, trailers and the book "Aladdin: The Making of an Animated Film". <ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.lddb.com/laserdisc.php?id=11180|title=Japanese Aladdin Laserdisc|publisher=''LaserDisc Database''|accessdate=2007-03-20}}</ref>


In [[October 5]], [[2004]], ''Aladdin'' was released on [[DVD]], as ''Aladdin: Platinum Edition'', part of Disney's Platinum Edition line of animated classic DVDs. The DVD release featured a remastered version of the film and a second disc with bonus features. The film's soundtrack was available in its original Dolby 5.1 track or in a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix.<ref name="ign"/> The DVD went into moratorium in January 2006.<ref>{{cite web | work=UltimateDisney.com | title=Out of Print Disney DVDs|url=http://www.ultimatedisney.com/OOP.htm| accessdate=24 September|accessyear=2006}}</ref>
<references/>


==See also==
==Video games==
* [[Disney's Aladdin (video game)|Aladdin the Video Game]]
{{main|Disney's Aladdin (video game)}}
Along with the film release, three different [[video games]] based on ''Aladdin'' were released, one by [[Virgin Interactive]] for the [[Sega Mega Drive]], [[Game Boy]] (later [[porting|ported]] to the [[Game Boy Color]]), and [[Personal computer|PC]], another by [[SIMS (video game company)|SIMS]] for the [[Sega Game Gear]] and [[Sega Master System]], and another by [[Capcom]] for the [[Super Nintendo Entertainment System|Super NES]] (later ported to the [[Game Boy Advance]] in [[2002]]) and [[Nintendo Entertainment System]].

The TV series inspired another game by [[Argonaut Games]], entitled ''Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge'' and released in 2001 for the [[PlayStation]]. <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/ps/action/aladdinnasirasrevenge/index.html|title=Aladdin Nasira's Revenge gamespace|publisher=[[GameSpot]]|accessdate=2007-03-16}}</ref>Also, in 2004 [[Vivendi Universal]] released ''Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures'', a [[chess]] computer game with the Aladdin license.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://pc.ign.com/objects/683/683949.html|title=Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures gamespace|publisher=IGN|accessdate=2007-03-17}}</ref>

''Aladdin'' is also part of the plot in the ''[[Kingdom Hearts (series)|Kingdom Hearts]]'' games by [[Square Enix]]. In all games, the plot of the films is followed with new dialogues and altered situations to fit the games' protagonists ([[Sora (Kingdom Hearts)|Sora]], [[Donald Duck|Donald]], and [[Goofy]]). ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories|Chain of Memories]]'' feature ''Aladdin'', and ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]'' features ''[[The Return of Jafar]]''.
==References==
<references/>


==External links==
==External links==
* {{imdb title|id=0103639|title=Aladdin}}
* {{imdb title|id=0103639|title=Aladdin}}
* {{bcdb|args=film=4&cartoon=Aladdin|title=Aladdin}}
* {{bcdb|args=film=4&cartoon=Aladdin|title=Aladdin}}
* [http://www.ultimatedisney.com/aladdin.html UltimateDisney.com DVD Review with Pictures]
* [http://www.aladdincentral.org/articles/careful.html Aladdin Central - Be Careful What You Wish For: Robin Williams' less-than-magical relationship with the Mouse]


{{Disney's Aladdin}}
{{Disney's Aladdin}}

Revision as of 21:42, 21 March 2007

Aladdin
File:Aladdinposter.jpg
Promotional Poster For Aladdin
Directed byJohn Musker
Ron Clements
Written byJohn Musker
Ron Clements
Ted Elliott
Terry Rossio
Produced byJohn Musker
Ron Clements
StarringScott Weinger
Robin Williams
Linda Larkin
Jonathan Freeman
Frank Welker
Gilbert Gottfried
Douglas Seale
Jim Cummings
Music byAlan Menken
Distributed byBuena Vista Pictures
Release dates
November 11, 1992
Running time
90 minutes
LanguageEnglish
Budget$28,000,000
This article is about the Disney film. For the Golden Films production, see Aladdin (Golden Films film).

Aladdin is a 1992 animated feature produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on November 25, 1992. The thirty-first animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, it relates a version of the story of Aladdin and the magic lamp from The Book of One Thousand and One Nights. As is usual with Disney film adaptations, many aspects of the traditional story were changed for the movie. It was released at the peak stretch of the Disney renaissance era beginning with The Little Mermaid. It was the most successful film of 1992, with over $217 million in domestic revenues and over $504 million worldwide.[1]

It was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, both of whom had just finished writing and directing The Little Mermaid. The musical score was created by Alan Menken, which received the 1992 Academy Award for Original Music Score for his work[2], and the song lyrics were written by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. The main soundtrack song "A Whole New World" (sung during the closing credits by Peabo Bryson and Regina Belle) won a Grammy Award as well as the Academy Award for Best Song for Menken and Rice in 1992.[2]

Voice actors included Robin Williams as the Genie. Although this was not the first time in which a major actor provided voice-over work for an animated film, it was the first major American animated feature film in which particular attention was paid to a celebrity cast member, such as a major movie star, in the film as part of its promotion. This has led to a subsequent increased attention to the casts of later productions, such as Toy Story and Shrek, as a major element of animated film marketing.

Aladdin was followed by two direct-to-video sequels: The Return of Jafar (1994) and Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1996), and an animated television series, Aladdin, set between the two sequels.

Production

In 1988, Howard Ashman suggested Disney to make an animated musical version of Aladdin. After writing songs with partner Alan Menken and writing a storyline, he delivered it to directors John Musker and Ron Clements. In 1991, the script was delivered to studio chief Jeffrey Katzenberg, but he thought the script "didn't engage", and only approved it after rewrites from Clements, Musker and the screenwriter duo Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio. Among the changes, the character of Aladdin's mother was removed, Princess Jasmine became a stronger character, and Aladdin had his personality reworked to be "a little rougher, like a young Harrison Ford".[3][4]

Most characters' design was based on caricaturist Al Hirschfeld (except for Jafar, specially because animator Andreas Deja wanted him to be contrasting).[5] Aladdin was drawn originally based on actor Michael J. Fox but during production it was decided that he wasn't "appealing enough" and they decided to draw to instead resemble actor Tom Cruise.[6]

Musker and Clements created the Genie with Robin Williams in mind - even if Katzenberg suggested names such as John Candy, Steve Martin, and Eddie Murphy, the actor was approached. Receiving a high salary, the actor came for dubbing sessions during breaks for the shooting of Hook and Toys. Williams also played a merchant in the opening scene, in a completely unscripted scene (the production left Williams a table with props and asked him to describe the object in character). The double role would originally lead to the merchant revealing to be the Genie disguised, but that idea was later dropped (the merchant returned in the ending of Aladdin and the King of Thieves).[6]

The production deadline was delayed many times due to the high improvising of Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried, which dubbed the parrot Iago.[6]

Synopsis

Template:Spoiler

File:Palace city.png
Agrabah

The film begins with a merchant in the mystical city of Agrabah, telling the story of a magical lamp and how it changed a young man's life ("Arabian Nights"). The story begins on a dark night, where Jafar, the grand vizier to the Sultan, and a follower of his, Gazeem the thief, attempt to access the Cave of Wonders, a magical trove where a magical lamp containing a genie is hidden. He and his talking parrot, Iago, learn that the only one who can enter the Cave of Wonders is the metaphorical "Diamond in the Rough," after the cave collapses on Kazim when he walks in.

Meanwhile, the street urchin Aladdin is fleeing guards with his pet monkey, Abu, after stealing a loaf of bread ("One Jump Ahead"). He eventually gives the bread to two homeless children before being knocked to the ground by Prince Achmed, who is on his way to attempt to marry Princess Jasmine. Jasmine, the teenage daughter of the Sultan, must be married before her upcoming sixteenth birthday, but she rejects every prince she meets, wanting to be married for true love. Achmed is one of those rejected by Jasmine, and to add injury to insult, he is bitten in the rear by Jasmine's pet tiger, Rajah. (One of the morning scenes involves Rajah with part of Achmed's boxers in his mouth.) Later that day, Jasmine, frustrated with "having her life lived for her," climbs over the palace walls, and in the morning sees the marketplace for the first time, where she meets Aladdin and Abu. Meanwhile, Jafar has tricked the Sultan into giving him his ring, which allows Jafar to see who the "diamond in the rough" is, and it is in fact Aladdin. Jafar sends a group of guards out to capture Aladdin, and they do, while Jasmine is still with him. Later, Jasmine tells Jafar to release him, but Jafar lies to her that he was executed, when he is in fact in a dungeon.

A disguised Jafar leads Aladdin and Abu to the Cave of Wonders. Aladdin and Abu enter and encounter a magic carpet before Aladdin finds the lamp. Abu attempts to steal a ruby and the cave collapses with them inside. When Aladdin awakens, he rubs the lamp and unleashes the magical, humorous genie, who reveals that he will now grant Aladdin three wishes ("Friend Like Me"). As they leave the cave, the sultan scolds Jafar while Jasmine plans to fire him once she is ruler of Agrabah. After they leave the room, Iago suggests that Jafar become Jasmine's husband in order to gain power.

The genie grants Aladdin his first wish: making him a prince so that he can marry Jasmine. They parade to the sultan's home, much to Jafar's dismay ("Prince Ali"). As Prince Ali, dressed in a white silk robe with a turban and a cape on, Aladdin turns Jasmine off with his arrogant behavior, but he later takes her on a magic carpet ride through the sky, showing her his true feelings ("A Whole New World") and she soon realizes that he is the same boy she met in the streets. Aladdin returns her home with a kiss for Jasmine before Jafar sends the guards to have Aladdin bound and gagged and thrown into the bottom of the sea. Aladdin ends up in the sea, and the genie makes Aladdin's second wish for him by saving him from drowning.

Meanwhile, a hypnotized sultan orders Jasmine to marry Jafar, but Aladdin arrives and reveals Jafar's plot. Jafar escapes, but discovers that Aladdin now has the lamp. Meanwhile, the genie hopes for Aladdin to set him free with his third wish, but Aladdin refuses, fearing that he may need the third wish for something else. Iago then steals the lamp and brings it to Jafar, who becomes the genie's new master and uses his first wish to become sultan. Jafar then wishes to become "the most powerful sorcerer in the world" and, using his new-found powers, the now all-powerful wizard sends Aladdin to the ends of the earth in one of the palace towers ("Prince Ali Reprise").

Aladdin uses the magic carpet to return to Agrabah, where Jafar is keeping the Sultan, the Genie, and Jasmine as slaves. Aladdin fights Jafar, but Jafar transforms himself into a giant snake and begins to strangle Aladdin. When Jafar boasts that he is "the most powerful being on Earth," Aladdin reminds the former vizier that he still isn't as powerful as the genie since it was the genie who gave Jafar his powers in the first place. This immediately prompts the power-hungry sorcerer to use his third and final wish to become a genie himself. However, after his wish is granted, Jafar tries to gain control of the whole universe with his new powers, but discovers that, as a genie, he has no free will and he is sucked into a new lamp, pulling Iago along with him.

In the aftermath, Aladdin and Jasmine attempt to be married but are unable to now that Aladdin isn't a prince. Instead of wishing to be a prince, Aladdin wishes for the genie's freedom, much to the genie's happiness. Inspired, the Sultan changes the law so that Jasmine can marry anyone she chooses and she, of course, chooses Aladdin. The genie leaves to explore the universe while Aladdin and Jasmine begin a new life together.

Voice cast

Character Image Voice actor
Aladdin/Prince Ali Ababwa Scott Weinger
Brad Kane (singing)
The Genie File:Robinwilliams aladdin.JPG Robin Williams
Jafar File:Johnthanfreeman aladdin.JPG Jonathan Freeman
Princess Jasmine File:Lindalarkin aladdin.JPG Linda Larkin
Lea Salonga (singing)
Abu File:Frankwelker aladdin.JPG Frank Welker
Iago File:Gilbertgottfried aladdin.JPG Gilbert Gottfried
The Sultan File:Douglasseale aladdin.JPG Douglas Seale
Razoul File:Jimcummins aladdin.JPG Jim Cummings
Rajah File:Russitaylor aladdin.JPG Frank Welker
The Merchant Robin Williams
Bruce Adler (singing)

Crew

Crew Position
Produced and Directed by John Musker
Ron Clements
Written by John Musker
Ron Clements
Ted Elliott
Terry Rossio
Co-Producer Donald W. Ernst
Amy Pell
Songs by Howard Ashman & Alan Menken
and
Alan Menken & Tim Rice
Original Score by Alan Menken
Art Director Bill Perkins
Production Designer Richard Vander Wende
Film Editor H. Lee Peterson
Artistic Supervisors Ed Gombert (Story supervisor)
Rasoul Azadani (Layout supervisor)
Kathy Altieri (Background supervisor)
Vera Lanpher (Clean-up supervisor)
Don Paul (Effects supervisor)
Steve Goldberg (Computer Graphics supervisor)
Artistic Coordinator Dan Hansen
Supervising Animator Glen Keane (Aladdin)
Eric Goldberg (Genie)
Mark Henn (Jasmine)
Andreas Deja (Jafar)
Duncan Marjorbanks (Abu)
Randy Cartwright (Magic Carpet)
Will Finn (Iago)
David Pruiksma (Sultan)
Aaron Blaise (Rajah)
Kathy Zielinski (Jafar as Beggar/Snake)
T. Daniel Hofstedt (Gazeem/Achmed)
Chris Wahl/Phil Young (Guards)
Production Manager Alice Dewey

Music

Main article: Aladdin (soundtrack)

Template:Sound sample box align right Template:Sample box end Aladdin was praised for its musical score[7] by composer Alan Menken and songwriters Howard Ashman and Tim Rice. The following six songs are featured in the movie.

  • "Arabian Nights" (Ashman) is the intro theme, sung by an off-screen Bruce Adler. It was later the title theme of the TV series, and featured with slightly altered lyrics in Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves.
  • "One Jump Ahead" (Rice) features Aladdin (Brad Kane) singing while running from the guards. Later, Aladdin sings a small song in the same vein, entitled "One Jump Ahead (Reprise)".
  • "Friend Like Me" (Ashman) sung by the Genie (Robin Williams). In the song, the Genie shows off his powers to Aladdin, telling him that he is a friend unlike any other.
  • "Prince Ali" (Ashman) is sung by the Genie (Robin Williams), and is used to introduce Aladdin's royal alter ego, Prince Ali Ababwa.
  • "Prince Ali (Reprise)" (Rice) is sung by Jafar (Jonathan Freeman). Using his newly gained powers, Jafar sings this spoof of "Prince Ali" while revealing Ali is only a street rat, and sending him to a far place.

Eight others were written, but removed from the film (most of them sung by Jafar).[8] One of them, "Proud of Your Boy" was later featured on the DVD Special Edition released in 2004, performed by Clay Aiken.[9] That version also appears on the album DisneyMania 3.

Reaction

Aladdin was well-received by critics,[10] with most praise to Robin Williams' Genie. Warner Bros. animator Chuck Jones even called the film "the funniest feature ever made".[3]However, criticism was made for the couple Aladdin and Jasmine[9] and many reviews considered it inferior to its predecessors The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast.[11]

It was the most successful film of 1992, with $217 million in the United States and over $504 million worldwide[1], being the biggest gross for an animation until The Lion King two years later.

Awards

Aladdin won two Academy Awards, Best Music, Original Score for Alan Menken's soundtrack and Best Music, Original Song for "A Whole New World" (Alan Menken and Tim Rice), and was also nominated for Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing, Best Sound, and another Best Song nomination for "Friend Like Me". [2] The movie also won the Golden Globes for Song and Score and a special achievement award for Robin Williams (and was nominated for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy)[12], the Annie Award for Best Animated Feature, the MTV Movie Award for Best Comedic Performance to Robin Williams (the only one ever delivered to an animation) and the Saturn Awards of Best Fantasy Film, Best Performance by a Younger Actor (Scott Weinger) and Best Supporting Actor (Robin Williams).[2]

Controversy

"Arabian Nights" Lyrics

One of the verses of the opening song "Arabian Nights" was altered following protests from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC). The lyrics were changed in July 1993 from "'Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home," in the original release to "Where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense/It's barbaric, but, hey, it's home." The change first appeared on the 1993 video release.[13] The original lyric was intact on the initial CD soundtrack release, but the re-release uses the edited lyric. Entertainment Weekly ranked Aladdin in a list of the most controversial films in history, due to this incident.[14]

Similarities to The Thief and the Cobbler

Animation enthusiasts have noticed similarities between Aladdin and Richard Williams' unfinished film The Thief and the Cobbler (also known as Arabian Knight under Miramax and The Princess and the Cobbler under Majestic Films International). These similarities include a similar plot, similar characters and background designs, and the antagonist Zig-Zag's resemblance in character design and mannerisms to Genie and Jafar.[15][16] Though Aladdin was released prior to The Thief and the Cobbler, it has been noted that The Thief and the Cobbler was started much earlier in the 1960s, but its production was mired in difficulties including financial problems, copyright issues when it was about Mulla Nasruddin in the 1970s, and late production times caused by separate studios trying to finish the film after Richard Williams was fired from the project.[17] This late release, coupled with Disney's purchase and re-editing of the film through Miramax, has sometimes resulted in it being ironically labeled a "copy" of Aladdin.[16]

Robin Williams and the Disney studio

In gratitude for his success with the Disney/Touchstone film Good Morning, Vietnam, Robin Williams voiced the Genie for SAG scale pay ($75,000), on condition that his name or image not be used for marketing, and his (supporting) character not take more than 25% of space on advertising artwork, since his live action film Toys was scheduled for release one month after Aladdin's debut. The studio failed on both counts, especially in poster art by having the Genie in 25% of the image, but having other major and supporting characters portrayed considerably smaller. Disney's Hyperion book, "Aladdin: The Making Of An Animated Film", listed both of Williams' characters "The Peddler" and "The Genie" ahead of main characters, but was forced to refer to him only as "the actor signed to play the Genie".[6]

Williams and Disney had a bitter falling out, and as a result Dan Castallaneta voiced the Genie in The Return of Jafar, the Aladdin animated television series, and had recorded his voice for Aladdin and the King of Thieves. When Jeffrey Katzenberg was fired from Disney and replaced by former 20th Century-Fox production head Joe Roth (whose last act for Fox was greenlighting Williams' film Mrs. Doubtfire), Roth arranged for a public apology to Williams by Disney. Williams agreed to perform in Hollywood Pictures' Jack, directed by Francis Ford Coppola, and even agreed to voice the Genie again for the King Of Thieves sequel (for considerably more than scale), replacing all of Castallanetta's dialogue.[18]

When Williams' re-teamed with Doubtfire director Chris Columbus for 1999's Bicentennial Man, Disney asked that the budget be cut by approximately $20 million, and when the film was released on Christmas Day, it failed at the box office. Williams blamed Disney's marketing and the loss of content the film had suffered due to the budget cuts. As a result, Williams is again on bad terms with Disney, and the DVD release for Aladdin has no involvement whatsoever from Williams in any of its retrospective footage, although some of his original recording sessions can be seen.

Cultural references

Aladdin features many references to popular culture, especially from Disney's previous works. While the Sultan is making a pile of toy animals, one is Beast from Beauty and the Beast, Rajah's head briefly resemble Mickey Mouse, the Genie pulls Sebastian (from The Little Mermaid) out of a recipe book (meanwhile the first notes of "Under the Sea" are played), turns his head into Pinocchio's, and dons a Goofy hat before leaving on his vacation.[19]

Other impersonations of the Genie include Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ed Sullivan, Groucho Marx, Robert De Niro, Carol Channing, Arsenio Hall, Rodney Dangerfield, Jack Nicholson and William F. Buckley, Jr..[3]

Home video

Aladdin was first released in VHS in October 3, 1993, as part of the "Classics" line. In its first week of avaibility, it sold over 10.8 million copies[20] and went on to sell over 25 million in total (a record only broken by the later release of The Lion King).[21] It entered moratorium in April 30, 1994.[22] The movie was also released on laserdisc in 1994. The CAV Japanese version had many extras, such as documentaries, trailers and the book "Aladdin: The Making of an Animated Film". [23]

In October 5, 2004, Aladdin was released on DVD, as Aladdin: Platinum Edition, part of Disney's Platinum Edition line of animated classic DVDs. The DVD release featured a remastered version of the film and a second disc with bonus features. The film's soundtrack was available in its original Dolby 5.1 track or in a new Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix.[9] The DVD went into moratorium in January 2006.[24]

Video games

Main article: Disney's Aladdin (video game)

Along with the film release, three different video games based on Aladdin were released, one by Virgin Interactive for the Sega Mega Drive, Game Boy (later ported to the Game Boy Color), and PC, another by SIMS for the Sega Game Gear and Sega Master System, and another by Capcom for the Super NES (later ported to the Game Boy Advance in 2002) and Nintendo Entertainment System.

The TV series inspired another game by Argonaut Games, entitled Aladdin: Nasira's Revenge and released in 2001 for the PlayStation. [25]Also, in 2004 Vivendi Universal released Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures, a chess computer game with the Aladdin license.[26]

Aladdin is also part of the plot in the Kingdom Hearts games by Square Enix. In all games, the plot of the films is followed with new dialogues and altered situations to fit the games' protagonists (Sora, Donald, and Goofy). Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories feature Aladdin, and Kingdom Hearts II features The Return of Jafar.

References

  1. ^ a b "Aladdin box office info". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  2. ^ a b c d "Aladdin awards and nominations". Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  3. ^ a b c "Aladdin's Magic". TIME magazine. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  4. ^ "Aladdin DVD review". UltimateDisney.com. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  5. ^ "Aladdin animator used subtlety to design strong villain". The Tech. 1992-11-20.
  6. ^ a b c d "DISNEY'S GOT A BRAND-NEW BAGHDAD". Entertainment Weekly. 1992-09-04. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  7. ^ "Aladdin soundtrack review". All Music Guide. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  8. ^ "Unsettled score". Entertainment Weekly. Aladdin Central. 1992-12-04.
  9. ^ a b c "Aladdin: Ultimate DVD review". IGN. 2004-09-17. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  10. ^ "Aladdin reviews". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  11. ^ Ebert, Roger (1992-11-25). "Aladdin review". Retrieved 2007-03-17.
  12. ^ "Golden Globes for Aladdin". HFPA. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  13. ^ "Arab Stereotypes and American Educators". American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  14. ^ "The 25 Most Controversial Movies Ever". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  15. ^ "The Thief and the Cobbler review". DVD snapshot.
  16. ^ a b "The Thief and the Cobbler NY Times review". The New York Times. 1995-08-26.
  17. ^ "The Best Animated Movie You've Never Heard Of". TV Guide. 2006-11-28.
  18. ^ Hill, Jim. "Be Careful What You Wish For: Robin Williams' less-than-magical relationship with the Mouse". Aladdin Central. Retrieved 2007-03-18.
  19. ^ "Aladdin in-jokes". Retrieved 2006-03-17.
  20. ^ "Harry's Hot -- But No King". IMDb news. 2002-06-22. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  21. ^ "Disney Rubs Aladdin's Lamp". Movie Web. Retrieved 2007-03-20.
  22. ^ "Home Video". The New York Times. 1994-05-20. Retrieved 2007-03-20.}
  23. ^ "Japanese Aladdin Laserdisc". LaserDisc Database. Retrieved 2007-03-20. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  24. ^ "Out of Print Disney DVDs". UltimateDisney.com. Retrieved 24 September. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  25. ^ "Aladdin Nasira's Revenge gamespace". GameSpot. Retrieved 2007-03-16.
  26. ^ "Disney's Aladdin Chess Adventures gamespace". IGN. Retrieved 2007-03-17.

External links

Preceded by Walt Disney Pictures
1992 		Succeeded by
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