Aladdin Central Messageboard

[Sadira]

I`m talking about the entire film, not just Al. I know this sounds like a silly question, but I`m curious . Aladdin is one of my long term favorite Disney films. Aladdin and Jasmine are my favorite Disney characters of all time . For some reason, I never lost interest in this movie. I think it`s because of the characters. They will always hold a special place in my heart. Yes, I know that sounds really dumb. Oh well... Al and Jas will have to make some room for Jim Hawkins.

[Marisa]

Overall, the people who like Aladdin tend to like it more than the preceeding Disney films, simply because it was so different. All the other films focused on the Princess, and were more romantic than anything. While Aladdin had its romance, it was tied in with almost nonstop action (something that, at one point, only appeared in the climax) and comedy.
Other Disney films had only one or two characters provide comedy (Jaques and Gus from Cinderella, most notably) and they were pretty much there for the sake of being THERE. I mean, the scenes were nice, but lately I find myself fast-forwarding through their parts to get to the actual plot again.

However, just about every character had some comedy to them. I think Jasmine was the only exception. Aladdin was witty and quick, Genie was just crazy, the Sultan was senile, and some of the lines between Jafar and Iago are priceless.

I think people like Aladdin just because it's a nice break from the princess trend of Disney films.
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[AladdinsGenie]

Exactly what Marisa said. The movie was so much different from other movies that came before it. Sure I watched them all, but that one has been my favorite since it came out. I wasn't exactly the most "girly" 6 year old in the world, so the movies that focused on the princesses really didn't do it for me. They were all about a girl who falls in love and someone else won't let them be together for some reason or another *yawn* .Aladdin was about this broke mofo who went through hell to get a girl and almost didn't get her in the end if the law wasn't changed. I can't think of a movie that wasn't about a guy who didn't fly, had some sort of power, was made of wood, or was an animal before Aladdin came out. Al was just a normal guy and that's what I like. He relied on himself...although the series might contradict that since he got really lazy when Genie came into the picture.

Also, this is one of maybe three Disney movies in which I like every single character in the movie. That's rare. I'm a hardcore sidekick fan and I usually can't stand the hero and the heroine, but this movie changed all that. Al was smart and clever, Jasmine was fiesty and pissed for a good bit of the movie, Genie was a lunatic with powers, Abu stole stuff just because, Iago is one of Disney's greatest smartasses ever, Jafar didn't care who he had to kill to get what he wanted and the Sultan was just lost the whole time. Who wouldn't want to watch a movie like that?

[Marisa]

And if that doesn't do it for you, it was the last of Ashman's great work. From what I've read, he really loved doing this movie, even though he never got to see it completed. I mean, the score is absolute genius! My favorite songs include Prince Ali, One Jump, A Whole new World, Friend Like Me... actually, all of them. I would never hear a song from the Aladdin soundtrack and be all, "I hate that song." Because I just don't.

On a side note, AG -- you should watch Azumanga Daioh. From your love for characters, I think you might like that as well X3
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[Salukfan]

Since I'm assuming we're simply doing the original here, I'll go with that.

As you all know, I'm not the biggest fan of Aladdin around here. I think it might have to do with the comedy factor Marisa and AG mentioned. I don't think it holds up as well as a film like BATB does, IMO. I find Aladdin and Jasmine boring here, Genie no longer has any humor value to me, Sultan annoys me, Abu/Rajah have my indifference. The only characters I really love here are Jafar and Iago, for the heartlessness and the intelligance. But that aside, this thread is supposed to be about positivity.

I just love the world of Agrabah. It's such a beautiful place, and it never looks better than it did in the original. All the activity, the culture... we really never see Agrabah in a totally peaceful state after we get into the series. To see Agrabah not worried about monster attacks and the like is very nice. It just seems like a nice place to live.

I love the music. Totally atmospheric and perfect. Menken/Ashman/Rice had such a great dynamic here, and the casting of Brad/Caleb and Lea in the roles of Aladdin and Jasmine was perfect. I only wish Jafar got a longer song in this movie, but I think "Second Rate" covered that well enough.

I don't really know whatelse to say on the topic. Hell, I haven't even watched this film in it's entirely for probably about a year. Come Tuesday, I may be able to add some more to this.
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"This cow's been covered with flour!"

[AladdinsGenie]

[Kam]

[Salukfan]

[Merkal]

There's so much about this movie I love that other movies, Disney or otherwise didn't have. The score and songs by Menken/Ashman and Menken/Rice is the best they ever did before and after Aladdin. I love AWNW and to this day I wish Menken/Rice made it longer. The carpetride is still trilling to see after all these years. Of course the characters of Aladdin and Jasmine are so well put together personallity, voice and appearences wise the production crew created humans of flesh and blood. Thanks to Genie I've become a Robin Willaims fan, the man went nuts in this role.

I love the city of Agrabah, the beauty of the grand palace rising high above the tallest towers. The many alleys one can easily get lost to find himself back at the market at the end. The people, though not the richest in the world they are happy to live and work in Agrabah. The endless possibilities for me to explore the city in my mind.

The breathtaking backgrounds of all locations in this movie, from the simple hovel to the red hued city as the sun is about to dissapear behind the horizon.

Badguy Jafar who goes after what he wants no matter who stands in the way he just shoves them out of the way. What does he care if the thief Gazeem dissapears in the tigers head. So what if poor princess is heartbroken by a lie as she learns her new friend is death. Not to even start about a street rat who happens to be his key towards untimate weath and power and falls deep within the cave of wonders. Even if his parrot sidekick gets trapped between doors and is hurting Jafar kicks him.

This and many more things makes Aladdin my all time favorite movie.

[PearlRose]

I hadn't really thought about Aladdin in many years until last summer.

I mean, I really like Disney movies, and was planning on buying the movie when it came on DVD, etc. etc.

But last summer, I was working at a summer camp in a group with 5-year olds. As a ploy to keep the adults from going crazy with 10+ of these youngsters every day, we'd show them a movie in the afternoons.

Considering they were only 5, that meant Disney was the name of the movies they'd get shown. And Aladdin was a very popular pick for these children. It would get played AT LEAST once a week.

And that's what got me interested into looking into Disney flicks with more of a grown-up perspective, rather than through my childhood memories.

Anyway, I saw Aladdin a LOT last summer. And it began to hit me just how much I liked the movie. The characters were cool, the heroine wasn't a wimp, and it was just plain good. Sometimes, I still have a hard time believing it was made in '92. It has a certian timeless quality to it.

And that is why I love it so much. ^_^


-Maggie
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Smile. ^_^

[Sarah66]

To be honest, the thing that got me interested the most, was Aladdin himself. I found him to be so different to other Disney heros. He's a thief, living in the streets and stealing his food. Actually a character you wouldn't necessarily want to have around. But then he shows us that he's a good guy (or as the movie emphasizes so many times: a diamond in the rough). When this arrogant prince Achmed threw him into the mud, I felt sorry for him and from that point on things are settled for the rest of the movie. I wanted to know what was supposed to happen to this guy, will he finally manage to get his girl, and so on.

Besides, Al is definitely eye candy!! He's the sexiest male Disney character, plus he's got an interesting personality.

Concerning everything else, I agree with the other comments. This one of the rare movies that entertain me 100%
I must have watched it about 20 times since I got the DVD!!

[Guest]

[AladdinsGenie]

*points to above post*

Just incase no one can figure it out, that was me.
I keep forgetting to log in when I am at school.

[Salukfan]

[Magdaleina]

For me, when I was younger, it was the action and the pop culture references (especially in the series). Now, it's the sheer nostalgia, though Aladdin has been left behind and is second on my list of favorite Disneys.

I remember rewatching the movie a while back and thinking of how much the changes in Jasmine's character irked me. She was this frail but freedom-thirsting princess, but the moment she stepped out of the palace the first time, she was out of her element and could not take care of herself. You /never/ see her transition from that to what she is in the series. She's entirely more gutsy; she can handle weapons, she can /defend/ herself.

When did that happen? I'm sorry, but you don't just grow amazing acrobatic skills overnight or just by watching other people do it a million times. We never really got to see that development, and it's a shame. That's just one example of things that the series and movies had the potential for but never explored.

I find Aladdin fun, but the movies and series certainly do not pick up my favorite characters for analysis -- which is my passion. Sure, I was an incurable Mozenrath fanatic at one point in time, but I fell in with the gigantic crowd that attempted to make up a lot of wangsty junk to do with his past to excuse his behavior -- which isn't being a fan. It's slapping a pretty face on a character that you, yourself, made up. After all, it's frowned upon to try and change a /real/ person so you can love them; why do it to a fictional character?

-- Damn, I went off on a tangent again. *wanders off*