Aladdin 1992
I remember seeing Aladdin in the theaters and coming out feeling completely satisfied that I had just seen a really well made movie. I bought the "Platinum Edition" DVD in 2004 and recently bought the "Diamond Edition" Blu-ray. I watched the movie again and was soon impressed all over again. Starting out with a mysterious vendor in the market telling about the lamp, and then going right into something that feels like it came from Raiders of the Lost Ark. And that is all before the main characters of Aladdin and Jasmine show up. Robin Williams is absolutely phenomenal as the genie, giving some great comic relief and energy, but Gilbert Gottfried as the parrot, Iago, is also perfect. That man was born to be a parrot and his sarcasm and frustration are hilarious. The animation is also amazing, with the exotic location, intricate camera work, zooming magic carpet rides, and that carpet! That they could get such a performance out of a rug is one of the greatest animation achievements ever. Throw in some of the great, really fun songs, along with the romantic "A Whole New World" and you have the whole package. Every element is Disney at its best. The movie sags a little with the climactic battle and a disappointing resolution to a central legal problem that the whole story supposedly hinged on. But, whatever, you can’t have 100% perfection all the time. The only other Disney movie that comes close to this is Beauty and the Beast, but they are different types of movies, with Aladdin being fun and funny.
Written: 11 Oct 2016
Owned on: Blu-ray, DVD, Digital