Studio: Walt Disney Feature Animation
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution
Produced by: Ron Clements, John Musker
Short Synopsis
In the Arabian city of Agrabah, the vizier Jafar is searching for the Cave of Wonders, which holds a magic lamp, but the cave will admit only a "diamond in the rough". That turns out to be Aladdin, a street thief with a monkey, Abu. Aladdin meets Princess Jasmine, who has run away from the palace to escape an arranged marriage, and the two are drawn to each other before Jafar has Aladdin arrested. Disguised, Jafar takes him to the cave to fetch the lamp. When Abu grabs a forbidden jewel, the cave collapses and Aladdin is trapped, with the lamp. Rubbing it, he releases the Genie, who can grant three wishes. Aladdin uses the first to become Prince Ali and court Jasmine, promising to use the last to free the Genie. Jafar exposes him, steals the lamp, and becomes first sultan, then the most powerful sorcerer in the world, before Aladdin tricks him into wishing to become a genie himself, trapping him in his own lamp. With his last wish, Aladdin frees the Genie, and the Sultan changes the law so that Jasmine can marry whom she chooses.
Why It Matters
- Robin Williams's improvised, shape-shifting Genie, animated by Eric Goldberg in a looping style inspired by Al Hirschfeld's caricatures, changed animated film: a celebrity voice performance that drove the whole film, setting a pattern for the next three decades. The magic carpet, a character with no face, is a small miracle of animation acting.
- It was the highest-grossing film of 1992 worldwide, part of the Disney Renaissance, and won Academy Awards for its score and for the song "A Whole New World". It was also criticised for Arab stereotypes, and lyrics in the opening song were changed for the video release.
Notes and Trivia
- Howard Ashman, who wrote early songs for it, died in 1991; Tim Rice completed the score with Alan Menken.
- The Cave of Wonders and the magic carpet's patterns used computer animation alongside traditional drawing.
- See also: DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp (1990), The Rescuers Down Under (1990).