The film is a liberal interpretation of one of the tales found in The Arabian Nights. Disney adds a modern slant to Aladdin as it becomes a tale of love and magic and evil. Aladdin (Scott Weinger) is a petty thief; street-smart enough to survive, he remains a prisoner of abject poverty who yearns for a life of luxury. Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), isolated behind the palace walls of Agrabah, is a prisoner of vast wealth and royal obligation who yearns for freedom. They have a cute meeting when she decides to sneak out of her father’s grand palace to explore the city on her own. Her brief taste of freedom lasts less than a day. Together, they are unceremoniously pulled back to the Sultan’s palace after Grand Vizier Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) discovers that Aladdin is the "diamond in the rough" that is uniquely qualified to recover a very special lamp buried within a magical cavern deep within the Arabian Desert.

Through guile and deceit, Jafar tricks Aladdin into the desert and down the formidable gullet of the fierce sand tiger that guards an immense treasure. When Aladdin finds the lamp and passes it to the disguised Jafar, the evil Vizier instantly reveals himself and betrays Aladdin, trapping him below ground. But growing up as a resourceful street urchin has its advantages. Aladdin’s trusty partner in crime is a savvy little monkey called Abu (Frank Welker). Before you can say Carl Denham, Abu snatches the lamp away from Jafar and returns it to Aladdin just as the cavern is sealed. It doesn’t take very long before the Genie of the Lamp (Robin Williams) is liberated quite inadvertently, and a good thing too. The Genie is Aladdin’s only way out and will prove to be the key to winning the hand and heart of the Princess, and vanquishing the evil Jafar.

This is Disney turned on its ear. Yes, the tale couldn’t possibly be more wholesome, and it is peppered with numerous sentimental songs. But the musical numbers are integral to the story rather than diversions merely meant to entertain or fill runtime. Unlike previous Disney heroines, Jasmine is headstrong, willful, defiant, and quite capable. I don’t think that description is appropriate for Snow White or Cinderella. Aladdin is a departure as well. Despite his aspirations and the magic of Genie’s illusions, this is no prince. He’s a common thief who manages to survive through his wits and a knack for deception. Only when he shares a stolen loaf of bread with starving children do we come to understand that he has a noble heart. And the greatest departure of all is Genie, a being who seems to be aware of future cultures and their icons, an irreverent soul whose humor masks yet another yearning to be free. His is the slave’s wish for freedom.

These are contemporary concepts that demonstrate both a welcome evolution of Disney animation and, perhaps on a more cynical note, a corporate epiphany that animated content can be more profitable when made to appeal to a broader age range (a concept best exemplified by the string of Pixar triumphs that start flowing to the big screen three years later). This is also the first film in which a fully realized CGI character is integrated into animation. CGI backgrounds had been done before, most notably in Beauty and the Beast, but the flying carpet, a brilliant master class in pantomime, is precedent-setting.

This is a delightful romp that skillfully blends sentimentality, fantasy, cultural satire, and at its core, a heartfelt drama of good versus evil.

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 is presented in anamorphic video. I was delighted when - not all that long ago - the studios finally realized that this aspect ratio is displayed with better resolution windowpaned in anamorphic video rather than letterboxed in non-anamorphic video. As I recall, it took some serious complaining by the home theater community to motivate that change. Aladdin’s transfer is lovely. It is virtually devoid of dreaded edge halos. The very few I noticed were of low amplitude and didn’t intrude; if I weren’t specifically looking for them on my eight-foot wide screen, I might not have noticed them. Colors are remarkably vivid, lush, and noise-free. Small object detail is excellent, as are the finely grained textures found in the background plates and in the complex weave of the CGI magic carpet. Shadow detail is outstanding. There are a surprising number of dimly lit sequences in this production, and they are conveyed with very nice gradations at the bottom end of the video dynamic range. If I had to nitpick at all, I’d mention that some scenes seem sharper than others. This is only apparent when I focus on the animators’ black lines drawn around objects and used to express facial features. As I said, a nitpick.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

There are four 5.1 mixes available on this Aladdin Platinum Edition. English, French, and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 tracks are supplemented with an "English 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix" and this is clearly the preferred track to enjoy. It may be described as 5.1, but sure sounds like an EX mix to me. With my center surround channel decoding enabled, I heard nearly perfect imaging in the very active surround channels. During the film, sounds came from every point on the compass and pans were perfect. The only odd effect was an over-ambitious mix into the surrounds and the center surround in particular of musical vocalists; it was annoying and failed to retain the relationships between the visual and the audible. Sound effects are terrific, with great attack times and a notable extension into the bottommost octave. The huge sand tiger that opens its maw to invite the brave to seek the lamp speaks with a deep rumble that is downright tactile. The looped dialog is absolutely pristine; the fidelity and presence create a delightful in-the-room illusion. The score and musical numbers are conveyed with a warmth and accuracy that will please those with a fine sound system in their home theaters. For the purists who would prefer a less aggressive mix, one that is decidedly more front-centric, Disney thoughtfully includes the theatrical mix.

The DVD offers both optional English subtitles for the hearing impaired and Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

The extensive supplements are spread across both discs of this two-DVD edition. Before I begin, I’ll mention that since this is a THX-certified DVD, you’ll find the THX Optimizer to calibrate your system for this specific DVD.

On disc one, the filmmakers explain that Aladdin initially included a story arc in which a very young Aladdin sought to win his mother’s approval. Scenes were storyboarded and songs composed to support that plotline. When the film’s story was revamped into its final form, these elements were discarded. Disney has included much of those materials to provide hints of what the film nearly was. In Deleted Songs, there are "Proud of Your Boy" (4:00), "You Can Count on Me" (2:25), "Humiliate the Boy" (4:00), and "Why Me" (3:45). For each, the filmmakers explain the origins of the material and why they were abandoned. Since no final animation was done, the songs are heard over a storyboard presentation. Similarly, in Deleted Scenes, we’re treated to introductions and storyboard presentations of early concepts for Aladdin and Jasmine’s First Meeting (2:50) and Aladdin in the Lap of Luxury (2:55).

Continuing a musical theme (no pun intended), the disc contains music videos; some are supported by an Original Storyboard Reel or a Behind the Scenes look at the making of the music video. "Proud of Your Boy", performed by Clay Aiken (2:20), has all; the storyboard reel also runs 2:20 and the tiny featurette runs 3:20. For this song, you even have a choice of audio formats, Dolby Digital 2.0 and the 5.1 Disney Enhanced Home Theater Mix. "A Whole New World", performed here by Jessica Simpson and husband Nick Lachey (4:10), is a song that made the theatrical cut, so no storyboard sequence is shown. A fluffy Behind the Scenes Featurette (3:50) for this song is also included. For a slight contrast in style, take a look at the original 1992 music video of the same song performed by Regina Belle and Peobo Bryson (4:10). For those inclined to sing along with the film, Disney Song Selection offers the choices of five songs from the movie, which may be viewed with the lyrics shown as subtitles. You also have the choice of watching the film with subtitles visible only during the songs.

Backstage Disney gives you access to two feature-length commentary tracks, one by the filmmakers (producer/directors John Musker and Roy Clements and co-producer Amy Pell) and one by the animators (Andreas Deja, Will Finn, Eric Goldberg, and Glen Keane). On the Backstage Disney menu page, you’ll also find the option to enable Pop Up Fun Facts, which display trivia tidbits as the film rolls. Multitasker that I am, I would have liked to have watched the pop ups and listened to a commentary at the same time. Alas, unlike similar features in other DVDs, I was not able to enable both at the same time.

Both commentaries are wonderful audio diaries of the making of the film. It was here that I learned how Robin Williams was recorded for the opening sequence. Take a box of random goodies picked up from a local thrift store, carefully slip the box into Williams’ recording booth, slam the door shut before he escapes, press the record button, and stand back. I enjoyed both commentaries for their depth of detail and for the commentators’ affection and dedication to the film. The pop up text feature wasn’t as informative or as dense as I’ve found on some other DVDs. It seems mostly directed toward the younger viewer who isn’t expected to recognize the Genie’s impersonations of the likes of William F. Buckley or Ed Sullivan (I guess that’s a reasonable assumption) and must be educated. But I was amused to find an explanation of why the Genie is aware of twentieth century icons; after all, Aladdin is set hundreds of years ago. It seems that Genie has traveled in time and space and has more knowledge than you might expect. And I did enjoy the notes about the little in-jokes the animators put into the film that might have otherwise remained unnoticed.

Sneak Peeks offers a generous selection of trailers and previews: the March 2005 release of Bambi Special Edition on DVD (0:48); Pooh’s Heffalump Movie (1:24); The Aladdin Trilogy DVD (1:27); Mulan Special Edition DVD (2:05); Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary Edition DVD (1:49); Mulan II direct to DVD (1:56); a television promo for Jetix (0:33); an appeal from the Make A Wish Foundation (0:34); and, a promo for stage show at Disneyland Resort in California (1:02).

Disc two contains a remarkably complete and very entertaining documentary in the form of a montage of shorts whose aggregate running time is 1:49:50; it’s A Diamond in the Rough: The Making of Aladdin. Leonard Maltin introduces the feature by describing the disc’s viewing options, which include an extensive Index that consumes four busy pages, and a Your Wish Is Our Command mode in which you can branch this way and that after each chapter. I’d recommend that you sit back, relax, and choose the Play All option. Maltin also hosts several filmmaker and cast panels before a live audience; those discussions pepper the documentary. Every aspect of the making of the film is covered, from the ridiculous to the sublime, from major changes in the plotline to trivia. For example, I hadn’t recognized that famous cartoonist Al Hirschfeld had such an influence on the film’s style; we see him collaborating with the Disney artists. For me, one of the delights of behind the scenes documentaries of animated features is getting to meet the voice actors who made such vital contributions. Virtually all are featured on the panels, seen within featurettes, or seen in action during recording sessions. I particularly enjoyed Jonathan Freeman’s visit to a New York pet store that specializes in exotic birds; he has a bird phobia. And the wonderfully annoying Gilbert Gottfried (the voice of Jafar’s scheming parrot, Iago) is prominent in several of the sequences. His frenetic style adds almost as much energy to the film as Williams. I’d have been content with this documentary alone, but disc two has much more to offer.

Alan Menken: Musical Renaissance Man (20:00) highlights the composer who brought a new sensibility to Disney animation. Before Menken, music within Disney animation had been highly sentimental and, rather than projecting the story forward, all too often stopped the plot dead in its tracks. Menken brought his Broadway expertise to the film, integrating the music into the plotlines to drive them forward, and making the songs integral and essential to the story. This featurette is an interesting biographical sketch that covers the composer’s life and career. We learn of his early influences and his progression into lifelong musical pursuits. It’s clear from other supplements that his collaborator and lyricist, Howard Ashman, died during the production of Aladdin, but it’s only in this featurette that AIDS is named as the cause. Menken completed Aladdin with Tim Rice and went on to garner much critical acclaim and recognition.

The Art of Aladdin includes two features: Art Review with Filmmakers’ Commentary (8:45) and a Still Frame Gallery. The Art Review is a nice overview of the evolution of the conceptualization of places and characters. I was particularly intrigued to learn about the palette selections that established subliminal cues to a character’s nature or the nature of a setting. The stills are divided into four major categories. Select any and you may be transported to a submenu. Once you reach the stills, they’re arranged in an array of thumbnails that you can select and view as a larger image. All of the extras on this supplement DVD are presented in non-anamorphic video. I’m not sure why. All would have benefited from anamorphic video and the stills would have been more revealing had they occupied more of the screen’s real estate.

The Publicity feature offers full screen trailers for Aladdin (2:55), Aladdin and the King of Thieves (1:30, complete with motion artifacts), and The Return of Jafar (0:30). The associated Publicity Gallery has Theatrical Posters, Unused Concepts, and demonstrates how the characters from this film are featured at Disney’s Theme Parks.

Returning to the opening menu screen, we have another group of features called Games & Activities. The first is Aladdin’s Magic Carpet Adventure: A Disney Virtual DVD Ride. If you sit as close to the motion picture theater screen as I do, you’ll likely recall that smile-inducing feeling in the pit of your stomach as the Snow Speeders dipped and climbed over the white terrain of Hoth as they searched for Luke and Han in the opening act of The Empire Strikes Back. That psycho-visual effect has been replicated many times since and refined to perfection for theme park rides. This DVD’s virtual ride tries to capture that visual experience, and on a very large screen that involves the peripheral vision, it works quite well. Unfortunately, it, too, is presented in full screen, which makes the effect less compelling. If you have a large screen or can get close enough to your screen to stimulate your peripheral vision, it will help to display the images as anamorphic; there will be a slight distortion of proportions, but the intended effect will be that much more entertaining. Integrated into these images is a game clearly directed toward the younger set, so the bottom line is that the game is lame but the visuals are visceral.

Next is Inside the Genie’s Lamp, available both as a Guided Tour (6:10) and as an interactive Self Guided Tour. The Guided Tour is narrated by Robin Leach (of Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous fame) and the guest is none other than Iago. The clever CGI graphics, satirical narration, and Gilbert Gottfried’s Iago make this a worthwhile stop. And don’t think that the Self Guided Tour is repetitious; you’ll hear additional material from Robin Leach and find additional site gags here, a few of which actually amuse. The 3 Wishes Game is perhaps the least successful of the Games & Activities. The object of this guessing game is to toss a coin into a mechanical Jafar’s mouth in order to have a wish granted. Leave this one to the kiddies. The fourth and last activity is The Genie World Tour (3:10). No, this isn’t a video of a new rock band’s concert tour; it’s a short animated series of film-oriented gags sent on a magic postcard to Iago and Jafar trapped in their black lamp. It may not be laugh out loud funny, but I’ll bet you’ll enjoy a few smiles.

The 90-minute feature film is organized into twenty-five chapters.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

After the Disney skin load atop your copy of the InterActual player, you’ll have several choices. Clicking on the Disney DVD logo will open two instances of the IA web browser. One opens to a registration form for your DVD, and the other opens the Disney DVD & Video web page. These are the same two destinations you reach if you click on two other text choices: Official Website and Register Your DVD. Disney Movie Finder takes you to a Disney DVD & Video search page. Disney Birthday Club is a chance to register a child for special treatment on a special day. Disney Sweepstakes offers you a chance to win a library of one hundred titles. Newsletter opens the latest issue featuring news from Walt Disney Home Entertainment.

Final Thoughts