Aladdin Central Messageboard

[imekitty]

As we all know, Disney movies have today have changed quite a bit from the time Aladdin was made. This isn't a bad thing necessarily. After all, the movies from Aladdin's time were quite different from the movies that came out in decades preceding it. I have to say, though, that I'm not a huge fan of what Disney has been churning out lately which makes me all the more grateful that Aladdin did come out when it did.

So, what do you think Aladdin would've been like it had been made today instead of back in the early 90s?

My thoughts:

It would've definitely been CGI. I can't begin to say how glad I am that Aladdin was made at a time when traditional animation was still the main animation medium. The art is part of the reason I love Aladdin. But I don't know. Do you guys think you would've loved it just as much if it was exactly the same movie except that it was CGI? I'm really not so sure. Hand-drawn animation is such a huge draw for me.

Jasmine would've been a much more prominent character since she's kind of secondary in the actual movie. There's no way they would've let Aladdin save her from the hourglass, haha. They might not have let her seduce Jafar in that manner either. In general, she probably just would've gotten a bigger role, not exactly sure how, though. Thoughts?

The title would not have been "Aladdin." They would've changed it so that Jasmine could be considered just as important as Aladdin. What do you think the new title would've been? I remember a reimagined movie poster suggesting "Wishful," but that doesn't sound quite right to me. I'm sure it would've been some sort of adjective in the same vein as "Tangled," "Frozen," and "Gigantic." I just can't think of a good one.

Characters would've been given more ethnic looks...although I personally think they already look pretty ethnic, but I guess many disagree. :/

Voice actors probably would've been Middle Eastern. This kind of makes me sad because I adore Scott's voice. I can't imagine a better Aladdin.

Not sure how Genie, Iago, or Jafar might've changed. What do you think?

Not entirely sure how the story would've changed either. I just know that they would've tried to be much more culturally sensitive. Thoughts on the story?

Any other ideas? All in all, I'm so glad Aladdin is the way it is, but hey, maybe I would've liked it better if it was made today instead. There's no way to know.

>.> Although I HIGHLY doubt it...

[Meesh]

[imekitty]

But they renamed Jack and the Beanstalk to "Gigantic," so I still think they would've likely changed the name. Maybe to just make it sound more "modern" if nothing else.

I love how the story focuses on Aladdin and his development. I just have a thing for male lead characters, so I think I actually would've liked it less if they tried to make Jasmine equal in importance. But that's just me. And yeah, they probably would've tried to give her more "endearing" and "quirky" flaws, and I really appreciate Jasmine's overall maturity and strong confidence.

I didn't want to consider the political side of it, but yeah, there's a possibility that they wouldn't even touch that story today. It would've ended up being a very water-downed version that only danced around certain issues (as in Princess and the Frog). All references to Allah would've been cut for sure.

[Fez_Head]

This is such an interesting topic and is quite thought-provoking. Now I'm curious, what would our beloved movie be like if it were made in 2016? Hmm...

1. I definitely agree with you on this one. With all of the new Disney movies nowadays coming out in CGI, I would not be surprised to see Aladdin included in that mix, especially after the Princess and the Frog debacle. Don't get me wrong, I liked that movie, but its poor sales definitely made the Disney company reconsider hand-drawn animation, which also makes me really upset. I like CGI, but I'm partial to hand-drawn. There's just something about it (nostalgia maybe?) that I love. Or maybe it's the fact that whenever I watch a movie animated in that fashion, my brain just explodes at the amount of patience those animators must have to draw that all out. I wish I had that patience.

2. Again, I agree, but I wouldn't actually mind that. I like Jasmine's character (I hate when people always view her as a stuck up snob, yet she was the first princess to marry a poor guy) and I think if Aladdin were made today, she would definitely not take as much of a backseat as she did. I think this is especially important because back in 1992, there was no concept of a Disney Princess line, but now, that is one of the most important features of the Disney corporation. It's sad to say, but I think because of this franchise, they would milk the female role for all of it's worth if they made the movie nowadays.

3. Hmm...this one's a bit difficult to determine. I hate when companies think giving a more "feminine" name to a movie or book will deter boys from watching or reading it. Granted, yes there will always be those boys who won't watch a "Princess movie" (I once babysat a young boy who thought Mulan sounded "stupid"), but some won't care. I think, if they did change the name, it would have to reflect on Jasmine's role in the new movie. The story as we have it is currently about Aladdin himself and his character development as Meesh stated, but if Jasmine had a more significant role (I'm thinking like Beauty and the Beast here), I think the name should reflect that. "Wishful" sounds like a weird Disney Channel movie that gets like 1% on Rotten Tomatoes.

4. I think this movie is just predestined to fail in the "ethnicity" department. Some people say that the main characters look "too white" (What on earth is "too white"? How does one even go about distinguishing this, is what I want to know?), but then you mention that Aladdin and Jasmine do have somewhat more "Arabian" (I am using that term quite loosely) features, such as bigger noses, and then suddenly they become stereotypical Arabs. I don't know. This is a tricky one.

5. I could see this one happening, but personally, I don't understand why people are so determined that a voice actor (who is just providing a character's VOICE) ought to be of the same race as the character they are portraying. If the person has the voice the directors are looking for in that particular character, they should be allowed to do the role. This one makes me sad because I love telling people that Steve from Full House is Aladdin and seeing their reaction.

6. Well, I could say how Genie would be changed, but then it would make me sob all over again for Robin, so I'll just move on. They might not have used Gilbert Gottfried to voice Iago after his certain comments that got him fired from Aflac, but if that were the case, who would voice him? I honestly can't imagine Iago with any other voice, unless they altered the character to fit that particular actor's voice. I also have no idea about Jafar (I would like to say he would stay somewhat the same), but who knows? Maybe he would be more like Hans and not appear as a villain until near the end? Or a Mother Gothel type of character who uses more emotional manipulation? Personally, I love Jafar's character because I love those cold, calculating villains, but I have no idea.

7. I'm with Meesh on this one. If the movie were made today, especially with the Middle East being such a "hot" (yeah, I just made that pun) topic right now, it would be more "politically correct" than how it was back in 1992. It's a difficult thing to think about because it's actually rather sad that a movie about another culture might not even be made in our world today, which is why I'm so glad that it was made when it was.

The mystery continues...
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[imekitty]

1. I adore traditional animation myself. I find that it's capable of beauty and fluidity that CG just can't seem to grasp. It's not about nostalgia to me. It's really just about the beauty. :3 And the talent, yes. Reading about the history of traditional animation has really made me appreciate the pain those animators of old went through. Walt Disney is my personal hero for never giving up on something that was just a gimmick to everyone else (among many other reasons).

[Fez_Head]

You've written some really good points about the benefits of traditional hand drawn animation, and I completely agree with you. I said there is a bit of a nostalgia factor to this style because it is what I grew up with, so yes, I believe I will be a bit more partial to it than CGI. Also, the beauty. Good lord, I still can't wrap my head around how much time and patience all of those animators must have to draw out those characters and various settings. It's just so beautiful that it leaves me breathless. I was actually talking about this with a friend the other day and I know this is an Aladdin forum, which is a beautiful film in its own way (I mean, look at all of those vibrant colours), but Sleeping Beauty. Say what you will about the film (I know that some people don't like that Aurora is only in it for 18 minutes, for example), but my goodness, that movie is just stunning. That movie, for instance, would look weird in CGI to me and would ruin what Walt was envisioning for it: to be a moving tapestry. So yeah, hand drawn animation all of the way!

I won't judge you on your love for men, don't worry. I'm an Aladdin fan, so I seriously can't even begin to judge. I love Aladdin's character. It defies, in a sense, the heroic archetype, which makes him more rounded and fleshed out. It's not like the prince in Snow White who is like "I sang, I kissed, I conquered." Sorry if you like that character, but he's kinda okish. Although, he does wear a pretty nifty hat. I also really like Jasmine's maturity, like you. I would hate to see her subjected to the role of the "cute, clumsy girl" Disney seems to be fond of nowadays (I think it works for these particular characters), but I feel that would demean Jasmine as a character. And yeah, I never understood how these qualities, like being clumsy or a workholic, are considered flaws. Yes, perhaps Tiana could probably do with a break (or two), but I don't consider this a bad thing. People are constantly trying to scale the corporate ladder through determination in the real world, so why should a fictional character be scolded for being goal-oriented? I actually liked that about Tiana's character.

I honestly don't know what they would call the movie in order to make it sound more modern. *shrugs shoulders*

The whole "too white" thing reminds me of that picture on the internet of Aladdin that says "At the beginning of the movie, he was poor. At the end of the movie, he's white." I've seen the movie quite a few times and I do not recall at any moment when Aladdin suddenly obtains vitiligo. If this did happen, please let me know. It'll give me a chance to watch it again
.

I would not be happy if Genie's role was diminished just to give Jasmine more of a role. I love both characters, but I love the total bromance between Aladdin and Genie a little more. This reminds me. I saw a clip of Aladdin and the King of Thieves in French on YouTube one day and noticed that, as Aladdin and Genie were talking about Al's father being a total no-show at the first wedding, Genie used the words "ton pere." Using the "tu" form in French is strictly between friends or individuals who are quite close, so when I heard that, I was actually quite happy that this particular translation actually emphasized their close relationship. I would be livid if Genie was just demoted to some side character (Nope, that place is filled by the one and only, Prince Achmed. Twisted reference, anyone? ) or a significant plot point. Nope, I'm going to pretend you didn't even suggest that. *Puts fingers in ears and starts humming "Friend Like Me"*

Anyway... I do think it would be rather interesting if they did go for the whole "uncle" concept from the original story. Could you imagine, Uncle Jafar? That's just so bizarre. I do think that if Disney did that, he would definitely use emotional manipulation to get Aladdin to do his bidding like Gothel. And I'm also a little unsure of Iago. I'm not a big fan of the stuffy British bird, but I guess his character would depend on the new version of Jafar.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[imekitty]

Wow, Sleeping Beauty in CG...no, I just...no. It would totally change the atmosphere of that film. It seems like CG films always have to be funny or quirky or something. Traditional animation can simply be a beautiful story without any silliness at all. Aladdin probably could've been pulled off in CGI, to be honest, but it wouldn't have been as beautiful. Those Hirschfeld lines probably wouldn't have translated as well to CG (and Aladdin probably wouldn't have been as hot...).

[Fez_Head]

Yeah, Sleeping Beauty in CGI would look so... ugh, I don't even know if there's a word for it. I think Aladdin would still be hot either way (let's be honest here) because in CGI, he would have even more fancy of hair. I mean, just imagine a CGI Aladdin running his fingers through his CGI mess of hair. *swoon*

Aladdin totally wins in the hat department. Turban or fez, he wins every time. I was actually going to write that the Prince's hat was rather jaunty, but I remembered you writing that bit of the Aladdin doll's description on here and thought it would be too weird if I wrote that. But apparently not. Also, can I just say how hilarious that description is.

Uncle Jafar just sounds like a scary dude. Definitely wouldn't invite that guy to birthday parties.

I'll try and think of some names too, but I feel like this name search is just going to end up being "I Love Lamp" or something.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[imekitty]

[Fez_Head]

Looks like you aren't the only one to die from the hotness that is Aladdin.



You're welcome.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[imekitty]

I love that part. :3 But he has so many good moments. I think I love his pouts best. They're just so cute!

[imekitty]

I've been thinking of all the words associated with Aladdin. So far, I thought of "Sandy."

Sand! It's everywhere! Get used to it!

[Fez_Head]

I love that part of KOT. It's hilarious! Obviously it came out long before this, but it always makes me think of that ridiculous Star Wars scene when Anakin Skyewalker (before he gained both the voice of Mufasa and asthma) says he hates sand. Maybe this scene was inspired by KOT? There's a thought, especially now that Disney owns Star Wars.

Here's that scene in case you haven't seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5jjXTPtyY

Another word could be "Lampy."
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams

[imekitty]

I'm really tempted to post that quote as a comment on that video...

"Lampy" makes me think of The Brave Little Toaster, another favorite of mine!

[Fez_Head]

You should do it!! I'm surprised that no one has already.

LAMPY! Oh my god, I love that guy. I haven't seen that movie in forever, but anytime I hear that "Tutti Fruiti" song, I think about Radio, another awesome character. Actually, all of the characters are amazing, even that scary AC that combusts. I saw that clip in German and it's terrifying. And I don't even speak German.



Oh childhood, how I miss thee.
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"You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it." - Robin Williams