Aladdin is a 1992 American animated musical
fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by
Walt Disney Pictures. Aladdin is the 31st Disney animated feature film,
and was part of the Disney film era known as the Disney Renaissance. The
film was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, and is based on the
Arab-style folktale Aladdin and the Magic Lamp from One Thousand and One
Nights. The voice cast features Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda
Larkin, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, and Douglas
Seale.
Lyricist Howard Ashman first pitched the idea, and the screenplay went
through three drafts before then-Disney Studios president Jeffrey
Katzenberg agreed to its production. The animators based their designs
on the work of caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, and computers were used for
both finishing the artwork and creating some animated elements. The
musical score was written by Alan Menken and features six songs with
lyrics written by both Ashman and Tim Rice, who took over after Ashman's
death.
Aladdin was released on November 25, 1992 and was the most successful
film of 1992, earning over $217 million in revenue in the United States,
and over $504 million worldwide. The film also won many awards, most of
them for its soundtrack. The film is considered by many[who?] as the
best film that came out during the Disney Renaissance. Aladdin's success
led to other material inspired by the film, including two
direct-to-video sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of
Thieves, an animated television series of the same name, toys, video
games, spin-offs, including a live-action remake about the genie titled
Genies, Disney merchandise, and a Broadway adaptation that debuted in
2014.
Plot
A peddler sets up shop in
the fictional sultanate of Agrabah, offering to tell the audience about
the story of an oil lamp in his possession. Jafar, the Grand Vizier of
the Sultan, and his parrot Iago, seek the lamp hidden within the Cave of
Wonders but is told that only a “diamond in the rough” may enter. Jafar
identifies a street urchin named Aladdin as worthy. Aladdin and his pet
monkey Abu cross paths with Princess Jasmine, who has run away from the
palace, unwilling to be betrothed to yet another snobbish suitor.
Aladdin and Jasmine become friends and fall in love, but Jafar has
Aladdin apprehended, tricking Jasmine into thinking that he has been
decapitated.
Disguised as an old man, Jafar frees Aladdin and Abu, taking them to the
Cave and promises to reward them if they retrieve the lamp. Inside,
Aladdin befriends a magic carpet. Abu greedily tries to steal a jewel,
despite the Cave’s request, and it collapses. Trapped in the Cave,
Aladdin rubs the lamp, releasing the Genie trapped inside, who explains
Aladdin has become his master and will grant him three wishes. Aladdin
tricks the Genie into freeing them from the Cave without wasting a wish,
and then uses his first to become a prince to be near Jasmine. Jafar,
on Iago’s suggestion, plots to become Sultan by marrying Jasmine, but
Aladdin parades into the city as “Prince Ali of Ababwa”. However,
Jasmine is unimpressed with Aladdin’s bravado.
Despite his friends advising him to tell Jasmine the truth, Aladdin
refuses, believing she would never fall “for some street rat”. He takes
Jasmine on a worldwide flight on the carpet, where she deduces his
identity, though Aladdin says that he dresses as a peasant to escape the
stresses of royal life, which convinces her. Aladdin returns Jasmine
home, only to be attacked by the palace guards on Jafar’s orders and
nearly drowned, until the Genie rescues him using his second wish. Jafar
tries to hypnotize the Sultan into agreeing to his marriage to Jasmine,
only for Aladdin to appear and expose Jafar’s schemes. Jafar flees, but
notices Aladdin has the lamp, realizing who he is.
Learning he will become Sultan, Aladdin has second thoughts about
freeing the Genie, believing that without him, he would not be able to
keep up appearances. Iago steals the lamp, and Jafar becomes the Genie’s
new master. He uses his first two wishes to usurp the Sultan and become
the world’s most powerful sorcerer, exposing Aladdin’s lies and exiling
him, Abu, and the carpet to a frozen wasteland, though they escape
death and return to the palace. Jafar orders the Genie to brainwash
Jasmine into falling in love with him, but the Genie reveals he is
unable to grant the wish. Jasmine feigns interest to distract Jafar and
allow Aladdin to get the lamp, but he is cornered.
Jafar transforms himself into a giant cobra and ensnares Aladdin, saying
he is the most powerful being in the world. However, Aladdin points out
the Genie is more powerful, inspiring Jafar to use his last wish to
become a genie, only to be sucked into his own lamp as part of the
genie’s nature, dragging Iago in with him. The Genie throws Jafar’s lamp
into the Cave of Wonders, and suggests Aladdin to use his third wish to
regain his royal title so the law will allow him to stay with Jasmine.
However, Aladdin knows he cannot keep pretending to be something he is
not, and decides to keep his promise and frees the Genie. Learning of
Aladdin and Jasmine’s love, the Sultan alters the law to allow his
daughter to marry whom she chooses. The Genie leaves to explore the
world, while Aladdin and Jasmine celebrate their engagement.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aladdin_(1992_Disney_film)