Review: “Aladdin” Makes Blu-ray Debut with Worthy Extras

Last week we posted our interview with Linda Larkin, the voice of Jasmine in Aladdin. It had been many years since I’ve watched the film, and we received the Blu-ray/DVD to review. Aladdin was released in 1992, in what was the last golden age of Disney films that included The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. The film has spawned some of the most famous characters in Disney history, including Genie – the comedy relief of the film. This is the first time that Aladdin has been on Blu-ray, which is a surprise. The movie looks superb.

Aladdin is a classic, and I will be reviewing the bonus features more than the film. But there were a few things I really noticed while watching the movie this time around.

– The Magic Carpet is…magical. Stunningly animated (and I believe computer animated as well) with human characteristics, the Magic Carpet is mesmerizing to watch.

– Genie is still fun (Robin Williams was a comedic genious), but the pop culture references do date the film.

– Jasmine brought a sexiness to animation that I don’t remember in other Disney films, even current ones. The princesses of the 90’s really had their own ideas, and it rarely meant sitting around and waiting for a prince to come.

Here is a listing of the bonus features and my review of them. They aren’t all winners, but there is enough here to satisfy almost any Aladdin fan.

–The Genie Outtakes: While I am not sure who some of the references are anymore, it is always fun to watch the brilliance of Robin Williams as Genie. Directors/producers John Musker and Ron Clements, along with Genie supervising animator Eric Goldberg reminisce some about working with Robin Williams and talk about the shock of his passing.

–Genie 101: Scott Weinger (the voice of Aladdin) runs through many of the character references that Genie makes in the film. Among them are Arnold Schwarzenegger and Groucho Marx. This isn’t one of my favorite of the bonus features, but it is quick.

–Ron & John: You Ain’t Never Had a Friend Like Me: This particular feature could have used a host. Musker & Clements talk about their history of working together, and sometimes talk over each other. A feature that could have been fascinating ended up being a little dull.

–Aladdin: Creating Broadway Magic: This was my very favorite of the new bonus features, watching how Aladdin was translated to Broadway from the film. It wasn’t always easy and it looked like it might not happen. The show features “Proud of Your Boy”, which was written by Howard Ashman before he passed away. It was cut from the theatrical feature, but was brought to life in the show. In my opinion, this feature is worth buying the Blu-ray Diamond Edition for.

–Unboxing Aladdin: I didn’t understand the point of this one.

–Classic Bonus Features – These are the classic bonus features that include deleted scenes and “Proud of Your Boy”. I often enjoy the classic bonus features as much as I do the newer ones, and in this case it is true as well. I didn’t find the deleted scenes too interesting, but enjoyed all the deleted songs.

Since Aladdin hasn’t been on Blu-ray before, this is a perfect time to add it to your collection!