Box Office Magazine's Review of the Aladdin DVD

Aladdin: Platinum Edition

****1/2 (Audio: A+, Video: A+, Features: A)

Voices: Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin, Brad Kane, Lea Salonga, Jonathan Freeman, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. Written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio. Released by Walt Disney Home Entertainment. 1992. 90 minutes. Rated G.

Anamorphic, Dolby 5.1, audio commentaries, new music videos, Virtual DVD Ride, Inside the Genie's Lamp, The Genie World Tour, 3 Wishes Game, deleted song "Proud of Your Boy," featurette, pop-up fun facts.

At long last, Disney has released the animated blockbuster "Aladdin" to DVD, though it does not come without reservations for purists. Some may recall that certain Arab-American groups protested the lyrics to "Arabian Nights," specifically the words, "...where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face, it's barbaric, but hey, it's home!" Those lyrics were, on the video, subsequently changed to "... where it's flat and immense and the heat is intense... it's barbaric, but hey, it's home!" Well, much to the chagrin of those who believe movies should not be changed to appease special interest groups of any kind, the new DVD features those same altered lyrics. It's a shame, really, because they were written by the great Howard Ashman who died before "Aladdin" was completed, with Tim Rice completing the remainder of the songs. No matter how offensive -- or not -- it's a crime to mutilate the words of a lyricist like Ashman, particularly when the film was released theatrically with them intact. There's a solution, however -- get the CD, which has the original words -- and play it in synch with the film during that section. It's a hassle, but in the interest of free speech, this is the only solution that will send Disney and the special interests a much-needed lesson. Particularly during a time when people would be grateful to hear of just an ear being lopped off in the same part of the world.

But back to the DVD which, apart from that pesky issue, is magnificent. Some of the pop culture references don't quite work any more, but Robin Williams' genie is a comedic wonder just the same. The sheer mania alone more than makes up for anything that starts to seem dated. As a digital transfer, this is without a doubt the sharpest and most colorful that Disney has yet done, exceeding even "The Lion King." The audio has been remastered with the same attentive home environment focus as that on "The Lion King," so it sounds comparable. There are obviously different audio challenges here, but no one is going to quibble with a whit of it. And for those who do, the original theatrical 5.1 track is also available.

Extras are a virtual gold mind, starting with the rediscovered song "Proud of Your Boy." Why this song wasn't included is a mystery -- it's one of the best that Ashman and Menken ever wrote together, and it soars above most all the other songs present in the film. A beautiful new performance of the song by Clay Aiken underscores just what an unfortunate omission it really was. Also featured are storyboard drawings of how the song was to have been incorporated, further solidifying the feeling that the filmmakers made a mistake by cutting it. The downside to hearing this song and Aiken's performance of it is that it makes the new performance of "A Whole New World" by Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey seem absolutely dull. It's still a beautiful song and their performance of it is marvelous -- but it's not remotely the song that "Proud of Your Boy" is.
Other deleted material is less enthralling -- several other deleted songs and scenes that were more wisely excised in the first place. Rough sketches are used to give a sense of what the resulting scenes might have been like.

The remaining extras are divided into two groups -- those that will appeal to children and those that appeal to adults. For the kids there are sing-alongs, an ungodly number of games and activities (inside the genie's lamp, make wishes, ride a carpet... all only modestly funny or fun to anyone older than six). For adults there are two commentaries -- one with the filmmakers, the other with the artists -- which are both decent, but not stellar. Lots of technical information and modestly interesting anecdotes, enthusiastically related. Further information can be accessed via a pop-up fun facts track -- one of those textual "trivia" features that contains stuff that nobody really has any business knowing.

Documentary material is predictably cheery, with Leonard Maltin -- a Disney regular -- serving as a congenial host for nearly two hours of featurette fodder that's immensely pleasant to watch. Another piece on composer Menken is also quite good.

The double-disc release follows the same packaging approach as on "The Lion King" and most of Disney's other recent animated special releases -- two discs inside a slimline Amaray keepcase with a cardboard sleeve and fold-open guide to the feature set. As an added bonus, Disney is selling the disc as part of a holiday promotion that rewards the buyer of any three Disney DVDs or videos with a fourth title "free." Given the number of high profile titles Disney will have out by the time the holiday shopping season gets into gear, this strategy should pay off handsomely.-Wade Major

Collector Rating: MUST HAVE
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