The Film
After the deaths of Walt and Roy O. Disney, the House of Mouse went into a bit of a funk. It took 18 years for the studio to get its act together, but in the late 80s, there was a period known as the Disney Renaissance.
Aladdin was a huge part of that period. And despite the film's success, it's the last from that resurgence to get a Blu-ray release. I can't explain it, but I'm going to say that Disney just wanted to do the Aladdin: Diamond Edition Blu-ray right.
Because of all of Disney's films (and that's quite a catalog), Aladdin is one of the classics that has barely aged. In the 23 years since it was theatrically released, it's as entertaining as ever. Of course, you can thank Robin Williams for that.
Naturally, the story of a street rat named Aladdin (Scott Weinger), who finds love with a princess named Jasmine (Linda Larkin), has plenty of things that warrant repeat viewing. It has tons of whimsical imagery, memorable songs, and a really a great villain (Jonathan Freeman) -- with an equally great, goofy sidekick (Gilbert Gottfried).
However, Aladdin doesn't just pack in your typical Disney fun, but it's also really funny. Like really funny. There have been jokes inserted into Disney films here and there, but Williams is such a tour de force as the Genie. It's like he's performing a family-friendly stand-up routine, with a rapid fire of one-liners, impressions and heartfelt dialogue. Not only is his voice and delivery unmistakable, but his appearance raised the bar for voice talent in animated films for generations to come. He manages to stand out in a film filled with standouts. Aladdin is absolutely the type of movie that deserves a Diamond Edition Blu-ray. Enjoy.
The Picture
Your wish has been granted! The Aladdin: Diamond Edition Blu-ray never has a dull moment. It's sort of hard to imagine that Disney would make us wait this long and not deliver. However, this 1.78:1 image is pretty darn perfect. The film shows great detail in the animation, especially when it comes to the characters. However, the jewel of this image is the movie's color. The palette is bursting with bright images. The blues and purples in particular are so very rich in the skies, the background scenery, and the Genie; they're everywhere. As expected, this is a gorgeous Blu-ray from start to finish.
The Sound
Disney is delvering "a whole new world" with this Diamond Edition, by adding a new DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 track. The dialogue is always clear, but the film does have a lot of great surround sound moments throughout. The action, thunder, street chatter and other atmospheric sounds are engaging with great directionality. Plus, every single time the Cave of Wonders appears, get ready for the room to rumble. Of course, the forceful soundtrack and the Genie's rapid-fire tricks, treats and one-liners are most memorable here. Every time a song begins or the Genie pops up, it's like a wonderfully big production number. From an audio standpoint, this film is just filled with the type of magic that only Disney can deliver.
The Extras
Another interesting featurette has almost 19 minutes about the stage adaptation. Hosted by actor Darren Criss, "Aladdin: Creating Broadway Magic" covers just how they managed to bring this movie to life. As you can imagine, it wasn't easy! It's an interesting peek at the production, with the cast, crew and tons of behind-the-scenes peeks.
Two more short featurettes round out the new stuff. "Ron & Jon: You Ain't Never Had a Friend Like Me" has another six minutes with the co-directors. Also, "Unboxing Aladdin" deserves a mention -- but not necessarily a positive one. This has Disney Channel star Joey Bragg running through various Easter eggs in the film. The kid seems nice enough, but his schtick was almost unwatchable and actually drove my husband from the room.
Final Thoughts
Were you even on the fence about this one? Disney fans (heck, movie fans) have been waiting for an Aladdin Blu-ray for years. It's finally here and although it's sort of a bummer that it didn't come until more than a year after Robin Williams' death, it was absolutely worth the wait. The Aladdin: Diamond Edition offers gorgeous imagery, a fun soundtrack, interesting special features, and a regular source of laughs for the entire family.
Product Details
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