Response to Aladdin

Blog Post for Aladdin (1992) Live Post

The movie starts with a song that says, “It’s barbaric, but hey its home!” This starts off the movie with on an egocentric tone. Just because the culture is different does not make it barbaric.

It seems like all the women in Aladdin are dressed as belly dancers. For a 1992 film, its portrayal of women is not very progressive. Only males are in positions of power and according to Jasmine’s father, Jasmine exists to be married off.

Normally villains do not have animal sidekicks. Iago is an exception. I think Iago adds humor and makes Jafar less scary.

The movie’s portrayal of Jafar, street vendors, and Aladdin extend its racist and egocentric tone. Aladdin does not have an accent and looks more European while Jafar and the street vendors have accents and have more stereotypically Arab qualities. In this way, the movie only furthers false stereotypes.

I wish I had a pet tiger. Everyone seems to have a pet side kick. Jasmine has Raga, Aladdin has Abu, and Jafar has Iago. It’s interesting that only Iago can speak.

Jasmine has a feminist and progressive attitude. She does not want to marry someone just to have someone to take care of her. Jasmine and Belle are very similar in that way. They both feel trapped by their respective communities and seem to want “much more than their provincial lives”.

Jasmine takes an apple from a cart and gives it to a hungry child. The street vender threatens to cut off her hand a punishment for stealing. This characterizes Arab society as unfair. It is interesting that Disney decided to include this negative aspect and not try to portray the Arab society in a positive light.

Genie wants to be free too! Freedom seems to be a reoccurring theme. Jasmine wants to be free to make her own decisions. Aladdin wants to be free from his life on the street. Genie want to be free from his lamp.

On the magic carpet ride, they go by the settings from Hercules and Mulan. Also, when the Genie is pulling things out of a bag, he pulls out the crab from the Little Mermaid. And the Genie’s face turns into Pinocchio at the beginning. It’s funny how Disney makes references to itself during movies.

The snake that Jafar turns into is so scary! Maybe that’s why I am so scared of snakes haha!

Aladdin uses his wit to outsmart a lot of people. He and Abu outsmart lots of venders on the street. Aladdin tricks the Genie into getting him and Abu out of the secret layer without using a wish. Lastly, Aladdin outsmarts Jafar and convinces him to wish to be a Genie.

In the end, Jasmine’s father changes the law to allow Jasmine to pick whoever she wants to marry. Jasmine and Aladdin seem to live happily ever after. The moral of the story is not to lie and that everyone should be free to make their own decisions.