The middle eastern city of Agrabah is a large departure from Disney’s usual western settings, and intrigues as a location that’s teeming with life.
Remember when I said not too long ago that “ Oliver and Company” was very much an 80’s movie? “Aladdin” is a 90’s movie through and through, from the first act continually emphasizing how cool and rebellious it’s leading man is, to the usual Disney renaissance tropes being present, to the celebrity casting of guys like Robin Williams, to the pop culture references, to Genie delightfully asking rug man to give him some casa as soon as he appears.
Now, if there’s two things Disney has always loved, it’s magic and royalty, so “Aladdin” was the perfect chance for the company to go nuts with one of their musicals, riding high off the financial success of “The Little Mermaid” and “Beauty And The Beast”. “Aladdin” is of course the story of how a young Arabian street rat comes into possession of a magical lamp and a Genie that will grant him three fantastical wishes, adapted from the book of fairy tales, “Arabian Nights”. Growing up, the “Aladdin” franchise was one of the ones I was most familiar with when it came to the big four of the Disney Renaissance (though there still wasn’t much experience there), and I’ve always been fond of it.
