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If Aladdin were made today...
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2016 10:29 pm    Post subject: If Aladdin were made today... Reply with quote

As we all know, Disney movies have today have changed quite a bit from the time Aladdin was made. This isn't a bad thing necessarily. After all, the movies from Aladdin's time were quite different from the movies that came out in decades preceding it. I have to say, though, that I'm not a huge fan of what Disney has been churning out lately which makes me all the more grateful that Aladdin did come out when it did.

So, what do you think Aladdin would've been like it had been made today instead of back in the early 90s?

My thoughts:

    It would've definitely been CGI. I can't begin to say how glad I am that Aladdin was made at a time when traditional animation was still the main animation medium. The art is part of the reason I love Aladdin. But I don't know. Do you guys think you would've loved it just as much if it was exactly the same movie except that it was CGI? I'm really not so sure. Hand-drawn animation is such a huge draw for me.

    Jasmine would've been a much more prominent character since she's kind of secondary in the actual movie. There's no way they would've let Aladdin save her from the hourglass, haha. They might not have let her seduce Jafar in that manner either. In general, she probably just would've gotten a bigger role, not exactly sure how, though. Thoughts?

    The title would not have been "Aladdin." They would've changed it so that Jasmine could be considered just as important as Aladdin. What do you think the new title would've been? I remember a reimagined movie poster suggesting "Wishful," but that doesn't sound quite right to me. I'm sure it would've been some sort of adjective in the same vein as "Tangled," "Frozen," and "Gigantic." I just can't think of a good one.

    Characters would've been given more ethnic looks...although I personally think they already look pretty ethnic, but I guess many disagree. :/

    Voice actors probably would've been Middle Eastern. This kind of makes me sad because I adore Scott's voice. I can't imagine a better Aladdin.

    Not sure how Genie, Iago, or Jafar might've changed. What do you think?

    Not entirely sure how the story would've changed either. I just know that they would've tried to be much more culturally sensitive. Thoughts on the story?


Any other ideas? All in all, I'm so glad Aladdin is the way it is, but hey, maybe I would've liked it better if it was made today instead. There's no way to know.

>.> Although I HIGHLY doubt it...
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Meesh
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 6:26 am    Post subject: Re: If Aladdin were made today... Reply with quote

imekitty wrote:


The title would not have been "Aladdin." They would've changed it so that Jasmine could be considered just as important as Aladdin. What do you think the new title would've been? I remember a reimagined movie poster suggesting "Wishful," but that doesn't sound quite right to me. I'm sure it would've been some sort of adjective in the same vein as "Tangled," "Frozen," and "Gigantic." I just can't think of a good one.


I'm not sure I agree with this. "Tangled" and "Frozen" I believe were named as such because the main characters were girls, and Disney was afraid that boys wouldn't be interested in watching them because of it. I think girls would only need to SEE that there's a princess in Aladdin to be interested in it Razz

Regarding Jasmine, yeah. She probably would have been more prominent. Which might have been nice, but I like that the story focuses more on Aladdin's character development. I mean really, for being a secondary character, they did put a lot of thought into her writing and into making her character as fun and headstrong as she is. I'd hate to see her made clumsy like Anna and Rapunzel are (it works for them, really! But not for her.)

On a different note, it's a somewhat common topic to debate whether or not Aladdin COULD have been done nowadays, especially with the war in Syria and all of the "islamophobia" going on... Unless they deliberately decided to counter that. If they did, they'd have to be very careful not to offend people with stereotypes - they probably couldn't have gotten away with some of the stuff they did in 1992.
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 10:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

But they renamed Jack and the Beanstalk to "Gigantic," so I still think they would've likely changed the name. Maybe to just make it sound more "modern" if nothing else.

I love how the story focuses on Aladdin and his development. I just have a thing for male lead characters, so I think I actually would've liked it less if they tried to make Jasmine equal in importance. But that's just me. And yeah, they probably would've tried to give her more "endearing" and "quirky" flaws, and I really appreciate Jasmine's overall maturity and strong confidence.

I didn't want to consider the political side of it, but yeah, there's a possibility that they wouldn't even touch that story today. It would've ended up being a very water-downed version that only danced around certain issues (as in Princess and the Frog). All references to Allah would've been cut for sure.
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Fez_Head
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PostPosted: Fri Feb 05, 2016 8:07 pm    Post subject: Re: If Aladdin were made today... Reply with quote

This is such an interesting topic and is quite thought-provoking. Now I'm curious, what would our beloved movie be like if it were made in 2016? Hmm...

1. I definitely agree with you on this one. With all of the new Disney movies nowadays coming out in CGI, I would not be surprised to see Aladdin included in that mix, especially after the Princess and the Frog debacle. Don't get me wrong, I liked that movie, but its poor sales definitely made the Disney company reconsider hand-drawn animation, which also makes me really upset. I like CGI, but I'm partial to hand-drawn. There's just something about it (nostalgia maybe?) that I love. Or maybe it's the fact that whenever I watch a movie animated in that fashion, my brain just explodes at the amount of patience those animators must have to draw that all out. I wish I had that patience.

2. Again, I agree, but I wouldn't actually mind that. I like Jasmine's character (I hate when people always view her as a stuck up snob, yet she was the first princess to marry a poor guy) and I think if Aladdin were made today, she would definitely not take as much of a backseat as she did. I think this is especially important because back in 1992, there was no concept of a Disney Princess line, but now, that is one of the most important features of the Disney corporation. It's sad to say, but I think because of this franchise, they would milk the female role for all of it's worth if they made the movie nowadays.

3. Hmm...this one's a bit difficult to determine. I hate when companies think giving a more "feminine" name to a movie or book will deter boys from watching or reading it. Granted, yes there will always be those boys who won't watch a "Princess movie" (I once babysat a young boy who thought Mulan sounded "stupid"), but some won't care. I think, if they did change the name, it would have to reflect on Jasmine's role in the new movie. The story as we have it is currently about Aladdin himself and his character development as Meesh stated, but if Jasmine had a more significant role (I'm thinking like Beauty and the Beast here), I think the name should reflect that. "Wishful" sounds like a weird Disney Channel movie that gets like 1% on Rotten Tomatoes.

4. I think this movie is just predestined to fail in the "ethnicity" department. Some people say that the main characters look "too white" (What on earth is "too white"? How does one even go about distinguishing this, is what I want to know?), but then you mention that Aladdin and Jasmine do have somewhat more "Arabian" (I am using that term quite loosely) features, such as bigger noses, and then suddenly they become stereotypical Arabs. I don't know. This is a tricky one.

5. I could see this one happening, but personally, I don't understand why people are so determined that a voice actor (who is just providing a character's VOICE) ought to be of the same race as the character they are portraying. If the person has the voice the directors are looking for in that particular character, they should be allowed to do the role. This one makes me sad because I love telling people that Steve from Full House is Aladdin and seeing their reaction.

6. Well, I could say how Genie would be changed, but then it would make me sob all over again for Robin, so I'll just move on. They might not have used Gilbert Gottfried to voice Iago after his certain comments that got him fired from Aflac, but if that were the case, who would voice him? I honestly can't imagine Iago with any other voice, unless they altered the character to fit that particular actor's voice. I also have no idea about Jafar (I would like to say he would stay somewhat the same), but who knows? Maybe he would be more like Hans and not appear as a villain until near the end? Or a Mother Gothel type of character who uses more emotional manipulation? Personally, I love Jafar's character because I love those cold, calculating villains, but I have no idea.

7. I'm with Meesh on this one. If the movie were made today, especially with the Middle East being such a "hot" (yeah, I just made that pun) topic right now, it would be more "politically correct" than how it was back in 1992. It's a difficult thing to think about because it's actually rather sad that a movie about another culture might not even be made in our world today, which is why I'm so glad that it was made when it was.

The mystery continues...
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Sat Feb 06, 2016 4:56 pm    Post subject: Re: If Aladdin were made today... Reply with quote

1. I adore traditional animation myself. I find that it's capable of beauty and fluidity that CG just can't seem to grasp. It's not about nostalgia to me. It's really just about the beauty. :3 And the talent, yes. Reading about the history of traditional animation has really made me appreciate the pain those animators of old went through. Walt Disney is my personal hero for never giving up on something that was just a gimmick to everyone else (among many other reasons).

Quote:
2. Again, I agree, but I wouldn't actually mind that. I like Jasmine's character (I hate when people always view her as a stuck up snob, yet she was the first princess to marry a poor guy) and I think if Aladdin were made today, she would definitely not take as much of a backseat as she did. I think this is especially important because back in 1992, there was no concept of a Disney Princess line, but now, that is one of the most important features of the Disney corporation. It's sad to say, but I think because of this franchise, they would milk the female role for all of it's worth if they made the movie nowadays.


2. I wouldn't hate Jasmine having a bigger role; I just really like my men. D: DON'T JUDGE ME. I wouldn't like it if they tried to make her an interesting addition to the Princess Line rather than a genuinely mature and confident character like she is now. I really fear that they would either try to make her a "fighter" or a "quirky, lovable" type in an attempt to make her more endearing to little girls. I like how Jasmine isn't silly at all. Disney princesses lately seem to have been kind of...silly...or else really over the top independent types. Or as in Tiana's case, her "flaws" are actually "good things" which end up making her really boring. (She's a workaholic which is a "flaw," yeah, but it's the kind of flaw you would proudly state in an interview when asked what your greatest weakness is...nothing interesting).

Jasmine was a role model for me as a child because she knew what she wanted, could see past the deceptions of others, but wasn't a whiny child about it. She also didn't start distrusting Aladdin just because he lied to her. She took into account his feelings and his side of the story and could still see that he was the same person regardless. I just loved that about her.

(Now let's not go into her regression in RoJ...ugh...)

3. I'm thinking now that they would just choose a name to make it sound more modern, not so much to draw attention to Jasmine. Still not sure what it would be, though.

4. I don't really get what it means to look "too white" either, and I find it so funny when people show a picture of Jafar in a dark setting and picture of Aladdin bathed in white light and say "SEE? JAFAR IS DARKER AND ALADDIN IS WHITE AND OMG IT'S SO RACIST." And then I show them a picture of Jafar in the light and Aladdin in the dark to counter it, and then I finally show a picture where they're right next to each other and it's very clear that they have the exact same skin color. As for their features, Aladdin's nose and eyes definitely look very non-white. Further, they're both quite short, much shorter than the other Disney royalty, and Middle Eastern people are typically pretty short. I read somewhere that Jasmine is 5'1" which would make Aladdin 5'7" at the tallest. :b

5. This certainly didn't use to be a problem when voice actors weren't used to promote a movie. In fact, you used to never know who was behind the characters. Since celebrities started voicing characters, people have been associating the voices with the characters more which leads to this problem. There are plenty of older character roles where the voice actor was a completely different race from what he or she was playing (Cree Summer used to play a number of white girl roles, but now it seems she only plays black girls). I guess this won't change anytime soon.

6. I guess I'm wondering if Genie's role would've been toned down in favor Jasmine being played up. Disney will do anything for strong princesses to add to their line, after all. He might've been reduced to just a sidekick or small plot point. Who knows? Maybe we would've gotten the genie of the ring thrown in as well, and there would've been some rivalry. Maybe...?

I could see Jafar acting as a Mother Gothel type figure to Aladdin in the beginning, like pretending to be his uncle, all along knowing that he was the only one who could retrieve the lamp. Or something. I don't know. They might've toned down his maniacal personality for a more stable, relatable one.

Every villain in the past had a sidekick, but in recent movies, that hasn't always been the case, so I don't know about Iago. Maybe he would've been that stuffy British type like he was originally conceived.


Last edited by imekitty on Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:38 pm; edited 2 times in total
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PostPosted: Sun Feb 07, 2016 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You've written some really good points about the benefits of traditional hand drawn animation, and I completely agree with you. I said there is a bit of a nostalgia factor to this style because it is what I grew up with, so yes, I believe I will be a bit more partial to it than CGI. Also, the beauty. Good lord, I still can't wrap my head around how much time and patience all of those animators must have to draw out those characters and various settings. Shocked It's just so beautiful that it leaves me breathless. I was actually talking about this with a friend the other day and I know this is an Aladdin forum, which is a beautiful film in its own way (I mean, look at all of those vibrant colours), but Sleeping Beauty. Say what you will about the film (I know that some people don't like that Aurora is only in it for 18 minutes, for example), but my goodness, that movie is just stunning. That movie, for instance, would look weird in CGI to me and would ruin what Walt was envisioning for it: to be a moving tapestry. So yeah, hand drawn animation all of the way!

I won't judge you on your love for men, don't worry. I'm an Aladdin fan, so I seriously can't even begin to judge. Very Happy I love Aladdin's character. It defies, in a sense, the heroic archetype, which makes him more rounded and fleshed out. It's not like the prince in Snow White who is like "I sang, I kissed, I conquered." Sorry if you like that character, but he's kinda okish. Although, he does wear a pretty nifty hat. I also really like Jasmine's maturity, like you. I would hate to see her subjected to the role of the "cute, clumsy girl" Disney seems to be fond of nowadays (I think it works for these particular characters), but I feel that would demean Jasmine as a character. And yeah, I never understood how these qualities, like being clumsy or a workholic, are considered flaws. Yes, perhaps Tiana could probably do with a break (or two), but I don't consider this a bad thing. People are constantly trying to scale the corporate ladder through determination in the real world, so why should a fictional character be scolded for being goal-oriented? I actually liked that about Tiana's character.

I honestly don't know what they would call the movie in order to make it sound more modern. *shrugs shoulders*

The whole "too white" thing reminds me of that picture on the internet of Aladdin that says "At the beginning of the movie, he was poor. At the end of the movie, he's white." I've seen the movie quite a few times and I do not recall at any moment when Aladdin suddenly obtains vitiligo. If this did happen, please let me know. It'll give me a chance to watch it again
Very Happy .

I would not be happy if Genie's role was diminished just to give Jasmine more of a role. I love both characters, but I love the total bromance between Aladdin and Genie a little more. This reminds me. I saw a clip of Aladdin and the King of Thieves in French on YouTube one day and noticed that, as Aladdin and Genie were talking about Al's father being a total no-show at the first wedding, Genie used the words "ton pere." Using the "tu" form in French is strictly between friends or individuals who are quite close, so when I heard that, I was actually quite happy that this particular translation actually emphasized their close relationship. I would be livid if Genie was just demoted to some side character (Nope, that place is filled by the one and only, Prince Achmed. Twisted reference, anyone? Laughing ) or a significant plot point. Nope, I'm going to pretend you didn't even suggest that. *Puts fingers in ears and starts humming "Friend Like Me"* Very Happy

Anyway... I do think it would be rather interesting if they did go for the whole "uncle" concept from the original story. Could you imagine, Uncle Jafar? That's just so bizarre. I do think that if Disney did that, he would definitely use emotional manipulation to get Aladdin to do his bidding like Gothel. And I'm also a little unsure of Iago. I'm not a big fan of the stuffy British bird, but I guess his character would depend on the new version of Jafar. Confused
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, Sleeping Beauty in CG...no, I just...no. It would totally change the atmosphere of that film. It seems like CG films always have to be funny or quirky or something. Traditional animation can simply be a beautiful story without any silliness at all. Aladdin probably could've been pulled off in CGI, to be honest, but it wouldn't have been as beautiful. Those Hirschfeld lines probably wouldn't have translated as well to CG (and Aladdin probably wouldn't have been as hot...).

Quote:
...he does wear a pretty nifty hat.


Oh my gosh, that KILLED me. XD But I think Aladdin beats him with his soft fez sitting at a jaunty angle on his thick wavy hair...

Geez, I'm such a fangirl...

I am going to think of a title! I won't rest until I do. I'm going to think of all of the words associated with Aladdin and figure it out. >:(

I'm actually kind of digging the Uncle Jafar concept. I think that would've added some interesting depth to Aladdin's and Jafar's characters.
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 8:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah, Sleeping Beauty in CGI would look so... ugh, I don't even know if there's a word for it. I think Aladdin would still be hot either way (let's be honest here) because in CGI, he would have even more fancy of hair. I mean, just imagine a CGI Aladdin running his fingers through his CGI mess of hair. *swoon*

Aladdin totally wins in the hat department. Turban or fez, he wins every time. I was actually going to write that the Prince's hat was rather jaunty, but I remembered you writing that bit of the Aladdin doll's description on here and thought it would be too weird if I wrote that. But apparently not. Very Happy Also, can I just say how hilarious that description is.

Uncle Jafar just sounds like a scary dude. Definitely wouldn't invite that guy to birthday parties.

I'll try and think of some names too, but I feel like this name search is just going to end up being "I Love Lamp" or something. Very Happy
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fez_Head wrote:
I mean, just imagine a CGI Aladdin running his fingers through his CGI mess of hair. *swoon*


SHUT-UP. I mean--just--GAH. GLEN KEANE! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME? *dies*
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PostPosted: Mon Feb 08, 2016 10:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looks like you aren't the only one to die from the hotness that is Aladdin.



You're welcome. Laughing
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 09, 2016 9:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love that part. :3 But he has so many good moments. I think I love his pouts best. They're just so cute!
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 1:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've been thinking of all the words associated with Aladdin. So far, I thought of "Sandy."

Sand! It's everywhere! Get used to it!
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 4:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I love that part of KOT. It's hilarious! Obviously it came out long before this, but it always makes me think of that ridiculous Star Wars scene when Anakin Skyewalker (before he gained both the voice of Mufasa and asthma) says he hates sand. Maybe this scene was inspired by KOT? There's a thought, especially now that Disney owns Star Wars.

Here's that scene in case you haven't seen it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5jjXTPtyY

Another word could be "Lampy." Laughing
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imekitty
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 8:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm really tempted to post that quote as a comment on that video...

"Lampy" makes me think of The Brave Little Toaster, another favorite of mine!
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PostPosted: Thu Feb 11, 2016 9:56 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You should do it!! I'm surprised that no one has already.

LAMPY! Oh my god, I love that guy. I haven't seen that movie in forever, but anytime I hear that "Tutti Fruiti" song, I think about Radio, another awesome character. Actually, all of the characters are amazing, even that scary AC that combusts. I saw that clip in German and it's terrifying. And I don't even speak German.



Oh childhood, how I miss thee. Sad
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