From: Rich_Koster@agwbbs.new-orleans.LA.US (Rich Koster)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney
Subject: Siskel & Ebert review Aladdin
Distribution: world
Date: 8 Nov 92 13:19:57 CST
Organization: The Amiga GateWay BBS * New Orleans, La.

Here is the review broadcast on Siskel & Ebert's (Disney!) syndicated
TV show this weekend:
 
Shown is a short clip of Robin Williams' "Genie" character singing
"You Ain't Never Had A Friend Like Me!"
 
SISKEL: "That's Robin Williams, of course, as the voice and
inspiration of the Genie in the bottle in `Aladdin', the new Disney
animated extravaganza, and he's the *real* star of the movie.  It's
an extraordinary performance -- the perfect melding, if you think
about it, of a talent and an art form.  Robin Williams really is an
animated character in his ability to constantly change shape and
character.  He's the main reason for adults to see Aladdin, in fact
if the film were called `Genie' I think it would be more truthful
labelling.  In the film a princess is reminded by her father, the
Sultan, that she must marry a prince within three days."
 
Shown is clip of Princess Jasmine saying "I hate being forced into
this.  If I do marry, I want it to be for love."
 
SISKEL: "Meanwhile a young man named Aladdin dreams of marrying the
Princess.  He and his pet monkey have stumbled across a magic lamp
with almost disastrous results."
 
A clip shows Iago the monkey grabbing a jewel from a golden idol's
hand.  A disembodied voice shouts: "Infidels!  You have touched the
forbidden treasures!  Now, now you shall never again see the light of
day!"  Iago puts the jewel back, but the voice continues and the
golden idol melts, looking very demonic.  The voice sounds very much
like Robby Benson's Beast.
 
A clip of Genie appearing out of the lamp is shown, with Siskel's
voice-over:
 
SISKEL: "Once the lamp is rubbed, at the movie's 40-minute mark,
Aladdin becomes a great entertainment.  Here's Robin!"
 
The clip of Genie continues.  Genie says "Oi!  Ten thousand years
will give you such a crick in the neck!  Hang on a second! (turning
his head completely around as if he were unscrewing a jar)  Whoaaaa!
Wow!  Does it feel good to be outta there!  I'm tellin' ya, nice to
be back ladies and gentlemen!  Hi -- Where are you from, what's your
name?", the Genie says, holding his tail like a microphone as if he's
a TV game-show host.  Aladdin replies, "Uh, Aladdin."  Genie says,
"Aladdin!"  Aladdin's name appears, glowing in mid-air, surrounded by
tracer lights, as the Genie continues: "Hello, Aladdin.  Nice to have
you on the show.  Can we call you Al, or maybe just Din?  Or how
'bout Laddie? "  The lighted sign changed from "ALADDIN" to "AL" and
then "DIN".  The Genie is now dressed in tartan clothes as he says:
"Sounds like `Here boy! (whistling as if to call his dog)  Pfee!
Pfee! Pfee! Pfee! C'mon Laddie!'"
 
SISKEL: "The film's bad guy is pretty good.  Jafar is the sultan's
evil counselor -- a would-be prince who himself wants to marry the
princess.  For now he's stuck with a wise-cracking parrot with a
funny voice, by comic Gilbert Gottfried."
 
A clip shows Jafar saying: "Marry the shrew, I'd become the Sultan.
The idea has merit!"  Iago: "Yes, merit, yes! And then, we'd drop
papa-in-law and the little woman off a cliff!  Yee-aaaahhhhhhhhhh,
KUR-SPLATT!"
 
SISKEL: "How does Aladdin rank with `Beauty and the Beast' and `The
Little Mermaid'?  Not quite as good.  The story is rougher, more
oriented toward boys than girls.  The songs are not classics.
Lyricist Howard Ashman, who worked on all three films, died during
the production.  But on the positive side, Aladdin also takes greater
risks.  It isn't just built for kids, it does stretch the animated
form and I do recommend it highly.  And I think that Robin Williams
does deserve to become the first voice to be nominated for best
supporting actor."
 
EBERT: "I'm pretty much in agreement with you.  I didn't think that
it was up to the two previous films from Disney, but I did think it
was good and I do think that Robin Williams is terrific here."
 
SISKEL: "Yes."
 
EBERT: "I wonder how much input --"
 
SISKEL: "I do, too."
 
EBERT: "-- he actually had in the animation process because some of
his bits of business and some of the moments where he imitates
everyone from Ed Sullivan to Arsenio Hall are really funny."
 
SISKEL: "Very funny."
 
EBERT: "And it's almost as if Williams must have been working at the
script level with these people in order to develop this comic stuff.
So he's really good, but the movie is not quite up there with
`Mermaid' and `Beauty and the Beast'."
 
SISKEL: "Well I think it's because the boy is kind of lackluster and
you don't feel his drive is important.  They kind of got split into
terms of `Who is going to be the lead -- the boy or the girl?'  And
that doesn't hold together.  And then, the problem is `Who can
compete with Robin Williams?'.  He's just blows everyone out of the
water."
 
EBERT: "Walks away with the movie."
 
- - -
 
At the end of the show, they summed up their review:
 
EBERT: "Two thumbs up for Aladdin, a new animated musical with
terrific work by Robin Williams."
 
A still from the movie showed it is rated G.  They briefly chatted
about another movie, then said:
 
SISKEL: "And I also think that Robin Williams' performance is in a
category by itself."
 
EBERT: "Yes, it is. Yes, it is."
 
SISKEL: "This is an amazing piece of entertainment that adults will
like probably, again, a whole lot more than their kids."

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