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Thursday, July 16, 2009
Aladdin – In Pantomime
Beyond the original tale and the Disney film, Aladdin is a popular story in its own right, and was long before Disney commercialised it.
Probably the biggest appreciators of Aladdin are those in the pantomime tradition, where it is one of the most popular stories to perform. Pantomimes are fun, exaggerated kinds of plays, with the emphasis very much on family entertainment and audience participation. All the men are played by women, and the women by men, and two people will generally dress up as an animal such as a cow or a horse. You can see pantos in Britain, Australia and Ireland, among other countries.
Aladdin has probably been performed in panto form since not long after the story arrived in Europe, with evidence all the way back to at least the early 1800s, although the tale is sometimes merged with that of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. It also includes some rather strange additions such as Widow Twanky and Wishy Washy, Aladdin’s mother and brother respectively.
Since 1966, there has been an Aladdin themed hotel and casino on the Las Vegas Strip, which also incorporates a very large shopping centre. The whole thing is decked out in cheesy but enjoyable cod-Arabic style. Unfortunately, it’s going to be re-themed as a Planet Hollywood resort and casino any year now, so go and see it while you can.
There are also numerous animated film versions of Aladdin, either pre-dating Disney’s version or shamelessly cashing in on it. While the newer ones are generally poorly-produced and can be safely ignored, some of the older ones are actually far superior to their more famous cousin.
From Disney themselves, of course, there is no end of Aladdin-related product even today, from colouring books to soft toys. If you’re ever at Disney World, you might take a ride on the inevitable Aladdin’s Magic Carpet ride.
John Gibb is the owner of aladdin data , For more information on aladdin check out http://www.aladdin-resources4u.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
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Aladdin – Music to Remember
While the plot of Disney’s Aladdin is perfectly competent, and Robin Williams does a star turn as the genie, it is the film’s songs that make it truly memorable, to the point where Disney has been able to produce successful stage musicals in the same way as it has for the Lion King.
The song everyone remembers, of course, is A Whole New World. It won an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Grammy, not to mention finally knocking ‘I Will Always Love You’ off the top of the chart – not bad for a sentimental song from a kids’ film. It still weighs heavily on the public consciousness, and is apparently the most-performed song at every American Idol audition.
Then there’s the title song, Arabian Nights, which refers to the title of the original book the story was taken from (variously known as the Book of One Thousand and One Nights, or 1,001 Arabian Nights, among other translations). This song was the source of considerable controversy in the Arab world upon the film’s original release, because of the lyric “where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face”. This has since been changed to “where it’s flat and immense and the heat is intense” for the home video and DVD releases.
Then there’s the song that introduces the genie, Friend Like Me, with one of the trippiest sequences in any Disney film. It was this song more than anything that made the genie such a great character, although he also does well in the Prince Ali song (the one that he sings when Aladdin becomes a prince and makes his way to the palace).
Overall, when you look at the music of Aladdin, it is surprising how good it is as a whole – there really isn’t any one song that lets the side down. It is doubtlessly one of Disney’s finest musicals.
John Gibb is the owner of aladdin data , For more information on aladdin check out http://www.aladdin-resources4u.info
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Gibb
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