Aladdin: A New Hope
Please note that this essay contains 2019 film spoilers
Here we go again: Disney has released yet another live-action remake of a classic film.
This time, we’re treated to Aladdin. Let’s just address the obvious: No one can replace Robin Williams. Can’t even come close. Genie is an iconic character with tons of quotable remarks and unique personality. It’s wise to not even try to recreate Robin’s Genie. The 2019 film has hints of Robin’s Genie, yet Will Smith masterfully twists the character into his own, which is how it is supposed to be.
Aladdin was first released in 1992 as part of Disney’s renaissance. The original film featured masterful computer animation as well as catchy songs and memorable quotes. The screenplay was not eligible for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay because (apparently) Robin Williams improvised so many of his lines that the original screenplay was “significantly changed”. Yet, it did not qualify as an original screenplay, because it was clearly adapted.
Disney have been releasing live action films for a few years now. They’re relying on people’s love of the original films, and the viewers of those films are now adults wishing to a) re-live the magic and b) show those films to their kids/grandkids. And of course, any opportunity to sell more merchandise…
The original story of Aladdin is set in China. Disney’s version was moved to the Middle East. At the time it was controversial because the characters were whiter than Middle Eastern people, and some lyrics were questionable. In Aladdin, there’s a case to be made that the film needed “refreshing”.
Let’s step back a bit. Every piece of media is a product of a time and place. For Disney films, there are several which are cringe-worthy to today’s audience. For example, Song of the South is now widely considered racist and will never be released on home media nor Disney’s upcoming streaming service. Peter Pan refers to Native Americans as “redskins”. In 2019, society is more attuned to cultural sensitivities and caters to criticism where possible.
Back to Aladdin. In the 1992 version, the opening song, Arabian Nights, contains the lyric, “It’s barbaric, but hey, it’s home”. The original lyric preceding it has been removed from home media and re-screenings, but it referred to cutting off a piece of your body if they don’t like your face. In the 2019 version, this line has been changed to “It’s chaotic, but hey, it’s home” and the preceding lyric talks about bazaars and marketplaces.
There are still several references to the Muslim religion, such as Genie singing in Prince Ali, “brush off your Friday salaam” and referring to midday prayers: both of which are staples in Islam. However, 1992’s Sultan says, “Allah forbid” which has been omitted from the 2019 film.
Not that this is a censoring or sanitising of Islam. There are lots of lines which differ between 1992 and 2019. Whole subplots have been changed. In 1992’s original script, the salesman at the beginning of the film was originally intended to be revealed as Genie. This was scrapped for whatever reason, but revisited in 2019 when Will Smith opens the film as a human talking to his children. *Spoiler* At the end of the film, Genie reverts to human after Aladdin sets him free. Genie marries Jasmine’s handmaid Dahlia and it is their children Genie is recounting the story to.
A recent theme of Disney films is a move away from the Princess trope and into strong, empowered females. In 1992’s Aladdin, Princess Jasmine is forced to marry against her will and feels trapped in palace life. The 2019 version tries to portray Jasmine as a feminist Princess (whether it succeeds or not is a matter of debate).
New Jasmine says she doesn’t mind marriage, however she really wants to be Sultan, something which the decree of Agrabah does not allow. In 1992, Jasmine accepts that a man must always be Sultan, and is happy to allow Aladdin to take that role.
I am not an expert in Middle Eastern cultures nor the Muslim religion. It seems to my layman mind (and please, correct me if I’m wrong) that 1992 Jasmine’s version is more culturally correct. In Western society, we have seen a tradition of female leaders, and this is translating to 2019 Jasmine. Whether a Middle Eastern country would ever allow a female leader, well, seems unlikely.
However, 2019 Jasmine has been given a stronger voice. She sings that she will not be speechless; she will speak up to injustice even if it means disappointing her father. There are still small elements that 2019 Jasmine is weaker than her 1992 counterpart: When Aladdin tells her to wait for him the next night, she waits all night for him to arrive, and when Aladdin is being chased through the marketplace at the beginning of the film, he takes a jump while Jasmine takes her time. Her 1992 counterpart easily takes the jump, saying she’s a fast learner and shows no fear.
Ultimately, Aladdin is a love story between a street-rat and a Princess. The 1992 version was quite believable, while the update seems forced. The character of Aladdin is arrogant, whereas in 1992 he was sweet and humble. Even his “save the cat” scene, where he gives his bag of dates to homeless kids, seems fake when compared to 1992 when he gives a whole loaf of bread to the kids.
Disney live action remakes are here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future. Do they add anything to the narrative of the original films? No. Do they refresh the films? Sometimes. Do we really need remakes? Well, that’s something you’ll have to decide for yourself.
