Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams

In 2007, DisneyToon studios produced and released the first film in a planned line of films centered around the Disney princesses. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams featured stories about Princesses Aurora and Jasmine and starred Erin Torpey, Linda Larkin, Corey Burton, Gilbert Gottfried, Barbara Dirikson, and Jeff Bennett.

The first story, Keys to the Kingdom, King Stefan (Burton) and King Hubert (Bennett) leaving for a royal conference leaving Princess Aurora (Torpey) to reign in their absence.

The second, More than a Peacock Princess has Jasmine (Larkin) tired and bored of her usual duties. So she seeks more responsibility.

Rumor has it that this film is what caused John Lasseter to cease production of all the sequels DisneyToon was working on. This is the film that prompted an entire reworking of the studio. And for good reason, because this is the most pointless piece of fiction I have ever seen. The worst thing I have ever watched. And I’ve seen most of Elf.

There’s two stories that are introduced with the princesses telling the toddlers watching the video that they’re about to see something that taxed them, but they followed their hearts and everything worked out in the end. I may not be part of the demographics targeted for the film, but I figure even the target demographic would be rolling their eyes.

If I’m correct in understanding the second law of thermodynamics, then everything produced is driving the universe towards entropy and total chaos. Which means that this film contributed towards the complete unraveling of the universe. And while everything does, this was a complete waste of a contribution.

The music’s ok, and was even nominated for a no-name award. But that’s just a thin veneer on trying to make something so skull crushingly pointless even marketable.

#120

Aladdin and the King of Thieves

Aladdin’s second and final direct to video sequel was released August 13, 1996. Aladdin and the King of Thieves served as a finale to the series. As with the series, all the voice actors came back. However, Robin Williams came back to replace Dan Castellaneta as the voice of Genie with John Rhys-Davies and Jerry Orbach providing new voices. It grossed $186 million, making it the fourth-highest-grossing direct to video animated feature of all time.

Aladdin and Jasmine are about to be married and everyone is overjoyed. But Aladdin is saddened by the fact that his family can’t be present as his mother died a long time ago and his father left his family. Meanwhile, the forty thieves raids the ceremony and try to steal the valuables. They are fought off and the heroes discover they were after an oracle that will tell anyone the truth of a single question. Aladdin discovers that his father (Rhys-Davies) has been trapped in their world and he goes to find him.

This was a good way to draw the series to a close. The animation is better than Return of Jafar and having Aladdin and Jasmine get married gives some good closure.

Though Aladdin never mentioned his past before, he didn’t really have a need to. Only because he was getting married did he wish his mother and father could be there, so it was naturally brought up. And the Oracle is good at wording things to make her answer a little misleading.

Cassim also isn’t as static as he seems. He ends the film somewhat changed. Although he goes back to wandering, raiding and whatnot, he’s more understanding of what his actions caused and is willing to take greater risks, like when he shows his face at Aladdin’s real wedding. If this wasn’t the last film, he might have turned over a new leaf completely.

And it’s interesting how Iago decides to leave. While he’s portrayed as the greedy treasure hunter, it shows he’s not content to live in a life of luxury handed to him. He’d rather go find it.

Unfortunately, while Robin Williams returns, most of his jokes fall flat. There’s a few that are funny, like the time he turns into Mrs. Doubtfire, but they didn’t really match what he was able to do in the first movie.

Songs are good though. #30, but does pass the edge of satisfaction. 

The Return of Jafar

Even though The Rescuers Down Under failed at the box office, it found moderate success on home video. The Disney Company, never failing to find a market for something, realized direct to video sequels would most likely fare better than sequels released in theaters. And so, two years after Aladdin became a hit with audiences, The Return of Jafar was unleashed in May of 1994. While most of the original cast came back, contract disputes with Robin Williams resulted in Dan Castellaneta replacing him, plus a new voice is provided by Jason Alexander, of Seinfeld fame.

Some time after Aladdin defeated Jafar, he lives with Jasmine in the Sultan’s palace. As he adjusts to his new life, Genie (Castellaneta) returns to stay for good. However, in the desert, Jafar, who is now a Genie, and Iago dig them themselves out of the sands where Genie buried them in the first film. Iago abandons Jafar to start over and finds himself in Agrabah. Aladdin takes him in after he saves them from some thieves. But Jafar is freed from the lamp by Abis Mal (Alexander), the leader of the thieves with a grudge against Aladdin. Jafar soon unfolds a plan to destroy his old enemy.

While it doesn’t have the production value, nor the same quality of animation Aladdin had, The Return of Jafar is still a decent film.

Most characterization from the previous film is still there, but it seems that Aladdin can’t shake old habits. When Iago shows up and asks to be given a second chance, Aladdin hides him from Jasmine and the Sultan. However, it’s only until he can find the opportune moment to tell them. So, he actually has learned, as he will tell them, rather than continually keep him covered up. It would have actually gone off without a hitch had Rajah not gotten involved.

I said most characterization is there. That’s because Iago, of all characters, actually goes through development here. He starts out the same as the previous film, trying to ally himself with those in power. And it seems he’s consistent, shifting again when Jafar shows back up. However, he does so with hesitancy. After being forgiven by the Sultan and Jasmine because Aladdin vouched for him, he really does show guilt and regret from going back to Jafar. His regret gets the best of him and he foils Jafar’s plan. He goes from mooch to doing the right thing and with an hour to do it, the film makes it pretty believable.

As a genie, Jafar cannot kill. But that doesn’t stop him from planning revenge. Despite his limitations, he’s still the same cunning and crafty villain he was from the first film. He throws away Abis Mal’s first two wishes just so he can manipulate him into working with him. And because he can’t kill, his plan involves third parties doing the dirty work. It’s interesting to note that the only thing that got in his way was Iago’s character development.

As for Abis Mal, he’s your standard greedy thief and most of his character would continue to get fleshed out in the series. Though, I’m not sure Jason Alexander was a good fit for the character.

It’s a shame Disney and Robin Williams had contract disputes. While Castellaneta does his best to emulate Williams’ characteristics, it’s just not the same. At least he got out of the way of some of the heavier moments. And while the songs aren’t as great as they were in the first film, they’re still good songs.  

Like I said, Return of Jafar is a decent film that paved the way for the television series. But that’s kind of what it felt like: a pilot episode. And it was reused for just that thing. Before the series debuted, Disney showed the film. Good use of resources.

#23. 

Aladdin

It’s hard to keep thinking of fresh, new ways to start introductions to these reviews. I don’t want to keep doing the same thing, but it’s most likely always going to be a repeat of an introduction I’ve done in the past. But oh well. Aladdin was Disney’s film for 1992. Based off the Arabian folktale from One Thousand and One Nights, the film starred Scott Weinger, Johnathan Freeman, Robin Williams, Frank Welker, Douglas Seale and Gilbert Gottfried. Earning over $500 million worldwide, its success led to two sequels, three video games, five Academy Award nominations, winning two (Best Original Score, Best Original Song: A Whole New World) and a Broadway adaptation in March. It was also one of the more annoying, yet fun worlds in Kingdom Hearts.

Set in the city of Agrabah, Aladdin (Wenger), a street urchin meets and falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin). However, the vizier, Jafar (Freeman), arrests him in order to acquire a magic lamp which is hidden a cave only Aladdin can enter. In it, he finds a sentient magic carpet and a genie (Williams) that he uses to win over Jasmine and defeat Jafar.

Not since Pinocchio has Disney made a film where the main character gets in so much trouble because he decided to lie. And it’s interesting to see Aladdin get deeper and deeper and deeper in his deception, especially when there’s a few times he could just tell the truth, free of consequences. But when everything unravels thanks to Jafar, it’s nice to see that he not only owns up to it, be goes and fixes what he screwed up.

And that’s what’s great about Aladdin as a character. He’s a nice guy who would rather go hungry than see children do so. And he’s always dreaming of improving his station in life. And when that actually does happen, he’s not prepared and starts becoming a polar opposite of who he really is. And when he gets that realization, it’s too late. It’s something we can all relate to in some way or another.

Aladdin isn’t the only character to go through development though. It’s a small part, but the Sultan also goes from strict and by the scroll, insisting that Jasmine marries a prince to realizing that love is better. It’s also Aladdin’s actions after the reveal that help him to see this. It’s short, it’s fast, but some development is like that.

Jafar is a good villain, especially with the sarcasm. He’s very savvy at what’s going on around him and keeps trying to edge it all into his favor. And when it doesn’t go according to plan? Develop a new plan around that. But he’s also always lusting after more and more power, which is eventually his downfall as his hubris gets in the way of him thinking about the details.

There’s also quite a bit of humor in this film. And mostly, it’s well timed and well placed. But there are a few areas where the jokes seem out of place. And they’re all from Genie. All of Iago’s comedic moments make sense due to the fact that he’s a loudmouth blowhard with no sense of subtlety. Genie, on the other hand has some moments that take away from the heaviness of the scene. I’ve said before that comedic relief is necessary to do just that, but sometimes, a heavy scene needs to be a heavy scene. #3.