Two years before Disney released its animated adaptation of Aladdin, a Disney Channel movie was produced, directed by Micky Dolenz (yes, that one) and starring Barry Bostwick (post MegaForce and Rocky Horror Picture Show) and Susan Egan (pre Hercules).
This version fares closer to the source material, being set in Imperial China, but is populated with loads of white people. Young Aladdin spends his days frolicking with his buddies and flying his kite. When his kite lands in the Emperor's garden, he meets the beautiful Princess Mei-Ling, and the two are lovestruck. But the arrival of a magician claiming to be Aladdin's long-lost uncle whisks the lad away in search of a magic lamp, a genie and an adventure.
Virtually unnoticed after its debut, the film practically vanished until 2020, when RiffTrax got their hands on it. A DVD was released in 2013, and the full feature can be found
on YouTube. Due to its obscurity, no official soundtrack exists, but some kind soul (or person in desperate need of a hobby, however you feel) made an unofficial release.
Aladdin contains examples of:
- Imperial China
- Jewish Mother: Aladdin's widowed mother acts a lot like one.
- Large Ham: The Genie of the Lamp. And how!
- Also applies to The Magician.
- Love at First Sight: The moment Aladdin and Mei-Ling meet, they're infatuated.
- The Musical: Fourteen songs, spanning fifteen seconds to two minutes, in 69 minutes.
- No Full Name Given: The only indicator of Aladdin's surname is Mrs. Chang referring to Aladdin's father as "Mr. So-and-So".
- No Name Given: Aladdin's mother and The Magician are never provided with a first name.
- Race Lift: Everyone in this supposedly Imperial era China are Caucasian.
- Sexbot: Essentially what Fatima is, to dance for the pleasure of whoever owns her. Props to the casting of Donna McKechnie!
- Slipping a Mickey: The plan to save Mei-Ling from The Magician involves drugging his tea.
- Villain Song: The Magician has two: "Hi-Di-Di-Hi" and "The Lamp Song", as well as his lines in "Tea Time (reprise)".
