Aladdin is a 1992 American animated adventure film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Aladdin was the 31st animated feature in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, and was part of the Disney film era known as the Disney Renaissance. The film was directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, and is based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and the magic lamp from One Thousand and One Nights. The voice cast features Scott Weinger, Jonathan Freeman, Robin Williams, Linda Larkin, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, and Douglas Seale.
Lyricist Howard Ashman first pitched the idea, and the screenplay had to go through three drafts before Disney president Jeffrey Katzenberg greenlighted the production. The animators based their designs on the work of caricaturist Al Hirschfeld, and computers were used for both colouring and creating some animated elements. The musical score was written by Alan Menken and features six songs with lyrics written by both Ashman and Tim Rice, who took over after the former's death.
Aladdin was released on November 25, 1992 to positive reviews, despite some criticism from Arabs who considered the film racist, and was the most successful film of 1992, earning over $217 million in revenue in the United States, and over $504 million worldwide. The film also won many awards, most of them for its soundtrack. Aladdin's success led to many material inspired by the film such as two direct-to-video sequels, The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves, an animated television series, toys, video games, spin-offs, and merchandise.
Plot
Jafar, Grand Vizier to the Sultan of the fictional kingdom of Agrabah, is attempting to access the Cave of Wonders for a magical oil lamp containing a genie. After seeing a petty thief's failed attempt to enter the cave, he and his talking parrot, Iago, learn that only a "Diamond in the Rough" can enter the cave, or anyone accompanied by him.
Jasmine, the Sultan's daughter, frustrated with "having her life lived for her" and the obligation of marriage, escapes the palace and goes to Agrabah's marketplace. There she meets street rat Aladdin and his monkey, Abu. Jafar uses a machine to discover that Aladdin is the "diamond in the rough", and has him captured. Jasmine orders him released, but Jafar lies, telling her Aladdin had already been executed.
Jafar, disguised as an elderly man, releases Aladdin from prison and leads him to the Cave of Wonders. The tiger-shaped head of the cave tells them to touch nothing but the lamp. Aladdin enters the cave and encounters a magic carpet who guides him to the lamp. Abu tries to steal a ruby, which brings upon them the wrath of the Cave of Wonders, but the carpet helps them to the entrance. Jafar tries to kill Aladdin after getting the lamp, but Abu bites Jafar and takes the lamp back. Abu, the carpet and Aladdin fall back into the cave just as it closes. Jafar beams at finally getting the lamp; however, he cries out in agony when he realizes he doesn't have it.
When Aladdin awakens, Abu reveals that he sneakily took the lamp from Jafar. While trying to read an inscription on the lamp, Aladdin rubs it, unleashing the Genie who reveals he will grant Aladdin three wishes. However, he reminds him that he can't kill, make someone fall in love, or bring back the dead. Aladdin dupes Genie into freeing them from the cave without using a wish. While contemplating his wishes, Aladdin asks for Genie's opinion. Genie admits he would wish for freedom, since he is a prisoner to his lamp. Aladdin promises to wish him free for his last wish. He later tells Genie about Jasmine, and knows that the only way to be noticed by her if he was a prince. For his first wish, Aladdin asks to become a prince so he can marry Jasmine.
Jafar laments his failure to get the lamp but, thanks to Iago, later decides to trick the Sultan into arranging a marriage between himself and Jasmine, and then kill both the princess and her father. His plans are interrupted when Aladdin parades into the Sultan's palace as "Prince Ali". Jasmine rejects Ali, considering him a buffoon like all the other suitors before him. That night, Genie tells Aladdin to tell the princess who he really is, but Aladdin decides to remain the suave prince. He meets Jasmine, and after some convincing, takes her around the world on the magic carpet. During a fireworks show in China, Jasmine recognized Ali as the boy from the marketplace. Being demanded the truth, Aladdin instead fabricates a story that he sometimes dresses as a commoner to escape palace life. Aladdin returns her home and they kiss.
After parting with Jasmine, Aladdin is captured by Jafar and thrown into the ocean. But the Genie rescues Aladdin as his second wish. Aladdin returns to the palace, revealing Jafar's plot to Jasmine and the Sultan. Jafar, however, notices the lamp in Aladdin's possession, realizes Aladdin's identity, and escapes from the Sultan's bodyguards. Surprised by Aladdin's bravery, the Sultan decides Aladdin should be his successor. Aladdin faces a moral dilemma. Jasmine had fell in love with Ali, not Aladdin, and if she would ever find out at this point, he would lose her. Much to Genie's chagrin, Aladdin decides he has to wait before wishing Genie free, driving a wedge between the two. Iago, on Jafar's orders, steals Genie's lamp and brings it to Jafar, who becomes Genie's new master and uses his first wish to become sultan. When Jasmine and the Sultan refuse to bow to him, Jafar uses his second wish to become the most powerful sorcerer in the world, using his new powers not only force them to bow, but to also expose Aladdin and then send him and his friends to a far-off place.
Aladdin uses the magic carpet to return to Agrabah, where Jafar has imprisoned both Jasmine and the Sultan as his slaves. Jasmine distracts Jafar as Aladdin attempts to steal back the lamp, but the Jafar notices and attacks him. Jafar boasts that he is "the most powerful being on Earth", which causes Aladdin to shout out that Genie is more powerful. Faced with this realization, Jafar uses his final wish to become an 'all-powerful genie,' but is then surprised when Aladdin reminds him that genies are not free entities as he is sucked into his new black lamp, dragging Iago with him. Genie flicks the lamp across the desert.
Despite everything that happened, Jasmine understood Aladdin playing the prince because of the law. Genie suggests to him that the last wish can make him a prince again. Realizing that he cannot be someone he is not, Aladdin decides to keep his promise and wishe for Genie's freedom, much to Genie's surprise and happiness. Seeing Jasmine's love for Aladdin, the Sultan changes the law to allow her to marry whoever she chooses. Genie leaves to explore the world while Aladdin and Jasmine celebrate their engagement.
