It is time for our annual animated film pick! This year I am going with:
Romantic Moment #8
Aladdin (1992)
I love Aladdin. In fact, the first Disney film I ever saw was Aladdin. I was just a baby but my mom took me when the whole family went to see it. I used to watch the first and third one all the time. I love all the songs in this film and committed them all to memory at an early age.
Aladdin is a retelling of a chinese tale in Arabian Nights or A Thousand and One Nights, tales that Scheherazade told her husband to keep herself alive each night, (for more on that go here). Disney disneyfied it into being much happier and brighter, like they do with everything.
In the Disney story, Aladdin is an orphaned boy living with his monkey friend, Abu. The two are street rats, scrounging about for food and hiding from the castle guards. Every night Aladdin goes home and dreams of being rich and living in the palace, never having to worry about anything.
Meanwhile, Princess Jasmine is in the palace and has to marry by her sixteenth birthday. She hates every prince that has called on her and she feels they all are after her fortune.
Also in the palace lurks Jafar, the evil vizier, who wants to take the throne for himself. Along with grabbing the throne he is trying to get inside the fabled Cave of Wonders to get a lamp, but only a pure-hearted, diamond in the rough can enter.
These three stories intersect when Jasmine sneaks out of the palace, only to be helped by Aladdin when she gets into trouble. The two run from guards but are caught, with Jasmine revealing herself and going home, while Aladdin is sent to the dungeon. Jafar disguises himself and frees Aladdin- convinced he is the perfect person to enter the cave. Aladdin is and does, but Abu brings the whole place toppling down when he tries to take something he is not supposed to touch. Aladdin gets stuck inside the Cave, but there he finds the genie of the lamp
And the adventure to capture the heart of the princess is on.
Most Romantic Moment: I Can Show You the World
So I’m sure you all know what moment I’m choosing from Aladdin; when Aladdin takes Jasmine on the magic carpet ride through the world. Of course this is super romantic, a flight around the world-but there is a reason why it is extra romantic.
So earlier in the film, Aladdin saves Jasmine and takes her back to his place when they run from the guards. There they talk and learn about each other, with Jasmine sharing her dreams and how she feels.
Aladdin: Wow. The palace looks pretty amazing, huh?
Princess Jasmine: [glumly] Oh… It’s wonderful.
Aladdin: I wonder what it’d be like to live there, and have servants, and valets.
Princess Jasmine: Oh, sure. People who tell you where to go and how to dress.
Aladdin: That’s better than here. You’re always scraping for food and ducking the guards.
Princess Jasmine: You’re not free to make your own choices.
Aladdin: Sometimes you feel so…
Princess Jasmine: You’re just…
Aladdin, Princess Jasmine: …trapped.
Of course at the time he didn’t realize that she was the princess, he thought she was just sharing her opinion. But later when he is trying to make up for being a jerk and try and win her heart, he remembers what she said and gives her what she has wanted. The ability to leave and explore and be out of the palace. Freedom to go wherever, out of the palace walls, with her choosing where to go and what they should do.
Aw!
To start Romance is in the Air: Part V, go to Who Says I Have to Stop: Fireproof (2008)
For the previous post, go to I Will Wait for You: This Episode Sucks, Psych (2011)
For more on Aladdin, go to A Little Monkey Business: Chinese New Year
For more on Princess Jasmine, go to Waiter, There’s Some Disney in My Jane Austen
For more Disney love songs, go to Once Upon a Dream
For more Disney films, go to You Can Be Yourself With Me: George of the Jungle (1997)
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