ALADDIN, with the voices of Robin Williams, Scott Weinger, Linda Larkin and Jonathan Freeman. Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements.
THERE was a time when Walt Disney animations were breathtaking exercises in technical excellence attached to stories so overly romantic they made sugar seem sour.
Obviously, Fantasia would be an exception, but the likes of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and 101 Dalmatians, while appealing to the unpolished emotions of children, had the average adult reaching for the sweet-sickness bag.
This accusation could never have been levelled at the first feature of the '90s, the excellent Beauty and the Beast, whose chief villain Gaston was obviously meant to appeal to both adults and children. Disney continues to develop this trend towards catering for both groups with Aladdin.
There is no doubt any child with any sort of imagination will love Aladdin. With its bright, fabulous action sequences and madcap, slapstick humour, it will delight and fascinate. What it will also do is have mum and dad rolling in the aisles and marvelling at the stunning animation.
It would be impossible to overstate the technical achievement of this film. At no stage do the animators shy away from creating effects which will enhance the quality of the viewing experience. Faces are reflected in water, adding the undulating movement of liquid to the already detailed movement of features.
The sand in the background during moonlit sequences actually sparkles, adding all sorts of extra work to these segments.