Random Thread & The Interchangeable Inside Joke

[AmandaSparks730]

The idea of adapting the Aladdin story as a Disney animated musical was first proposed by Howard Ashman in 1988 at the time that he and Alan Menken were still working on The Little Mermaid (1989) and before work had begun on Beauty and the Beast (1991). Ashman wrote an initial treatment for the project and collaborated on six songs with Menken. When John Musker and Ron Clements finished directing duties on The Little Mermaid, they turned their attention to writing a first draft of this film's script, and eventually became its directors.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

In the original folktale, Aladdin is actually Chinese.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

During the course of recording the voices, Robin Williams improvised so much they had almost 16 hours of material.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Andreas Deja based Jafar on Marc Davis's design for Maleficent in Sleeping Beauty (1959). The two villains share more than just looks: both carry a staff which they use to execute evil magic; both have bird henchman (Maleficent's is a raven, Jafar's a parrot), and both turn themselves into gigantic animals in their respective films - Maleficent as a dragon, Jafar as a snake. UltimateDisney.com featured Maleficent and Jafar in their Top Villain Countdown at #1 and #2, respectively.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Originally, the peddler who introduces the movie would be revealed to be the Genie at the end - hence the fact that Robin Williams voiced him, too. Notice the similarities in the design of the two, especially the eyebrows, the beard and the four-fingered hands. (All the other human characters have five fingers.)

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Production designer Richard Vander Wende devised a simple color scheme for the film, inspired by its desert setting. Blue (water) stands for good, red (heat) for evil, and yellow (sand) is neutral. For example, the villainous Jafar is clad in blacks and reds, while the virtuous Jasmine wears blue. Another example is in the Cave of Wonders, where the lamp's chamber is blue, and the ruby that tempts Abu is bright red.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Whenever Aladdin tells a lie, the plume on his hat falls and covers his face.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

In the original recording for the opening song "Arabian Nights", part of the song originally went "where they cut off your ear, if they don't like your face". After the movies release Arabic Americans took offense so the line was changed to "where it's flat and immense, and the heat is intense". If you listen closely, you can hear a distinct vocal change when he sings, "it's barbaric, but hey, it's home!"

 

[AmandaSparks730]

On what came to be known among the Aladdin animators as Black Friday, then Disney head Jeffrey Katzenberg told the team to scrap virtually everything they'd been working on for months and start all over again. He also refused to move the film's release date. Directors John Musker and Ron Clements were able to completely turn around the film's new plot and screenplay in just eight days.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

The Islamic cultural setting of the film is directly referenced to several times throughout the film. Such examples include when The Sultan yells "Praise Allah" when he realizes that Jasmine wants to marry Prince Ali/Aladdin, when The Sultan says "Allah forbid you have any daughters!" when he is frustrated with Jasmine, and when the thief in the beginning says "By Allah" when he sees The Cave of Wonders.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Part of the plot revolves around Jafar seeking Aladdin as he is the only one able to enter the Cave of Wonders and retrieve a valuable item inside; Aladdin finds the lamp inside and narrowly avoids dying inside the cave. This imitates the plot in an earlier Disney classic, The Rescuers (1977), in which Madame Medusa uses an unwanted orphan girl small enough to fit through the opening of a dangerous pirate's cave and retrieve the Devil's Eye diamond inside. Penny and her rescuers exit the cave with the jewel after narrowly avoiding drowning.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

SPOILER: When Aladdin puts Jafar back into the lamp, the spell on the other characters is broken - the Magic Carpet gets returned to normal, and Jasmine's dress turns back from red to blue. Start watching when Jasmine's tiger cub jumps into the Sultan's arms. When the cub hits his arms and starts to grow back into a tiger, just before he becomes normal, the tiger's face appears as Mickey Mouse for one frame.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Mushu: The truth is we're both frauds. Your ancestors never sent me, they don't even like me. But you risked your life to help people you love. I risked your life to help myself. At least you had good intentions.
[Cri-Kee chirps sadly at Mushu]
Mushu: What? What do you mean you're not lucky? You lied to me?
Mushu: [to Mulan's horse] And what are you, a sheep?

 

[magicallyDisney001]

Smells like ham Omnomnom.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

The Emperor of China: The flower that blooms in adversity is the most rare and beautiful of all.
Shang: Sir?
The Emperor of China: You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Mushu: Okay, let me see what you got.
Mushu: [reading Cri-Kee's note] "From General Li. Dear Son, we're waiting for the Huns at the pass. It would mean a lot if you'd come and back us up." Hmm, that's great, except you forgot, "And since we're out of potpourri, perhaps you wouldn't mind bringing up some." Hello! This is the army! Make it sound more urgent, please! You know what I'm talkin' about?

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Shang: What's your name?
Mulan: Uh... I, I, uh...
Chi Fu: Your commanding officer just asked you a question.
Mulan: Uh, I've got a name. Ha! And it's a boy's name, too.
Mushu: [whispering in Mulan's ear] Ling. How 'bout Ling?
Mulan: [pointing at Ling] His name is Ling.
Shang: I didn't ask for his name. I asked for yours!
Mushu: Try, uh, uh, ah, Chu.
Mulan: Ah Chu.
Shang: Ah Chu?
Mushu: Gesundheit.
Mushu: [chuckles] I kill myself.
Mulan: Mushu...
Shang: Mushu?
Mulan: No!
Shang: Then what is it?
Mushu: Ping! Ping was my best friend growin' up.
Mulan: It's Ping.
Shang: Ping?
Mushu: Of course, Ping did steal my girl...
[Mulan muffles him]
Mulan: Yes, my name is Ping.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Shang: Captain Li Shang. Leader of China's finest troops. No. The greatest troops of all time.
[exits his tent to find the troops fighting each other]
Chi Fu: Most impressive.

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Mushu: All right! Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty! Come on. Hup, hup, hup! Get your clothes on. Get ready. Got breakfast for ya. Look, you get porridge...
[Porridge has a fried-eggs-and-bacon smile]
Mushu: And it's happy to see you.
[Cri-kee hops in the middle of the porridge]
Mushu: Hey, get outta there! You gonna make people sick!

 

[AmandaSparks730]

Yao: I'll get that arrow, pretty boy, and I'll do it with my shirt *on*.