Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

The Wonders of Aladdin Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 18, 2021

Henry Levin's "The Wonders of Aladdin" (1961) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The only bonus feature on the disc is a new audio commentary by author and critic Tim Lucas. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

The magic lamp

Folks that saw theatrically The Wonders of Aladdin while they were growing up can easily produce a number of reasons justifying their opinion that it is a great film. They will enthusiastically talk about its lush colors, rich decors and fantastic exotic costumes, and eventually will confess that it awakened the dreamer in them. So, it won’t be too long before you realize that their admiration for it is fueled almost entirely by nostalgia.

I saw The Wonders of Aladdin many years after it was released theatrically, which is why I did not have any special memories attached to my appreciation of it. I think that it is very colorful and fairly entertaining film, but I have to admit that I have never once thought of it as great. If I had to defend its virtues, I would build my case around its strength as a nice family film. On the other hand, I would enthusiastically recommend a couple of different Ali Baba films to anyone looking for quality family entertainment of the same kind before I get to it.

Earlier tonight, I was able to see the recent 4K restoration that was prepared for The Wonders of Aladdin, and while my opinion of the film did not change, I have to admit that the strength of its visuals surprised me quite a bit. Early on it isn’t too obvious -- though this probably has a lot to do with the manner in which the restoration was completed; it appears that it was a reconstruction project because until the big caravan heads to the royal wedding the footage looks notably but naturally softer, which likely means that it comes from a secondary element -- but once the action moves to the desert palace the richness of the visuals becomes absolutely breathtaking. I had no memories of the film looking this lush and vibrant, though it could be because my last viewing of it was probably more than twenty-five years ago. Also, the film incorporates panoramic footage that was shot on location in Tunisia and plenty of interior footage that was shot at Titanus Studios in Rome and both are blended really, really well. I was genuinely impressed because this is the type of excellent editing work that is quite difficult to do even with advanced digital tools. Of course, folks familiar with Mario Bava and Henry Levin’s work would rightfully correct me because such visual excellence is hardly a rarity in their work, but I assure you that the restoration does sell the film in a way that is in fact quite surprising.

What about the story and acting? Have they aged well?

The key elements of the original story about Aladdin are intact. The fun begins after Aladdin (Donald O’Connor) receives the famous magic lamp as a gift from his mother and accidentally summons the ancient genie (Vittorio De Sicca) trapped inside it. Then after Aladdin announces his first wish, he befriends his future bodyguard, Omar (Milton Reid). His second wish saves him and Omar from the insatiable and blood-thirsty Amazon huntresses. And his third wish is revealed in the desert palace where the shady Grand Vizier (Fausto Tozzi) is about to steal the beautiful Princess Zaina (Michele Mercier) from Prince Moluk (Terence Hill) right under the nose of the aging Sultan (Aldo Fabrizi), who of course happens to be one very clueless father. So, the surprises and excitement come from the unique power plays that emerge along the way and for the most part they are rather decent -- not great, just decent.

Unfortunately, the acting is quite inconsistent. I remember it as such as well. There is nothing particularly off-putting, but from time to time you can easily tell that some of the stars -- and especially Mercier and Hill -- are essentially passing through their scenes. This, I think, is the main reason why the chemistry on display throughout different parts of the film is typically underwhelming. Indeed, there are plenty of striking visuals that are difficult to forget, but the feeling that you have been temporarily transported to an exotic ancient place and become close with some of the main characters, which these types of films need to be effective, never materializes.

The Wonders of Aladdin Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.54:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Wonders of Aladdin arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

The release is sourced from a recent 4K master which appears to be a reconstruction job. Indeed, until the big caravan heads to the royal wedding the footage looks notably but naturally softer, which likely means that it comes from a secondary element. It could be that a reel or two aged differently, but I think that this is an unlikely scenario. So, in the beginning of the film you should expect to see a small but obvious discrepancy in terms of sharpness and delineation which affects depth and even the overall fluidity of the visuals. The rest of the film looks very strong. Yes, there are some minor fluctuations in terms of density and delineation that emerge because of unique stylistic choices and visual effects, but clarity, sharpness, and depth are typically excellent. The color grading is fantastic. To be honest, the great color palette that emerges from the new master surprised me quite a bit because I had seen the film in the past but did not have any memories of it looking this lush and vibrant. There are no traces of problematic digital work. Image stability very good. Finally, the entire film looks very healthy. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you need to have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Wonders of Aladdin Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio is clear and stable. However, the original audio features overdubbing that can introduce some unevenness. Dynamic intensity is decent, but there are a few areas where Angelo Lavagnino's soundtrack produces a different type of unevenness as well. The dialog is stable, clear, and easy to follow.

The Wonders of Aladdin Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary - author and critic Tim Lucas shares interesting information about the production of The Wonders of Aladdin, Mario Bava's contribution, the different versions of the film (as well as its appearance on home video in the U.S. and overseas), Henry Levin's legacy and career, the richness of the set/decors and specifically the manner in which they were lit, the cast that was assembled for the film, etc.

• Trailers - trailers for the following titles from Kino Lorber's catalog:
  
  1. Jack the Giant Killer
  2. The Magic Sword
  3. Arabian Nights
  4. Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves
  5. Son of Ali Baba

The Wonders of Aladdin Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The strength of The Wonders of Aladdin is in its visuals. The different intrigues and power plays that are at the center of its narrative are decent at best and do not produce an unforgettable story, which frankly isn't terribly surprising given the age and popularity of Aladdin's adventures. Yes, some of the embellishments could have been managed better so that the end result is superior, but in my opinion anyone that chooses to see the film will do so expecting a great deal of period glamor, which is precisely what Henry Levin and Mario Bava deliver. Kino Lorber's release is sourced from a good recent 4K master. RECOMMENDED.