Prince Ali Fabulousee!

If you were to ask me what my favorite Disney movie was, without any hesitation I would declare Aladdin. I was only 3 years old when this movie was released in 1992 but that didn’t stop me from having a special place in my heart for it; I must have watched this Disney classic once a week until I was about seven or eight years old. Why was I so addicted to this movie? And what was its special significance to me? We were discussing in class the way Disney butchered the Arabian culture in this film without giving any of the concerts genuine Arabic accents and passing off scribbles for Arabic writing. These are undoubtedly highly offensive to any Arabic person, but as a three through eight year old, these minute details didn’t faze me. All I saw was a boy who slightly resembled my dad when he was a child and a princess, Jasmine, who could pass off as my sister. I’m not even Arab, I come from a Persian background, but I was able to distinguish myself from the other Disney classics, through these characters. I also mistook the Arab culture for Persian culture, granted they’re closely related, but I made it into something I could relate to.

I can presume that Disney makes movies like Aladdin, and even Lion King, and the upcoming Princess and the Frog in order to attract non-white moviegoers as well to theaters. I had always loved Disney films, but the fact that I was suddenly able to directly identify with this film and its characters boosted this Disney classic to the top of my list. After learning more about the Disney Corporation, and especially after our conversation in class this week, it’s hard for me to look upon Disney films with the same awe I did as a child. But, there’s no way I could have picked up these somewhat subtle gestures that proved how non-cultured Disney truly was as a young girl. It wouldn’t occur to me then to be offended by what I was seeing on the screen. I’m sure that if I re-watch this film, which I’m highly considering doing, that within the first few minutes I’ll be able to pick up on every single error on Disney’s part. This doesn’t exactly please me, considering how much I once valued these films, but I think I can come to terms with the fact that I’ve grown and wise old enough to begin critiquing these childhood favorites!