Great version of "Aladdin" from Russia
Y. Boykov | Princeton, NJ United States | 09/23/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I remember "Volshebnaya lampa Aladdina" (Magic lamp of Aladdin) from my childhood. I first saw it in 1975 when I was 6 in a movie-theater (kino-teatr, in Russian) with my father. I liked it so much that I came to see it several times again with my friends. Now that I have a kid of my own I was really exited to get this DVD for him. The movie is very well made for kids and is very good for the whole family to watch. In my opinion it is much better than "Aladdin" made in Hollywood. The movie is much fun to see but don't expect flashy MTV-style clips. This Russian version of Aladdin stays much closer to the spirit of the original middle-eastern fairy tale. From watching this movie as an adult I can add that the main charecter (Aladdin) is sometimes a bit too "sweet". Side charecters acting is quite enjoyable.This DVD release is very good technically. Despite its age the movie appears in great colors. The restoration is well done. It also appears in wide-screen (ananamorfic) transfer. I was plesantly surprised to see this movie in 5.1 surround sound. There are three soundtracks to choose from (original Russian, English and French). The quality of English dubbing seems reasonable but I would not be an expert to comment on it. Anyway, you can choose subtitles in 8 or more languages."
Magical film
Milla | 01/26/2010
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have a fondness for Russian-made fairy tale movies from the 1950's, 1960's and 1970's. I just watched this movie yesterday and it definitely lived up to my expectations. The colors are rich, Jasmine looks like a perfect doll, Aladdin is handsome, and their costumes are breathtaking. I love that it follows the storyline of the original Aladdin story from the Middle East. The special effects are from that time period, but still vivid. A lot of time and effort was spent in creating a magical backdrop for the storyline. Aladdin wears gold shoes that point towards the sky. It really is a fiest for the eyes."