Review: "The Return of Jafar" a Nice Follow-up to Walt Disney's "Aladdin"

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 191 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux

The Return of Jafar (1994) – straight to video – animation
Running time:  69 minutes (1 hour, 9 minutes)
MPAA – G
DIRECTORS: Toby Shelton, Tad Stones, and Alan Zaslove
WRITERS: Kevin Campbell, Mirith JS Colao, Bill Motz, Steve Roberts, Dev Ross, Bob Roth, Jan Strnad, and Brian Swenlin; from a story by Duane Capizzi, Douglas Langdale, Mark McCorkle, Robert Schooley, and Tad Stones
PRODUCERS: Tad Stones and Alan Zaslove
EDITOR: Elen Orson

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY/ACTION/MUSICAL

Starring: (voices) Scott Weinger, Gilbert Gottfried, Linda Lavin, Dan Castellaneta, Jonathan Freeman, Jason Alexander, Val Bettin, Frank Welker, and Jim Cummings, Brad Kane, and Liz Callaway

The heroes and villains of Walt Disney’s Oscar-winning Aladdin (1992) return in the straight-to-video feature, The Return of Jafar – produced mostly by the now-defunct Walt Disney Television Animation based in Australia (DisneyToon Studios).

Aladdin (Scott Weinger) and Jasmine (Linda Lavin) are ready to begin their life as a royal couple, especially now that the Sultan of Agrabah (Val Bettin), Jasmine’s father, has a big announcement to make concerning Aladdin. However, Iago (Gilbert Gottfried), the parrot sidekick of Aladdin’s nemesis in the original film, Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) reappears. Iago, ever an opportunist, wants to be on the winning side and return to the life of luxury at the Sultan’s palace, so he attempts to make nice with Aladdin. Iago is succeeding in earning Aladdin’s trust on a provisional basis when Jafar, now the powerful Red Genie, returns to Agrabah with the help of Abis Mal (Jason Alexander), the chief of a local band of thieves. Both Jafar and Abis Mal want their revenge against Aladdin, and Jafar coerces Iago into helping him. The scene-stealing (blue) Genie (Dan Castellaneta) also returns, but can he help Aladdin stop Jafar’s diabolical plans and get rid of him for good?

The animation in The Return of Jafar isn’t nearly as good or as pretty as it is Aladdin. The colors aren’t as rich, and the shading on characters and objects isn’t there. The character animation is good, but not up to the standards of Disney feature animation. At the time of release, however, this was better than most of the animation produced domestically or overseas for American television, and The Return of Jafar is a nice second serving of the characters and situations from the original film. The last 20 minutes of this movie is riveting, thrilling stuff – as good as that in many live action, action flicks.

The characters are still themselves with the cast giving good voice acting performances, for the most part. Here, Genie is voiced by Dan Castellaneta, the voice of “Homer Simpson” (and numerous others) on “The Simpsons,” but he’s so-so as Genie. The absence of Robin Williams, who refused to reprise the role because of a dispute over merchandising money with Disney, is painfully obvious. Luckily, the dispute was resolved and Williams returned for a second direct-to-video sequel to Aladdin.

6 of 10
B

Saturday, September 02, 2006

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1994 Iron Man Animated TV Series on DVD in May

IRON MAN: The Complete 1994 Animated Television Series

3-Disc DVD Set - FACT SHEET

Studio: Buena Vista Home Entertainment

Story: From Stan Lee comes Marvel’s complete 1994 animated television series, Iron Man. Experience every thrilling moment – from the very first episode, to the final climactic battle – in this 3-disc collector’s edition. Witness the action-packed adventure from the very beginning as billionaire inventor Tony Stark dons his invincible suit of iron to battle the villainous Mandarin and the power of his ten deadly rings.

With fellow super heroes Nick Fury, War Machine, Scarlet Witch, Spider Woman and Hawkeye at his side, Iron Man faces off against a band of evil foes, including Whiplash…and confronts his own demons, as well.

Go behind the armor and get to know the man under the powered suit. This complete Iron Man collection is a must-have for fans of all ages !

“Iron Man” stars voice talent Robert Hays (Superhero Movie), John Reilly (TV’s “General Hospital: Night Shift”), Jennifer Hale (Ariel’s Beginning – Voice) and is executive produced by Stan Lee (Spider-Man, Iron Man, The Fantastic Four, The Ultimate Avengers II), Avi Arad (Spider-Man 4, Fantastic Four, X-Men: The Last Stand) and Larry Leiber (Iron Man, Iron Man 2).

EPISODE LIST:

Disc 1:
1. And The Sea Shall Give Up It's Dead
2. Rejoice! I Am Ultimo Thy Deliverer
3. Data In - Chaos Out
4. Silence My Companion, Death My Destination
5. The Grim Reaper Wears A Teflon Coat
6. Enemy Within, Enemy Without
7. Origin Of The Mandarin
8. Defection Of The Hawkeye

Disc 2:
9. Iron Man To The Second Power (Part 1)
10. Iron Man To The Second Power (Part 2)
11. Origin Of Iron Man (Part 1)
12. Origin Of Iron Man (Part 2)
13. Wedding Of Iron Man!
14. The Beast Within
15. Fire And Rain
16. Cell Of Iron
17. Not Far From The Tree

Disc 3:
18. Beauty Knows No Pain
19. On The Inside
20. Distant Boundaries
21. The Armor Wars (Part 1)
22. The Armor Wars (Part 2)
23. Hulkbuster
24. Empowered
25. Hands Of The Mandarin (Part 1)
26. Hands Of The Mandarin (Part 2)

STREET DATE: May 4, 2010
Suggested retail price: $29.99 US; $35.99 Canada
Rated: TV – Y7
Run time: 572 minutes
DVD aspect ratio: 4:3
Sound: Dolby Digital Surround Sound, Spanish and French Language Tracks & Subtitles

© MARVEL, IRON-MAN and all related characters and their distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries and are used with permission. © 2010 Marvel Entertainment, Inc. and its subsidiaries. © Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Inc.

Review: Walt Disney's "Aladdin" a True Classic

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 190 (of 2006) by Leroy Douresseaux


Walt Disney’s Aladdin (1992) – animated
Running time: 90 minutes (1 hour, 30 minute)
MPAA – G
PRODUCER/DIRECTORS: Ron Clements and John Musker
WRITERS: Ted Elliot & Terry Rossio and Ron Clements & John Musker; from a story by Ed Gombert, Burny Mattinson, Roger Allers, Daan Jippes, Kevin Harkey, Sue Nichols, Francis Glebas, Darrell Rooney, Larry Leker, James Fujii, Kirk Hanson, Kevin Lima, Rebecca Rees, David S. Smith, Chris Sanders, Brian Pimental, and Patrick A. Ventura
EDITOR: H. Lee Peterson
Academy Award winner

ANIMATION/FANTASY/COMEDY and FAMILY/MUSICAL/ROMANCE

Starring: (voices) Scott Weinger, Robin Williams, Linda Lavin, Jonathan Freeman, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale, Frank Welker, Bruce Adler, Brad Kane, Lea Solanga, and Jim Cummings

Resourceful “street rat,” Aladdin (Scott Weinger) makes his living on the streets of Agrabah as a thief, ably assisted by his constant companion, a spunky monkey named Abu (Frank Welker). One day his eyes catch the sight of a beautiful young woman, whom he later rescues from an overzealous fruit vendor. Aladdin learns that she is Jasmine (Linda Lavin), the daughter of the Sultan of Agrabah (Douglas Seale), and she is walking the streets of Agrabah in disguise just to experience life outside the Sultan’s palace. Aladdin falls in love with Jasmine, but believes that he must be a prince to win her heart.

Later, Aladdin goes on a mission for another resident of the palace in disguise, Grand Vizier Jafar (Jonathan Freeman), the Sultan’s advisor. It is then that Aladdin comes into possession of a magical lamp. When Aladdin rubs the lamp, out springs the show-stealing Genie (Robin Williams). Genie takes a liking to his new master and uses his magical powers to help Aladdin get closer to Jasmine by disguising him the wealthy Prince Ali Ababwa. However, Aladdin must learn to be himself if he’s going to earn the love of the independent-minded Jasmine, and he’ll need all his smarts to stop the diabolical Jafar and his scheming parrot, Iago (Gilbert Gottfried), from overthrowing the Sultan to become rulers of Agrabah.

In 1989, Walt Disney Feature Animation began a second golden age of Disney feature-length animated films with The Little Mermaid. Almost with each successive film, the box office take grew – Beauty and the Beast in 1991 and Aladdin in 1992 (while the underrated The Rescuers Down Under floundered in 1990), peaking in 1994 with The Lion King, which at the time set a record for box office gross by an animated flick. The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin are quasi musicals, a sort of “lite” version of a Broadway musical. Of the trio, the most comic is Aladdin.

In some ways, however, Aladdin is old school. The filmmakers and the Disney story department created lively characters with strong personalities and provided each one with sketch comic scenes that helped to endear him or her to the audience. The character animation is superb, and the characters move with fluidity and grace. The animators also provided visual quirks and clever visual gags that further defined each character – the best, of course, being Robin Williams’ Genie. While the other characters are certainly good (Jafar and Iago and Aladdin’s Magic Carpet stand out to me), Williams steals scenes without coming across as a scene hog, and his non-stop antics and transformations make Aladdin such a special movie. Genie was and remains the character that best fits Williams’ manic comic personality, and it’s not William’s effort alone. Genie is a creation of both William’s work as a voice actor and the drawing skills of large group of animators.

When a movie has Williams’ comical madness and Alan Menken’s evocative score and the songs Menken co-wrote with lyricists Tim Rice and Howard Ashman (a frequent partner of Menken’s who died over a year before Aladdin premiered), it has the potential to be a great film. Add in a cast of wonderful and charming characters, a simple, straight forward romance filled with magic and magical creatures, and two deliciously bad, bad guys, and you have a Disney classic.

9 of 10
A+

NOTES:
1993 Academy Awards: 2 wins: “Best Music, Original Score” (Alan Menken) and “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Tim Rice-lyrics for the song "A Whole New World"); 3 nominations: “Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing” (Mark A. Mangini) “Best Music, Original Song” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Friend Like Me"), and “Best Sound” Terry Porter, Mel Metcalfe, David J. Hudson, and Doc Kane)

1994 BAFTA Awards: 2 nominations: “BAFTA Film Award Best Score” (Alan Menken) and “Best Special Effects” (Don Paul and Steve Goldberg)

1993 Golden Globes:  3 wins “Best Original Score - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken), “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Tim Rice-lyrics for the song "A Whole New World"), and “Special Award” (Robin Williams for his vocal work); and 3 nomination: “Best Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical,” “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song “Friend Like Me”), and “Best Original Song - Motion Picture” (Alan Menken-music and Howard Ashman-lyrics for the song "Prince Ali")

Saturday, September 02, 2006

The "House Party" Anniversary Bash (A Negromancer New Bits and Bites Extra)

I'd forgotten that this year is the 20th anniversary of the film, House Party.  This article from AOL's Black Voices "BV on Movies" blog reminded me.  There was an anniversary party at the Tribeca All Access kickoff event, part of the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival.

Released in 1990 by New Line Cinema, House Party starred the rap duo Kid 'N Play having a (what else) house party when Kid's dad (played by the much-missed comic, Robin Harris) is away.  The film also starred Martin Lawrence and Tisha Campbell, among others.  There would be two theatrical sequels and one straight-to-video movie.

Buy House Party Collection: 4 Film Favorites

Review: "Akira" Will Still Rock Your World

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 123 (of 2003) by Leroy Douresseaux

Akira (1988) – Animated
(dubbed in English for its U.S. release)
Running time: 124 minutes (2 hours, 4 minutes)
MPAA – R for graphic violence and brief nudity
DIRECTOR: Katsuhiro Otomo
WRITER: Katsuhiro Otomo and Izo Hashimoto (from the manga by Katsuhiro Otomo)
PRODUCERS: Haruyo Kanesaku, Shunzo Kato, Yutaka Maseba, Ryohei Suzuki, and Hiroe Tsukamoto
CINEMATOGRAPHER: Katsuji Misawa (director of photography)
EDITOR: Takeshi Seyama

ANIMATION/SCI-FI/ACTION with elements of a thriller

Starring: (voices) Mitsuo Iwata, Nozomu Sasaki, Mai Koyama, Tessho Genda, and Hiroshi Otake. (English dub) Johnny Yong Bosch, Joshua Seth, Wendee Lee, and Sandy Fox

Not only does the anime (a Japanese term for animated films) Akira have a cult following, many people who have seen it hold the film in high regard and as a watershed event not only in the history of anime and full-length animated features, but also in the history of filmmaking in general; it indeed has achieved legendary status.

Directed by Katsuhiro Otomo from his manga (Japanese term for comics) of the same title, Akira is the story of the evils secret military projects and science gone mad can bring upon mankind. Tetsuo, the runty teenager with a chip on his shoulder, was, as a child, a test subject in a covert military scientific project to create psionic beings. Psions are humans with supernatural mental powers like telekinesis (the ability to affect matter with the mind) and telepathy (the ability to communicate with others through thoughts rather than speech). As a teen, Tetsuo’s powers awaken, and he becomes a psionic psychopathic, killing and destroying almost anything in his path. It’s up to his fellow biker Kaneda and a girl named Kei to stop him. They are joined in their mission by another group of psionics, a group who fear that Tetsuo will destroy Neo-Tokyo just as another psionic creature, the legendary Akira, destroyed the original Tokyo.

Although the plot drags, the script has gaping holes, incidents happen with no explanations, and the end gets weird, Akira is nevertheless a groundbreaking and fantastic film. For everything it lacks in story structure, it more than makes up for with the visual hurricane that Otomo puts on the screen. He takes full advantage of the visual possibilities of both comic books and animation to pull off a film that is stuffed with visual feats. Comic books allow artists and cartoonists to draw things that would be nearly impossible for filmmakers to reproduce in film because of budget constraints, lack of technology, or both. If an animated film has the budget, its animators certainly have the skill to replicate the limitless possibilities of comics in the animated moving picture.

Otomo and his staff of animators and filmmakers created 2,212 shots using a total of 160,000 single pictures, about three times the number usual for animated features. What this does is not only create a film that duplicates the realism of live-action films, but actually surpasses what a live action film can do on a reasonable budget. With its scenes of bike chases, street battles, urban destruction in the form of exploding and collapsing structures, large crowd scenes, gun battles, and sci-fi action, Akira acts like a “real” movie. It’s stunning to watch this. They actually drew a movie in which the action and events carry the same weight and have the same impact as live action.

Akira, however, remains true to being an animated film. The filmmakers used 327 different colors and created 50 just for this film, so Akira has the kind of lush landscape of wonderful colors that we expect in animated films. The problems of story structure can be ignored. What is important is the film’s warning – just because we can achieve something scientifically does not mean that we should not consider science’s impact on both individuals and on the larger society. When a film visually achieves so much and has a wonderful message, I can overlook the little things.

8 of 10
A

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53rd Grammy Awards Set for Sunday, February 13 2011

53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards Live from STAPLES Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, and Will Air on CBS

SANTA MONICA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The 53rd Annual GRAMMY® Awards will take place in Los Angeles at STAPLES Center on Sunday, Feb. 13, 2011, and will air live on the CBS Television Network from 8 – 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT). As a result of last year's earlier show and Awards process dates, this year the eligibility dates for the 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards are Sept. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010. (This year will mark a 13-month eligibility period.) The date for the GRAMMY nominations announcement — which showcases GRAMMY Award finalists, the year's best and brightest in music as voted on by The Recording Academy®'s membership of music professionals — will be announced shortly.

"The 52nd Annual GRAMMY Awards was a dynamic, memorable evening, and it delivered our highest ratings since 2004 and the biggest year-over-year increase in more than 20 years," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of The Recording Academy. "We have every intention of keeping that momentum going with our 53rd show, and once again we are thrilled to be bringing the excellence and excitement of our GRAMMY Week events and charitable initiatives to the city of Los Angeles. We also look forward to working on another outstanding GRAMMY telecast with our partners and good friends at CBS and STAPLES Center."

"The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards will once again be event television with exciting and memorable performances that will entertain and engage our audience," said Jack Sussman, executive vice president, specials, music and live events, CBS. "We look forward to working with our partners at The Recording Academy to make Music's Biggest Night® an event that can't be missed."

GRAMMY Week — a weeklong series of cultural events culminating in Music's Biggest Night — will again feature celebrations of music, fashion, arts education and philanthropy, including the Salute To series, GRAMMY Style Studio, GRAMMY Career DaySM, Clive Davis and The Recording Academy's Pre-GRAMMY Gala, the annual MusiCares® Person of the Year tribute, the GRAMMY Foundation's Music Preservation Project, the Entertainment Law Initiative luncheon, a Producers & Engineers Wing event, and GRAMMY Museum programs, among others.

Established in 1957, The Recording Academy is an organization of musicians, producers, engineers and recording professionals that is dedicated to improving the cultural condition and quality of life for music and its makers. Internationally known for the GRAMMY Awards — the preeminent peer-recognized award for musical excellence and the most credible brand in music — The Recording Academy is responsible for groundbreaking professional development, cultural enrichment, advocacy, education and human services programs. The Academy continues to focus on its mission of recognizing musical excellence, advocating for the well-being of music makers and ensuring music remains an indelible part of our culture. For more information about The Academy, please visit www.grammy.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, join the organization's social networks on Facebook (www.facebook.com/thegrammys), MySpace (www.myspace.com/thegrammys), Twitter (www.twitter.com/thegrammys), and YouTube (www.youtube.com/thegrammys).

"Shutter Island" on DVD in June 2010

FROM ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING* DIRECTOR MARTIN SCORSESE COMES A SUSPENSEFUL THRILLER STARRING ACCLAIMED ACTOR LEONARDO DICAPRIO

SHUTTER ISLAND

Intense and Spine-Chilling Tour de Force Debuts on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD June 8, 2010

World-renowned director Martin Scorsese delivers “a stunning masterpiece that requires and demands multiple viewings” (Ain’t It Cool News) with the critically-acclaimed suspense thriller

SHUTTER ISLAND, debuting on DVD, Blu-ray and VOD June 8, 2010 from Paramount Home Entertainment. Starring three-time Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio (The Departed), the film features an outstanding ensemble cast including Mark Ruffalo (Zodiac), Oscar® winner Sir Ben Kingsley (Gandhi),

Max von Sydow (Minority Report), Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) and Emily Mortimer (Match Point). Based on the best-selling novel by celebrated writer Dennis Lehane, SHUTTER ISLAND was written for the screen by Laeta Kalogridis and tells the story of two U.S. marshals investigating the mysterious disappearance of an inmate from a hospital for the criminally insane. But as their investigation proceeds, they uncover an intricate web of deception where nothing may be as it seems. Filled with nail-biting suspense and unexpected plot twists, SHUTTER ISLAND is a must-see thriller that will keep you guessing to the very end.

The SHUTTER ISLAND Blu-ray includes making-of featurettes entitled “Behind the Shutters” and “Into the Lighthouse”. Music from the motion picture is available now from Rhino Records at all physical and digital retail outlets. The haunting double disc set was produced by music legend and frequent Scorsese collaborator Robbie Robertson and features a stunning array of modern classical music.


SHUTTER ISLAND DVD & Blu-ray
The SHUTTER ISLAND DVD is presented in widescreen enhanced for 16:9 TVs with Dolby Digital English 5.1 Surround, French 5.1 Surround and Spanish 5.1 Surround and English, French and Spanish subtitles. The Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, French 5.1 Dolby Digital, Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital and Brazilian Portuguese 5.1 Dolby Digital and English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles. The Blu-ray includes the following special features:

o Behind the Shutters—Follows the film from its inception as an acclaimed novel through the production process and to the big screen. Includes interviews with cast and crew.

o Into the Lighthouse—Discusses the historical landscape of psychiatric therapies during the 1950s through interviews with cast and crew.

About Paramount Home Entertainment
Paramount Home Entertainment (PHE) is part of Paramount Pictures Corporation (PPC), a global producer and distributor of filmed entertainment. PPC is a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), a leading content company with prominent and respected film, television and digital entertainment brands. PHE is responsible for the sales, marketing and distribution of home entertainment products on behalf of various parties including: Paramount Pictures, Paramount Vantage, Paramount Classics, Paramount Famous Productions, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, CBS and PBS and for providing home entertainment fulfillment services for DreamWorks Animation Home Entertainment.

Shutter Island - the Negromancer review.