In class on Tuesday, November 29th, we watched the first hour of “The Thief of Bagdad.” It is very similar to the movie “Aladdin,” as there is Jaffar, the Sultan, Abu, and the European (white) portrayal of the two main characters; however, there are differences as well. Some things that are contrary in this movie from the Disney film are a flying horse vs. the magic carpet, the implementation of the King Ahmad (Aladdin) being blind and Abu as a boy turned dog , and no men being allowed to see the princess (Jasmine) because of her beauty.
I feel that this film is racially problematic like “Aladdin,” but not to the same extent. It represents the main characters as white-washed rather than what they should look like as true Middle Easterners. The rest of the cast who are more controversial are genuinely darker, which is very racist in my opinion.
Overall, I actually enjoyed “The Thief of Bagdad” more than “Aladdin.” I like the suspenseful storyline more and the fact that it is real actors instead of animation. Also, this storyline is more for a young-adult audience rather than small children, so that could add to why I found this film more interesting to watch as well. I am really looking forward to finishing the rest of the movie next class!
