What Are We Really Watching?By: Bret Wescott and Kayla Kromer

For Starters. . .

Like seen in the video the lyrics of the first song “Arabian Nights” were changed from.

- “Where they cut of your ear if they don’t like your face” to Where it’s flat and immense and the heat is intense.”

Another Arabian Night?

So is this movie really based upon Arabian culture, lets dig a little deeper.

After deep analysis this has come to pretty much be completely false, nothing in this movie is right about

this culture.

The Information. . .

For example in the movie you see several times women dressed in skimpy clothing, a somewhat “Arabian Belly dancer look.”

All the women are very slender and seem almost all like sexual objects, moving their hips from side to side almost as if their floating on air.

However women nowadays in Arab countries dress just as American do, some still wear a hijab (the scarf that covers women’s faces,) but this is generally the older generation.

Dig A Little Deeper?

Why are almost all Arabs bad?

For instance Aladdin the main character isobviously more American than most, and heis considered to be the hero when he is stealing from the market place.

All the guards are more “Arab” looking then Aladdin and they are seen as the enemy when they are just trying to catch a criminalfor stealing from the market place.

Bad Reputation Continued. . .

Another example that shows how Arabs are seen as bad is that the main villain in the movie is Jafar is clearly not of American nationality and he is seen as completely evil.

The Male Stereotypes Shown

The Sulton – this means of great power and authority, but the fact that Jafar can control him and the actions that he shows in themovie set him more under the buffoon male status.

Aladdin – is more of the Stud, like aJames Bond. He does many crazy adventures and ends of gettingthe girl he wants.

The Songs

As stated in the beginning there is the “Arabian Nights” with the lyrics changed.

In the song “Prince Ali” a lyric states, “He’s got slaves, he’s got servants, and flunkies”

- This is stating that Arab countries value power, which is also in incorrect stereotype.

Sing Away

After the song, “A Whole New World,” the only Chinese culture shown was Chinese New Year.

In “Friend Like Me,” it once again shows women only as belly dancers, and as sexual objects.

“One Jump Ahead”

After the main opening when you first meet Aladdin in the movie he sings “One Jump Ahead.”

This part of the movie shows things from other cultures, not even of Arabian cultures. Those things include:

- Snake Charmer, Swallowing a Sword, and walking on coals.

- All of which are of Indian cultures not of Arab Cultures.

Wrong Cultures

“With his 40 fakirs,” this is another lyric from the song Prince Ali,fakirs are of Islamic culture.

Three Amigos representing Aladdin’s three Wishes, all wearing sombreros, and have heavy Spanish accents.

There is a French waiter in the song “Friend Like Me.”

Also in “Friend Like Me,” “How about a little more Baklava.” This is a Turkish dish.

Wrong!

Every single male in Aladdin wears a turban

A big issue in this movie is Jasmine. For starters she kisses Aladdin and she marries him, this would NEVER be acceptable in real Arab cultures.

On An End Note

It really makes you think twice when watching the movie.

THE END