Robin Williams Puts the Magic Back in 'ALADDIN 3'

Four years ago, America fell in love with an Arabian street rat named Aladdin, a princess with almond-shaped eyes named Jasmine and a crazed blue Genie, buoyantly voiced by Robin Williams. To capitalize on Aladdin's popularity, Disney released The Return of Jafar, a direct-to-home video that was very successful. Now Disney's back with Aladdin and the King of Thieves, another direct-to-home video that hits stores Tuesday.

A video venture makes sense for Disney, says Andy Wickstrom, executive editor of Video Business magazine. "They can make it faster (than a theatrical film), and spend less to promote it," he says. "I'm sure by the end of next week Disney will be announcing some wonderful sales figures."

Though Williams didn't do the Genie's voice in Jafar, he's back in all his crazy splendor in Thieves -- impersonating such diverse personalities as Walter Cronkite, Sylvester Stallone, Alex Trebek and Woody Allen. And the animation in Thieves is as highly polished as the first big-screen movie.

In the King of Thieves, the wedding of Aladdin (Scott Weinger) and Jasmine (Linda Larkin) is cut short when the King of Thieves and his 40 bandits storm the castle looking for the Hand of Midas, a relic that changes objects to gold. In an odd twist, Aladdin discovers that his long-lost father is the King of Thieves (John Rhys-Davies), which leads to a moral dilemma.

Williams' brilliant wit will go over kids' heads, but the charm of the film will go straight to their hearts. It's a movie to be seen more than once -- which is what home video is all about.

by Marney Rich Keenan
Detroit News, August 10, 1996