General Information:

Media Type: Home Video
Type: Bluuray - Open Edition
Release Date: 2019-09-10

Geek's Thoughts: Disney’s Live-Action Aladdin is now available digitally and will be on disc September 10th. This film is a retelling of the animated classic from the 1990s. This re-imagined film features Will Smith as everyone’s favorite blue Genie with Mena Massoud playing Aladdin and Naomi Scott is Jasmine. The film stays true to the animated version and features your favorite songs and iconic scenes, but with a new twist many of them. Jasmine has an expanded role in this version including her own song, “Speechless”.

 

The home video release features several formats including digital, 4K, Blu-ray and DVD. There are an assortment of bonus features that vary by format. For a full listing of the features here is the original home video press release for Aladdin. I was sent the Blu-ray package to review, here are my first impressions of several of them from that offering:

• Aladdin’s Video Journal – In this nearly 11 minute piece Mena Massoud shares video and pictures from the production of the film. He was given a phone/camera for the production. I thought this was an entertaining look behind the scenes. As with all pieces I thought it was a little short, but it did put more of a human/actor side to the featurettes vs many traditional making of videos. I thought this was the highlight of the bonus features.
• Guy Ritchie: A Cinematic Genie – Clocking in at around 5:30 this piece shares some insights into the film’s director, Guy Ritchie, and why he took on this project. I would have liked to have seen a more in depth interview with him, but being over five minutes it is longer than many featurettes at least.
• A Friend Like Genie – An over four minute piece looking at Will Smith’s Genie. How he pay homage to the original and worked to make the character his own.
• Speechless – Creating a New Song for Jasmine (Digital Exclusive) –
• Deleted Song – “Desert Moon” – This duet by Aladdin and Jasmine is a near final sequence from the film. The piece is introduced by Alan Menkin who wrote the song.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciOrk0iD_iA
• Deleted Scenes – A half dozen scenes in various stages of completeness. I thought they were interesting to view but I would have really liked to have seen an introduction/more insight on each.
• Bloopers – A two minute featurette showing the lighter side of the cast.
• Music Videos – Speechless and two versions of A Whole New World