Rather than discuss an issue, I'm going to take this opportunity to let you exercise. 'Which muscles?' you may ask, but this isn't something that will yield tangible results (at least not directly).
I want you to press play, close your eyes, and let your mind wander to the 90s and beyond while I tickle the ivories for you. Exercise your imagination. If you need help starting, I've provided several images relevant to last week's post in the video...I'm a fan of connectivity.
After you have your siesta, I have a few questions (interpret them as you will):
~Where did your mind go?
~Did anyone appear?
~Did you do anything?
~Did you imagine in the abstract?
I'd love for you to share how your imagination wandered.
When I try and view the video it says "this video is set to private." Try setting the video so that it's unlisted, that way only people that have the hyperlink can see it. Then hopefully it should be viewable here.
ReplyDeletei thought about my little sister. she always liked aladdin more than i did. and she would sing that song all the time.
ReplyDeletei felt jarred when the video changed from disney to reality. even though the reality was beautiful, i felt out of place, a chasm between the two -- even though they are both fantastic and magical. the music was the tie between the two, which is interesting.
when the cartoon was on i felt as though i was actually experiencing the carpet ride; i probably felt that way as a kid. when the nature pictures came up i thought about travel and planes and how magic carpets cost a lot of money.
i think having the music made me feel ok about it. bc music is the connector between reality and the magic ... it is a creation that spurs emotion and will continue on when we are dead -- just like disney.
also i was thinking about when the tiger tells jasmine to take off her clothes.
good post, mark. you and your magical ways :)
ReplyDeleteI remember watching this movie tons of times on VHS (ok I almost forgot what it was called). My dad also bought the sheet muic to this movie and I remember trying to play through it as a kid and it was very difficult for me, and I remember how it was so easy for my dad to sightread the music.... I should try to find that book and see how hard it actually is.
ReplyDeleteWhat if listening to this song as a kid gave me wanderlust now?! "I will show you the world, shining shimmering splendid"?
These were the glory days of Disney. Why did they change their formula for movies; were the musicals not making money anymore?
I also thought about what were the Middle East relations at the time. Would Bush Sr. have been president? If you think about it, a movie like this could NOT come out post 9/11.
Another thought that occured was if my future children would enjoy a classic like Aladdin, or if they are going to watch some digital yo-gabba gabba bs? Are you going to get the Aladdin DVD for your kids?
@Jamie, I always think about SEX written in the wind in Lion King or the priest's boner in the Little Mermaid. I wonder why they never made a 'carpet ride' ride at Disneyland. That would be epic! Maybe it could be like one of those lay down roller coasters. I have an Imagineer friend, maybe I should pitch this idea to him.
ReplyDelete@Rita, the kids'll be watching episodes of Wonder Pets. I think Disney caved into 'PC' pressure. Remember Gaston stabbing the Beast? or the child abuse from Pete's Dragon? or the one dimensional portrayal of Native Americans and Asian cultures? There are images in these movies that today's parents would throw a fit over. Look at the shallow attempt to return to the glory days with the Frog Princess with a 'black princess.' I think what we're looking for is a Pixar computer animated musical. Good story telling, good music, and we don't care so much for digital technological stuff as long as we don't get cross-eyed.
Really, I'll make the kids sit through all the Disney movies, just like that scene in the Addams Family sequel.