1986 - ALADDIN AND HIS WONDERFUL LAMP

Director: Tim Burton
Writers: Rod Ash, Mark Curtis (II)

Princess Sabrina: Valerie Bertinelli
Aladdin:  Robert Carradine
Evil Magician: Leonard Nimoy 
Genie of the Lamp/Genie of the Ring:  James Earl Jones
Grand Vizier: Ray Sharkey
Aladdin's Mother: Rae Allen (II)
Sultan: Joseph Maher  
Festus: Ken Curtis

Aladdin is a young man living with his mother in poor conditions in an oriental town. To survive he is forced to steal food, which sometimes brings him into trouble. And – he's in love with the sultan’s daughter, after he had a forbidden look at her. One day he is surprised to get a visit from his "long lost uncle”, a wizard who's been "far away". The wizard knows that this boy is the only person to enter a hidden cave protected by various spells and the only person able to steal a precious oil lamp. Neither he nor his mother have ever heard of him. But any suspicion is quickly explained by "the uncle" who's wits is always ready to destroy any doubts. 

Aladdin is taken far into the desert by the uncle and the wizard explains to him the entrance of the cave and gives instructions: Where to find the lamp, not to touch any of the jewels or treasures on the way and to bring the lamp to him. And he gives him a ring which should help him mastering the obstacles. Aladdin masters the challenge and gets the lamp deep down in the hidden cave. But he cannot resist to touch a big diamond. Now the cave and its walls break down and Aladdin tries a narrow escape and gets back to the narrow entrance hole with the help of a flying carpet. At the top of the hole the uncle is waiting for him – or rather for the lamp. Aladdin asks him to help him get out, but the uncle wants the lamp first. Aladdin refuses, - he wants to give him the lamp when he's out. Meanwhile nearly all of the cave is broken down, the hole closes and Aladdin is caught inside – the entrance closed for ever. 

Beside a skeleton stiffened in the same waiting position as he is sitting, he is trapped in the deep cave and does not see any chance to get out. Unintentionally Aladdin by chance touches the ring on his hand and a huge green genie appears. He's laughing about the fear he sees in the young man and explains to him that the owner of the lamp is his master whom he'll fulfill any wish. Only he cannot kill anybody and he cannot make people fall in love with another person. He gets Aladdin out of the cave. The uncle is aware of the recent developments by his magic. "Surprised" to see Aladdin again he greets him: "I am glad you got out of that cave alive!" and gets answered: "Not thanks to your help!" 

Now Aladdin can go for his dream: To ask for the sultan's daughter's hand. He brings along presents for the sultan, amongst them a box which shows puppet shows, a pleasure for the sultan to watch. The sultan is reluctant though and challenges him to add another tower to the big palace. No problem with the genie's help. The newly wed couple moves into the beautiful tower. By the time the genie becomes more and more fond of his master because he sees his good intentions. And he too enjoys to watch Aladdin throwing gold coins into the crowds of poor people. 

Amongst the crowds a familiar feature eyes his coin with mixed feelings: The uncle is a hard, determined man searching for riches and power and love: He too wants the sultan's daughter. In order to obtain the lamp he disguises as a vendor in lamps: "New lamps for old lamps!" he shouts at a moment he knows Aladdin is not in town. Some make fun of him, some change an old lamp for a new one always to the dissatisfaction of the wizard, and the saultan's daughter's servant suggest to do Aladdin a favor: To surprise him with a new lamp. The wizard is glad when this old one is offered to him, swings around the collection of old ones, chases everybody off the market place and rubs the lamp. 

The genie expecting Aladdin is shocked to see his new master: The wizard. He's ordered to make the tower disappear far away. When Aladdin comes back, the tower and his wife are gone. When he makes the sultan aware of the fact he finds little support, but remembers his ring. The genie appears, but may not follow his orders because he's with the wizard now. But he can tell Aladdin where his wife is. Aladdin takes the flying carpet and reaches the tower right in time to find his uncle trying to persuade his wife to be with him by showing her jewelry. She's not convinced and rejects him. But it takes long enough for Aladdin to make a plan and to talk to the genie. As the uncle orders the genie to make her fall in love with him, Aladdin shares his plan with his wife. The genie did not even begin to explain that he cannot do that as Aladdin's wife turns to the uncle and distracts him. Aladdin, the trained thief, takes the lamp from his uncle's belt and demands to know: "Uncle, what are you doing with my wife?" The wizard dashes around and feels for the lamp, only to see it in Aladdin's hands. A smiling genie follows Aladdin's orders: To put the uncle amongst the puppets into the show box of the sultan. The sultan is laughing out loud when he sees the puppets torturing the wizard with long sticks making him jump in the box.