Disney Animated Movie Review: *****Aladdin (1992)

 This is a classic movie from Disney, with a love story, and music for the story.  "A Whole New World" is a show stopper, and has been covered by many singers.  And Jafar as is so evil with his side kick Iago.  This show has also been made into a Broadway Musical and was presented at Disneyland theater.  Aladdin becomes a prince with the help of the Genie so as to court Jasmine the princes.  All goes well until Iago steels the lamp and gives it to Jafar; who is evil deep down.  The moral of this story is, be true to yourself.  You don't have to be someone you are not.  Thumbs up for this movie.  Robin Williams excels.

Voice Cast:

Robin Williams as The Genie

Scott Weinger as Aladdin

Linda Larkin as Princess Jasmine

Jonathan Freeman as Jafar

Gilbert Gottfried as Iago

Douglas Seal as Sultan

Frank Welker as Abu (Aladdin's monkey), Cave of Wonders, Raja (Jasmine's tiger)

Brad Kane as Aladdin (singing voice)

Lea Salonga as Jasmine (singing voice)

Return Of Jaffar.  King of Thieves

Musical Review: ****^Newsies

No I did not see this live, but I came home and was told to watch it via Amazon.  Man was this a fun ride.  The Disney musical adds some characters which really adds to the story.  It also turns the story from being about just the Newsies, to a children's crusade in general.  And the sparks were there between Jack Kelley (Jeremy Jordan) and Katherine (Kara Lindsay.)  I was waiting for the love song, and it didn't disappoint.  My son and his wife sang this a couple years ago in a Broadway Review.   (They weren't yet engaged.)  Music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Jack Feldman. This is a show my kids have loved since it appeared on television so many years ago.  The girls have taken their turns dressing up as Newsies.  I know Natalia, Ty and Miranda have seen a live performance in Seattle.
This is a great show and I have really enjoyed it.  It leaves you feeling good.

Movie Review: ****^ Beauty and the Beast (2017)

This is a classic made even more so by this version.  Emma Watson as Belle does well, and Dan Stevens as the beast, with his booming bass voice is stupendous.  I don't like that they cut the songs of Gaston (Luke Evans) for the most part.  Josh Gad played LeFou, and Kevin Kline plays Belle's father Maurice.  Of the animated characters Ewan McGregor plays Lumiere, Ian McKellan portrays Cogsworth and Emma Thompson, Mrs. Potts.  the part of the film that had me in tears was as Mrs. Potts sang the classic song "Beauty and the Beast."  As the couple danced and Emma Thompson sang, it is one of those Disney moments to cherish.  It seems there is at least one such moment in all the Disney musicals.  Also of note is Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe.  At the beginning of the movie, she intones a beautiful song.  She is turned into the wardrobe.  there are four original songs in the movie.  Consequently the additional songs from the musical were left out.  Alan Menken returned to write the additional music.
This is a must see.  It seems they left out some of the Gaston stuff I would have liked to have seen.  I think they didn't want his character to be lovable at all.  In fact when he fell at the end of the movie, a child said "Ha ha" and people laughed.  And yes, Emma Watson was beautiful as Belle.  She had the touch of pizazz that this character needs.

Disney Movie Review: ***^Hercules (1997)

Not the best Disney, I must admit.  Hades' side kicks were just too obnoxious.  However that one song, "Go the Distance" makes this a worthwhile experience.  It was sung by Roger Bart even though Hercules was voiced by Tate Donovan and Josh Keaton.  Meg, his love interest is played by Susan Egan, and she also sings the song, "I Won't Say (I'm in Love)."  In this movie Hercules must save the day, but this is after he gives away his heroic strength to save Meg.
The love interest plays a good part in making this movie enjoyable.  Alan Menken wrote the music.  Charlton Heston also has a cameo part.

****Disney Movie Review: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

This is an animated musical version of the Hunchback of Notre Dame a Victor Hugo story.  The Hunchback, Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) looks down on the city, but never is able to join in because of his confinement to Notre Dame, put on him by his master Frollo, the Minister of Justice (Tony Jay).  Frollo is obsessed with ridding the city of gypsies.  Frollo resents the sanctity of the Church, but had been forced to accept it when he killed Quasimodo's mother, a gypsy, and wanted to do the same with Quasimodo.  the Archdeacon (David Ogden Stiers) had intervened.  One of the people Quasimodo watches is Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer (Demi Moore and Heidi Mollenhauer.  Frollo also watches her, and is filled with passion which haunts him.  The last character is the Captain of the Guard, Phoebus (Kevin Kline).  He helps her escape from soldiers harassing gypsies.  Quasimodo finally ventures out of the church on All Fools Day.  Esmeralda discovers him, and promotes him for King of Fools, thinking it is a good thing.  However the people tie him up, and start pelting him with fruit.  He cries for relief from his master, who insists there is a lesson be learned.  It is Esmeralda who shows compassion, and challenges the Minister, freeing Quasimodo.  The Minister orders her arrest, and the Captain reluctantly pursues her.  She enters the church to hide, and when he The Captain finds her there, insists she claim sanctuary.  In this way she spends time with Quasimodo, who helps her to escape.  The reaction from the minister is to burn the city looking for her.  He is obsessed.  Either she is his, or she is dead, he cannot see any other way.  The final can only be tragic with such obsessive compassion haunted the Minister.
The highlight of the movie is the song from Esmeralda as she prays for nothing for herself but for her people the down trodden:
Esmeralda
I don't know if You can hear me
Or if You're even there
I don't know if You would listen
To a gypsie's prayer
Yes, I know I'm just an outcast
I shouldn't speak to you
Still I see Your face and wonder...
Were You once an outcast too?

God help the outcasts
Hungry from birth

Show them the mercy
They don't find on earth
God help my people
We look to You still
God help the outcasts
Or nobody will

Esmeralda
I ask for nothing
I can get by
But I know so many
Less lucky than I
Please help my people
The poor and downtrod
I thought we all were
The children of God
God help the outcasts
Children of God

Alan Menken wrote the music with lyrics by Stephen Schwartz.  The production was nominated for several Academy awards including best music.  The colors of the show make this film a work of art.  they use stained glass, and colors of the street, and the fire very effectively.  Also effective are the miniature figures and scene the Hunchback produces. 

Musical Review: Tangled Soundtrack

This is the music from the Disney Musical Tangled.  The music was written by Alan Menken with lyrics by Glen Slater.  The story is based on the tale of Rapunzel by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.  I must admit, the song "I see the Light" I play over and over.  I find this song as enjoyable as the songs from "Frozen." 

All those days, watching from the windows
All those years, outside looking in
All that time, never even knowing
Just how blind I've been

Now I'm here, blinking in the starlight
Now I'm here, suddenly I see
Standing here, it's, oh, so clear
I'm where I'm meant to be

And at last, I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last, I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted

All at once, everything looks different
Now that I see you

All those days, chasing down a daydream
All those years, living in a blur
All that time, never truly seeing
Things the way they were

Now she's here, shining in the starlight
Now she's here, suddenly I know
If she's here, it's crystal clear
I'm where I'm meant to go

And at last, I see the light
And it's like the fog has lifted
And at last, I see the light
And it's like the sky is new
And it's warm and real and bright
And the world has somehow shifted

All at once, everything is different
Now that I see you

Now that I see you
This is the song that the main characters, Rapunzel (Mandy Moore) and Flynn Rider (Zachary Levi), sing while the are floating on the lake watching the floating lanterns.  I really don't care for the music of the old witch, (Donna Murphy) but Moore sings a couple other nice songs,
"When WIll My Life Begin" with a couple reprises and "The Tear Heals" which is very emotional.