Review: Arabian Adventure

Treacherous Caliph Alquazar (Christopher Lee), who has imprisoned his own soul in a mirror, learns that he can be defeated by the magical powers of the Rose of Elil. If he can get his hands on the Rose, he will attain ultimate power. When he finds out that Prince Hasan (Oliver Tobias) has the hots for his daughter Princess Zuliera (Emma Samms), and vice versa (despite never having really met!), he manipulates the Prince into searching for the Rose with the promise of the Princess’ hand in marriage. Meanwhile, the Rose is currently in the possession of a young scallywag street urchin named Majeed (Puneet Sira), who eventually joins up with the Prince (along with Majeed’s pet monkey). Milo O’Shea and John Ratzenberger play a couple of servile, sycophantic followers of Lee’s evil sorcerer, a shamelessly hammy Mickey Rooney plays a bizarre fellow inside a giant fire-breathing robot, and the late Capucine appears as a benevolent sorceress trapped inside the Rose. A young Art Malik (but still looking remarkably the same as he did in 1994), has his debut role here in a mere cameo as a guy named Mahmoud. Peter Cushing has a small role as an imprisoned holy man with the strangest name I think I’ve heard: Wazir Al Wuzara. Sounds like Dr. Seuss’ idea of an Arabic name, if you ask me.

These Arabian Nights/Ali Baba-type flicks aren’t really my thing, and I have to say that this 1979 film from director Kevin Connor (“From Beyond the Grave”, “Motel Hell”) and writer Brian Hayles (who sadly died before the film’s release) is a pretty corny affair. In fact, it seems to want to be more of a “Jungle Book” meets “Clash of the Titans” rather than anything terribly Arabian. Unfortunately, it hasn’t got the budget to cope, aside from terrific interior set design. The animation FX in particular, are pretty awful, and the whole thing has dated poorly. A decent sandstorm and fun brief appearances by Milo O’Shea (in a snivelling Peter Lorre kind of role) and Peter Cushing are the highlights (a young Emma Samms is very pretty, by the way), but even the title gives away just how nondescript this all is. I mean, we even get a genie in a freakin’ bottle (an appallingly animated one) and a magic bloody carpet. Stop-motion might be an archaic FX technique, but I have to admit, I really think this film could’ve benefited from Ray Harryhausen, instead of going the animation FX route.

 

It’s also especially tough to watch Cliff from “Cheers” play a weaselly guy named Achmed (or is it Akmed?). I mean, really? The great Christopher Lee gives the exact performance you expect him to as the chief villain. If, like me, you’re a fan, that’s not a bad thing as he plays an Arabian Fu Manchu, essentially. He has never given a bad performance that I’ve seen, nor does he ever give less than 100% in every role (Anyone else think he’d have made a great Darth Vader?). But let’s face it, the role’s not especially interesting, though he does refer to the kid as ‘Boy’ so often you’d swear he was the Tall Man, not merely ‘Tall, Dark, and Gruesome’.

 

Personally I think the film is spoiled for star power (though Puneet Sira is no Sabu) given how little the material deserves such talent. Strange cameo by Mickey Rooney, who seems to be channelling The Wizard of Oz, though he’s not exactly uninteresting (even though all he really does is cackle), just bizarre.

Kids might like it, and aside from the dodgy FX, the film looks great, and is certainly colourful. More scenes with the cute monkey would’ve helped.

Rating: C