Review: Aladdin (1986)
A ‘modern’ update of the tale in which a Miami teenager named Al Haddin (Luca Ventanini) finds a lamp in a junk store, conjures up a burly genie (Bud Spencer) and gets his every wish granted. This genie seems particularly adept at beating people up, including cops and mobsters. I bet you didn’t know Cannon Films made their own version of “Aladdin” in 1986 with spaghetti western star Bud Spencer as the genie (Looking like latter-day Steven Seagal. You won’t be able to un-see it now). Well now you know. Amazingly, it’s actually harmless and cute if obviously cheap...and don’t even get me started on the theme song. Bud Spencer is amiable as the genie. He’s not exactly the most fluent English speaker but he gets the job done and it’s fun seeing him in something a little different and a bit goofy. He’s the chief attraction here for me at least. I must say I thought American-born Luca Ventanini was annoying as hell in the title role and pretty charmless. So that is a bit of a debit.