Umar Mansoor Bajwa It was really a feast for my eyes to watch this wonderful, amazingly interesting, magically charged Arabian Nights adventure after so many years. I really enjoyed it and felt the beauty of the golden age of Hollywood unleashing before me like some dream come true. This is a superb Technicolor movie sporting special effects of those seminal times of motion picture technology. The story and the plot is extremely well scripted and filmed. The characters of Jaffar, Princess and the thief played by Sabu, all perfectly get under the skin of their respective roles. Considering the year 1940, it was a far cry for even big Hollywood productions like Casablanca(1942) and Citizen Kane (1941) to be filmed in Technicolor. The special visual effects are more catchy, attractive and thrill oriented than those filmed today with computer aided technology of the 21st century. I, therefore pay my glowing tributes to the producers and directors who endeavored to magically enthrall their audience well over half a century ago. The bewitching music score by Miklos Rozsa adds stymieing ambiance to this fine episode of One Thousand and One Nights. A must see for all the sci-fi crazy generation of this computer graphics age.

lagudafuad The Thief of Bagdad is a 1940 British fantasy film classic remake of a 1924 classic of the same name. The movie is magical, each scene is inviting and you will love the whole effects used (that is if you are viewing it from the eye of someone from the 40s). Here is where the whole blue screen effect started, and if you are like me who watched Disney's Aladdin and liked it, you will love to see where Disney got their idea from.It won't be fair if anyone goes on listing fantasy films and skip this classic, this was one movie that I remembered watching when I was young when my lovable aunt introduced me to the love of movies, this movie made me wish I too had a flying carpet. Sabu, who played Abu in this movie, did not put up much of a classic acting that many say made him famous, but he was not that bad either to me the actor that stole the show was Conrad Veidt who played Jaffar.The movie plot is about a Prince named Ahmed (John Justin) who got fooled by his most trusted advisory Jaffar to leaving the palace and seeing life how life is on the street first hand. While there Jaffar had Ahmed arrested as a mad man and planned to kill him, while he Jaffar mounted the throne.But in prison Ahmed met a resourceful thief named Abu and together they broke out of jail.On their getaway, Ahmed got to meet and fall in love with a beautiful princess that Jaffar had eyes for and so Jaffar did all that he could to get Ahmed out of the way, and Ahmed with the help of Abu did all that they could to save the princess, which include meeting a Genie, getting a magic carpet and a crystal that can show you anything you want.This British classic made use of the best of the best in effects in the 40s it won the Academy Awards for Cinematography, Art Direction and Special Effects. The Thief of Bagdad marks the first major use of bluescreening in the film industry, all due to Larry Butler who introduced and pioneered it.This movie has greatly influenced many other movies after it's time especially those released about The Book of One Thousand and One Nights tales, let's not forget Disney's Aladdin and its franchise and The Prince of Persia video game franchise. The movie stands strong on a 100% approval rating on the critic aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes, and it was a critical and commercial success. So if you have not seen this wonderful tale that happened down in Bagdad, about how a Prince and a thief took on the evil sorcerer Jaffar so as to save the beautiful Princess; then where have you been? Take the time out to go see this movie you will be glad you did.www.lagsreviews.com

Leofwine_draca "They don't make 'em like this anymore". It's a clichéd and overused phrase, but one which stands true – especially when spoken of a film like THE THIEF OF BAGDAD. This glorious fantasy piece, filmed in a Technicolor which has never looked so good, is a movie which is effectively the ultimate Arabian adventure. Evil viziers, deposed kings, genies in bottles, flying horses and carpets, huge palaces, swordfighting and much more besides – THE THIEF OF BAGDAD sets the template for many a fantasy film to come with special effects which even hold up today.Even though the film's now over seventy years old, it remains hard to fault. The screenplay and dialogue (by Miles Malleson, who also appears as a delightfully childish sultan) are old-fashioned in the best sense and designed to appeal to the child in all of us. The heroes are decent (John Justin), the villains are wicked (Conrad Veidt is particularly dastardly) and the princesses are beautiful (June Duprez). Best of all is Sabu (THE JUNGLE BOOK), the Indian boy star who just happened to be one of the most charismatic actors of his era. No wonder he made it so big. As a film, THE THIEF OF BAGDAD is hard to beat.

tomgillespie2002 Co-directed by Ludwig Berger, Michael Powell and Tim Whelen (along with three uncredited co-workers, Alexander Korda, Zoltan Korda and William Cameron Menzies), this lavish fantasy-adventure tells the tale of blind beggar Ahmad (John Justin), who spins a yarn about his life as king before the evil current king Jafar (Conrad Veidt), usurped his place and left him desolate. The story is told in flash backs, and follows his story beginning with his incarceration by jafar, where he meets Abu (Sabu). They escape and go on a quest to regain Ahmad's' rightful place as king.Filmed in technicolor, the sumptuous visuals are exacerbated by the stark, beautiful colours. It has been hailed by the likes of Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola as a masterpiece. It is a very beautiful fantasy. It reminded me of a contemporary travelogue, that shows its mystical, exotic landscapes for an untraveled spectator - although, this is clearly fantasy environments, and was not filmed on any locations except for sets. It also reminded me of the fantasy films of my childhood such as the Sinbad and Jason and the Argonauts adventures, sans Harryhausens fantastic monsters. The simple tale of redemption and fundamental achievement against evil is a story over told. However, with the cinematography and set pieces, this film is pure unadulterated delight. It genuinely is the perfect Sunday afternoon movie. (Although John Justin's diction and general performance does begin to grate).www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com