Released theatrically as Arabian Knights, this animated feature was dismissed as an Aladdin ripoff. But here, as Paul Harvey might say, is the rest of the story. Legendary animator Richard Williams (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) nurtured this labor of love over a period of 30 years, only to ultimately have the film taken away from him. It was re-edited and re-dubbed (by, among others, Matthew Broderick, Jennifer Beals and Jonathan Winters) and songs were added. But vestiges of visual brilliance remain, particularly the Escher-like castle interior. Zig Zag, the evil sorcerer voiced by original cast member Vincent Price, recalls the Blue Meanies from Yellow Submarine. (K. Lee Benson)
The Thief and the Cobbler
(Miramax, 73 min., G, avail. Feb 18, $14.99) Vol. 12, Issue 1
The Thief and the Cobbler
Star Ratings
As of March 2022, Video Librarian has changed from a four-star rating system to a five-star one. This change allows our reviewers to have a wider range of critical viewpoints, as well as to synchronize with Google’s rating structure. This change affects all reviews from March 2022 onwards. All reviews from before this period will still retain their original rating. Future film submissions will be considered our new 1-5 star criteria.
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