Oriental films: Disney's Aladdin, animated and live-action, and The Mummy trilogy on DVD and Blu-ray. Palace, souk and desert adventures for the family.
The oriental films in our range are set in the palaces, souks and deserts of a dreamed-of East. They are mostly adventure films and cartoons to watch as a family. They appeal to children as well as to adults who grew up with them. They are available on DVD and Blu-ray.
“Aladdin”, the Disney cartoon released in 1992, is set in the imaginary city of Agrabah. Its songs are by Alan Menken; in the French version, the genie is voiced by Richard Darbois, and in English by Robin Williams. The monkey Abu, the flying carpet and the parrot Iago accompany Aladdin. The song “Ce rêve bleu”, “A Whole New World” in English, won the Oscar for best original song.
In 2019, Guy Ritchie made a live-action version, with Will Smith as the genie. Mena Massoud plays Aladdin and Naomi Scott plays Jasmine. Jasmine sings a new song there, written for this film. The sets and costumes are inspired by the bazaars and palaces of the Middle East and India.
The “The Mummy” trilogy begins in 1999 with Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz. The adventure takes place in Egypt in 1926, around the high priest Imhotep, woken by mistake. Part of the film was shot in Morocco. “The Mummy Returns” follows in 2001, with the Scorpion King played by Dwayne Johnson, then “The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor” in 2008, which heads off to China. The range also includes “Le Réveil de la momie”, released in 2026.
The DVD plays on all players, even the oldest ones, and on many computers. Its picture suits small screens. It is the simplest format for a child’s bedroom or a car fitted with a player. Our DVDs are region 2.
The Blu-ray holds around five times more data than a DVD. The picture is in high definition, much sharper on a big television. A Blu-ray player also plays your DVDs, but a DVD player does not play Blu-rays. Our Blu-rays are region B.
The 4K Blu-ray offers the most precise picture: it has four times more dots than high definition. It needs a 4K player and a 4K television; a standard Blu-ray player cannot play it. Many 4K cases also contain the standard Blu-ray of the same film.
Finally, look at the back of the case. It shows the languages and subtitles, the running time and the extras, such as making-of films. A trilogy box set brings the three “The Mummy” films together in a single box, easier to store. Collector’s editions sometimes add a booklet or photos from the shoot.
Store your discs upright, like books, in their closed case. Stacked flat, the cases at the bottom crack. Keep them away from sunlight and radiators, whose heat can warp the discs. The original cases protect better than soft plastic sleeves.
Hold a disc by the edges and by the central hole. Fingerprints on the shiny side can make the picture skip. To clean it, wipe with a microfibre cloth from the centre outwards, in a straight line.
A light scratch does not always affect playback, as the player corrects some errors. If a disc skips, clean it before concluding that it is damaged. Do not write on the disc or stick a label on it: the ink and the glue can damage it. A lens-cleaning disc, played for a few seconds, also helps a player that reads badly.
After the film night, extend the journey with our oriental instruments or with the songs from our Arabic music section. Discover the whole oriental music and films range.
