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Aladdin Rips Off Buster Keaton


While watching Aladdin, with all its cultural references and imitations by the genie of famous figures from Western culture, I think one went uncredited. At one point an evil sorcerer fires Aladdin off in a tower like a rocket ship. It lands on a hillside and starts rolling towards him once he is out of it. At one point it looks as if he will be crushed, but it turns out the part that rolled over him contained an open window so he escapes. This is a direct steal from Buster Keaton, who did this in several films, most notably in Steamboat Bill Jr. where a whole house front fell on him. This particular shot has been imitated countless times. Something similar also appeared in the premiere movie of Emergency!, where it looked like Nurse Dixie was crushed by a car only the broken windshield saved her. Just sayin' this was done often before Aladdin. Even if Buster Keaton didn't do this first (which as far as I know he did), he did it best.

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