I just watched something I’ve been wanting to see forever, The Making of Aladdin: A Whole New World hosted by  John Rhys-Davies. True parts of it did make it to the 2004 SE DVD and yes the animators do tell the same as they’ve done in the Making of book and again in interviews. But this making of documtentry took me back 16 years ago when Aladdin was the latested and greatest the Disney animation studios pulled out of their pencils. 

Download The Making of Aladdin: A Whole New World at Vinnie Rattolle’s blog

I came across a bunch of never before snaps from the 2004 premiere party of the DVD release at El Capitan. We see the famous faces of director Ron Clements, animator Adreas Deja and everyone of the voice cast except Brad Kane, Robin Williams and Jonathan Freeman.

scott weinger and linda larkin at 2004 dvd party

Some of the key guys behind Disney’s return to 2D feature film Princess and the Frog talk about the traditional way of making cartoons, with pencil and paper. Among the interviewees are Ron Clements and John Musker Princess’s directors and animation living legend Andreas Deja (supervising animator of Jafar)

While I had to settle with my first and probably snow globe, it was 50% off, Prince_Ali_Fan got the real goodies. A cast yearbook of Aladdin, the animation crew, specially the supervisions, seemed to have much fun drawing, re-drawing, re-drawing and re-drawing again over and over again. Specially the studio boss, the famous Jeffery “Shrek” Katzenberg, had the artists make constant changes in their drawings. Even the directors weren’t left alone as your’ll on see the images below. More scans at Aladdin Fan Livejoural Community.

The Disney Channel version of The Making of Aladdin: A Whole New World just appeared on YouTube. The picture quality is to be desired but still watchable. Hosted by John Rhys-Davies who would provide the voice of Cassim in the third and final film he narrates the documentary. We hear and see the directors/writers/producers, the supervising animators, lyricist Tim Rice and composer Alan Menken talk about the creation of the film.
Overall it doesn’t reveal anything that didn’t make it to the DVD but watching it is amazing. Watch even younger Ron, John, Glen and rest in the Making of The Little Mermaid hosted by Alyssa Milano.

The upcomming Ron Clements and John Musker traditional animation film “The Princess and the Frog” got a teaser site complete with teaser trailer. See and be amazed, her animation is more Mulan, Nani style a bit cartoonish but it’s classic hand drawn animation so who am I to complain. After she is animated by the one and only Mark Henn, the first princess he does the supervising animation for since Jasmine, I think.

The Princess and the Frog opens in one and a half years on December 25 2009.

The online copy Walt Disney Company’s annual investors report has the first image of John Musker and Ron Clements 2009 Disney Feature The Princess and the Frog.
Over that the Ultimate Disney forum people noticed the image resembles scenes varying from Peter Pan, the roof and door to Aladdin, Tiana’s pose. Indeed we’ve seen Jasmine in a similar pose looking at the sky thinking or remembering back in 1992.