The movie is called Arabian Nights, however the original name for the story was "Stories of 1001 Nights". And the whole story happens in Persia( Shahrzad was the name of the queen) and the story was originally written in Arabic( official language of Iran in that era).The story was supposed to be before Islam otherwise a lot of things would be different; But a lot of Islamic symbols are used in the movie. Alladin is an Arabic name and was not Chinese(as shown) same for Pricess Zubaida (again Arabic name) and not Chinese. The Story of Alibaba goes on in Baghdad and not Damascus. Harun-Al-Rashid was in Iran( Khorasan) and definitely after Islam. I know he was not in the story.

Since much is made in Arabian Nights of a cliffhanger ending that keeps you wanting more, it's ironic that after being thrilled by part one of Arabian Nights, Part 2 was not shown in New York when a war between ABC and Time Warner caused the ABC station to go off the air the night part two was supposed to air. I've been seething about it ever since, but at long last I have seen the whole thing (on the sci-fi channel, even though there's nothing remotely science fiction about the Arabian Nights) and I am thrilled.Arabian Nights is one of the best of those elaborate, special effects-laden fantasy TV movies Robert halmi Sr. has been producing since the success of Gulliver's Travels. The bookend story of the original book has been expanded, so the loose-knit collection of stories feel tightly woven together by the urgency of Scheherazade's plight. The stories themselves are wonderful, beautiful and magical and displaying the amazing sort of imagination one sees in the movies of Hayao Miyazaki. The movie is less star-studded than a lot of Halmi's films, or at least, many of the stars, being of eastern or African origin, aren't famous in the U.S., although for all I know they are all huge stars somewhere in the world. The cast is marvelous, particularly Mili Avital as Scheherezade and John Leguizamo in two very funny roles as as the movie's genies (although the genie of the lamp is a bit too hard to understand).This movies that is so amazing that it seems a shame it's TV movie status means it gets less notice than some inferior Hollywood fantasy. It is a must-see movie.

I saw this on free to air tv tonight and thought it was excellent. It moves along quickly but manages to explore each story nicely. The costumes and set pieces are wonderful, and the mood is set well.If Disney has done nothing else it has butchered the stories of old cultures... Aladdin was not originally the story of a persian peasant with a pet monkey and an eccentric genie. Aladdin was a chinese fable, and was never as child friendly as it became. I like that they have told the original tellings (of most of the stories anyway) rather than regurtitate the disney versions

The movie was a real turnon. I thought the costumes were Realistic for the period. The story though an old one is timeless. I truly enjoyed it . I have a few of Vanessa Maes CDs and appreciate her violin expertese.I had no idea she was so pretty. And young.