Arabian Adventure
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Founder | Kevin Connor (director), John Dark (producer) |
| Headquarters | United Kingdom |
| Products | Fantasy adventure film |
Arabian Adventure is a British fantasy adventure movie from 1979, directed by Kevin Connor and featuring performances by Christopher Lee and Oliver Tobias.
Premise
The storyline follows an evil caliph who promises his daughter's hand in marriage to any prince who can successfully complete a dangerous mission involving a magical rose. With the help of a young companion and an enchanted flying carpet, Prince Hasan confronts genies, fiery beasts, and perilous marshes as he strives to win Princess Zuleira's favor.
Cast
- Christopher Lee portraying Caliph Alquazar
- Milo O'Shea as Khasim
- Oliver Tobias in the role of Prince Hasan
- Emma Samms as Princess Zuleira
- Puneet Sira playing Majeed
- Peter Cushing as Wazir Al Wuzara
- Capucine in the role of Vahishta
- Mickey Rooney as Daad El Shur
- John Wyman portraying Bahloul
- John Ratzenberger as Achmed
- Shane Rimmer in the part of Abu
- Hal Galili as Asaf
- Art Malik playing Mamhoud
- Milton Reid as Jinnee
- Elisabeth Welch portraying Beggarwoman
- Suzanne Danielle as Eastern Dancer
- Roy Stewart in the role of Nubian
Production
Arabian Adventure represents the fifth and final fantasy film collaboration between producer John Dark and director Kevin Connor, following earlier works like The Land That Time Forgot and Warlords of Atlantis. Unlike the initial three films, which were based on Edgar Rice Burroughs' novels, this film features an original script written by Brian Hayles, crafted specifically to evoke an Eastern fantasy theme. Despite having the highest production budget among the series, it achieved the lowest commercial success. The movie draws inspiration from traditional Arabian Nights stories such as The Thief of Bagdad, showcasing intricate set designs, costumes, and special effects like flying carpets.
As part of EMI Films' policy under Michael Deeley and Barry Spikings, American studios were required to cover half of the production expenses. Arabian Adventure was included in a package of six films co-produced with prominent US companies including Columbia Pictures and Orion Pictures. It was among Orion's initial releases alongside films like A Little Romance and 10. Filming took place primarily at Pinewood Studios in the United Kingdom during September 1978.
Christopher Lee returned to British film for this project, attracted by Hayles’ screenplay that combined elements of romance, fantasy, and suspense. Unfortunately, Brian Hayles died during production shortly after delivering a draft for a follow-up project involving pirate ghosts.
Reception
The Guardian remarked that while the flying carpet sequences provided some enjoyment, the screenplay itself was lacking.
External links
- Arabian Adventure on Letterbox DVD
- Review at Cinema Retro
- Articles with short description
- 1979 films
- 1970s fantasy adventure films
- British fantasy adventure films
- Films shot at Pinewood Studios
- Genies in film
- Films directed by Kevin Connor
- EMI Films films
- British Lion Films films
- Films scored by Ken Thorne
- 1970s English-language films
- 1970s British films
- English-language fantasy adventure films