Ten Observations made while watching the Thief of Baghdad:
- A man claimed that he had 365 wives
- Jafar represented an evil figure in film
- Swords and violence
- Dog who was once a thief
- Head Scarves and Hijabs
- Foreign clothing and attire
- Palaces
- Weird “Oriental” Music and phrases like, “You must be careful in Baghdad.”
- Giant Genie
- Big Elephant who was wearing fancy fabric
Ten Observations of the Giant Genie in the Thief of Baghdad:
- Giant Genie is a human
- Giant Genie has a loud and powerful voice
- Giant Genie has long nails that look like claws
- Giant Genie has long black hair
- Giant Genie has a green colored face
- Giant Genie has brown skin differing from the other characters in the film
- Giant Genie is wearing red undergarment fabric
- Giant Genie has bushy black eyebrows
- Giant Genie has pointed ears
- Giant Genie grants Abu three wishes
While watching the film Thief of Baghdad, many questions arose in my mind but one particular question that made me truly think was: Why are genies associated with Arab culture?
As an Arab, when I think of my culture, I am reminded of delicious Mediterranean food, the aroma of Arabian oud, the breath of unity between all Arabs, yet genies, especially green-faced ones do not cross my mind.
Throughout the melodramatic scenery displayed in the film, the Arabic mythology of the Genie made me question my own culture. When I think of the term “Genie”, I am reminded of the word “Jinn”, which represents a spirit that is capable of evil and physical harm to a human being. The term “Jinn” is most prominent in Islam and can be described as demons and evil spirits. Aside from the masculine heroes portrayed in the movie the genie resembles a giant human who has the power to grant wishes. In the film, Abu was given three wishes by the Giant Genie and this signifies the representation of genies by the West. In Western culture, genies are always represented as mythical creatures who live in a small lamp and have the capability to grant wishes. In the movie Aladdin and the book Arabian Nights, similar comparisons can be identified when watching the film Thief of Baghdad. In Aladdin, Abu is the monkey, but in the film Abu is the dog who was once a thief. In the film, Ahmad is the man who resembles Aladdin and is trying to gain his power back from the evil Jafar.
The genie, although it may not seem harmful, plays a big stereotypical role in Arab culture. In Europe and other Western countries, depictions of the Orient and its meaning influence the way many perceive the Arabian world. When it comes to something as simple as a Genie, many people now associate this term with Arab culture because of history. By displaying Arabs as lucky people who are granted wishes, it seems as if Arabs are powerless.
This question of why Genies are associated with Arab culture made me think of colonialism. When writers and academic scholars began reading old Arab folktales, they were able to create their own interpretations of Arab culture. These misconceptions are what originally led to a misrepresentation of our people, our culture, and our daily actions. Although genies derived from jinns, they were a made up creature by these Western writers; they are the ones to blame for the “Orient”.
