Expected more

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

The acting in this movie is really good.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

I generally agree with most of the former reviews that Arabian Adventure is a cheaply-made, decently made story about a wicked sultan(I think) played with gusto by Christopher Lee who wants to basically take over the world. In order to do so he must gather some cheap-looking rose that is protected by three mechanical, very unconvincing robots that look like some kind of bizarre animals. The story is all over the place at times, little exposition or character depth is painted, and the acting is not great. Lee is good but knows what he is working with. We also get Milo O'Shea as his toadie...he hasn't much to work with either but is entertaining. Emma Samms plays a hidden princess and prize to whomever can retrieve the magical rose. She is beautiful if nothing else(and you get virtually nothing else from her!) Her "boyfriend" Oliver Tobias, on the other hand, as the hero is as wooden as they come. His acting range goes from 1 to 2. Capucine and Peter Cushing have cameos as does Mickey Rooney. The three are pleasant spots in this film. Cheer's John Ratzenberger plays one of Lee's henchman in an early performance, and he is very noticeable with his accent and look being very out-of-place in this film. The young boy with the monkey who befriends Tobias, gets a date(not the female or male variety but the fruit kind)(again I think) that turns into a magic non-red sapphire which houses a woman that grants him three life protecting wishes is played very nicely by Puneet Sira. He has some presence on film and a great "little" voice. Director Kevin Connor works well despite the budgetary concerns. some of the special effects, for 1979, are pretty decent. The flying carpet scenes are generally good. I liked the layout of Lee's labyrinth of evil, if you will, and thought the village scenes were nicely done too. Yes, the story is childish, the acting amateurish generally, and the production values less than stellar but Arabian Adventure has heart which is something you don't always get but should always expect when creative peoples get together to make art. It also is another film where Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing are together - though do not share a scene. I think the only film after this one where they are in the same film is House of Long Shadows.

Director Kevin Connor shot a nice movie for 4.000.000 US$: Arabian Adventure. If one keeps in mind that this film was produced a long time before CGI and for such a "low" budget (if one compares is with other ones), one could say that this film is really successful and a great fun to watch.The story is a simple fairy of Arabic nights and one night. A young hero loves the attractive daughter of a bad magician. To marry this young lady he has to find a talisman and bring it to the father of this princess. Some of his friends help him to do this job, but one of this "helpers" is a traitor. After a long journey, a lot of dangers and fights he marries his princes and everybody is happy ...The actors aren't that good, many of them haven't a lot of experience and in those days the stunts were not as successful as they are today. But all in all they were OK.If the team had the technical possibilities of today, the special effects would have been quiet good. But for those days, they were really successful.The set-design and the clothes were really very good. One can't say anything against them.I highly recommend this film to all fairy fans. The film keeps what the title promises, it's a real Arabian Adventure.

this film is pathetic the acting (if you could call it that is cardboard and predictable) the plot again is predictable and so clichéd (with no real attempt to even disguise the cliché). I didn't know that thieves had cockney accents in 'arabia'. what makes it even worst is that all the actors are supposed to be Arab but just have lots of fake tan on. it looks like everything from every fantasy and storybook has been thrown into a bag and pulled out in some random order. the story doesn't seem to focus on one magic thing to the next this is too dull a film to mention in fact i couldn't get through the whole thing without giving up and deciding that this is a wholesale waste of my time. i was very surprised to see that this film had been made in 1979. i mean, star wars had been made by then, Indiana Jones wasn't far off. jaws had been made and yet the effects in this film are pathetic. i could not justify giving this film any more than a one as a rating.

I LOVE THIS MOVIE!!!...Yet I haven't been able to find a copy of it for years.. As a child I watched this movie constantly, esp' due to my love of LEE..And it has remained as a special movie to me. It seemed to be one of those movies back then, that was one of the newer 'style' movies in the late 70's (effects and stuff)..so back then i just loved it..It's a true fantasy!! I think most children would absolutly love this film..though if i saw it now, i'd proberly laugh at the effects! But no one i've met has ever heard of it..I think it's a hidden gem..hopefully not lost forever!!!