1001 Nights (1990)

Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Story (or lack thereof) in a nutshell: The young, beautiful virgin Sheherazade (Catherine Zeta-Jones, in her film debut) embarks on an adventure through the legends of the 1001 nights. Aided by a genie living in 1990 London who watches her through his TV, she meets all the great heroes and kings, when she's not getting stripped completely naked, that is.Badly dubbed, badly directed, & badly funded, this underwhelming take on the 1001 Arabian Nights is of interest only for the chance to see a very young Catherine Zeta-Jones in her film debut, and seeing her completely naked at least 3 times. Zeta-Jones was barely 21 when she made this, and like I said, it is only of interest for seeing her appealingly pleasant, curvy body unclothed at various points - such as when her clothes fly off of her when she endures a great fall and the completely naked young lady falls into the lap of a drunken Sinbad the Sailor.

This is a retelling of the story of Scheherezade and the 1001 nights. All of the famous heroes of the 1001 Nights are shown to be quite different than the heroes they are portrayed as. That and the fact that the Genie is a 20th century man who keeps appearing in 8th century Arabia with a 20th century bag of tricks is what makes for the humor. It is not hysterically funny humor, but it is effective satire. This is Catherine Zeta-Jones debut film... and you can't take your eyes off her! Not only is she beautiful, but she has charismatic presence.... this is a star-making role for her. I saw this film on Japanese TV... in English. It was so entertaining that I tried to buy a copy. One can find VHS copies dubbed in German (Amazon.de). It is also possible (but more difficult) to find English on eBay...As for why the film is so difficult to find, considering the star and director.... I would guess that it is hard to find for the same reason it is hard to find a copy of Ecstasy with Hedy Lamarr....

**spoiler warning**this movie is a great movie to watch, seeing catherine zeta jones in her first movie was even better - the film tells the story of sheherazade and the famous kings etc. this film is a top buy but is hard to find on video in UK. 10/10 top film

Part 1 is amusing, though seems a tad long, along the way - but hold on! Watch out and keep pace with this comedy as it crescendoes hilariously all the way to the end. Though part 11 also takes quite a while to see - it makes it well worth any waiting in the end.Enjoy the light look and feel, but keep your eyes and ears peeled and ready for highly entertaining spot on laugh lines bouncing off the international cast of comedians, all ready to play a line from their own neck of the woods and backgrounds.Especially recommended for anyone with some personal knowledge of people with excellent English manners, or those with lively Arabic temperaments and sense of time and place: be ready to hold on to your belly as you laugh!