IMDb > The Thief of Baghdad (1978) (TV)

The Thief of Baghdad (1978) (TV) More at IMDbPro »


Overview

User Rating:
5.2/10   166 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
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Director:
Writers:
Andrew Birkin (adaptation)
AJ Carothers (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for The Thief of Baghdad on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
23 November 1978 (USA) more
Plot:
A resourceful thief helps a handscome prince fight an evil wizard and win the hand of a beautiful princess. | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
User Comments:
I actually liked it a lot! more (1 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Roddy McDowall ... Hasan

Kabir Bedi ... Prince Taj
Frank Finlay ... Abu Bakar
Marina Vlady ... Perizadah
Pavla Ustinov ... Princess Yasmine
Daniel Emilfork ... Genie

Ian Holm ... The Gatekeeper

Terence Stamp ... Wazir Jaudur

Peter Ustinov ... The Caliph
Ahmed El Shenawi ... Kanishka (as Ahmed El-Shenawi)
Kenji Tanaki ... Lalitaditya
Neil McCarthy ... Jaudur's Aide
Vincent Wong ... Interpreter
Leon Greene ... Jaudur's Guard
Bruce Montague ... Police Chief
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Le voleur de Bagdad (France) (theatrical title)
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Runtime:
102 min | USA:100 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
Daniel Emilfork was dubbed. more
Movie Connections:
Remake of The Thief of Bagdad (1924) more

FAQ

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12 out of 12 people found the following comment useful.
I actually liked it a lot!, 10 April 2002
8/10
Author: Michael A. Martinez (aylmer666@juno.com) from Los Angeles, CA

When I was a kid, I regarded this version as in about the same league as The Sinbad Trilogy, with its exquisite Arabian locales and flashy costumes. Roddy McDowell and Kabir Bedi have good chemistry with Bedi as an expatriate Prince and McDowell as his comedic thief companion.

Although sometimes silly in terms of special effects and production values, this is a story genuinely well-told. I'd not call it a classic, but it is a great deal better than most other TV movies you'll run into. Just look at the cast with lots of great roles by those you wouldn't expect, with Ian Holm, Peter Ustinov, and Terence Stamp in unforgettable roles. Even future Star Trek babe Marina Sirtis (Councellor Troi) has her debut here as a busty harem girl.

Perhaps the best aspect besides the wonderfully addictive orchestral musical score, has to be the weird and trippy atmosphere inside the evil cave that Prince Taj has to explore to find the diamond. This whole sequence is definitely the strongest point of the film and is one of the best scare-sequences I've seen. Lots of creepy blue lighting, evil whispering sounds, hallucinations, etc. This, coupled with the extremely weird-looking giant green genie, make this a movie that you just can't miss if you're into escapist fantasy.

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