"Stop making me enjoy this! I don't want to be enjoying this part! But I AM!" is Jeff Blim's specialty. It pretty much sums up his whole deal as a performer and composer.
Returning to the “other half” of Twisted might seem like a giant step down, but at the same time I feel like it’s important to acknowledge the humor in this show. Yes, Ja’Far’s story is incredible and the emotion in those lyrics can change lives by the tens of scores (pun intended), but… Dangit, funny show is funny! It might be a deep… DEEP chasm between the show’s sense of emotion and sense of humor but that’s just kind of the experience we signed up for. We like good stories just as much as we like silly meta jokes about the Walt Disney Company and small asses being torn up by tigers. So idk if there’s many more “excuses” to make for Twisted, per se, but I hope you can appreciate all of it like we do.
As an animator, enjoyer of old Disney animation and storytelling + lover of commentary on shit that's too true - This musical slaps! The humor is great and multilayered. The emotion hits as hard as it needs to. (Call me insane but I do like Twisted more than Epic the musical)
The fact that we see how Jafar got his wife immediately contrasted with how Aladdin tries to win over Jasmine (thank you Jasmine for helping me remember how to spell Aladdin)
For legal reasons, he is Not the copyrighted character Jafar. He is the completely different original character, Ja'far. (Aladdin comes from the original tale, which is public domain. And no-one ever says The Princess's name.)
Correct! Nor should you! _...when I have kids of my own I'll break the chain...so they'll never know the pain of being orphaned..._ SIR you *already* abandoned one kid with not!Jezebel with such flippancy that's there's very likely others also
He specifically says he’ll break the chain by living forever, not dying. You know, as opposed to any actual solutions to anything at all. God that line’s so overlooked but it’s one of my favorites
Twisted Aladdin is such a funny character omg he’s so poignantly a horrible person in a way that even like a decade later he still feels like a current character
There are so many amazing line deliveries just in this one part “Cuz my story’s just too saaaaaaad” “I think I turned out, PRetTy gOOOOOOOOD!.” “Unlike Aladdin, he probably had a family who loved him!!” “Yeah” “exactly ;-;” And then even smaller moments that crack me up. That little pose after “I’m gonna live forever Jasmine’s “UCH!” Like this is so unbelievable Starkid casts always put their all into their performances, I’ve never seen one that seemed phoned in.
Okay, I think you might have finished the musical by now, but Starkid is on the same vain as things like Discworld, The Hitchhiker's Guide, Mel Brooks, and so on. There's a lot of depth, but the silliness is just as important. You need the tonal shift, the contrast, the commentary, the absurdism. Without the humour, the message gets weaker, not stronger: that's why so many people remember Twisted more than they do actual tragedies. That's why Sondheim and William Finn break your heart in every musical. They know how to work with tone.
Yeah, I've said this before but it reminds me of movies like JoJo Rabbit or shows like Bojack Horseman- the absurdity of the hallucinations in JoJo and his silly childlike nature only serves to really deliver The Moment that really gut punches you, and Bojack did that every season- talking animals and an abundance of silly puns, but one of the most heart wrenching and realistic depictions of death and grief and addiction I've ever seen. Idk if Mortius's tone is just too hard for me to read, but sometimes it seems like he doesn't quite understand the satirical nature of a lot of the jokes? Like, he only likes it when he gets the direct disney references, but when it's poking fun at some people's surface level understanding of more complex things in the world it's too far.
definitely! if it's all sad? well then that's what it is. but when they make you perceive both characters and the entire show in a specific way just to then break the expectations they set for you? it hits hard. also a very big and noticeable part of both Trail to Oregon and Firebringer. some of the others are a little more subtle (by Starkid standards)
@sassafrasfruit idk, he might just not be used to it, this is also my first time experience something like this, though I do agree that when it comes to the jokes, he can take them seriously even though they're not, cuz you know, they're jokes, especially because jokes are a part of my whole life, because my life is one 🤡🤣
I've recently started reading Discworld and never had that comparison made before. I was stunned at the absolute heights of Pratchett's high fantasy, the way his magic system functions like eldritch nuclear power, the elaborate pantheon of deities and how that functions. Meanwhile there are real serious characters called stuff like 'Moist', or 'Carrot'. The high/low contrast is Shakespearean tbh - especially in the romances/problem plays. You get a scene of the main characters speaking in complex iambic pentameter about the A plot and their high stakes, and alternate with a scene of the low characters screwing around in a parallel b plot which mirrors/parodies the stakes of the a plot, but in easier to follow blank verse. In these two parts of Twisted, you get Ja'Far's high romance and tragedy with Scheherazade, played completely straight and flat out, immediately followed by Aladdin's ridiculous attempt to seduce the princess with a laughable 'tragic backstory'. The two songs play off one another. Ja'Far's tragedy is heightened and Aladdin's sillier.
Jeff is fantastic at playing the whole unlikeable to straight up evil character spectrum -- your only just scratching the surface. 🙃 loving these intro Starkid reactions btw.
His role in The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals is also amazing, tho arguably not necessarily "evil" per sé 😂 but yeah, his Aladdin is incredible, especially in act two with what we know will happen 👀
The tonal changes between devastating heartbreak to stupidly funny jokes is a big part of what makes StarKid so good, they navigate that mix really well.
4:23 I think one of the key factors in Starkid's comedy for Twisted, and why it works so well, is they don't just put a lil mustard on occasional jokes, but they really lean into slathering every single line Afaik "lampshading" has some negative connotations, but if there's a positive version of it, Twisted is a masterclass in that thing. You can practically hear the writers winking at the audience throughout lmao
It's wild to setup if I have kids I'll break the chain by...living forever so they're technically not an orphan. And not I'm going to make sure they're cared for.
Praxagora: I want all to have a share of everything and all property to be in common; there will no longer be either rich or poor; [...] I shall begin by making land, money, everything that is private property, common to all. [...] Blepyrus: But who will till the soil? Praxagora: The slaves. - “Assemblywomen” by Aristophenes
See that tragically tragic orphan? The one in the fez It seems so he says It's so unfair to be Orphaned at, 33 My brain thought it, now you all have to suffer it. See you Saturday afternoon!
I didn't suffer while reading, no title, so could not be misleading, now after reading I see: don't we all just wanna be free, like Aladin who was orphaned at 33?
hey aladdin! (yes?) uh, aladdin, i got something i must add in, the reason why well, why i can't stay here tonight and i know it isn't fair (i know why. because my parents are nowhere, and you feel sorry for me. well, isn't that right?) no, it's because this is all jafar's fault (oh princess, what's the password to your vault? we deserve each other, stay here, we can be free we deserve each other aren't i tragic?) orphaned at thirty-three! (right?) at thirty-three~~
1. This song grows on you because jeff's comedic delivery paired with his acting and vocal chops are bar none 2. I have been listening to your ep while writing. I love it a lot. Some great lyrics. but also it makes good background music (positive thing!). 3. Im really glad i discovered your channel this year and cant wait to watch your decent into starkid madness in the coming year. :)
Congratulations on your new album!! :D And lol, this show really does a great job of taking all the components of Aladdin's character and rearranging them to make a complete douchebag with ostensibly the same backstory. XD
I'd be lying if I told you I wouldn't enjoy seeing you rewatching part 3 and 4 :') Love the "foreshadowing much?" editing on "between right and wrong" x)
I love how you're still breaking down the mechanics of what works and why - instrumental sections, funny bits, etc - even when you're less than enthusiastic about the material.
You have no idea how much I needed this today. I just got home from my aunt's funeral. She passed away in the early hours of December 20 after 8 years of a grueling battle against ovarian cancer. Trying to support my dad, my cousins, and their young children while dealing with my own emotional turmoil has been such a challenge, and now I just want to laugh. So thank you for just being you. #TogetherinTeal 🩵
I thought this was Starkid’s only misstep in the entire production, naming this song ‘Orphaned at 33’ in the program. Change it to ‘Tragic back-story’, and cut the line before the song with his age. A Chorus Line had a similar situation with the song Dance 10, Looks 3, which was originally titled in the program ‘Tits and Ass’. But it’s just a minor note in an otherwise perfect Starkid show!
For a moment I thought the song had literally broken you, but then I realised I accidentally hit pause. Oh boy, I can't wait to see your reaction to the conclusion of this subplot.
I NEVER noticed the "just squatting" line from Aladdin here before. And I've seen this musical at least 10 times! There's always more to discover! Also I think that, someday, after you've seen all Starkid shows you want to see, you should watch a compilation of just Jeff Blim (Aladdin). He's an absolutely amazing singer, to the point they often have to alter songs he writes because the others can't sing it, but he's also entirely unhinged. He. He plays a sensual spider in one. Unfortunately a Harry Potter musical, but I do love him in that role.
This song is like an incredibly wrapped present, tied with a gorgeous bow--and inside there's a fart machine. The juxtaposition of incredible songwriting and delivery vs the absolutely batsh*t things Aladdin says, that's the beauty of it. 😂😊
If you like that fun musical build, have a listen to Proud of Your Boy from the Aladdin musical! it's a cut song from the film that they reused for the stage version and that's what this song is parodying:)
This musical has me laughing one minute and crying to the next. This is my first time experiencing this musical. Your reactions get better and better with each video. Your reactions have me cackling. Btw I am so excited for your final Epic reaction’s.
Got any specific examples? I feel like he was cracking up constantly so I don't get the "not getting the comedy parts" aspect. As for the parody bit, just because a show is a parody doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as a story in and of it's own right. The Cornetto Trilogy (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, At World's End) are all films that parody specific genres (buddy cop films, zombie apocalypses, sci fi and aliens, respectively), but they're also just great films in their own right. Maybe I'm not understanding your complaint but I feel like this is a pretty great reaction/commentary video as these things go... Again, if you have any examples or specifics?
@ @ in an earlier video he thinks jafar is going to turn out evil in the end and he also misunderstands Aladdin’s role in the show as mostly comedic at this point and takes him way too seriously
@@sassafrasfruit hardly. Homages are generally faithful nods to other works and are usually attempting to do the same thing as the thing they're referencing but are paying respects to it. Parodies obviously also make nods to other media, but very deliberately mock it in all sorts of ways... Just as an example, "have you ever fired your gun up in the air and gone 'ahh'?" "no, I have not ever fired my gun up in the air and gone 'ahh'..." and the entire rest of that scene makes half a dozen nods to buddy cop action scene set pieces, but the parody element is that they're pointing out how ridiculous those things would be for normal police to do. It's a reference sure, but it's absolutely not a homage...
@@jimmymdjjdnd7338 for the first point, I think that's just a misunderstanding of the Alice in Wonderland vs Wicked story retelling style Twisted is going for. If you didn't know the point is to give the villain a positive light and just assumed it's their side of the story, it's a reasonable assumption to make. As for the second, I think I gave a good example of how you can appreciate a bit of media as being both a parody and a story at the same time. While I don't wholly agree with your stance, I definitely understand the desire to see Mortius just accept that pretty much every character is here for comedic relief to some extent... (Though tbf this is also (afaik) his first time seeing anything by Starkid, so it might just be a mindset thing too idk)
I'm directing Twisted this year. So watching you react to this has been renewing my view of whats funny and what really needs a moment. Thank you for this 😂❤
Trust me as someone who's seen Twisted many times you're REALLY going to like Aladdin much less later on in the musical that's all I can say right now.
truly, i can't imagine the pain of going from living with your loving parents who bake you bread to having to steal it on your own, and now it has raisins in it too T_T
You've just made me have an epiphany that Dumb Masterpieces are my favorite genre! 😄 It's why I also love Bo Burnham. Goody, dumb, in immature humor...but also insightful and brilliant and breathtakingly clever. I think Twisted has that same vibe, and that's why I love it!
I highly recommend checking out the videos on Starkids channel, both to support them since it's great they upload their musicals in full on UA-cam for free, and also because reactions are always more enjoyable if you know the original material already 😉
Watching Jeff in this role again reminds me of his role in Holy Musical B@tman and now I need Mortius to watch that too. Just. Every Starkid show. Please. Trail To Oregon specifically too. And especially Ani bc as a non-Star Wars fan that show needs more love.
Brilliant or Stupid... that's the whole point of it isn't it 😂 A Very Potter Musical is still one of my favorite plays in all existence, for how eidicolous and over the top it is
@ LOOK, Kal is ARGUABLY WORSE and I HATE HIM but Aladdin is skeezy in a way that makes it uncomfortable to watch at times (and so he is written exactly how the writers wanted, kudos to them) Oh yeah Sam… Sam’s also pretty bad haha jeff has got a lot of these doesn’t he
@mortius I really want him to react to A Very Potter Musical, Starship, Holy Musical Batman, A VHS Christmas Carol, and Oregon Trail. I want to see all the reactions to those please!!! Love your reactions to this show! ❤❤😂😂😊😊
I love Oregon Trail but I do not think this man can handle PoopFart: the Musical. Sometimes you gotta feel out the right audience, and he is not the right audience, no matter how much I love my son *Craphole, yeah that's him, he's 7 and he's Male.* I could def imagine him reacting to specific scenes/songs, though! Independence for the rapid-fireness of it, World's at Stake for the emotions... I think Firebringer should be swapped for it, imo
I generally enjoy your reactions, but I'm confused why you keep saying 'I didn't want to like this part but I do' (paraphrasing). If, watching it, you genuinely don't enjoy the ridiculous parts then that's totally fair, but I don't know why you're going into them trying not to like them. Obviously the character of Aladdin is super icky and supposed to make the audience dislike him, but that doesn't mean you have to dislike every scene he's in. They made him yuck for a reason and its' coming across as intended, so sit back and let yourself enjoy the humour!
Do you know what the funny part is? You can be the orphan at 33. If you deerly love your parents, trying to do right for them and that the monent they died... you lost yourself in the past. But Aladdin case is worse of corse😊.
Hey dude, I would love to see more substance from your reactions. I'm sure you're meaning to do this in good faith but atm you're not really adding much to it and are showing pretty much all of the show. It seems like you have a lot of musical knowledge (the commentary on the last episode about the harmony lines in a thousand and one nights was great) so I'd love for you to delve deeper into that aspect as Twisted is extremely rich in references and although it is a comedy show it is very clever.
Have you watched any of Mortius's other reactions? To other series I mean. Because tbh I think Mortius is just having a really hard time with Twisted in particular because it's so comedic-leaning. If you watch the Hadestown, Epic or Six reactions, I've also noticed that he goes much more in depth on the analysis in those. Even the Hamilton reactions over on Open Arms reactions with Casper, those are very in depth too. I think maybe part of the struggle is that the things Mortius seems to value most in analysis are lyrical depth, recurring motifs and character sincerity. And the way in which Twisted is written is not in line with that, because its methodology is different. There aren't many recurring motifs, they do exist in Twisted but there are more recurring narrative themes than motifs. The lyrics do have depth, but I think because the characters are not sincere (even though the actors are and the writing is), Mortius either doesn't pick up on the depth- a lot of the lines are delivered like throwaway lines but come back to have narrative significance later- or does pick up on it but doesn't talk about it because he's not sure whether it's relevant or not. I think Mortius has internally created a false dichotomy between "comedic" and "important" when it comes to this musical, and the struggle comes from most of Twisted falling right in the middle of that Venn diagram.
@@heartbeat1198Yeah, it does bug me a little how he seems very dismissive of comedic moments, at times. One of the earliest scenes in the story is a character going "I know I seemed like a minor joke, but actually maybe you should pay a little more attention to those kinds of characters and moments." I'm very much enjoying the series, don't get me wrong, but that does irk me a touch.
@@heartbeat1198 I definitely agree that he has seemingly decided that the absurdity and comedic parts aren't as worthy of being enjoyed, since he keeps literally saying "I don't want to be enjoying this!" And I find it super confusing, since his favourite musical is Legally Blonde, which is literally about the fact that being unserious and putting value in things that may seem frivolous but bring us joy, doesn't diminish our abilities or accomplishments. I haven't watched his reactions to that, but does he make similar comments about "There! Right There!" or "Whipped into Shape"? To me it really seems like he isn't willing to buy into the world and go along for the ride, which makes me really sad, since he's actively denying himself joy. It would be one thing if he really wasn't enjoying the show, but instead it feels like he's holding himself back and not allowing himself to enjoy it. I hope this gets better as he goes on. If it doesn't, I'm not sure he should watch more Starkid, since he doesn't seem to be jiving with it, and stick with the stuff that he likes more.
@@lovemarlee I hope nobody takes any of my comments here as me shit talking Mortius, because that is not at all my intention here. I have been a fan since Epic reactions started and I have watched EVERY series since then that he and Casper have put out on all three of the channels. Btw the new EP is really good and everyone should listen to it and stream it to support Mortius. But yeah to answer your question, no not at all. And I think the difference is the characters. Elle, Orpheus, Odysseus, Alexander Hamilton, and all of the queens in SIX are very sincere. What I mean by that is that they have goodness in them that is explored in their respective musicals, and while they sometimes do bad things, they are shown to struggle with the morality of those actions and overall their depiction in the musical tends to lean more positive than negative. Mortius likes wholesome stuff, and while I think Starkid as a whole can be considered wholesome, there is a certain cynicism that comes with most parodies and I think that might be what he's not vibing with as much? And that's why the Jafar parts are the parts he enjoys most, because Jafar is played completely straight and he's the most sincere character on the show, whereas the others are kinda irredeemable assholes lol. Actually, the way Mortius is reacting in this series specifically reminds me of his reaction to Ann Boleyn's song in SIX. Don't Lose Your Head is one of the most popular songs from the show and Ann is one of the most popular characters, but while he appreciated the song from a musical perspective, he found it difficult to empathize with her and properly enjoy himself because she was Henry VIII's mistress while he was still married to Catherine of Aragon. I can't speak for Mortius, I don't know him personally at all, but yeah the way he talks in the songs about Aladdin in this really remind me of that reaction in particular. I don't think it's that he doesn't appreciate comedy. He loves There Right There and the Cabinet Battles and Haus of Holbein. I think if it comes across even slightly mean spirited he checks out of empathizing with that character. And Aladdin here is more than slightly mean spirited. I think if Mortius does any other Starkid stuff, Firebringer is probably the one I'd want to see. Because from my memory, I'd say that one is probably the most wholesome with the most characters you can root for.
@ I haven’t seen any of his other series, these are the first videos of his that have popped up for me. I agree with what your saying and fully agree with your last point of him having a false dichotomy. However, if he’s having trouble reacting with any depth to the show then I think he should either change the format so he’s not blind reacting and has watched it before hand and found things to talk about, or he just shouldn’t do this series. The way that he’s doing it at the moment is not transformative and I do not think it is fair use. I don’t think his intentions are bad or that he’s a bad reactor in general, but for this series it just isn’t good enough. I don’t want to come across as a “hater”, I’m being sincere and commenting this in good faith. Thank you for telling me that his other videos are more in depth, I’ll give them a watch ☺️
_'I don't know if it's a masterpiece... or really dumb-'_
NAILED IT, Starkid musicals are _stupidly great,_ with emphasis on stupid😂
It can take a great level of genius to act that stupid.
The “no high five” was an ad lib. He was raising his hand in greeting and she thought “you know what would be funny.”
That's amazing! 😂😂
I love watching Jim trying so hard not to break character
Every time I do rewatchs (many times) I love to look at Jim's face, they're trying so hard to not laugh
At least he remembered Achmed.... 😂
Underrated comment.
He actually kinda forgot Achmed tho
"Stop making me enjoy this! I don't want to be enjoying this part! But I AM!" is Jeff Blim's specialty. It pretty much sums up his whole deal as a performer and composer.
I don't think I have ever LIKED a single one of Jeff Blim's characters... but damn have I been enjoying his performances!
Behold! The most tragic backstory any Magic Kingdom protagonist has ever had. So sad.... so tragic...
Yes, truly a monster to have put them into this position…
What a victim of circumstance
@@four_girls_in_search_of_awesom victim??? tell that to baful's twin brother abdul
@@brodyquest02well, at least Abdul probably had a family that loved him /ref
@@AddyzilynRules Yes! Exactly.
Returning to the “other half” of Twisted might seem like a giant step down, but at the same time I feel like it’s important to acknowledge the humor in this show. Yes, Ja’Far’s story is incredible and the emotion in those lyrics can change lives by the tens of scores (pun intended), but… Dangit, funny show is funny! It might be a deep… DEEP chasm between the show’s sense of emotion and sense of humor but that’s just kind of the experience we signed up for. We like good stories just as much as we like silly meta jokes about the Walt Disney Company and small asses being torn up by tigers.
So idk if there’s many more “excuses” to make for Twisted, per se, but I hope you can appreciate all of it like we do.
I like the way you put this. 🙃 🙂
There are so many funny stories, so many sad stories, also so many funny sad stories, but the extremes they posit this story in is so unique
As an animator, enjoyer of old Disney animation and storytelling + lover of commentary on shit that's too true - This musical slaps! The humor is great and multilayered. The emotion hits as hard as it needs to.
(Call me insane but I do like Twisted more than Epic the musical)
Jeff Blim as Aladdin in this Musical is unironically one of my favorite comedy musical performances
and at *that scene*, horror
The fact that we see how Jafar got his wife immediately contrasted with how Aladdin tries to win over Jasmine (thank you Jasmine for helping me remember how to spell Aladdin)
For legal reasons, he is Not the copyrighted character Jafar. He is the completely different original character, Ja'far. (Aladdin comes from the original tale, which is public domain. And no-one ever says The Princess's name.)
"Two L's?"
"No, one L, two D's"
"Oh, that's weird"
😂😂😂
@@Matheus-ql7mn This one. This... Lladin...
yeah, It's weird
Correct! Nor should you!
_...when I have kids of my own I'll break the chain...so they'll never know the pain of being orphaned..._
SIR you *already* abandoned one kid with not!Jezebel with such flippancy that's there's very likely others also
He specifically says he’ll break the chain by living forever, not dying.
You know, as opposed to any actual solutions to anything at all.
God that line’s so overlooked but it’s one of my favorites
IM GONNA LIIIVE FOREVEEERRR 🎶 😂
@@MidnightNautil1 lmao hi Squid 👋
@@Okay_Is_Wonderful hehehe hi
Well, if he doesn’t DIE they’re not orphaned! Technically their father exists! He just. Sucks.
Wrong show, but: 'you are 16 going on 17' 'actually I'm 33'
lmost on the level of Sixteen Going On Seventeen on Shitty Broadway 😀
I know I look young, and I said I’m young, but I lied, I’m 33 /ref
SNL did a whole hilarious sketch on this premise lol
@@hanakoakamoto8919 “I turned 17 in 1918”
This reminds me of Katherine Howard
She's algo "going on 30"
Twisted Aladdin is such a funny character omg he’s so poignantly a horrible person in a way that even like a decade later he still feels like a current character
"I don't like him" Yep, that's the idea!
Right? He's the bad guy!
There are so many amazing line deliveries just in this one part
“Cuz my story’s just too saaaaaaad”
“I think I turned out, PRetTy gOOOOOOOOD!.”
“Unlike Aladdin, he probably had a family who loved him!!” “Yeah” “exactly ;-;”
And then even smaller moments that crack me up.
That little pose after “I’m gonna live forever
Jasmine’s “UCH!” Like this is so unbelievable
Starkid casts always put their all into their performances, I’ve never seen one that seemed phoned in.
Okay, I think you might have finished the musical by now, but Starkid is on the same vain as things like Discworld, The Hitchhiker's Guide, Mel Brooks, and so on. There's a lot of depth, but the silliness is just as important. You need the tonal shift, the contrast, the commentary, the absurdism. Without the humour, the message gets weaker, not stronger: that's why so many people remember Twisted more than they do actual tragedies. That's why Sondheim and William Finn break your heart in every musical. They know how to work with tone.
Yeah, I've said this before but it reminds me of movies like JoJo Rabbit or shows like Bojack Horseman- the absurdity of the hallucinations in JoJo and his silly childlike nature only serves to really deliver The Moment that really gut punches you, and Bojack did that every season- talking animals and an abundance of silly puns, but one of the most heart wrenching and realistic depictions of death and grief and addiction I've ever seen.
Idk if Mortius's tone is just too hard for me to read, but sometimes it seems like he doesn't quite understand the satirical nature of a lot of the jokes? Like, he only likes it when he gets the direct disney references, but when it's poking fun at some people's surface level understanding of more complex things in the world it's too far.
definitely! if it's all sad? well then that's what it is. but when they make you perceive both characters and the entire show in a specific way just to then break the expectations they set for you? it hits hard. also a very big and noticeable part of both Trail to Oregon and Firebringer. some of the others are a little more subtle (by Starkid standards)
@sassafrasfruit idk, he might just not be used to it, this is also my first time experience something like this, though I do agree that when it comes to the jokes, he can take them seriously even though they're not, cuz you know, they're jokes, especially because jokes are a part of my whole life, because my life is one 🤡🤣
You need a source of light to cast a shadow.
I've recently started reading Discworld and never had that comparison made before. I was stunned at the absolute heights of Pratchett's high fantasy, the way his magic system functions like eldritch nuclear power, the elaborate pantheon of deities and how that functions. Meanwhile there are real serious characters called stuff like 'Moist', or 'Carrot'.
The high/low contrast is Shakespearean tbh - especially in the romances/problem plays. You get a scene of the main characters speaking in complex iambic pentameter about the A plot and their high stakes, and alternate with a scene of the low characters screwing around in a parallel b plot which mirrors/parodies the stakes of the a plot, but in easier to follow blank verse.
In these two parts of Twisted, you get Ja'Far's high romance and tragedy with Scheherazade, played completely straight and flat out, immediately followed by Aladdin's ridiculous attempt to seduce the princess with a laughable 'tragic backstory'. The two songs play off one another. Ja'Far's tragedy is heightened and Aladdin's sillier.
Jeff is fantastic at playing the whole unlikeable to straight up evil character spectrum -- your only just scratching the surface. 🙃 loving these intro Starkid reactions btw.
Ah yes, we cannot forget the greatest evil... Jack Bauer the farmer...
His role in The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals is also amazing, tho arguably not necessarily "evil" per sé 😂 but yeah, his Aladdin is incredible, especially in act two with what we know will happen 👀
Orphaned at 33! Yay, the parody of my favorite deleted Aladdin song. I love that starkid referenced proud of your boy and is such a fun way too.
The tonal changes between devastating heartbreak to stupidly funny jokes is a big part of what makes StarKid so good, they navigate that mix really well.
4:23 I think one of the key factors in Starkid's comedy for Twisted, and why it works so well, is they don't just put a lil mustard on occasional jokes, but they really lean into slathering every single line
Afaik "lampshading" has some negative connotations, but if there's a positive version of it, Twisted is a masterclass in that thing. You can practically hear the writers winking at the audience throughout lmao
15:39 It's okay, no one remembers Achmed...
Unless you mention spotted underwear.
@@taylesia1 or tigers
15:36 He literally forgot Achmed!! Oh the irony!
It's wild to setup if I have kids I'll break the chain by...living forever so they're technically not an orphan. And not I'm going to make sure they're cared for.
The last song was technically present day as well. The flashback ended when the Sultan stole Scheherazade
Praxagora: I want all to have a share of everything and all property to be in common; there will no longer be either rich or poor; [...] I shall begin by making land, money, everything that is private property, common to all. [...]
Blepyrus: But who will till the soil?
Praxagora: The slaves.
- “Assemblywomen” by Aristophenes
See that tragically tragic orphan?
The one in the fez
It seems so he says
It's so unfair to be
Orphaned at, 33
My brain thought it, now you all have to suffer it. See you Saturday afternoon!
I didn't suffer while reading,
no title, so could not be misleading,
now after reading I see:
don't we all just wanna be free,
like Aladin who was orphaned at 33?
hey aladdin!
(yes?)
uh, aladdin, i got something i must add in,
the reason why well,
why i can't stay here tonight
and i know it isn't fair
(i know why.
because my parents are nowhere, and you feel sorry for me.
well, isn't that right?)
no, it's because this is all jafar's fault
(oh princess, what's the password to your vault?
we deserve each other,
stay here, we can be free
we deserve each other
aren't i tragic?)
orphaned at thirty-three!
(right?)
at thirty-three~~
Jeff Blim is the perfect amount of genuinely charismatic and unhinged for this
Welcome to silly songs with starkid, where starkid sings a silly song
🤣🤣🤣
surely all the songs are silly, forever and always
Thanks Archibald.
1. This song grows on you because jeff's comedic delivery paired with his acting and vocal chops are bar none
2. I have been listening to your ep while writing. I love it a lot. Some great lyrics. but also it makes good background music (positive thing!).
3. Im really glad i discovered your channel this year and cant wait to watch your decent into starkid madness in the coming year. :)
Say what you will about this song, but that "I'M GONNA LIVE FOREVER!!!" is lowkey one of my favorite Starkid song line deliveries.
Congratulations on your new album!! :D And lol, this show really does a great job of taking all the components of Aladdin's character and rearranging them to make a complete douchebag with ostensibly the same backstory. XD
I'd be lying if I told you I wouldn't enjoy seeing you rewatching part 3 and 4 :')
Love the "foreshadowing much?" editing on "between right and wrong" x)
I love how you're still breaking down the mechanics of what works and why - instrumental sections, funny bits, etc - even when you're less than enthusiastic about the material.
You have no idea how much I needed this today. I just got home from my aunt's funeral. She passed away in the early hours of December 20 after 8 years of a grueling battle against ovarian cancer. Trying to support my dad, my cousins, and their young children while dealing with my own emotional turmoil has been such a challenge, and now I just want to laugh. So thank you for just being you. #TogetherinTeal 🩵
I’m so sorry for your loss ❤
Jeff Blim is an absolute delight in this role.
Brilliantly dumb is probably the best way to describe Starkids comedies.
I thought this was Starkid’s only misstep in the entire production, naming this song ‘Orphaned at 33’ in the program. Change it to ‘Tragic back-story’, and cut the line before the song with his age. A Chorus Line had a similar situation with the song Dance 10, Looks 3, which was originally titled in the program ‘Tits and Ass’. But it’s just a minor note in an otherwise perfect Starkid show!
For a moment I thought the song had literally broken you, but then I realised I accidentally hit pause. Oh boy, I can't wait to see your reaction to the conclusion of this subplot.
4:30 that frame you paused on is perfection, I am absolutely losing it
9:10 maybe every frame you could pause on in this episode is perfect actually
I NEVER noticed the "just squatting" line from Aladdin here before. And I've seen this musical at least 10 times! There's always more to discover!
Also I think that, someday, after you've seen all Starkid shows you want to see, you should watch a compilation of just Jeff Blim (Aladdin). He's an absolutely amazing singer, to the point they often have to alter songs he writes because the others can't sing it, but he's also entirely unhinged. He. He plays a sensual spider in one. Unfortunately a Harry Potter musical, but I do love him in that role.
This song is like an incredibly wrapped present, tied with a gorgeous bow--and inside there's a fart machine. The juxtaposition of incredible songwriting and delivery vs the absolutely batsh*t things Aladdin says, that's the beauty of it. 😂😊
“Orphaned at 33” the punchline that keeps on punching…
From the guy who has at least one unborn child who he has no interest in
If you like that fun musical build, have a listen to Proud of Your Boy from the Aladdin musical! it's a cut song from the film that they reused for the stage version and that's what this song is parodying:)
I think the fact its dumb is the reason it's a masterpiece!
Act one finale, straight ahead!
10:06 Ha, Mortius (or I guess his editor) and I were thinking the same thing in that moment lmao!
This musical has me laughing one minute and crying to the next. This is my first time experiencing this musical. Your reactions get better and better with each video. Your reactions have me cackling. Btw I am so excited for your final Epic reaction’s.
This show is brilliant in every way. It’s flawless.
I love that Mortius is reacting to twisted but it’s painful seeing how hard he doesn’t get the comedy parts and that it’s a parody
Got any specific examples?
I feel like he was cracking up constantly so I don't get the "not getting the comedy parts" aspect.
As for the parody bit, just because a show is a parody doesn't mean you can't enjoy it as a story in and of it's own right. The Cornetto Trilogy (Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, At World's End) are all films that parody specific genres (buddy cop films, zombie apocalypses, sci fi and aliens, respectively), but they're also just great films in their own right.
Maybe I'm not understanding your complaint but I feel like this is a pretty great reaction/commentary video as these things go... Again, if you have any examples or specifics?
@ @ in an earlier video he thinks jafar is going to turn out evil in the end and he also misunderstands Aladdin’s role in the show as mostly comedic at this point and takes him way too seriously
@@Imperial_Squid The movies you gave as examples are more homages than parodies.
@@sassafrasfruit hardly.
Homages are generally faithful nods to other works and are usually attempting to do the same thing as the thing they're referencing but are paying respects to it.
Parodies obviously also make nods to other media, but very deliberately mock it in all sorts of ways... Just as an example, "have you ever fired your gun up in the air and gone 'ahh'?" "no, I have not ever fired my gun up in the air and gone 'ahh'..." and the entire rest of that scene makes half a dozen nods to buddy cop action scene set pieces, but the parody element is that they're pointing out how ridiculous those things would be for normal police to do. It's a reference sure, but it's absolutely not a homage...
@@jimmymdjjdnd7338 for the first point, I think that's just a misunderstanding of the Alice in Wonderland vs Wicked story retelling style Twisted is going for. If you didn't know the point is to give the villain a positive light and just assumed it's their side of the story, it's a reasonable assumption to make.
As for the second, I think I gave a good example of how you can appreciate a bit of media as being both a parody and a story at the same time.
While I don't wholly agree with your stance, I definitely understand the desire to see Mortius just accept that pretty much every character is here for comedic relief to some extent... (Though tbf this is also (afaik) his first time seeing anything by Starkid, so it might just be a mindset thing too idk)
I'm directing Twisted this year. So watching you react to this has been renewing my view of whats funny and what really needs a moment. Thank you for this 😂❤
starkid is very very good at what they do. it's just that usually what they do is very stupid
I enjoy watching the emotional whiplash Mortius goes through every ep, especially given that Twisted is also my fav starkid show.
Trust me as someone who's seen Twisted many times you're REALLY going to like Aladdin much less later on in the musical that's all I can say right now.
This song is genuinely comedic genius!! This and take of your clothes in act 2
Did not disappoint! This series makes me ridiculously happy
16:01 hey atleast you didn't forget achmed!
To be fair... his backstory is very sad
truly, i can't imagine the pain of going from living with your loving parents who bake you bread to having to steal it on your own, and now it has raisins in it too T_T
You've just made me have an epiphany that Dumb Masterpieces are my favorite genre! 😄 It's why I also love Bo Burnham. Goody, dumb, in immature humor...but also insightful and brilliant and breathtakingly clever. I think Twisted has that same vibe, and that's why I love it!
Why do I feel like mortius doesn't really understand the comedy of the show and the fact that twisted Aladdin is supposed to be unlikeable
I think he's just seeing his childhood movie get ruined in the most brilliant way 😂
It's ok Mortius, no one remembers Achmed
It's okay Mortius, no one remembers Achmed.
Kaleigh doing amazing work yet again!! Applause applause to you!
He just lost Abdul you heathen xD Ahmed is another guy you will meet soon! Again!
The fact this is the first time ever listening to twisted so I'm following Mortius on the journey.
I highly recommend checking out the videos on Starkids channel, both to support them since it's great they upload their musicals in full on UA-cam for free, and also because reactions are always more enjoyable if you know the original material already 😉
He's just squatting here
Truly a masterpiece can exist as dumb.
The character (Aladdin) is horrible, but the actor (Jeff Blim) is amazingly hilarious and talented
I believe that high five thing was improv? Or is that a fake story?
@@MewDenise it didn't happen at the show I attended, so seems plausible
I saw the song and went "oh uh"
Watching Jeff in this role again reminds me of his role in Holy Musical B@tman and now I need Mortius to watch that too. Just. Every Starkid show. Please. Trail To Oregon specifically too. And especially Ani bc as a non-Star Wars fan that show needs more love.
Brilliant or Stupid... that's the whole point of it isn't it 😂
A Very Potter Musical is still one of my favorite plays in all existence, for how eidicolous and over the top it is
13:18 it is indeed the point Mortius 😂😂😂
Mortius actually remembered Achmed too well lol
Don’t worry that he lost Achmed. They’ll remember him!
I NEED you to react to the Hatchetfield trilogy
Wouldn't it be funny if Mortius and/or Casper react to Peter Pan gone wrong? Just a suggestion
great video
I think of all Jeff’s characters, Aladdin is the one I hate the most 😅
@@MidnightNautil1 BESTIE, KAL & SAM EXIST
/t /aff
@ LOOK, Kal is ARGUABLY WORSE and I HATE HIM but Aladdin is skeezy in a way that makes it uncomfortable to watch at times (and so he is written exactly how the writers wanted, kudos to them)
Oh yeah Sam… Sam’s also pretty bad haha jeff has got a lot of these doesn’t he
@@MidnightNautil1 he's too good at it fr! And I'm certainly not minimizing the skeeziness here lol
@mortius I really want him to react to A Very Potter Musical, Starship, Holy Musical Batman, A VHS Christmas Carol, and Oregon Trail. I want to see all the reactions to those please!!! Love your reactions to this show! ❤❤😂😂😊😊
Oh I’d love to see him react to vhs Christmas carols
@MidnightNautil1 Mainly the one with Dylan Saunders as Scrooge! 😍❤️
I love Oregon Trail but I do not think this man can handle PoopFart: the Musical. Sometimes you gotta feel out the right audience, and he is not the right audience, no matter how much I love my son *Craphole, yeah that's him, he's 7 and he's Male.* I could def imagine him reacting to specific scenes/songs, though! Independence for the rapid-fireness of it, World's at Stake for the emotions...
I think Firebringer should be swapped for it, imo
I wanna see Mortius react to every single Starkid show, and the entirety of Nightmare Time 😂 😂 (not kidding tho)
@ mortius please react to nightmare time it’s so good
I'm so ready 😂
I keep missing the lives😭😭
You need to watch the guy who didn't like musicals if you haven't already!
No one remembers Achmed :(
i love it so much
He was trying to be angry and disappointed, but the video won the battle.
If you think this is something you have to watch A Very Potter Musical and the sequel
I generally enjoy your reactions, but I'm confused why you keep saying 'I didn't want to like this part but I do' (paraphrasing). If, watching it, you genuinely don't enjoy the ridiculous parts then that's totally fair, but I don't know why you're going into them trying not to like them. Obviously the character of Aladdin is super icky and supposed to make the audience dislike him, but that doesn't mean you have to dislike every scene he's in. They made him yuck for a reason and its' coming across as intended, so sit back and let yourself enjoy the humour!
16:28 I love you sad Robert Manion. You look like you need a hug
(my bad for all the comments, I like separating my thoughts)
❤
If you ever react to other starkid productions, i would suggest "The Organ Trails" or "Firebringer"
I would love to see you react to Starkid's A Very Potter Musical :) It is old, but so good and fun!
your playlist is out of order
Do you know what the funny part is? You can be the orphan at 33. If you deerly love your parents, trying to do right for them and that the monent they died... you lost yourself in the past.
But Aladdin case is worse of corse😊.
Hey dude, I would love to see more substance from your reactions. I'm sure you're meaning to do this in good faith but atm you're not really adding much to it and are showing pretty much all of the show. It seems like you have a lot of musical knowledge (the commentary on the last episode about the harmony lines in a thousand and one nights was great) so I'd love for you to delve deeper into that aspect as Twisted is extremely rich in references and although it is a comedy show it is very clever.
Have you watched any of Mortius's other reactions? To other series I mean. Because tbh I think Mortius is just having a really hard time with Twisted in particular because it's so comedic-leaning. If you watch the Hadestown, Epic or Six reactions, I've also noticed that he goes much more in depth on the analysis in those. Even the Hamilton reactions over on Open Arms reactions with Casper, those are very in depth too.
I think maybe part of the struggle is that the things Mortius seems to value most in analysis are lyrical depth, recurring motifs and character sincerity. And the way in which Twisted is written is not in line with that, because its methodology is different. There aren't many recurring motifs, they do exist in Twisted but there are more recurring narrative themes than motifs. The lyrics do have depth, but I think because the characters are not sincere (even though the actors are and the writing is), Mortius either doesn't pick up on the depth- a lot of the lines are delivered like throwaway lines but come back to have narrative significance later- or does pick up on it but doesn't talk about it because he's not sure whether it's relevant or not.
I think Mortius has internally created a false dichotomy between "comedic" and "important" when it comes to this musical, and the struggle comes from most of Twisted falling right in the middle of that Venn diagram.
@@heartbeat1198Yeah, it does bug me a little how he seems very dismissive of comedic moments, at times.
One of the earliest scenes in the story is a character going "I know I seemed like a minor joke, but actually maybe you should pay a little more attention to those kinds of characters and moments."
I'm very much enjoying the series, don't get me wrong, but that does irk me a touch.
@@heartbeat1198 I definitely agree that he has seemingly decided that the absurdity and comedic parts aren't as worthy of being enjoyed, since he keeps literally saying "I don't want to be enjoying this!" And I find it super confusing, since his favourite musical is Legally Blonde, which is literally about the fact that being unserious and putting value in things that may seem frivolous but bring us joy, doesn't diminish our abilities or accomplishments. I haven't watched his reactions to that, but does he make similar comments about "There! Right There!" or "Whipped into Shape"?
To me it really seems like he isn't willing to buy into the world and go along for the ride, which makes me really sad, since he's actively denying himself joy. It would be one thing if he really wasn't enjoying the show, but instead it feels like he's holding himself back and not allowing himself to enjoy it. I hope this gets better as he goes on. If it doesn't, I'm not sure he should watch more Starkid, since he doesn't seem to be jiving with it, and stick with the stuff that he likes more.
@@lovemarlee I hope nobody takes any of my comments here as me shit talking Mortius, because that is not at all my intention here. I have been a fan since Epic reactions started and I have watched EVERY series since then that he and Casper have put out on all three of the channels. Btw the new EP is really good and everyone should listen to it and stream it to support Mortius.
But yeah to answer your question, no not at all. And I think the difference is the characters. Elle, Orpheus, Odysseus, Alexander Hamilton, and all of the queens in SIX are very sincere. What I mean by that is that they have goodness in them that is explored in their respective musicals, and while they sometimes do bad things, they are shown to struggle with the morality of those actions and overall their depiction in the musical tends to lean more positive than negative. Mortius likes wholesome stuff, and while I think Starkid as a whole can be considered wholesome, there is a certain cynicism that comes with most parodies and I think that might be what he's not vibing with as much? And that's why the Jafar parts are the parts he enjoys most, because Jafar is played completely straight and he's the most sincere character on the show, whereas the others are kinda irredeemable assholes lol.
Actually, the way Mortius is reacting in this series specifically reminds me of his reaction to Ann Boleyn's song in SIX. Don't Lose Your Head is one of the most popular songs from the show and Ann is one of the most popular characters, but while he appreciated the song from a musical perspective, he found it difficult to empathize with her and properly enjoy himself because she was Henry VIII's mistress while he was still married to Catherine of Aragon. I can't speak for Mortius, I don't know him personally at all, but yeah the way he talks in the songs about Aladdin in this really remind me of that reaction in particular.
I don't think it's that he doesn't appreciate comedy. He loves There Right There and the Cabinet Battles and Haus of Holbein. I think if it comes across even slightly mean spirited he checks out of empathizing with that character. And Aladdin here is more than slightly mean spirited.
I think if Mortius does any other Starkid stuff, Firebringer is probably the one I'd want to see. Because from my memory, I'd say that one is probably the most wholesome with the most characters you can root for.
@ I haven’t seen any of his other series, these are the first videos of his that have popped up for me.
I agree with what your saying and fully agree with your last point of him having a false dichotomy. However, if he’s having trouble reacting with any depth to the show then I think he should either change the format so he’s not blind reacting and has watched it before hand and found things to talk about, or he just shouldn’t do this series.
The way that he’s doing it at the moment is not transformative and I do not think it is fair use. I don’t think his intentions are bad or that he’s a bad reactor in general, but for this series it just isn’t good enough.
I don’t want to come across as a “hater”, I’m being sincere and commenting this in good faith.
Thank you for telling me that his other videos are more in depth, I’ll give them a watch ☺️