Kazaam

Not to be confused with the 2019 film based on the DC comics characterShazamor the Hanna-Barbera animated TV seriesShazzan.

Kazaam
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Paul Michael Glaser
Screenplay by	Christian Ford Roger Soffer
Story by	Paul Michael Glaser
Produced by	Paul Michael Glaser Scott Kroopf Bob Engelman
Starring	Shaquille O'Neal Francis Capra Ally Walker James Acheson
Cinematography	Charles Minsky
Edited by	Tom McMurtry Michael E. Polakow
Music by	Christopher Tyng
Production companies	Touchstone Pictures Interscope Communications PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Distributed by	Buena Vista Pictures Distribution (North America) PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (International)
Release date	July 17, 1996(1996-07-17)
Running time	94 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$20 million
Box office	$18.9 million

Kazaam(/kəˈzæm/) is a 1996 Americanmusicalfantasycomedy filmdirected byPaul Michael Glaser,written by Christian Ford and Roger Soffer based on a story by Glaser, and starringShaquille O'Nealas the title character, a 5,000-year-oldgeniewho appears from a magic boombox to grant a 14-year-old boy three wishes.

The film was released on July 17, 1996, grossing $18.9 million on its $20 million budget, making it abox-office bomb.It was panned by critics, who criticized the screenplay and O'Neal's performance.

Plot

In the story, awrecking balldemolishes an abandoned building, causing amagic lampinside to fall onto aboombox.The genie inside, named Kazaam, decides to reside in the boombox. Meanwhile, a 14-year-old boy named Max Conner goes to school and faces various challenges. He deals with bullies who retaliate against him for a failed robbery attempt. Max seeks refuge in the abandoned building and accidentally releases Kazaam from the boombox. Kazaam becomes Max's genie and demonstrates his powers before disappearing.

Max notices his father during his journey home and discovers that his mother plans to marry a fireman named Travis O'Neil. Max resents Travis and confronts his mother about hiding the truth about his real father's whereabouts. Determined to find his father, Max encounters Kazaam again, who pesters him into making a wish. Max eventually reunites with his father, Nick Matteo, a musical talent agent involved in unauthorized music. Although Max initially does not care about his father's profession, he is happy to see him and is introduced to the employees of Nick's agency.

Max shares the news with Kazaam and they have a bike race in Max's hideout, where Kazaam showcases his powers. Kazaam persuades Max to make his first wish, causingjunk foodto rain from the sky. Max realizes that he has control over Kazaam until he uses his last two wishes. They visit Max's father again and attend a show where Kazaam's genie abilities impress Malik, the nightclub owner who desires to control Kazaam.

Kazaam stays at Max's home, pretending to be his tutor. Max confides in Kazaam about his strained relationship with his father, and Kazaam shares a rap about his own genie origins. Max tries to wish for his parents to rekindle their love, but Kazaam cannot grant this wish since he is not adjinn.

Later, Max witnesses his father being attacked by Malik and hishitmenover a stolenmaster tape,which Max was pressured into by his bullies. Max seeks help from Kazaam, who hesitates due to his newfound success as a rapper. Max uses his second wish to conjure a replacement tape, causing a rift between him and Kazaam. Max's father confronts him about the stolen tape, leading to their separation.

That night, Max is kidnapped by Malik, who takes control of Kazaam's boombox. Max's father is also held captive. Malik forces Kazaam to do his bidding, but Kazaam breaks free and defeats Malik and his minions. Kazaam transforms Malik into a basketball and dunks him into a garbage disposal. However, Kazaam discovers Max's lifeless body and regrets not being able to grant Max's wish for a second chance with his father.

In his grief, Kazaam becomes a djinn, granting him the power to bring Max's father back to life. Kazaam saves Max and carries him out of the burning building, where Travis rescues them. Max's father expresses his desire to rebuild their relationship before leaving with the authorities. Kazaam, now a djinn, walks away, facing the lighthearted annoyance of his new girlfriend, who pressures him into getting a job, while unaware of the concept of a job. Max watches Kazaam walk away with a smile.

Cast

• Shaquille O'Nealas Kazaam
• Francis Capraas Maxwell "Max" Connor
• Ally Walkeras Alice Connor
• James Acheson as Nicholas "Nick" Matteo
• John Costelloeas Travis O'Neil
• Marshall Maneshas Malik
• Fawn Reed as Asia Moon
• Mother Loveas Mrs. Duke
• Wade Robsonas Elito
• Jake Glaser as Jake
• Efren Ramirezas Carlos
• Steven Barras Sam
• Deidra Roperas Spinderella
• Da Bratas Herself
• Deborah Rennardas Malik's Date

Production

The film's origins began with directorPaul Michael Glasertaking his son to the NBA All-Star game, when an acquaintance, who was onShaquille O'Neal's management team, called and asked if his son would like to meet him.After saying yes, the acquaintance asked, in passing, if he knew of any film roles for Shaquille to which Glaser replied, 'He should play a genie.' Which laid the foundation for what would becomeKazaam.In a very short time, Glaser tookKazaamtoWarner Bros.as they had theMichael JordanprojectSpace Jam,and Glaser also went back toInterscope Communications,where he had already done two pictures.Glaser had to have a screenplay and a green light in ten and a half weeks, or he wouldn't be able to make the movie as Shaquille had to go back to basketball camp.The script was written in six and a half weeks with production commencing after ten before going into Turnaround where it was acquired by Disney.

Soundtrack

Main article:Kazaam (soundtrack)

Reception

OnRotten Tomatoes,Kazaamhas an approval rating of 5% based on 37 reviews and an average rating of 2.82/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Crafted from a mix of genre clichés,Kazaamdoesn't know what kind of film it wants to be, and Shaq's larger-than-life charisma is stifled by rote filmmaking and an unimaginative story. "OnMetacritic,the film has a score of 24 out of 100 based on 14 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".Audiences surveyed byCinemaScoregave the film a grade of "B+" on scale of A+ to F.

Roger Ebertgave the film 1.5 stars, writing: "Shaq has already proven he can act (inBlue Chips,the 1994 movie about college basketball). Here he shows he can be likable in a children's movie. What he does not show is good judgment in his choice of material. [...] the filmmakers didn't care to extend themselves beyond the obvious commercial possibilities of their first dim idea. "Gene Siskelof theChicago Tribuneawarded the film one star and described the film as "the kind of project someone probably told Shaq would sell to kids. It's marketing, not moviemaking."

Shaquille O'Neal's performance in the film was considered poor and has since been referenced in a number of movies,includingScary Movie,mainly either criticizing his acting or gloating about it. The film grossed $18.9 million against a $20 million production budget.In a 2012 interview withGQmagazine O'Neal said, "I was a medium-level juvenile delinquent from Newark who always dreamed about doing a movie. Someone said, 'Hey, here's $7 million, come in and do this genie movie.' What am I going to say, no? So I did it."

Shazaam

The nonexistent filmShazaamhas been alleged by to have starredSinbad(pictured) as a genie.

Imagine if you woke up this morning and Disney's 1998 animationA Bug's Lifedid not exist. After endlessly scouring the internet, you'd come up with nothing, despite your own distinct memories of a bunch of ants going on wild hijinks through the undergrowth. You'd turn to your best friend, your brother, your mum, and say, "Hey, rememberA Bug's Life?It was about ants ", and your friend/brother/mum would turn to you and says:" No, darling. You're thinking aboutAntz."

This is how those who believe in the "Sinbad genie movie" feel when people say they are simply getting confused about Shaq'sKazaam.Twin films– remarkably similar movies that are released at the same time – are relatively common.

Amelia Tait,New Statesman

Many peoplefalsely remembera similar 1990s film titledShazaam,starring comedian and actorSinbadas a genie. However, no such film ever existed, and it is possible people are misrememberingKazaamas the aforementioned film.Sinbad denied having ever starred inShazaamonTwitter.One theory for the belief inShazaamis that Sinbad wore a genie costume while introducing the 1977 filmSinbad and the Eye of the TigeronTNTin 1994.In addition, in the late 1960s,Hanna-Barberahad an animated series about a genie calledShazzan.

The earliest online reference toShazaamdates to 2009, when an anonymousYahoo! Answersuser made a post asking other users if they remembered a 1990s movie starring Sinbad as a genie, finding no success in finding others who shared their memories. Isolated incidents of Internet users asking about the movie would pop up over the next years: In 2011,Reddituser /u/MJGSimple made a post likewise asking users about the movie, and recalled its title to be "Shazaam",although they were not certain about its title. On 11 August 2015,Vice Newspublished a story discussing theBerenstain Bearsand its relation to theMandela Effect,which helped popularize the r/MandelaEffect Reddit community, where users flocked to discussShazaam.Afterwards, discussions of the alleged Sinbad film sharply rose in prominence. As anApril Fools' Dayprank in 2017,CollegeHumorreleased a parodyVHStrailer forShazaamstarring Sinbad, in which he plays a genie who gets released from his lamp by two children, Rachael and James.

During the production ofShazam! Fury of the Gods(2023), directorDavid F. Sandbergplanned to give Sinbad a cameo role as a nod to the alleged 1990s film. However, Sinbad cancelled the appearance due to health issues.

See also

• List of Shaquille O'Neal films

External links

• KazaamatIMDb
• KazaamatBox Office Mojo