The little mermaid

Year of release : 1989

 

Run time : 1h23min

 

Genre : Animated / Musical / Fantasy / Romance / Family

 

 

The animation is based on the Danish author Hans Christian Andersen's story,first published in 1837,in a children fairy tales collection.

 

The animation doesn't have much to do with the book,as the book is sad, the prince doesn't fall in love with Ariel,and she dies. She has a grandmother, her sisters play a bigger role, and the prince falls in love with a princess from a temple whom he thinks rescued him.

The witch is not evil, and the reason she asks for Ariel's voice is because she has the most beautiful,enchanting voice in all the kingdom, and that's her payment for the legs potion ( which is actually about having a human soul,as the mermaids don't have a soul,and live for 300 years).

 

The movie starts with the sea creatures heading to the concert hall where the Sea King's daughters have a concert. The Sea King and the composer, Sebastian, arrive at the event, talking about Ariel who is never present at the rehearsals although she has the most beautiful voice.

 

Ariel is fascinated with the human world, she has a best friend who is a fish, and takes (bad) advice from a seagull about the human world. She loves going to the bad neighborhood of the ocean where all the shipwrecks are, to collect human items. After, she goes to the surface,although not allowed, to ask the seagull about what they are.

 

Missing the concert, her father gives her a lecture finding out she went to the surface again , but then she..goes to the surface again, and sees a ship. On the ship people celebrate, and she finds out it's the prince's birthday. Ariel falls in love with the prince.

 

A bad storm takes place,and Ariel saves the prince who almost drowned after being trapped on the ship, trying to save the dog.

 

She leaves him on the shore, and the prince sees a glimpse of her and hears her beautiful voice, as he wakes up, before she jumped into the waves.

 

Hearing she went to the surface again, her father punishes her by destroying her collection of human items, including the statue of the prince, her fish friend brought her.

 

Heartbroken, Ariel is persuaded by the minions of the sea witch to go to her to make her dream come true.

 

The sea witch gives her legs in return for her voice, but only gives her 3 days on the surface ,after which, if the prince is not in love with her, she'll become one of her collectables.

The sea witch has darker motives, and she's not about to let Ariel have a happy ending,at any costs,as she wants vengeance on Triton, the sea king.

 

I love how the movie makes the passing from scene to scene,especially at the beginning, how one scene ties to the next through what they say. I like their voices, and the way the animated characters move and act.

 

This is my favorite Disney animation. Watching it the other night, I remembered all the scenes and dialogue, as they happened. Although, I found it quite dark for children.

 

Rating : It's so money !