LITTLE MERMAID
US, 1989, 82 minutes, Colour.
Voices of Jodi Benson, Pat Carroll, Kenneth Mars, Rene Auberjonois, Samuel E.Wright.
Directed by Ron Clements, John Musker.
The Little Mermaid is based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It is an excellent animated Disney feature, reminiscent of the classics of the '50s: Alice in Wonderland, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty.
The film is beautifully drawn, has an excellent score by Alan Menken with excellent songs by Menken and Howard Ashman. The calypso songs sung by Samuel E. Wright stand out. There is also a lovely ballad for the little mermaid, sung by Jodi Benson. In fact, the characters in the film are very well drawn and dramatised. They range from King Triton, voiced by Kenneth Mars, to the wicked witch of the film (fat rather than thin), an Octopus played by Pat Carroll. Rene Auberjonois is a lively French cook.
The film has appeal for audiences of all ages and is one of the best of the Disney animations.
1.The popularity of this kind of film? The Disney studios? The fairy tale? The style of the '50s for the '80s?
2.The style of animation and drawing? Design? Colour? Action? The simplicity for younger audiences? Complexity for older audiences?
3.The score, the romantic ballads, the comic songs?
4.Hans Christian Andersen and his fairy tales, delight, magic, dangers, romance? Images that ring psychologically true? Mythmaking in fairy tales?
5.The opening with the sea and the ship, the prince, the fish and Flounder, the sea and Triton and his kingdom? Introduction to the themes?
6.Triton ruling the sea, the kingdom of the Mer people? Triton as father, his daughters, the concert, Ariel absent, the teenager? Sebastian taking care of her? His hostility to the humans? His angers, forbidding Ariel to go to the surface? His dismay at her behaviour? The confrontation with Ursula, capitulating and signing, his being reduced? The final transformation? Changing heart?
7.Ariel as the heroine, as a mermaid? Teenager and adventures, with Flounder, the wreck, chased by the shark, her treasure trove from the wrecked ships, the seagull and her friendship with him, his values, his mistakes (especially about the fork and the pipe and the later jokes)? Missing the concert, under Sebastian's care? Going to the surface, watching the ship, the prince, the shipwreck, singing and rescuing the prince? Forbidden to go to the surface? Her anger with her father? Her going to Ursula and the slimy assistants? Ursula's plan, her signing, becoming human, losing her voice? In the sea, found on the shore, going to the palace, the tour of the kingdom, in love with the prince? Ursula disguised and marrying the prince? Hurrying through the water with Flounder, her recovering her voice? The confrontation, staying human, the happy marriage, the blessing of her father?
8.The prince and his strength, handsome, on the ship, his statue and its going overboard, Ursula destroying it? The shipwreck, rescued by Ariel, seeking her? Her coming to the shore, unable to speak? His falling in love, taking her round the kingdom? Hearing Ursula and the voice? The marriage ceremony, the interruption? The happy ending?
9.Sebastian the crab, with his choir, crotchetty, his calypso songs and their enjoyment, his chaperoning Ariel, his fears, confessing everything to Triton, observing Ariel, worrying about her, going on land, to the palace, being chased by the French chef, the other crabs being eaten, going from Grimsby's plate? Helping in the finale?
10.Flounder, the playful fish and companion, being chased by the sharks, comedy, sharing in the adventures, helping tow Ariel to the wedding?
11.The seagull, Buddy Hackett's comedy, his evaluations, his mistakes, the song and his comedy? The mistakes about the fork and the pipe?
12.The prince's dog, the humorous dog sequences, the rescue from the burning ship, liking Ariel, not liking Ursula?
13.Grimsby and the English style aristocrat, his plans, the birthday, the dinner?
14.The chef and his kitchen, the food, his comic song and chasing the crab? Ruining the kitchen? The maid?
15.Ursula as the witch? Her greed, the fat octopus, her evil, the style of the witch and her spells, the fish assisting her and their sinister look, watching the princess's progress, her plots, the plan and her seduction of Ariel, taking her place for the marriage, losing the voice, Triton and the bargain, reducing her victims to small images of themselves? Her ultimately being destroyed?
16.Themes of heroes and heroines, good and evil, magic and romance?
