A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain with an unscrupulous sea-witch in order to meet a human prince on land.
Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” arrived on screen when I was only nine years old. A mermaid flitting around the sea with a tiny yellow fish and a red crab was a step away from reality in the best direction ever. Fantasy. Goodbye princesses who only live on land. Hello, fins and clamshell bra. Seriously, where do I get one of those bras? This movie changed the course imagination for girls worldwide. Iridescent mermaid leggings didn’t exist. Nor could you buy everything mermaid from purses to t-shirts, blankets, sheet, or any other paraphernalia, but we could imagine and oh did we for the last thirty years.
The plot hasn’t changed in the last three decades with the new anniversary edition. This is a great time to introduce your children to the best Disney princess and remember all the adorable characters including Flounder, Scuttle, and, of course, Eric, with his Patrick Dempsey worthy hair. Ariel will likely go over well with little girls even in this age as the story is timeless and engaging. Also, the songs are epic. My daughters are in awe that I know the songs verbatim. Okay, that’s not true. They are annoyed I won’t shut up and let Ariel do the singing. Something about off-key or something or other.
In case you somehow missed this epicdary (that’s epic and legendary combined) animated cartoon, let me fill you in on the plot. Once upon a time, somewhere in Europe, where everyone magically speaks English for us Americans, a mermaid princess named Ariel lived under the sea. She had six older sisters all with A names (one close to my own – Andrina, proof I am really a mermaid) and her father. Her mother isn’t in the picture because she was snared on a fish hook or eaten by a shark. That’s a real issue when you live in the depths of the oceans. Anyhow, Ariel found the confines of royal life more stifling than her older sisters and escaped her royal duties on a regular basis. Along with her bestie, a fish named Flounder, because he was a flounder, she searched for human treasure, Ariel’s obsession. Because the grass is always greener on the other side, even for those with fins and clamshell bras. I don’t get it but I never lived under the sea.
One day, when Ariel was supposed to be singing for a crowd, including her father, she was off collecting a dinglehopper (a fork). King Triton – aka Daddy – wasn’t in the mood to deal with any more insubordination from his youngest and sent a crab named Sebastian to follow her around, much to his chagrin. A crab is a rather unusual choice for a babysitter. Partly because of his size and partly due to his age, Sebastian failed to keep Ariel in check and she swam to shore to rescue a prince from a burning ship where she promptly fell in love. Now she had a mission, to find the prince and marry him. First, she needed legs. Enter the evil sea-witch Ursula who wanted Triton’s crown and control. She gave Ariel legs but took away her voice and sent her off to the prince for three days. Eric found Ariel mesmerizing but didn’t recognize her from his rescue a day or two ago. Probably because he had a concussion, that’s my guess. Nothing goes according to Ariel’s plan and soon, as all teenagers plans do, she needed her daddy’s help to fix everything she messed up.
If only teenagers learned the important lesson the movie presents. At sixteen you need to listen to your parents and do what you’re told because you don’t know everything and you need some wisdom. Ah well, at least we know fins do not change the inner workings and immaturity of a teenage brain. As is common with all Disney movies, the happy ending is inevitable and perfect just like the movie. This has been and always will be my favorite movie. If you want, I can quote large chunks for you or you can go buy the disc and watch it at home with your family. In case I didn’t express my enthusiasm for this movie clearly, this is a must see for all generations. Might I suggest a mermaid blanket to make the viewing more enjoyable?
Now available on Digital, 4K Ultra HD™, and Movies Anywhere and on 4K Ultra HD & Blu-ray™ Feb. 26th
