La Petite Sirène

A good family film with a cute version the story. As it is written so it is said, Disney's movie is *loosely* based on Hans Christian Andersen's story - so you cannot compare Andersen's story with Disney's film. Disney's film is a colorful tale with quite a few comical characters.

I enjoyed this film quite a bit but I would have liked to have seen this movie a bit "darker" in tone (animation and story). Under ocean is a mysterious place - so I would have preferred this movie with more of a "gloomy" atmosphere and story instead of being mainly a bright place to live. Of course it's just a matter of personal preference.

Yes The Little Mermaid is a wonderful film. You could make this a double feature with movies like: "Sleeping Beauty" or "Beauty and the Beast".

8/10

It has been ten years since "The Little Mermaid" was released. Back when Disney originally released the film, I was both excited and apprehensive. Excited, because it is one of the best children's stories and one of my favorites. Apprehensive, because I knew Disney would change the ending and give it a happy ending, which is understandable but still unfortunate. When I first saw it, I liked it much more than I thought I would, and after each repeated viewing, I have liked it more and more. I am now convinced this is the second best American Animated film, after "Beauty and the Beast". The music, story, writing, and animation are superb as others have stated, but the villainess, Ursula, is also a major factor in the success of the film. She is the best written and performed of all Disney villains. She is purely evil but totally believable. Pat Carroll, who I have often noticed but never really considered, did a fabulous job with Ursula's characterization. The music and songs are consistantly very good. There is no deep thought to this one, but "The Little Mermaid" is artfully near-perfect entainment.

I saw this movie when I was very young and I loved it. It had a perfect fairy-tale ending and totally followed the formula for Disney movies in a great way. It really got it's message across with catchy tunes and fun characters.

On the down side, while it had a great message, it didn't stay true to what Hans Christian Andersen wrote. I hadn't read Andersen's version until very recently, but I loved it. I thought it had a much better and far more realistic message than the Disney movie. Andersen said that if you're a good person, while you may not get your reward in life, being good is it's own reward. Disney, on the other hand, said that if you risk everything for the one you love, things will work out in the end. While that's a nice message for little kids that is very unrealistic. Good people are hurt all the time.

I've heard people say that if girls grow up watching this, they will learn that big breasts, a small waist, and having a man by your side are what's important in life. This movie was made the year I was born, so naturally, I grew up on it. I don't hold myself to unrealistic standards or feel like I must have a man to go on. So, while I don't know about all the other little girls out there, but Disney didn't corrupt me.

I probably never would have seen this movie if my mother hadn't persuaded me to take my little brother to see it. I enjoyed it a lot the first time, but it was only when I saw it again a couple of years later on video I realised just how superb a movie it is. It's not a clever or complex movie, it's not the kind of film which works on an adult level as well as on a children's one. However, three aspects of it make it truly great:

1: The music. 'Under The Sea' richly deserved its Oscar, but 'Part Of Your World' deserved it even more.

2. The animation. Quite simply, it's absolutely gorgeous. The underwater scenes in particular take your breath away.

3. The Story. How can you resist a love story that touching?

I urge anyone with even a touch of sentimentality about them to set their predjudices aside and see this movie.

The Little Mermaid is one of Disney's best animated motion pictures. It tells the classic Hans Christian Anderson story of a mermaid who wishes she could be human in order to capture the love of a human prince. The animation is beautiful, in fact I think this is one of Disney's most flawless films. It features lovable characters: Ariel the little mermaid is one of my favorite 'Disney girls', Sebastian the crab, Scuttle the wacky seagull, Flounder the... flounder, Triton Ariel's father the Sea King and of course prince charming- Eric. And don't think I forgot the most despised octopus of the oceans- Ursula and her two eels Flotsam and Jetsum. Great beginning and great ending... and of course a lovable story. The music is beautiful (and rightfully won the Oscar for best score and best song). The score is by Alan Menken (who also provided us with the scores of Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast). Some of the most beautiful Disney songs are in The Little Mermaid- Part of Your World, Kiss the Girl and for a little bit of dancin' Under the Sea. A movie for all ages, you will be enchanted by Ariel's world under the sea, by the wacky characters, the cruel but in a strange way lovable Ursula, the score, the songs, the story and the animation. I hope everybody has The Little Mermaid in their video collection to one day show their children and grandchildren or any youngster (or adult for that matter). You will be captured by Ariel and want to be part of her (most intriguing) world.