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This movie started all the great trends of the Disney Renaissance.
The Little Mermaid began the Disney Renaissance and arguably one of the studio’s most beloved periods. It was a return to form with adapting Fairy Tales, which hadn’t been done since Sleeping Beauty in 1959 but mixed with Broadway song styles. And it worked! It worked so well until it didn’t and then did again.
Ariel differs from her predecessors as she is more active within her story. The movie happens because of her. She displays passion and curiosity which makes her an engaging protagonist. The bad-faith criticism of her miss certain points, she doesn’t really transform for a guy he is the catlyst and she is angry and hasty after her after father destroys her collection. The other characters are all fun and no one ever gets too annoying, even Scuttle. Eric is one of the best Disney Prince’s because he went back on a sinking and burning ship to save his dog. S Tier Prince!
The songs are very strong and memorable. “Fathom’s below” might the weakest but it’s short and it wasn’t meant to be the a showstopper like “Under the Sea” or “Poor Unfortunate Souls.”
One aspect about this movie that should be discussed more is the screenplay. The screenplay is tight with no unnecessary padding or stretching. It’s concise with no lags. Every scene matters to overall plot with nothing that can really be cut out.
The Little Mermaid isn’t perfect but the songs, the characters, the upbeat color palette and the solid script make it a favorite.
Side story -I was making stuffed mushrooms for a Holiday party and I was singing “Les Poissons.” Does that count as an auxiliary villain song?
