Why The Little Mermaid May Not Be as Good as I Remember

"I just don't see how a world that makes such wonderful things could be bad"

Before you get the wrong idea, I love this movie. I paid $30 for the Gold Edition of the Blu-Ray just for the bonus features. I will defend this movie until the end of time as a good movie, but upon seeing this movie again, I realized that it isn't as good in some areas as I last saw it. Be that as it may, it is phenomenal in other areas that I never noticed as a kid. So, I ask you to please forgive me for probably my most controversial review, The Little Mermaid. This review will contain spoilers.

 

The story to The Little Mermaid revolves around a mermaid by the name of Ariel who is fascinated by the people from the surface. Her father King Triton disapproves of her fascination which fuels her love for humans even more. She has gadgets and gizmos a plenty. She's got whozits and whatzits galore. You want thingamabobs? She's got twenty. But who cares? No big deal. She wants more. One night, she decides to swim to the surface to observe Prince Eric's birthday celebration aboard his ship. She is told not to interact with humans, but when a terrible storm destroys the ship, Ariel saves Eric and falls in love with him. She adds a statue of Eric from the wreckage of the ship to her collection, and Triton quickly learns that Ariel is in love. However when he learns that she is in love with a human, he destroys her collection of human objects. Out of the wreckage, Floatsam and Jetsam, Ursula's hench-eels, swim to Ariel and convince her to see Ursula, the sea witch, to trade her voice for a pair of legs. Ariel agrees to trade her voice for a pair of legs, but she must receive a kiss of true love from Eric or else her soul is forfeit to Ursula who wants to use her to get the crown from Triton. The story is creative and complex for its time, but where the story to The Little Mermaid really shines is from the wonderful character of Ariel who makes every want seem like a need and every trivial act seem like an extraordinary event.

 

The animation of The Little Mermaid is unbelievable. It is a huge step up from previous Disney films such as The Black Cauldron which was so dark that it had to be edited before its release. This film still amazes me by how much was drawn and hand painted because this was the last Disney film before the CAPS system which digitally painted the cels used in animation. Each time a character moves bubbles had to be drawn and there are over 1 million bubbles that were drawn for the film.

The songs in The Little Mermaid are also well done. They were written and composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman who are the best song writing duo Disney has ever had. You can thank Howard Ashman for making Sebastian a Jamaican Rastafarian crab. These two also wrote the songs for Beauty and the Beast and got started on Aladdin when Howard Ashman died of AIDS. Every song is great in this film. My favorite is Part of Your World (I especially love the reprise).  Kiss the Girl and Under the Sea are also sound great and are wonderfully written. The Little Mermaid even contains a song call Les Poissons that sounds very similar to Be Our Guest from Beauty and the Beast. This film also boasts one of the best Disney villain songs ever written called Poor Unfortunate Souls. These songs are so good that I will sing Part of Your World in a high pitched voice just because I like it that much.

So, you are probably wondering at this point what I don't like about the film. Well, my main problem with the film stems from two characters: Ariel and Eric. Ariel in the film is essentially greedy. She puts her life and other lives in danger and doesn't feel sorry for it. She is never reprimanded for acting so carelessly. Well, there is one scene where she apologizes to her father for what she did, but it's only for a second and is quickly forgotten. In this regard, I do not particularly care for Ariel, but that in no way infringes on my enjoyment of her character.  Eric is my real problem with the movie. He is a bore. He has little to no personality which is a shame because I can identify with him. He is chasing after a dream girl, he rolls up his jeans, has perfect hair, plays the flute, and has a cape! What's not to love? Well, his personality. I seriously cannot remember a single line this guy has said. He is almost as boring as Prince Charming from Cinderella, the Prince from Snow White, or Prince Philip from Sleeping Beauty. Speaking of which, many girls complain about women having to be saved in Disney princess films, but at least the princesses are interesting. Disney Princes did not get interesting until Prince Adam and Aladdin. Speaking of being saved, Ariel gets saved by Prince Eric but not before she saves him from drowning and from Floatsam and Jetsam. Which was the first step the right direction for Disney.

Another thing I didn't care for is the love story (*gasp*). I know. I know. Everyone loves these two, and I would be lying if I said I didn't like them. However in the film, it feels like a serious infatuation on both sides. So, Ariel falls in love at first sight. I guess that is okay. I mean it is a Disney film, but Eric falls in love at first song. I mean that is kinda pushing it. Don't get me wrong that is still way better than kissing an unconscious girl or matching shoe sizes, but I still would have liked a little more interaction between the two. They are a great looking couple though and win my award for couple with the best hair.

So, what do I just love about this film that would make me want to spend $30 on it? I love Ariel. She is so great in the movie. She goes out and gets what she wants. She doesn't listen to those who disapprove of her actions, and she does them any way. She is also Disney's first princess that doesn't wait for her prince. She goes out and saves him. As much as I love her ambition, I do believe that she should have some consequence for wanting too much just like Aladdin with being a Prince and Flynn with stealing, but again this is a minor problem and should not overshadow the film. When she gives up her voice, it is so much fun to see her interaction with the human world and how much fun she is having. Many people criticize Ariel for giving up her voice for a man, but I think it's sweet. I like to think of it like giving up something for someone else. I mean it is kinda patriarchal, but I think that Eric would have done the same thing for Ariel if he could have. This film also started the Disney Renaissance which was when Disney was going to make really good movies really quickly. The Disney Renaissance includes films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Lion King, and Mulan. Frozen was said to start the second Disney Renaissance, but I think The Princess and the Frog started the second Disney Renaissance.

When I think of The Little Mermaid, I think of a template for some of the best Disney films of all time. Frozen and Tangled both draw a heavy resemblance to the film, and every princess after Ariel can thank her for revolutionizing the way princesses act. The only thing I think that holds me back from considering The Little Mermaid as one of the top 5 best Disney films is just the love story. With so many Disney films that have great love stories, this one just doesn't do it for me.

Top 5 Valentine's Day Couples

"A Whole New World"

For Valentine's Day, I decided to do a quick Top 5 list for my favorite Disney Couples. This review will not be as in-depth as my last reviews and most of it will be opinion. So, feel free to tell me your favorite couples and have a great Valentine's Day! This review will contain spoilers.

Honorable Mentions

The first Honorable Mention goes out to Ariel & Eric from The Little Mermaid. These two look great as a couple, but the love story in the movie is.... Well, I'll talk about it in my next review.

The second Honorable mention goes to Simba and Nala. These two are great together and share an amazing duet in Can You Feel The Love Tonight. However, their love story does not have enough screen time for me to get interested.

The third Honorable Mention goes to Gaston with himself because well come on who can resist that face. Oh, and top ten Disney Villains will be coming sometime next week. It will be more in-depth than this is.

Top 5

5. Hercules and Meg

These two are so great together. He fights for her and even goes to the Underworld to retrieve her soul from Hades, and Meg sacrifices herself in order save Hercules. Their love wasn't love at first sight (well for one of them) and had its share of hardships, but they are stronger because of it.

4. Anna and Kristoff

Anna and Kristoff are one of my favorite couples because they don't get married in the end. They kiss and are an implied couple, but no mention of a marriage is made. These two have a natural chemistry that just explodes off the screen. I mean just look at them. They look like they are married before they even meet!

3. Belle and Adam

This was a tough one for me because I love Belle. Think that is not only a perfect princess but also a perfect person. All people should strive to be like her. She is beautiful, intelligent, nice, and an all around great person. Adam, on-the-other-hand, does little for me. He can be nice and under his tough exterior exists a great guy, but he does not live up to Belle at all. That isn't his fault though! Who could live up to Belle?

 2. Aladdin and Jasmine

Okay, this one is kinda biased. As a guy, Aladdin is who every guy dreams to be. He is daring and adventurous but has a heart of gold. When he meets Jasmine he feels he doesn't deserve her and sets out to better himself which I can totally relate to. Jasmine is intelligent and will fight for what she wants out of life. I feel the love story here is stronger than Beauty and the Beast because they really connect throughout the whole movie rather than sharing moments together.

1. Rapunzel and Flynn

Speaking of bias, this one I am seriously biased about.  If you read my Tangled review, you saw this one coming. What these two have is what I dream about everyday. Flynn is a great guy and is still respected even though his wife does more in the movie than he does. I also like that he starts the movie wanting nothing to do with her, but after a few heart-felt moments with her, he discovers that he really likes her. If you want more reasons for why I love this couple, just read my Tangled review.

Well, those are my favorite couples. I will review some of these movies in greater detail down the road(*cough* Frozen *cough*), but whenever I have a little free time I will try to do another editorial like this. Have a great Valentine's Day, and remember that Love is an Open Door!

Why Tangled is the Best Disney Film

"And at last I see the light"

 

Tangled is a film that is regarded by many as good but not great. Many think that this film is fun, but it falls short of the "revolutionary" film Frozen (btw I love Frozen) and is not as classic as older Disney films. This film definitely falls into a weird middle category between old and new. However, I believe that Tangled is the best Disney film for how revolutionary it is while still retaining the essence of a Disney film. I have been dying to do this review for a while now because this film is so often overlooked as just okay. This review will contain spoilers. For those of you who have yet to see it, view it now. I'll wait.

The story of Tangled is about a girl who's hair has the power to heal. The power was gained by her mother who ate a plant that grew from a ray of sunlight. However, Mother Gothel, an old lady who was harvesting the power from the plant for herself, steals the child away. Rapunzel has long hair because if it is cut it will lose its power. After Rapunzel's abduction, Rapunzel's parents, the King and Queen, release lanterns every year on their daughter's birthday so that she may one day find her way home. Rapunzel grows up admiring these lanterns from afar until the age of 18 when she decides to ask Gothel to go see them. She says no. Meanwhile, a thief named Flynn Rider steals the princess's tiara with the help of the Stabbington Brothers. When Flynn double crosses them, they are captured and Flynn is chased by Maximus, a royal horse. After Maximus and Flynn fall trying to retrieve the tiara from a tree, Flynn discovers Rapunzel's Tower and is knocked unconscious by Rapunzel. Rapunzel decides to ask Gothel again and again Rapunzel is told no. Rapunzel then recruits Flynn to lead her to the Kingdom to go see the lanterns. The story to Tangled is fun and creative, but the real fun comes from its characters.

Tangled was certainly not the first CG Disney film. However, It was the first one that was done well. Hair in Tangled looks like real hair. Many people complain that the characters look like dolls, but personally, I don't see it. These characters look like a classic Disney film (like Aladdin) but with the depth that CG provides. I love the look and the animation of this film.

The music of Tangled is super underrated. When Will My Life Begin is so catchy and well-written it blew my mind when I first heard it. To be honest, I wasn't that crazy about I've Got a Dream or Mother Knows Best when I first heard them, but now I love them! These songs are so fun that they remind me of older Disney songs like Gaston or Under the Sea. The song between Flynn and Rapunzel, Now I See the Light, is one of my favorite Disney songs. I have to sing it every time it comes on. Actually, I sing any of these songs when they come on.

Tangled's ideals are my favorite part of the movie. This is easily Disney's deepest movie. The whole film is an analogy for Feminism. Rapunzel represents Women, Flynn represents Men, Gothel represents social repression, and the Tower represents the world women live in under a Patriarchal society. Rapunzel has long hair which is a social convention for females. Rapunzel starts the movie doing chores, sweeping, polishing, waxing, doing laundry, moping, reading, painting, playing guitar, knitting, cooking, puzzels, darts, baking, paper mache, a bit of ballet, chess, pottery, ventriloquy, candle making, then she'll stretch, maybe sketch, take a climb, sew a dress, reread the books if she has time to spare, paint the walls some more I'm sure there's room somewhere, and she'll brush and brush and brush and brush her hair (sorry). These are all thing that women usually do in a repressed society. How many times have you heard that women only cook and clean? Gothel (or society) tells her she cannot do what she wants. Flynn (or Men) only want to use her for what he wants. However, Rapunzel will not have it. She fights for what she wants to do and ends up defeating Gothel and changing Flynn's perception of her by getting to know her. Once Rapunzel is out of her Tower (or world under patriarchy), Rapunzel is free to run around and do what she wants to. Many critize Rapunzel as having to be saved by a man. Wrong. Rapunzel saves Flynn 5 times before Flynn even gets the chance to save her (1 from the rufians in the Ugly Duckling, 2 and 3 in the Canyon, 4 when they almost drown, and 5 when Flynn is about to be captured by Maximus). Even when Flynn does "save" her he only cuts her hair which represents freeing Women from their social repression. Rapunzel even gives up her life for Flynn which counts for a lot more than Flynn cutting hair. At the end of the film, Rapunzel even dips Flynn which has never been done before or since. 

Rapunzel and Flynn are also the strongest Disney characters ever created. I know what you are thinking, "Didn't Mulan defeat the Huns by herself?" which is true but doing strong things does not make a person strong. For example, most of the movie Mulan is about her trying to fit in and be what she isn't. She trys to be the perfect bride and the perfect soldier. Rapunzel doesn't do that. She does what she wants to do. She constantly saves lives, inspire dreams, and brings happiness to the sad Kingdom. She even gives up her life for others. Flynn is my favorite Disney male. Flynn is funny, strong, daring, and he is a great guy. He gives Maximus apples, Rapunzel a piece of cloth with a sun on it, and deep down he is truly caring and nice. He even gives his life for Rapunzel's freedom.

Tangled also bares an uncanny similarity to The Little Mermaid. Rapunzel is said to have been based off of Ariel and just look at the picture for similarities between Kiss the Girl and Now I See the Light. Tangled even has a song that is sang many times throughout the story just like The Little Mermaid. I like to think of Tangled as The Little Mermaid with aspects of Hunchback of Notre Dame featuring the love story from Beauty and the Beast with an even more likeable Aladdin (who doesn't lie except about his name) and a mix between Ariel and Belle.

If you haven't already guessed it, this is my favorite Disney film. The first time I saw it I thought it was okay. The second time I thought it was great. The third time I saw it, it became my favorite. My previous favorite, Beauty and the Beast, is good, but it doesn't get better for me every time I see it. This movie just represents everything I love about Disney.

The Nightmare Before Christmas

"Nice Work Bone Daddy"

This movie was the inspiration for this blog. Its style, animation, and originally is unmatched by any Disney film to date. Usually, I stick to Princess films in the Disney genre, but this one sticks out to me. The story, animation, music, and style of The Nightmare Before Christmas all make this movie a must see Disney film and my favorite stop-motion film of all-time. This review contains spoilers.

 

The Story of The Nightmare Before Christmas is centered around a skeleton named Jack who is tired of the same old holiday year after year. Upon his discovery of Christmas, he decides to take over the holiday and "improve" it. He does this by recruiting 3 trick-or-treaters, Lock, Shock, and Barrel, to kidnap who they call "Sandy Claws." The 3 kids then take Santa to Oogie Boogie, the Boogieman. The whole town of Halloween Town helps him by essentially Halloween-izing Christmas except for Sally, a rag doll created by Doctor Finklestein, who feels that it will end in tragedy. In a sub-plot to the main story, Sally has a crush on Jack that she feels is "not meant to be." The story is quite imaginative especially for a Disney film, and most of the characters are well-developed.

The animation in this film is unbelievable. If it was made today, it would have certainly have been CG. Everything in this film has texture. It makes you feel like you can touch these things. The sets are elaborate, creative, and above all extremely detailed. Oogie Boogie, to name one example, looks like a burlap bag. The texture of his bag makes him look almost 3-D. The stop-motion animation of this film gives it a surreal quality that makes the film seem even more bizarre. 

The music is catchy and well-written. Sally's Song is in my opinion the most honest crush song of all-time. If you have ever had a crush, you know what Sally is singing about. I still consider Poor Jack and Jack's lament as some of the best Disney moments of all-time. My favorite songs in the film stem from the feelings of the characters; however, my least favorite songs are plot driven. Songs like Jack's Obsession and Kidnap the Sandy Claws are good, but they do not have the impact of Sally's Song and Jack's Lament.

The style of this film is what I enjoy most about it. Halloween Town is dark and odd. Pumpkins, stone, and oblong structures are everywhere. However, Christmas Town is bright, colorful and looks like a town out of a children's book. The motifs of The Nightmare Before Christmas include Santa's hat, Sally's body parts, and masks. Santa's hat represents Christmas. When Jack has the hat he has control of Christmas. When he goes to rescue Santa, He brings him his hat which represents Jack giving back Christmas. Sally's body parts represent escape because when she separates them she is trying to get away of rescue someone. Masks represent hiding in The Nightmare Before Christmas. When Lock, Shock, and Barrel where their masks they are trying to convey themselves as innocents. When they take them off, they all act mischievous. A clown in Halloween Town also wears a mask that reveals nothing. This could symbolize how some people try to hide their emptiness through a happy facade. Speaking of symbols, the mayor of Halloween Town has two faces which could symbolize the two-faced nature of politicians.The themes in this film are also new and good themes. Jack ultimately fails, yet he finds that he can learn from his failure which is important lesson to learn at any age. Another theme is the spirit of Christmas. Jack "knows the stories and knows the rhymes" of Christmas, yet he cannot comprehend the meaning of Christmas. This could be likened to corporations "knowing Christmas" by materializing it. The character of Sally does have to be rescued, but that does NOT make her a damsel in distress. Sally does what she wants to when she wants to. She repeatedly escapes from Doctor Finkelstein and is portrayed as the smartest citizen in Halloween Town by knowing it will end in disaster.

Many people wonder if this is a Christmas or a Halloween film. Honestly, I think it's just a film that could be watched at any time of the year. Yes, there is enough Halloween and Christmas imagery to be considered either, but there is not enough of either to keep me from watching it year round.

Bonjour!

Hello! I am Drew Thaxton, and I love Disney Animation. I grew up with these wonderful films, and I have analyzed them many times. However, I find that many people simply dismiss Disney as childish or simple. Well hopefully I can deny these accusations, and help you enjoy them more! First post will be 2/10/14!