A Contemporary Disney Classic That Has Something To Offer For Everyone.

Disney’s 28th animated feature brims with the richness of imagination and the magic of an outstanding musical score. This Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, though not quite true to the original, is uniquely retold through enchanting Disney animation. At a time when animation was dying a slow death, a beautiful mermaid with a soulful voice made her appearance on the silver screen and won the heart of millions.

Sixteen-year old Ariel dreams of life on the land, although her father, the sea-king Triton does not approve of the human race, branding them as ‘savage harpooning fish-eaters’. However as fate would have it, Ariel catches her first glimpse of the handsome prince Eric and falls devotedly in love with him after saving his life during a raging sea storm. Her obsessive yet true love compels her to sell her voice to the sea-witch Ursula for three days as a human, within which she has to receive true love's first kiss from her prince.

The animation is rich in color and texture. Incomplete cels are hardly noticeable. The backgrounds are lush and vivid and the character sketching blends a traditional style with modern details. Ariel is still the prettiest Disney heroine; her facial expressions beautifully conveying her emotions. She is Glenn Keane’s best creation till date. Eric is the bland Disney hunk; his drop-dead gorgeous looks and serious expressions sobered by boyish grins easily make him the most favorite Disney heartthrob (thanks to Mark Henn). Andreas Deja, well known for villains like Scar (from The Lion King) and Jafar (from Aladdin), was the supervising animator for Triton and Duncan Marjoribanks does an excellent job of portraying the character of Sebastian.

The music, which was one of the last collaborative efforts of Alan Menken and the late Howard Ashman, is profoundly magnificent. The Oscar-winning score is rich in musical and orchestral beauty, ‘The Jig’ and ‘The Storm’ being the most memorable sequences. Menken’s enchanting and emotional score provides a new dimension to the movie. It has a certain magic to it that I find absent in his later scores (like Aladdin and more recently, Hercules). The songs, which vary from the haunting ‘Part Of Your World’ to the Caribbean styled ‘Kiss The Girl’, are wonderfully composed. ‘Under The Sea’ is an excellent number which won the Oscar as the best song of 1989.

The voice talent is very praiseworthy and unlike later animation movies, it does not include a host of celebrities. Jodi Benson simply stands out as Ariel and her vocal performances will move you. Pat Carroll shows her talent as the villainous Ursula. Christopher Daniel Barnes’ deep yet boyish voice suits Prince Eric perfect. Kenneth Mars and Jason Marin will be well loved in their roles as King Triton and Flounder. The best role in the movie is that of Samuel E. Wright, who renders an outstanding performance as the voice of Sebastian.

All in all, a true classic that offers something for the entire family. Filled with crisp fun and entertainment, the movie highlights the value and meaning of true love and sacrifice, conveying its emotional meaning in a marvelous way. It truly touches your heart, the sad parts making you cry and the comical parts making you laugh.

The DVD however does not do justice to this masterpiece. The non-anamorphic transfer is grainy and non-satisfactory. The colors look bright (specially the red), but the dark sequences of the film suffer from pixelisation and non-restoration. The audio (Dolby Digital 5.1) is good, though I feel that the DD mix does not properly highlight the score or make adequate use of the rear sound. Furthermore, there is no special feature whatsoever on the Disc. I strongly criticize Disney for presenting such a spectacular movie in such an artless manner. This movie holds a very special place in my heart and I am eagerly waiting for the March 2005 platinum re-release of the DVD, which, I hope like the recent two-Disc Disney releases, will provide the quality I yearn for.