Somewhere under the sea and beyond your imagination is an adventure in fantasy.|Nov. 17, 1989|USA|83 Min.|G
Genre: Animation;Family;Fantasy
Description: The Little Mermaid is a 1989 animated film that tells the story of Ariel, a 16-year-old mermaid princess who feels discontent with her life underwater in the kingdom of Atlantica, a fantastical realm near the coast of Norway. Fascinated by the human world, Ariel collects human artifacts with the help of her best friend, Flounder. She often visits Scuttle, a seagull who provides amusing but inaccurate information about human culture. Despite warnings from her father, King Triton, and Sebastian, a crab who serves as Triton’s advisor, Ariel is drawn to the forbidden surface world.
One night, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian venture to the ocean’s surface to witness a celebration for Prince Eric’s birthday aboard a ship. Ariel falls in love with Eric, but a violent storm wrecks the ship, and she rescues him. She sings to him on the shore but disappears before he regains consciousness to avoid being discovered. Eric becomes captivated by the memory of her voice and vows to find her, while Ariel is determined to become part of his world.
Upon noticing Ariel’s unusual behavior, King Triton learns of her love for Eric and destroys her collection of human artifacts in a fit of rage. Heartbroken, Ariel is tricked by two eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, into visiting Ursula, the sea witch. Ursula offers Ariel a deal: she will transform her into a human for three days in exchange for Ariel’s voice, which Ursula seals in a nautilus shell. Within these three days, Ariel must receive the “kiss of true love” from Eric to remain human permanently; otherwise, she will turn back into a mermaid and belong to Ursula.
Ariel accepts the deal and is transformed into a human, with Flounder and Sebastian helping her reach the shore. Eric finds her on the beach and takes her to his castle, unaware that she is the one who saved him. As Ariel spends time with Eric, they grow closer, but their progress is sabotaged by Ursula’s interference. Disguised as a woman named Vanessa, Ursula uses Ariel’s voice to enchant Eric and make him forget about Ariel. The story unfolds as Ariel fights to reclaim her voice and win Eric’s love before time runs out.
Cast director: Ron Clements
Cast actor: Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Pat Carroll, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Kenneth Mars, Buddy Hackett, Jason Marin, René Auberjonois, Paddi Edwards, Ben Wright
Original name: The Little Mermaid