The Little Mermaid (1989)

A mermaid princess makes a Faustian bargain in an attempt to become human and win a prince's love.

Directors:

Ron Clements, John Musker

Writers:

John Musker, Ron Clements

Stars:

Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Rene Auberjonois

Won 2 Oscars. Another 10 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rene Auberjonois	...	Louis (voice) (as René Auberjonois)
Christopher Daniel Barnes	...	Eric (voice)
Jodi Benson	...	Ariel (voice)
Pat Carroll	...	Ursula (voice)
Paddi Edwards	...	Flotsam / Jetsam (voice)
Buddy Hackett	...	Scuttle (voice)
Jason Marin	...	Flounder (voice)
Kenneth Mars	...	Triton (voice)
Edie McClurg	...	Carlotta (voice)
Will Ryan	...	Seahorse (voice)
Ben Wright	...	Grimsby (voice)
Samuel E. Wright	...	Sebastian (voice)
Hamilton Camp	...	Additional Voices (voice)
Debbie Shapiro Gravitte	...	Additional Voices (voice) (as Debbie Shapiro)
Robert Weil	...	Additional Voices (voice)

Storyline

In Disney's beguiling animated romp, rebellious 16-year-old mermaid Ariel is fascinated with life on land. On one of her visits to the surface, which are forbidden by her controlling father, King Triton, she falls for a human prince. Determined to be with her new love, Ariel makes a dangerous deal with the sea witch Ursula to become human for three days. But when plans go awry for the star-crossed lovers, the king must make the ultimate sacrifice for his daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

fork | 2d animation | mermaid | princess | old english sheepdog | 

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Taglines:

Somewhere under the sea and beyond your imagination is an adventure in fantasy.

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Genres:

Animation | Family | Fantasy | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

G

Did You Know?

Trivia

Sebastian's fanfare was performed by composer Alan Menken on a kazoo.

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Goofs

When Grimsby is talking to Eric at the dining table about taking Ariel out for a day on the town, there are plates in front of all of them. But when Carlotta brings the food they have no plates in front of them.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Prince Eric: Isn't this great? The salty sea air, the wind blowing in your face. Aaah, the perfect day to be at sea!
Grimsby: [leaning over rail] Oh, yes. Delightful.

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Alternate Versions

When the film was released on VHS in Norway, these three scenes were cut short: first, part of the shark chase; second, when Eric sees the dynamite, followed by the explosion; and third, when Ursula tries to shoot Ariel off the rock and then tries to kill her. The DVD has these scenes intact, however.

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Connections

Spoofed in Harley Quinn: Bachelorette (2020)

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Soundtracks

Les Poissons
(1989) (uncredited)
Music by Alan Menken
Lyrics by Howard Ashman
Performed by Rene Auberjonois (Louie)

User Reviews

This is my favourite movie of all time...

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.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

17 November 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Little Mermaid 3D

Filming Locations:

Walt Disney Feature Animation - 500 S. Buena Vista Street, Burbank, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,031,914, 19 November 1989

Gross USA:

$111,543,479

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$274,227,442

Company Credits

Production Co:

Walt Disney Pictures, Silver Screen Partners IV, Walt Disney Animation Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

83 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo (Stereo) Dolby Atmos (Ultra HD Blu-ray release) (2019) SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1