Ariel, Ursula, Sebastian, Flounder, King Triton, and Prince Eric are memorable Disney characters in an animated tale called THE LITTLE MERMAID which is a charming Disney animated classic which brought about the new golden age of Disney animation in a time when Disney was struggling as a company.  Except for the little creepy concept of a 16 year old girl being married off so she can be happy, THE LITTLE MERMAID is a tale for the whole family which doesn’t need explaining the plot or one’s reaction sicne millions have watched it and will continue to discover it.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

New extras:

“PART OF YOUR WORLD” music video featuring Carly Rae Jepsen

@DISENYANIMATION - a look at behind-the-scenes of the work life of top Disney animators today

Deleted character- HAROLD THE MERMAN-

UNDER THE SCNES: THE ART OF LIVE-ACTION REFERENCE- using live action reference and how to do it again since it hadn’t been done for decades when the first Disney animated films had shot live action reference for animators.  They got in contact with the people involved in the original live reference shoots before they shot live action reference for THE LITTLE MERMAID with Sheri Lynn Stoner as live action Ariel.

HORWARD’S LECTURE- animators talk about the lunchtime lectures the late Howard Ashman had about music and Broadway with the featurette being intercut with a video recording of one of those lunchtime lectures with Howard.

PART OF HER WORLD: JODI BENSON’S VOYAGE TO NEW FANTASYLAND-  Jodi Besson (the voice of Ariel) makes a visit to Disney World with her family and she recounts the other visits there with her family

CRAB-E-OKE SING-ALONG- sing along with five Disney songs from THE LITTLE MERMAID

All Classic DVD Extras are all carried over including:

Seven Deleted Scenes

TREASURE UNTOLD: THE MAKING OF THE LITTLE MERMAID (45:33)-

PROLOGUE: FLOWER STREET

ACT I: RENAISANCE MEN

ACT II: A SYMPHONY OF TALENT

ACT III: BROADWAY COMES TO BURBANK (ADJACENT)

ACT IV: SETTING SAIL

ACT V: A MERMAID SINGS

The six part making-of documentary follows the animation team being moved out of their old offices to Flower Street, the change of management in the 1980s, pressure to perform to make a great animated hit, blending Broadway into it with the help of Howard Ashman, Ariel almost being a blond, and how everyone responded to this modern classic.

STORM WARNING: THE LITTLE MERMAID SPECIAL EFFECTS UNIT (8:40)- a reunion of the animators for special effects unit of THE LITTLE MERMAID as they discuss how they did the effects in the film.

THE LITTLE MERMAID: THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY (11:29)- the story of Hans Christian Anderson and an early version of THE LITTLE MERMAID which Walt Disney planned as a little feature back in the 1940s (which didn’t get past the storyboard and artwork stage) which help inform the film that actually was made

THE LITTLE MATCH GIRL- a sad six minute animated film told with no dialogue

UNDER THE SEA Early Presentation Reel

Original theatrical trailer

JOHN & RON MAKE CARICATURES OF EACH OTHER

ANIMATORS COMMENT ON THEIR CHARACTERS

CLEMENTS AND MUSKER DEMONSTRATING “ THE LITTLE MERMAID HANDSHAKE”

Audio Commentary with Directors/ Writers Ron Clements and John Musker and Composer Alan Menken

Music video by Ashley Tisdale and song selection which allows you to play film with lyrics on screen for four songs from the movie

DISNEYPEDIA: LIFE UNDER THE SEAS

BEHIND THE RIDE THAT ALMOST WAS

UNDER THE SEAS ADVENTURE: A VIRTUAL RIDE INSPIRED BY DISNEY IMAGINEERS: RIDE THE ATTRACTIONS

DVD has film in standard definition and only includes two deleted scenes and the Carly Rae Jepsen video as extras.

FINAL ANALYSIS: THE LITTLE MERMAID is a charming modern day Disney animated classic which makes some interesting story choices and the Blu-ray has a wonderful assortment of extras in addition to carrying over the old DVD extras.

This review is (c)10-8-2013 David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission.  Send all comments to feedback@enterline-media.com

Like Enterline Media on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/enterlinemediaweb and follow on tumblr at http://enterlinemedia.tumblr.com