The Beginning of A Renaissance
After the artistically disappointing films of the 70s, the 80s provided little hope for the future of the animation department. Films like the Fox and the Hound and the Great Mouse Detective were relatively successful at the box office, but they lacked the magic of past decades. And after the collossal failure that was the Black Cauldron in ’85, the animators lived in fear that Eisner was preparing his his own proverbial dagger for Disney’s heart, that being the animation department. Despite everyone’s fear, VPof Feature Animation Peter Schneider and Walt Disney Pictures head, Katzenberg, were both determined to recapture Disney’s animation heyday and “wake Sleeping Beauty” as Katzenberg put it. And the answer lay in the form of a redhead mermaid.
The idea of adapting Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale first came way back in the late 30s. At the time, Walt was producing a package film featuring several shorts of Andersen’s tales. However, the huge success of Snow White, Walt felt it was best to focus on crafting full length animated films. So, the Little Mermaid was shelved, and would remain so for the next 50 years. And when you look at Anderson’s original story, you can see why. It concludes with the titular heroine discovering that her prince has chosen another bride, leadingto the mermaid’s death. To say nothing of her pact with the sea witch, which involves trading her tongue for her pair of legs. And whenever she walks, it feels like she’s walking on knives and bleeds with every step. Not exactly the makings of a princess fairy tale.
In ’85, Ron Clements came upon a copy of the fairy tale while in a bookstore in Los Angeles. Without knowing that it was next on Disney’s list, he felt the story was a stronf contender for an animated adaptation, especially since the studio had never made an film with an underwater setting before. So he wrote a two - page treatment to present to the studio at an upcoming pitch meeting. Brimming with confidence, Clements presented his idea to Katzenberg at the Gong Show, offering a more family - friendly version of the tale with a happy ending. Much to Clements’ dismay, Katzenberg passed on the pitch, fearing it was too similar to the planned sequel to their live - action mermaid comedy Splash! But, the very next day, Katzenberg changed his mind and approved the project for development alongside Oliver & Company, in line with his plan to release one new animated film every year. Musker and Clements teamed up again and expanded the two - page draft into a 20 page rough script and the roles of the sea king and the sea witch were expanded.
After a brief hiatus whle the studio worked on a very successful and lucrative collaboration with Steven Spielberg featuring an animated rabbit, Katzenberg threw more money and resources at the Little Mermaid than any other animated film in decades. While Musker and Clements kept working on their rogh script, the project continued to take shape when the late songwriter Howard Ashman joined the team in ’87. After contributing one track to Oliver & Company, Ashman became heavily involved with writing and developing the entire project of Little Mermaid, bringing his own experience with crafting musicals after the runway success of his off - Broadway production of Little Shop of Horrors in 1982, which had just come off a record- breaking five - year run. He felt the studio need to go back to the animated musicals of old, which inherently followed the Broadway formula with songs forming part of the film’s overall narrative.
THE STORY
In 19th century Denmark, we meet young Prince Eric enjoying a day on the sea with his crew, catching fish (clearly they didn’t have the same problems with fish that we have today), and he overhears one of his crew mentioning King Triton, ruler of the merpeople. His advisor, Grimsby, brushes it off as “nautical nonsense”, but then we delve deep into the North Sea, where we meet everything that lives down there. Fish of all kinds, whales, jellyfish, and yes, merpeople, who turn out to have the upper halves of humans, but the tails of fish. It turns out that Triton, the sea king, is about to witness a concert featuring his seven daughters and conducted by the royal court composer, Sebastian, a Jamaican crab. Infuriatingly, his youngest daughter, 16 year old Ariel, has completely forgotten about it, because she’s obsessed with all things human, and so is off with her friend Flounder exploring sunken ships, looking for human artefacts like forks and pipes, and getting chased by sharks. Unbeknownst to her, she’s being watched by two eels under the employ of the sea witch, Ursula, who wants revenge on Triton for being banished from court. She instructs her eels, Flotsam and Jetsam, to keep watching Ariel, so they can figure out her weak spot and use her as bait when they go “fishing” for Triton.
***************
For the role of Ariel, Ashman suggested Broadway actress Jodi Benson, who, he’d already worked with in the disastrous production, Smile, which closed after only 48 performances. Ironically, that musical features a song in which Jodi’s character dream of oone day going to Disneyland. Benson’s voice inspired animator Glen Keane to craft Ariel with big, beaming eyes to capture Jodi’s enadearing performance.
In a curious, but in hindsight, GENIUS move, animator Ruben Aquino designed the film’s antagonist, Ursula, on drag performer Devine, in an attempt to go back to the bombastic female villains of old. With purple - hued skin, bright red lips, thin brows, white spiked hair and blue eyeshadow, Ursula’s design geniuinely represented a drag queen design aesthetic. The role was offered to Bea Arthur, and Elaine Steritch, but when they both passed, the role went to TV and stage actress Pat Carroll, who is just perfect.
MY VERDICT
So, this film is truly the beginning of a new era. It genuinely recaptured a magic that had all but vanished for 23 years. The animation is dazzling, the voice performances are terrific, the narrative is entertaining and the music and songs… well it didn’t win two Oscars for nothing. But I do have one problem with this film: It focuses on the wrong character. What I mean by this is that King Triton is the one who actually learns something from his experiences. He grew and changed; learned to be less anti - human and learned how to let his daughter go, he’s a real dad. Ariel, by contrast, wants something, there are obstacles, she gets what she wants, the end. She doesn’t learn anything or change.
Is the Little Mermaid a Disney Classic? Yes. Despite some problems, it cannot be denied that this is a Disney Classic of the highest calibre.
No comments:
Post a Comment