Disney's The Little Mermaid doesn't need any help finding an audience around the world, but this 4k set will definitely keep the spirit alive for us who grew up with the film and want to experience it like we did as children. An amazing transfer that any fan of the film will want to grab before it's gone.
“The Little Mermaid: is now part of the Walt Disney Signature Collection. This celebrated Anniversary Edition invites you to sing along with the award-winning songs, venture inside the studio for original recording sessions, and share memories with leading ladies who created iconic characters through Alan Menken’s music.”
The film opens with Prince Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes) sailing on the ocean with his subjects, grateful for the wonderful sea weather that one sailor attributes to King Triton’s (Kenneth Mars) favorable mood. Somehow not ever hearing the tale of the Merpeople despite his rule of a coastal city, his crew insists they exist, and we’re transported under the sea to their kingdom to witness a musical celebration that Sebastian (Samuel E. Wright) has written for King Triton’s daughters, featuring his youngest with the most beautiful voice, Ariel (Jodi Benson). When the musical number calls for Ariel’s part, she’s nowhere to be found, infuriating Triton. Instead of participating in the musical number, Ariel is exploring a shipwreck with Flounder (Jason Marin). Inside she uncovers one of her most interesting discoveries yet: a fork and a pipe, which she takes to the surface to ask Scuttle (Buddy Hackett) exactly what they are. Mistaking the pipe for a musical instrument, this reminds Ariel of her concert that she’s missed and she hurries home to face her father, during which she’s watched by Ursula (Pat Carroll), a sea-witch who wants to destroy King Triton and take over control of the sea herself. King Triton is furious with Ariel after learning she went to the surface and forbids her to ever go back, fearing she will be seen by humans. He puts Sebastian in charge of keeping her out of trouble, but her fascination with the world above calls her to the surface when she sees a fireworks display from below. As she sneaks on the side of the ship watching the festivities, she sees Eric for the first time; it’s love at first sight. However, a storm quickly approaches, throwing Eric overboard. Ariel risks everything to save him, singing to his barely conscious body as she takes him to the shore. Then, when Ariel retreats back to her hideaway where she keeps the collection of her human artifacts, now including a statue of Eric that was thrown overboard, King Triton arrives after being told by Sebastian what has happened. To Ariel’s horror, her father destroys the entire cavern full of trinkets, including the statue, sending Ariel into a deep depression.
Ursula sees her chance and offers to transfer Ariel into a human, for a price. She must give up her voice and get Eric to fall in love with her and kiss her in three days and keep her gift, otherwise, she’s transformed into a seaweed-like creature. Ariel accepts, swimming to the surface and finding Eric strolling the beaches, looking for the women with the beautiful voice who saved his life. With the help of Sebastian, Flounder and Scuttle, Ariel does everything she can to make Eric see she’s the one he’s looking for. With the three day deadline fast approaching, Ursula takes things into her own hands to ensure that Eric never falls in love with Ariel.
The Little Mermaid is often credited with saving the life of Disney animated films, coming out after a slew of failures dating back to the 1970’s. Because of its success, Disney’s subsequent films, including Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas and others, enjoyed a wider audience that accepted them into the annals of animated history that was the staple of pretty much every childhood since their releases. Thanks to the amazing voice acting and absolute perfect musical sequences, this film does more than just solidify Disney’s stake in animation: it promotes a strong message to kids about the acceptance of worlds that are different than your own.
Though some may criticize Disney princess films these days for glorifying the need for approval by a male authoritative figure, The Little Mermaid takes things a bit further. With Ariel losing her ability to speak, it promotes feelings of the heart to guide you, risking everything for love, bridging the gap between two worlds who are untrusting of each other and ushering in peace and respect between them. King Triton’s ultimate change letting her daughter go, granting her wish to live among the human world. The film still holds up to this day, with children enjoying it just as much as the day it was released. The Little Mermaid remains a staple of childhood, and one of my person favorite Disney animated films.
Video
This new release of The Little Mermaid is presented in 2160p 4k Ultra HD Widescreen 1.78:1. Initially, I wasn’t too impressed with the look of the 4k transfer, as the animation, more specifically some of the detail and sharpness of the film didn’t improve that much. The opening sequence still looks rather foggy, with no clear increase of line detail. However, as the film progresses, you begin to see the advantage of the HDR, as the colors are so much more vibrant in many of the sequences, especially when contrasting Ariel’s red hair and bright blue eyes against the rest of the scenery.
The Blu-Ray version of the film is presented in 1080p High Definition Widescreen 1.78:1.
Audio
One of my favorite parts of this new release was the inclusion of a Dolby Atmos track. This track sounds fantastic, with powerful sound coming from all around, never drowning out the center channel dialogue. The score and musical numbers benefit the most from this, providing the best presentation of Disney’s most iconic and celebrated songs.
Special Features
This set features some brand new extras, well worth taking a look at if you’re a fan of Disney films, including a reunion of some extraordinary voice talent spanning decades of Disney films, a great bonus for upgrading to a fantastic set.
- Alan Menken and the Leading Ladies
- “What I Want From You Is…Your Voice”
- Stories From Walt’s Office: Gadgets and Gizmos
- #Treasuresuntold
- “Part of Your World” Music Video featuring Dcapella
- Deleted Character: Harold the Merman
- Under the Sea: The Art of Live Action Reference
- Howard’s Lecture
- Audio Commentary
- Classic Bonus Previews
The Little Mermaid was no doubt a staple in your own childhood growing up, and still continues to inspire children to this day. This upgraded 4k set is very impressive, enhancing an already stunning milestone of achievement by Disney 30 years ago.
