Plucky mermaid Ariel, daughter of King Triton, is unhappy with her life beneath the waves and makes a deal with the devious sea witch Ursula to help her go on land and meet her prince in this animated musical adventure based on a story by Hans Christian Andersen.
What a splash this film made on its release, marking as it did the beginning of a new “golden age” of Disney animated features.
The story of Ariel (who set the tone for a new generation of Disney heroines) features impressive animation and a catchy, show-stopping score by Academy Award-nominated Alan Menken – including the instant hit Under the Sea, sung with Caribbean verve by Sebastian, composer to the court of King Triton and Ariel’s reluctant minder.
While some of the scenes could possibly frighten very young children, especially those featuring the loathsome Ursula, this remains an enduring delight.
Ariel
Jodi Benson
Sebastian
Samuel E Wright
Flounder
Jason Marin
Eric
Christopher Daniel Barnes
Ursula
Pat Carroll
Carlotta
Edie McClurg
Scuttle
Buddy Hackett
Triton
Kenneth Mars
Grimsby
Ben Wright
Louis
René Auberjonois
Flotsam and Jetsam
Paddi Edwards
Director
John Musker
Ron Clements