IMDb > The Little Mermaid (1989)
The Little Mermaid
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The Little Mermaid (1989) More at IMDbPro »

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The Little Mermaid (1989) -- Movieplayer.it - Trailer (Flash)
The Little Mermaid (1989) -- Clip: Under the sea, post

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Overview

User Rating:
7.5/10   33,871 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writers:
John Musker (written by) and
Ron Clements (written by) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for The Little Mermaid on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
17 November 1989 (USA) more
Tagline:
Somewhere under the sea and beyond your imagination is an adventure in fantasy. more
Plot:
A mermaid princess makes a faustian bargain with an unscrupulous seahag in order to meet a human prince on land. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 9 wins & 6 nominations more
User Comments:
Among the best fantasy films of all time more (153 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Rene Auberjonois ... Louis (voice)
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)
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Additional Details

Runtime:
83 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.66 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (original release) | DTS (re-release) (1997) | Dolby Digital (re-release) (1997) | Dolby (35 mm prints) (original release) | SDDS (re-release) (1997)

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
There was a widespread rumor in the early to mid-'90s that the priest in the wedding scene has an erection. He doesn't (in fact the shot is of the priest's knee moving underneath his tunic) but this didn't deter enraged moralists from strenuous protest (even to the extent of filing at least one lawsuit against Disney). In the 2006 Platinum Edition DVD release, the scene has been altered so that the priest is standing on a small platform box and his knee is no longer visible through his robes. more
Goofs:
Continuity: During the Part of Your World Reprise, when Ariel is singing "Part of your world" down to Eric, she hears Max bark and looks to her left. But when Max runs into the frame, he approaches from what would have been her right. more
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... urp... delightful.
more
Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Kiss the Girl more

FAQ

How does it end?
Where can I read the original fairytale online?
more
26 out of 31 people found the following comment useful.
Among the best fantasy films of all time, 23 August 1999
10/10
Author: Spleen from Canberra, Australia

The mermaid herself is charming. She is animated with real passion - and voiced with real passion too, by Jodi Benson, who provides a powerful argument that whoever provides the speaking voice should also provide the singing voice. She is an innocent heroine but by no means a colourless one. That the prince should fall in love with her, on just seeing her and hearing her voice, is entirely credible.

The same could not be said for Andersen's original mermaid, who is a very cold fish indeed, solely concerned with grabbing immortality, considering the prince as no more than a handy means to it. It's this (and the high value placed on Christianity at the expense of decency) that makes Andersen's ending so insufferable. Obviously, another ending had to be found; and while it must be said that the big ending Musker and Clements came up with is a weak one, it must also be said that it's an improvement.

Musker and Clements still have a problem with their finales (witness `Aladdin' and `Hercules'), but they have countervailing strengths, and those strengths are most apparent here. The songs are all exceptionally staged (the well-known `Under the Sea' actually being the least effective), the comedy is sharp and well-timed, and - more obviously here than anywhere else - they really believe in what they're doing. They give credit to Howard Ashman for this and they could be right; whatever the reason, an air of innocence and sincerity pervades `The Little Mermaid' which makes it - and her - utterly irresistible.

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for The Little Mermaid (1989)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
20th anniversary cinema release? amylouiserichardson
Aurora and Prince Philip fluttereyes
If Disney Had Used Andersen's Original Ending ortegatwins
My Ariel Cosplay costumes! guineagirl10
Tired of Ariel bashing? DisneyPrincessforlife
Rerelease??? carisdiben
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Recommendations

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