My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analyses: The Legacy of "The Little Mermaid" - An In-Depth Analysis of It`s Live Action Remake and Franchise

Hi folks! Welcome to my My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analysis blog. A blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films, Disney or Animation in general! These entries are just meant to be my analyses. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries are meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.

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Once again I`m starting an entry which could be seen as derivative. But at least this one will be somewhat different from it`s predecessors in one way. And yes, be aware of spoilers...

The people behind me have been
influnced by Avatar The Way of
Water :)

I want you to pay attention to me,
Ariel :) Cause I`m (Sebastian) red
just like you :)

I`m trying to stretch your
fins :)

Everyone who`s ever known Disney knows the iconic and immortal position of The Little Mermaid. So it would be needless to repeat what it means to the studio. Regardless of how the position of Mermaid will forever be immortalized through various forms, our feisty little ginger has another reason for entering the surface (pardon this intended pun) and become relevant again: Through a mandatory Live Action Remake (directed by Chicago`s Rob Marshall). Out of every of the Fabulous Four of the Disney Renaissance, Mermaid was the one who started it all. But also been the last one to receive a remake (remarkably enough). Despite how this remake trend has become a two-egded sword, as it has irked Disney purists (understandably enough). But still been quite successful commercially.

I`m trying to show ya how
green can be scary :)

And yes, it does fuel the two stigma`s of Hollywood: The everlasting corporation in Hollywood and how Hollywood has run out of new original ideas. Regarding the latter issue, it`s not essentially a surprise, due to how reboots has become a general trend in Hollywood. Nostalgia is the reason for why people (most likely) are seeking out these remakes. But at least there`s no doubt how remakes are cash grabs and how the general public are embracing them, no matter what. But unlike it`s Live Action predecessors where the critics have been mostly lukewarm, the reception for Marshall`s Mermaid has been warmer and some have claimed that it`s the best of this remake quartet. Whether it`s true or not, it`s of course up to you to decide. But it`s still remarkable that this remake of Mermaid has received that staple.

A Scrutiny of the Changes of The Live Action Remake

Regardless of how The Little Mermaid is a beloved property and has gained mostly praise, there`s no denial that it has received some criticism. At least of the character of Ariel. Despite how Ariel was a fairly feminist Princess and a invigorating one (and happens to be beloved for feeling more real and relatable than her predecessors), her criticism have stemmed from a feminist point of view: How she`s a self-centered teenage girl and how she gives up everything for a man she hardly knows. Regardless of that criticism, there`s no denial that these boom of remakes have been accused for another thing: To fix the scrutinies of their animated predecessors. Despite how many fans and purists have frowned about this issue, perhaps it`s not unexpected by any means to have such an agency (due to how we`ve been in a time where movies gets more scrutiny).

But surprisingly enough, this remake of Mermaid just manages to fix just some of these scrutinies: How Ariel deliberately tricks the shark during her introductory scene and how she defeats Ursula (who`s now Ariel`s aunt, just like in Howard Ashman`s original treatment) instead of Eric. The more subtle fixings have been how Ariel hesitates when Ursula explains the deal, how Ariel recovers her voice from Vanessa herself, how Ariel acknowledges that she caused trouble to her friends and how Triton assures Ariel that he`s always there for her at the end. Otherwise, the remake plays it pretty straightforward by ignoring the other criticisms. But even gives it a new inconsistensy that is vaguely explained in the movie: How Ariel`s mother was killed by humans (which also was the case in The Little Mermaid Ariel`s Beginning). Which truly doesn`t resonate with Ariel`s fascination for humans and should`ve been taken completely off. However, we`ll still have to remember that not all of these remakes have been so desperate to fix the scrutinies of their predecessors: Walt`s Cinderella was criticized for it`s anti-feminist agency, but Kenneth Branagh`s remake wasn`t so eager to fix those mistakes. Another example was The Lion King remake, who was fairly straight-forward and not particularly eager to correct the mistakes of it`s animated predecessor.

The Racial Scrutiny of the Remake

However, the remake of Mermaid has received criticism of it`s own: For racial scrutiny and for casting an Ariel of color. Despite that there`s nothing wrong by even casting a Ariel of color, it does feels mandatory, for pleasing all those who`ve ranted about the non-representation of people of color (and just for the record, don`t take my statement the wrong way. Since I`m not a racist by any means). Unfortunately, the racist trolls are unfortunately always ready to attack everything that`s of color, no matter what. For the sake of racism and nitpicking and accuracy, as Hans Christian Andersen`s Mermaid was White. And that mermaids can`t be of color for being underwater creatures (while Ariel`s red color was a deliberate choice, there was a fear from doll companies that she wouldn`t sell. As redheaded dolls usually sold less. Which proved the consumers wrong, since Ariel dolls are now bestsellers). Which started the hashtag #NotMyAriel. Another tweet of how A.I. turned Bailey’s skin white also went viral. Which is an unfortunate pity.

However, it`s well-known norm that a White character can get a mandatory makeover to color and not the other way around (because Hollywood claims that the reverse trend would be ‘black erasure". Despite how purists say they`re actually doing white erasure). However, despite how Halle Bailey isn`t the only Ariel who`s ever appeared of color (Auli`i Cravalho in the Live Broadcast), it`s still nice to see an official Ariel of color for those who`ve wanted one. Despite how a character should be acknowledged for his/her qualties regardless of race alone. However, many young African-Americans girls have been delighted of the casting. And the new doll of the remake has has already become a best seller on Amazon.com.

The Purpose of This Entry

My only reason for
liking the clock is
because it`s been
touched by Midas :)

They`re my
stepchildren :)
Twice
removed :)

However, despite having already written a couple of entries about The Little Mermaid priorly (one about comparisons to it`s follower Beauty and the Beast, another one about the comparison to it`s Japanese predecessor and a third one to the Live Show), none of them have centered around a another thing about Mermaid: It`s franchise. So that`s why I decided to have this entry also centering about the franchise of Mermaid. Which is essentially a first for me, since I`ve usually written about franchises and spinoff-products on those entries that I`ve originally made. Instead of dedicating a entry entirely to a franchise.

The Little Mermaid Island

I`m a proof of how crabs with
huge lips exists :)

The Little Mermaid Island was a planned 1990 series between Jim Henson and Disney. Set in an island prior to the film, the show was a live-action show where each episode was planned to have at least five songs (not so different from Sing Me a Story With Belle). It was intended to air daily on Disney Channel, with puppets against blue screen and human characters interacting. The series starred a live-action Ariel (played by Marietta Deprima) and a live-action Grimsby (played by Clive Revill). The animal characters were all puppets. It also introduced Flounder's twin sister named Sandy. Only two episodes (Sebastian's Birthday and Tell The Truth) were produced. Little Mermaid's Island is notable for being one of Jim's last projects. Sandy, however, ended up having a prominent role in some spin-off Mermaid books. There was also a full body puppet called Scales the Dragon, a musical dragon who lived in a cave and created songs with his rock piano and pots and pans.

It`s blue against yellow :) It`s
gonna be good :)

Island went into pre-production before the release of the film, with many of the original vocal cast set to reprise their roles (including Buddy Hackett). The Henson Workshop created the puppets, but Jim did not work on it himself (did not direct, produce, perform) and was pretty disappointed by the pilot. It was one of the few projects done while the company was in transition to Disney right before Jim died. Occasionally, there are some shots of real fish swimming underwater to act as a segue from one scene to another. At the end, while there`s no denial that such a property is strictly made for toddlers, it`s still a pity that it never aired.

The Little Mermaid TV Series (1992)

These are the balls in
our world :)

The first true spinoff property of The Little Mermaid was the TV Series with the same name. Released in 1992, Mermaid was essentially a series that was a prequel to the movie. Some of the voice actors of the film reprised their roles, like Jodi Benson, Samuel E. Wright, Kenneth Mars and Pat Carroll. Bradley Michael Pierce (Chip in Beauty) played Flounder. While it established how Ariel met both Flounder and Scuttle and even Ursula, it introduced some new characters who weren`t in the movie: Urchin, Spot, Gabriella, Ollie, Archimedes, Pearl, Dudley, Lobster Mobster, Da Shrimp, Manta, Stormy and many more. It even established Ariel`s relationship with her sisters, but even had Eric in some cameos (without having Ariel meeting him). Even Hans Christian Andersen himself had a role in a episode, showing how he discovers merfolk and writes his book about it (which also happened in The Legend of Tarzan series).

We`ve rehearsed this
pose :)

While the show wasn`t a huge tonal departure from it`s predecessor, it still had a tone and feel of it`s own. By having a new score and new songs. But perhaps a minor change with the show was that it had an Ariel who (sometimes) was a wiser and a little more mature character. Despite how she still was adventurous, bold and daring. As for myself, I happened to watch the show when I was a kid. And I liked it well enough, despite how I never went gaga for it. But rediscovering it again as a adult, I`ve come to find it even more endearing and enchanting than I did as a kid. And I`ve been even more mesmerized by it.

I`m his bodyguard.
Not the other way
around :)

Jamie Mitchell, an artist who worked on Adventures of the Gummi Bears, was the producer and director of the series. Patsy Cameron and Tedd Anasti, who worked on The Smurfs, the animated Beetlejuice and DuckTales were story editors and writers for the second and third seasons. Some artists and technicians on the 1989 movie also worked on the series. Mark Dindal, chief of special animated effects for the film, was a consultant for special effects. Robby Merkin, who arranged the songs for the film, worked as the arranger and music producer. But at least this show won`t be the only spinoff show of Mermaid released, as the Disney Junior Show Ariel will be released next year.

The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea (2000)

And they usually say that girls
can do two things at the same
time :)

Another spinoff-property released of Mermaid was the cheapquel, The Little Mermaid II: Return to the Sea. Released in the fall of 2000, right among the boom of Disney cheapquels, this cheapquel came when Disney`s reputation was starting to decline with the post-Renaissance. And when CGI was taking over animation in general. In fact, Sea is among the cheapquels who are mostly loathed. But essentially this cheapquel is a remake of it`s predecessor, as it has Ariel`s daughter (appropriately named Melody) facing a similar hurdle as her mother`s: Being forbidden to enter the world that she yearns to be a part of. As she`s threatened by Ursula`s sister, Morgana (yes, it`s The Lion King II: Simba`s Pride syndrome all over again: To introduce a new character who wasn`t in the original). And yes, as most of the Renaissance pictures, Melody is a litteral outcast amongst kids at her age.

Yes, it will be worth a million
dollars :) Cause it`s rare :)

So yeah, it is essentially a reversed plot to the original. But while Sea doesn`t break new ground or new standards, at least it did two things differently: To give a Disney protagonist a child that wasn`t in the original (while Simba`s Pride and Lady and the Tramp II Scamp`s Adventure also followed that rut, at least they continued the pattern of showing the children of the protagonists who were already reproduced). And yes, Melody is essentially a new version of Ariel with her father`s black mane. But the other and most crucial thing with Sea is to give something that especially the Disney Princesses have been criticized for lacking: A mother/daughter relationship. And while I don`t mean to trash Ariel, at least Melody is given a more logical reason to long for the sea, than her mother did to the surface: Because the sea is something that`s already a part of her. And Melody is essentially more crucial to the climax than her mother. But regardless of those innovations, is Sea especially good? No, not particularly. The songs are good enough, but the movie as a whole is a second-rate property as a whole. With so-so animation and a mediocre score (sorry, creators).

This is our version of
SnapChat :)

Many voice actors from the first film returned for Sea, including Benson, Mars, Wright, and Hackett in his final role before his death in June 2003. Carroll voiced Morgana. Tara Strong joined the cast as Melody, Rob Paulsen replaced Christopher Daniel Barnes as Eric and Kay E. Kuter voiced Grimsby replacing Ben Wright who died four months before the first film was released. And yes, believe it or not: Amanda Bynes, Hilary Duff, Lindsay Lohan and Britney Spears were considered for Melody.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel`s Beginning (2008)

I`m trying to keep the
music box away from
y`all :)

The Little Mermaid Ariel`s Beginning was another direct-to-video property released at the end of the Disney Cheapquel boom in the fall of 2008 (the very last of it`s kind). But unlike Sea, Beginning served more as a prequel than a cheapquel (but hey, we know that most of the direct-to-video properties weren`t always actual sequels, anyways). But unlike Sea or even the TV series, the sheer exisense of this property is less forgivable. It`s plot and purpose is skimpy and cluttered, serving as an origin story for King Triton`s hatred for humans and actually introduced Ariel`s mother, Athena (who looks awfully like her ginger daughter). However, the reason for Triton`s hatred for humans doesn`t truly reasonate with Ariel`s fascination for them either: Ariel`s mother gets killed by humans, but the trauma is given a cheap device for it by having Ariel mostly forgetting her mother. But it`s still a lame setup and a vague story. Even worse is the insipid plotline of having Triton forbidding music in his kingdom.

This is the mermaid
way of making a
circle :)

But what`s even worse than the stupid and poorly written plotline is how it messes with the continuities established in the TV series (how Ariel and Flounder met). However, what`s nice about it is that the animation is a little better than the animation of Sea. The first time I saw Beginning, I found it to be pretty meh and unmemorable. But seeing it again for this entry, it`s not as awful as I remember. As it is somewhat cute and endearing. But it`s still a lackluster product as a whole and it`s weak wrtiting and skimpy plot makes the existense of this product less forgiving.

Epilogue

I`m trying to seduce
you with my shell :)

So at the end, The Little Mermaid is one of Disney`s biggest properties and will forever continue to be so (since Ariel happens to be one of the most popular Princesses of the Official Franchise). Despite how some purists will dislike how our feisty ginger has become relevant again through a Live Action Remake, there`s no denial that this remake will be dismissed in the future at the expense of it`s animated predecessor. Yet a remake it`s still not a bad way to honor such an important film in Disney`s Legacy. As for my own personal opinion of the remake, I liked it, despite how I didn`t find it to be the best of the Quartet of remakes. Mainly because it`s a little more mellow and bittersweet than it`s animated predecessor. The beginning dragged a little bit (both Flounder and Sebastian were jarringly uncanny), but otherwise it was a fine remake (at least it didn`t rush the events, as most of the remakes usually have done). It was visually splendid, had great music, had a fine cast and honored it`s animated counterpart in a good way.

I wanted to make
my hair stand
out :) Don`t ask
me why :)

And yeah, it`s hard to believe that it`s been 34 years since Ariel and her friends entered the surface (pardon my pun again) and became a part of it forever. And regardless of how there will always been naysayers who will always trash these remakes, there`s no denial how Mermaid will still live forever on it`s own terms. Cause it is a movie and a property which has resonated so much with people and will continue to delight and inspire children and audiences forever and ever through many years.