The Little Mermaid (1989)
Let's finish up this weekend with one more jump into the ocean, The Little Mermaid. The Movie: The Little Mermaid is the 28th picture in the Disney Animated Canon and the one that kicked off the Disney Renaissance. It marked a return for Disney to classic fairy tales, 25 years after Sleeping Beauty, and it set the tone for animated movies done in the style of Broadway musicals. The title mermaid is Ariel, the youngest daughter of King Triton, ruler of the sea. She falls in love with the human Prince Eric after rescuing him during a storm, in defiance of her father's rules. After her father destroys her treasures as punishment, Ariel seeks out the sea-witch Ursula, who turns her into a human for three days, but at the cost of her voice. With the help of Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle, Ariel must convince Eric of who she is and to fall in love with her. Ok, I will confess, this movie came out when I was in 2nd grade, and my inner 7-year-old still finds...