Disney Animation At Its Best

Rating: 10/10 (2 March 2004)

Released in late 1989, this Disney classic instantly became a huge hit with everyone, critics and audiences, breathing a whole new life in the animation genre, which up to that point (since the early 1970's) was considered poison in the movie industry. "The Jungle Book" (1967) was the last great animated flick to grace the screen; since then, lesser known films were released and though some of them performed nicely with the public, they were a far cry from classics such as "Bambi" and "Cinderella". That all changed in 1989, with the release of "The Little Mermaid". The animation in the film is spectacular. The film looks like no other film before it. The colors are rich and vibrant and the picture is full of detail. The scenes shot underwater are breathtaking but so are the ones on land. Eric's castle looks jaw-dropping. The music is top-notch. You probably know the Oscar-winning "Under The Sea", which in my opinion is the best song in the film. The characters are very memorable and some of Disney's most beloved, with Sebastian the crab providing both a side-kick and an important role. He's actually featured in one of the most memorable scenes in the film: of all the rooms in Eric's castle, he has to fall right into the kitchen, where Louis the chef tries to cook him. All these make "The Little Mermaid" the classic it is today. Everyone should be a part of it.