My first Disney film that still holds up well today

Rating: 9/10 (4 September 2013)

I fondly remember watching this film as a child alongside other Disney Classics such as 'Peter Pan' and 'Cinderella' and it is still one of my favourites to this day. I will also give it some credit for the first Disney film I remember seeing. I have recently purchased the Diamond Edition of this film on DVD in a triple pack with its sequel and prequel.
The animation is not quite as flat or sketchy as it was in earlier Disney Classics such as 'The Jungle Book,' 'The Aristocats,' and 'The Rescuers' since there must have been a slight improvement to it since 'Oliver and Company' (another favourite of mine) and I generally like animated films and TV shows set underwater (this one, the spin-off TV series, 'SpongeBob SquarePants' and 'Finding Nemo' especially) because I find them rather therapeutic. While some of its elements may differ from those in the original Hans Christian Andersen story (for example Ursula's rules regarding Ariel's transformation as a human differing from those in the original story), it has a happy ending that isn't rushed like the one in 'Cinderella.' Other parts of the film that hold up well are the majority of songs, especially 'Part of Your World,' 'Under the Sea,' 'Poor Unfortunate Souls' and 'Kiss the Girl' but the other songs are not quite as memorable. Nevertheless I liked the use of the Can-Can music while Chef Louis chases Sebastian through the kitchen. Despite the song 'Daughters of Triton' being brief and rather forgettable, I can still remember the shock of Ariel's six older sisters discovering that she is not in her giant clam shell as part of the concert and instead collecting human odds and ends. One iconic scene in this film is the one where Ariel leans on a rock with the waves splashing behind her while she sings another portion of 'POYW' after having rescued Eric from the shipwreck. It reminds me very much of the Little Mermaid statue in Denmark.Ursula is one of the most menacing villains I've ever come across while her eel assistants Flotsam and Jetsam are creepy.One slight difference I noticed between the Diamond Edition and the version I remember as a child is that during the first wedding between Eric and 'Vanessa,' the vicar's knobbly knees were removed because they were mistaken for something else that I'd rather not mention...
Overall this Disney Classic holds up today as well as 'Peter Pan' did. 9/10.