Disney Movie Reflection: The Little Mermaid

So this is everyone's favorite. Brandon's, Sam's, Amanda's. All their favorites and, oddly, it isn't one that I know well. I don't have the connection that everyone else has. We didn't own it on VHS and I don't remember seeing in the theaters. Here are my Little Mermaid memories:

• I remember someone taped it for us on a blank tape and that it didn't work very well at all. In fact, I remember the first scene where the ocean is really dark and there is some song that Eric and his crew sing. That is as much as I remember as a kid. 
• I know my dad used to say that the movie was a great work of film. He thought it was an accomplishment. Not that he watched it more than   but when he did, he enjoyed himself which leads me to believe that I watched it with him at some point. (It came out when I was 4 so give me a break.)
• I remember that there were two urban legends closely tied to the movie: dicks on the VHS cover and the priest having a boner. The former was true but only by accident and the later is silly.
• We had  Flounder and Sebastian Christmas ornaments. They were plush. Flounder wore a scarf and Sebastian had ear muffs. When my mom dies, I inherit them.

Pretty blank canvas. So I decided to watch it on a Sunday night when I hadn't had much alone time during the weekend. Jake went to bed at like 9:30 and I stayed up to watch it knowing I could sleep in the next day and work from home.

This movie is sad and creepy and pretty and the songs are weird but awesome. 

Why is it sad? The movie is really desperate. Ariel is desperate for Eric. Eric is desperate to find the girl who saved him. Eric's kingdom is desperate for his to marry. Ursula is desperate to get back to the palace. They are all so at wits end that they make stupid mistakes that cause there undoing. Just think things through.

Why is it creepy? Ariel is 16 and she is marrying a man she rescued and then spent less than three days with. 

Why is it pretty? Triton is a hot fish daddy. Also, the animation is really beautiful. It is the first movie to make a definite move from the scratch 70s and 80s, Don Bluth style and move towards the Golden age style. Triton's sea castle is the things Atlantis fantasies are made of and Eric's castle is actually quite realistic compared to all the other royalty based films.

Why are the song weird but awesome?

Under the Sea is basically about how when Ariel goes on land she will see all her friends eaten. People love this song. Kiss the Girl is basically a rehashing of the story in song. We already know he needs to kiss the girl but we are told it again and again and we like it.