The Little Mermaid (2-Disc Special Edition)
Walt Disney Home Entertainment
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Animated screen version of Hans Christian Andersen's story of a mermaid named Ariel, who falls in love with an earthly prince.

The Little Mermaid ushered in a new golden era for Disney. It made animated films "cool" again, and not just for the kiddies. Combining catchy tunes, comedy and loveable characters, this undersea tale was dubbed a classic within just a few years of its release. It captures a lot of the magic of earlier Disney princess classics like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty, only in a more updated fashion. It's this magical feeling that had me into the film within minutes and my young daughter enchanted for its duration.

The animation marked a huge improvement over other animated films of the time, which was not exactly an era of great visual advances. Its success also paved the way for future technological advances taken further in Beauty and the Beast and beyond.

Video: How's it look?
Digitally restored, the film looks very clear, although the colours were a little on the disappointing side due to some softness and a definite lack of 'pop'. The movie is shown in an enhanced widescreen format (1.78:1 aspect ratio).

Audio: How's it sound?
You'd want a musical to sound excellent. This DVD doesn't disappoint. Although I'm sure the sound of the kiddies singing along with Ariel, Sebastien and company are music to any parent's ears, this is the next best thing. The film is presented with both an enhanced 5.1 Theater Surround mix and a Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround track. French and Spanish tracks are also included.

Extras: What additional goodies are included?

• Co-writers/directors Ron Clements and John Musker and composer Alan Menken provide an excellent commentary track that not only talks about the making of the movie, but it also points out a lot of little details casual viewings won't capture.
• "Treasures Untold" is a six-part featurette that looks at the making of the film. The total running time is 45 minutes.
• "Storm Warning" is a nine-minute look at the film's special effects.
• "The Story Behind the Story" runs 12 minutes and explores the – well – story of The Little Mermaid.
• The Little Match Girl is an exclusive animated short of the old folk tale. The animation is top-notch.
• Six art galleries.
• A very early (and rough) presentation reel.
• "Kiss the Girl" music video from Ashley Tisdale.
• Scene selection specific to songs (on-scene lyric display optional).
• Seven deleted/alternate scenes including an alternate ending.
• "Under the Sea" is a unique virtual ride available with and without creator commentary. There's also a short featurette about how the virtual ride was almost a real attraction for a Disney theme park.
• Disneypedia: Life Under the Sea looks at the real-life sea animals that inspired the film's world.
• Theatrical trailer.
• Musical preview from The Little Mermaid III.
• Previews for Cars, Cinderella III: A Twist in Time, The Fox and the Hound, Meet the Robinsons

Closing Thoughts
I was a big fan when the film first came out and now I can finally say there's a DVD version of it worth owning. Like all Disney two-disc versions of their animated films, this release is loaded with features both fun and informative..


Review brought to you by our friend Ryan @ Movie-Views.com