The Little Mermaid Discussion

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Redadoodles
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Redadoodles »

The latin version of "For a moment" is also very good.

As for the film,the animation is awful and the script is quite predictable but I have special place for that film in my heart and Melody is still one of my favorite Disney characters. I guess, it's because when the film came out I could relate to her a lot when it came to being the weird kid with a strange passion (Disney and dolls). Also, I think she's one of the few Disney character that deal with social anxiety.

A few weeks ago I posted a short video about Myke Sutherland (lead animator) talking about her design:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUlQU5CgQvM&t=6s
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Disney Duster »

Wow thanks for that video. And damn, Myke is cute!

I love Disney and dolls, too, but I usually only buy fairy tale-related dolls. I especially buy Disney Cinderella dolls! And also mostly the Limited Edition ones, as long as they pertain to Cinderella's story/movie.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Redadoodles »

Disney Duster wrote:Wow thanks for that video. And damn, Myke is cute!.
Haha, I'll let him know. :D
Disney Duster wrote: I love Disney and dolls, too, but I usually only buy fairy tale-related dolls. I especially buy Disney Cinderella dolls! And also mostly the Limited Edition ones, as long as they pertain to Cinderella's story/movie.
Same! I usually stick to dolls representing animated characters but I get some Barbie ones sometimes, especially if they represent actresses I like or fairy tale characters.
Is there a subject concerning dolls on this forum ? I couldn't find one.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by blackcauldron85 »

^ I think this is the most current doll thread:
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=25521
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Redadoodles »

Thanks so much!
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Disney Duster »

Oh, cool, I really like that you buy mostly Disney dolls and some Barbie character dolls! I have Barbie as Glinda and she's incredible!

And you know Myke Sutherland?!!!
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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Disney Duster wrote:Oh, cool, I really like that you buy mostly Disney dolls and some Barbie character dolls! I have Barbie as Glinda and she's incredible!

And you know Myke Sutherland?!!!
Haha yes I know him a little. :D
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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Very cool! You're lucky!

For the 30th Anniversary of The Little Mermaid, soemone made this "real life" "Part of Your World"!:
Real Life "Part of Your World"
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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I love this movie !!!
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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There was going to be a comic book about Ariel's mother in the early '90s, but it was cancelled. Here's what the story was going to be. Her name was going to be Atlanta and she were to have brown hair.
One of Flounder’s friends finds that everyone in the MerCity is being very quiet and sad–even Flounder. Everyone seems to be hanging around outside the entryway doors to the great hall of King Triton, but no one is going in or saying anything. The fish demands in a loud voice to know what’s going on. Flounder starts to chew him out for being disrespectful, and the friend doesn’t know what he’s talking about. But Ariel–who is also quite sad, but patient nevertheless, takes the friend aside and explains to him the significance of this day.

And we flash back to a number of years ago, with a young Ariel–about six years of age–and memories of her with her mother, Atlanta. Her mother is young, vibrant and inquisitive–many of the qualities that Ariel possesses. She even bears something of a resemblance to Ariel. Her hair, however, is not red–it is brown. The red hair belongs to her husband, Triton–long, flowing red hair, thick red beard–and he absolutely adores his wife. He dotes on her and the children she’s given him.

And what is Atlanta’s greatest interest? The surface world. And then, one day, Atlanta is basking on some rocks, enjoying the sun. The rocks are at the edge of a cove that is surrounded by large outcroppings of rocks, forming a virtually private beach.

Unnoticed to Atlanta, there is a young man named Duncan, who has seen her and is sketching furiously on a large pad. Then Atlanta spots him and demands to know what he’s doing. Nervously, Duncan shows what he’s drawing, and Atlanta is struck by the beauty of it. Duncan would love to do more detailed paintings of her, and Atlanta goes to Triton and asks his permission (since Merpeople tend to steer clear of humans, just as a matter of caution.) Triton is a little skittish about it, but Atlanta sweet talks him into it.

So Atlanta goes to pose for Duncan, and at one point we see Triton watching from a distance. He sees how much Atlanta is enjoying posing for the young artist, and even decides that maybe the stories told by Triton’s father about how humans were monsters might have been exaggerations. Even so, Triton still keeps a considerable distance from the cove, and out of sight.

Duncan’s paintings become tremendous hits, drawing attention away from another artist, an embittered man named Kole. He is jealous of Duncan’s skill, and thinks that Duncan is overrated. He probes Duncan about this beautiful model he must be using, but Duncan is tight-lipped, as per his promise to Atlanta that he not spread word of her presence.

Atlanta, while posing for Duncan, asks him about the surface world, but more often than not Duncan doesn’t even hear what she’s saying, since he is concentrating so completely on his work. When Atlanta returns to the MerCity, Ariel and the other sisters ask if they can come along and be painted as well, but Triton absolutely forbids this. But Atlanta says to Triton, “Look, come and see how the latest painting he’s working on–it promises to be the most beautiful of all. If you see that, and see the quality of what he can do–perhaps you won’t be so nervous about it. And you’ll let him paint portraits of the girls.” Triton says he’ll think about it.

It is the next day. Kole sees his paintings sitting and collecting dust, while Duncan’s are commanding large amounts of money. He’s driven into a jealous rage, and this time follows Duncan when Duncan heads off to paint. He spies on him from the cliffsides overhead and is stunned when he sees that Duncan has a real life mermaid posing for him.

Cut to the ocean where Triton decides he’s going to do what his wife suggested–he’s actually going to go up, see the human’s work close-up, maybe even talk to him. Perhaps a new age of merpeople/human collaboration is dawning.

Cut to Kole, situated on a ledge overlooking Duncan, who is totally involved in his painting. There are a number of large rocks situated on the ledge as well. He resolves to get rid of his rival once and for all and, putting all his strength into it, shoves at the rocks and unbalances them.

Atlanta sees, from the rock she’s perched on, what’s about to happen, and shouts a warning. But Duncan doesn’t hear her, because he’s concentrating so fully on the painting. The rocks come tumbling down, and a desperate Atlanta launches herself through the air, startling Duncan as she knocks him out of the way. But now, on the ground, she can’t maneuver fast enough, and the rocks fall on her.

Triton, a distance away, emerges from the water, and sees what’s happened. He screams in horror.

Duncan has pulled Atlanta from the rubble and is crouched over her. From overhead, Kole is shouting furiously that Duncan is next, and he’s pushing at other rocks.

And suddenly the sky blackens, lightning cracks across the sky, the sea roils, and Triton looms out of the water, twenty stories tall, thundering, “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY WIFE!!! Kole, freaking out, runs like mad, trips, falls, and plummets to his death. Good riddance.

Triton now towers over Duncan, taking Atlanta’s body in his hands. Furious he bellows at Duncan, “This is your fault! If you hadn’t started with this obsession, she’d still be alive!”

“Don’t you think I know that?!” shouts Duncan. “It’s all my fault! Do what you will!” He bows his head, the unfinished painting of Atlanta next to him on the sand.

And Triton draws his trident back to strike, and suddenly the clouds in front of Triton seems to form into an image of Atlanta as she whispers, “My love…don’t let your fury consume you. Don’t let it do this to you. Please…please don’t let this be the way that I remember you…but instead as the kind, gentle husband I loved.”

We angle on Duncan, head bowed, waiting for the end. And then suddenly, the clouds part. He looks up. Triton is gone. So is Atlanta. And so is the painting.

There is great sadness in the MerCity when Triton returns with the body of his wife. He locks himself into his study. And there he stays for a week. Not seeing anyone. Not speaking to anyone. Finally it is the six-year-old Ariel, pleading at the door to his chamber, telling him that losing one parent is bad enough–she can’t stand losing both of them–that gets him to open it. And when he does, to the shock and horror of everyone, his hair and beard are now dead white–the white that we’ve come to know. Without a word he embraces his children.

We cut to Ariel finishing the telling of the story, and the young fish now says that he understands. Today is the anniversary of the Queen’s death, isn’t it. Yes, says Ariel.

And we cut to Triton, in his chamber, staring sadly at something, as Ariel explains, “Daddy knew that if he just let his mourning go unchecked, it could have destroyed him. He came back to us. But one day a year, he returns to our mother, and we all mourn her. Because there was so much she could have done, and we mourn our loss…” And we pull back to see that Triton is staring at the unfinished painting of Atlanta as Ariel concludes, “…and the rest of her life that was left unfinished.”
Source: https://www.peterdavid.net/2004/10/29/portrait-of-life/
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Disney's Divinity »

It's not a great story, although it's probably better than the idea of her being smashed by a ship like in Ariel's Beginning. :lol: The best part of this written version of the story was that it was what ultimately turned Triton's hair white rather than it just having come from old age. :( That would've been a powerful moment.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by DisneyFan09 »

Disney's Divinity wrote:It's not a great story, although it's probably better than the idea of her being smashed by a ship like in Ariel's Beginning. :lol: The best part of this written version of the story was that it was what ultimately turned Triton's hair white rather than it just having come from old age. :( That would've been a powerful moment.
Agreed. I`ve never understood why they decided to have the humans actually kill Ariel`s mother in the first place. Considering that Ariel has a deep fascination towards the human world, the writers shouldn`t come up with a reason that would make Ariel repulse the woman world. Despite how they solved that issue by giving Ariel amnesia. (And yeah, I know that I`ve criticized Ariel a some time ago, but that`s not my intention with this post. I`m just rambling that the solution the writers came with didn`t make sense with Ariel`s obsession).
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Disney's Divinity »

I think the reason they often go with humans being the cause of Ariel's mother death in all these different explanations is to make Triton more sympathetic.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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True, but it still doesn`t resonate with Ariel`s fascination for humans. If anything, it should`ve made her afraid of humans. Why would she have a fascination for the race that killed her mother?
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by Disney's Divinity »

:lol: You're right. That's why I've never been particularly fond of the idea. I'd rather think Ariel's mother simply died a natural death.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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I know that I`m right ;) Just kidding ;) I would`ve preferred that, too. Or that she was killed by something else than humans.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

Post by blackcauldron85 »

I think that's a pretty neat idea for a story. There was another idea in the link Sotiris posted, too:
I had an alternate story planned (involving an inventor who wants to sell Prince Eric on the concept that his new invention called a submarine really works, and so he takes it on an exploratory underwater mission looking for proof that he can bring back, and guess who he stumbles over under da sea) and that one looks to go through with no problem.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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Thank you Sotiris! I thought that story was pretty great! Better than Ariel's Beginning like you other guys said lol. I thought the connection of the unfinished painting with the unfinished life of Atlanta was deep.
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Re: The Little Mermaid Discussion

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I was looking at clips of the first Kingdom Hearts just now as part of something else KH-related. Of course the plot of the TLM world is a truncated version of the film in that game, but it only just struck me how interesting it is to see Ursula appear in Triton's throne room as she does at one time in that game. There was one time in the TV series that she appears there, too, as far as I remember (when she uses some weird boxed light power to transform Triton and Ariel into worms). It's odd to think we never see her in that locale in the film now I think of it. Partly because they had to make the location of the climax easily reached by Eric. I always go back to that deleted version of "Fathoms Below" which would've first introduced Ursula to the plot and how it describes her as dreaming of returning to the kingdom triumphant (and I suppose, too, of the terrified faces of the merfolk who must've despised her back when she was in the court?). It would've been interesting to me if the film had cut to Ursula entering the castle gates with Ariel in tow after the false wedding scene, perhaps with merfolk off to the sides watching in horror or disgust similar to the wedding guests. :lol: It would've evoked a similar feeling to how Maleficent is in the center of the court at the beginning of SB, completely without fear. Her design stands out so strangely next to the palace colors. (What would've been neat is if, in such a scenario, the palace backgrounds became purple-tinted when she became Queen... I think it was during the Tangled: The Series series finale that I first thought about the fact that Ursula doesn't wear the arm weights that Triton does even though she takes on the crown [which becomes almost like a tiara when she first puts it on versus a crown when he wears it] and the trident. I've always thought it would be interesting if these items [and the palace itself]'s forms were connected to whoever the wielder was at any given time. So that the palace's colors may shift and perhaps the arm weights would become bracelets or something like that for her.)

There was some wonderful figurine made back in the '90s that really evokes that same feeling to the character, probably the best figurine I've ever seen of the character. I can't remember what brand it was--I believe it was labeled "Have We Got a Deal?" (I don't own it, sadly.) I think a copy of that figurine was displayed in some studio where the animators worked, and that WDW guests could walk through and see it displayed along with lithographs from various films. <--I may have the details wrong about that. Anyway, it's an incredibly accurate depiction of the character at the end when she's holding the scroll and her pose is as if she's strutting and crowing; it has the beauty mark, eight tentacles, the earrings and makeup are the right colors, and it even leaves off her shattered necklace, which is how she appears during the climax of the film. I hated the musical portrayal of the character, but the show (or Rene Scott) talked about how they thought of Ursula as sort of an over-the-hill diva actress on her last legs and this is her one last shot to launch herself back to relevance, and I think that sort of makes sense for the character even if the take itself was horrid to me. I kind of think of Ursula's hatred of the merfolk being in part because she was likely reviled by them first (which is why she takes joy in making them miserable in her garden), so I imagine some of the triumph for her would be against them as much as Triton. In her first scene she talks about being "wasted away," and resents being thought of they as a vanquished figure who's story is done, but the character's determined to have her "comeback" and show them all. :P
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