Film Forum

U.S., 1989
Directed by John Musker, Ron Clements
With René Auberjonois, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Jodi Benson
Based on the fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen
Music by Alan Menken
WINNER Academy Awards® – Best Original Score, Best Original Song, 1990
Approx. 83 min. 4K DCP.

“The movie opens far beneath the sea, where the god Triton rules over his underwater kingdom. All obey his commands — except for his daughter, Ariel, a mermaid who dreams of far-off lands. One day Ariel makes a forbidden visit to the surface of the sea, and there for the first time she sees a human: a handsome, young prince. He hears her singing, and falls in love with her voice. Triton is angry at Ariel's disobedience, but she can think of nothing but the prince, and eventually she strikes an unwise bargain with the evil Ursula, an octopus who can disguise herself in many different forms. Ursula will take away Ariel's tail and give her human legs so she can follow the prince on to the land, but if the prince doesn't kiss her within two days, she will have to give her haunting singing voice to the sea witch.” – Roger Ebert

Reviews

“A marvel of skillful animation, witty songwriting and smart planning.”
– Janet Maslin, The New York Times

“A movie that’s so creative and so much fun it deserves comparison with the best Disney work of the past.”
– Roger Ebert