Disney / Buena Vista | 1989 | 83 min | Rated G | Oct 01, 2013 (3 Days)
No one factor was singularly responsible for The Little Mermaid's success. It wasn't a surefire hit from the outset. Walt Disney Animation wasn't riding high, gaining momentum or in the midst of restoring its reputation. (Yet.) A new era in Disney animation had yet to begin, much less be realized or dubbed the Disney Renaissance. In November of 1989, acclaim, awards and classic status were still something of a long shot, and animated filmmakers Ron Clements and John Musker weren't assured of anything, especially box office success, critical respect and audience appeal. Having cut their directorial teeth on The Great Mouse Detective just three years prior, Clements and Musker used every minute of the production of The Little Mermaid to do the only thing they could: make the best movie possible with all the tools at their disposal. Those tools included a sharp script based on a cherished fairy tale, by Hans Christian Anderson no less. Colorful characters and memorable villains. Songs of actual quality penned by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Howard Ashman. Innovative animation techniques (among other advances, Mermaid was the first Disney animated production to use the CAPS digital coloring system, although only one CAPS scene made its way into the final film). The list goes on, and even extends beyond the walls of the Mouse House, where Don Bluth, Steven Spielberg, and the VHS home video market all played a role in setting the stage for feature animation's revival.
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