U GOTTA SEE THIS `LITTLE MERMAID' SWIMS AGAIN.Byline: Rob Lowman Entertainment Editor When Disney's ``The Little Mermaid'' was released in 1989, it ushered in a second golden era of animation. Throughout the '70s and '80s, the animation scene was less than memorable, and even the studio that made its name with ``Bambi,'' ``Pinocchio,'' ``Cinderella'' and ``Sleeping Beauty Sleeping Beauty sleeps for 100 years. [Fr. Fairy Tale, The Sleeping Beauty] See : Enchantment Sleeping Beauty enchanted heroine awakened from century of slumber by prince’s kiss. had fallen into slumberous slum·ber·ous or slum·brous adj. 1. Sleepy; drowsy. 2. a. Suggestive of or resembling sleep: a slumberous torpor. b. Quiet; tranquil. 3. times. There was a market out there, but the studios seemed to release indifferent films, while ambitious indie types' offerings didn't connect with younger kids. No one seemed to have the imagination or am- bition to wake up the audience. The kiss of life kiss of life n. Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. turned out to be ``The Little Mermaid little mermaid the sacrifices her own life to save her beloved prince. [Dan. Lit.: Andersen’s Fairy Tales] See : Self-Sacrifice ,'' Disney's 28th animated feature. Words like ``magical'' and ``enchanting'' were suddenly back in filmgoers' and critics' vocabularies. Loosely based on the Hans Christian Andersen Christian Andersen (born September 28 1944) is a Danish former football-player and now manager. He is curtrently adviser for the team Glostrup FK As player he played for B 1903, Cercle Brugge, FC Lorient and Akademisk Boldklub and playde two caps for the Danish national tale, it tells of a mermaid, Ariel, who falls in love with a prince. In order to follow him on land, Ariel strikes a bargain with Ursula, an evil octopus. Complications, of course, arise. The story is funny, a bit scary (but not too scary for little ones young children. See also: Little ), romantic and adventurous. And in ``Mermaid,'' Disney returned to the lushly beautiful animation it was known for -- and instead of cutting costs with computers, used them to make the look more spectacular. Plus there was great, fun music from Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. The score won an Oscar and ``Under the Sea'' was best song, beating out another ``Mermaid'' entry, ``Kiss the Girl.'' Disney is now giving ''Mermaid'' the royal treatment with a limited-time offer of a special remastered two-disc set ($29.99). Extras include new commentary, behind-the-scenes features, deleted scenes, a music video of ``Kiss the Girl'' and games and activities for kids. Animation is still doing well at the box office (witness ``Open Season'' at No. 1 last week), but it's more jokey jok·ey also jok·y adj. jok·i·er, jok·i·est Characterized by joking or jokes, especially stale or clumsy jokes: jokey bumper stickers. these days. But I doubt any of the recent fare will have the shelf life of ``The Little Mermaid, which is a classic. Rob Lowman, (818) 713-3687 robert.lowman(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Disney takes young viewers under the sea again, with a special remastered two-disc set of ``The Little Mermaid.'' |
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