When mermaid princess Ariel (Jodi Benson) was a child, her mother loved music and passed that love onto all her daughters. Upon her mother’s death, though, King Triton was so grieved, he banned music. Now a teenager (shortly before the events we all know in The Little Mermaid), Ariel wants music and happiness back in her family. She meets Flounder and follows him to an underground music club, while villainess governess Marian del Ray (Sally Field) plots to take Sebastian’s job. Will Marina stop the return of harmony to the kingdom?

CRITIQUE

The Disney company has developed a strong output of animated films specifically made for home, as opposed to theatrical, viewing. These began when VHS was king, and have continued, with increasing frequency, as DVD has emerged and dominated home entertainment. They also touch on nearly every animated title the studio has in it’s library. The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning is unique among Disney’s made-for-DVD work in story and also has the solid two-dimensional animation the studio built it’s reputation on.

The Disney straight-to-DVD films vary in quality, of course, but there are some general similarities among them. The majority of them are sequels, continuing the story from a massively popular original, usually into the next generation (like The Lion King 2: Simba’s Pride). Inevitably, music makes up a major element of the production, too. With Ariel’s Beginning, the company has branched out this area of it’s product. This film is a prequel, the first I can recall that Disney has made for an animated film. (The music is very much sill here, though!)

The story here takes place shortly before the events of The Little Mermaid, after a short prologue that believably establishes a context for what follows. In a scene that is classically “fairy-tale,” Ariel’s mother, the main source of music in the mer-kingdom of Atlantica, is killed. King Triton’s grief causes him to banish music from his domain. What doesn’t fit the model of a typical fairy-tale is the fact that there is no love story here at all.

The plot here centers around Ariel’s attempts to bring music back to the lives of her sister and father, and by extension, the kingdom. This is a refreshing change. I also like the use of some of the characters we know and love from the first film. Ariel meeting Flounder is an important plot point here, and Sebastian is a major secondary character, just as he was in the original. Scuttle is even briefly glimpsed during a song by Marina that parodies a famous shot in the original!

That leads me to the weak point of this otherwise decent offering- the villain barely makes an impression. She wants to steal Sebastian’s job, but she never really feels like much of a factor- bringing music back to Atlantica is more important.

The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning is a solid entry into the Disney direct-to-DVD canon with its combination of entertaining music and a story with a bit of originality.

THE VIDEO

The DVD offers an anamorphic widescreen presentation. Colors are vibrant and picture quality is good.

THE AUDIO

Disney presents Ariel’s Beginning in English DTS 5.1 Dolby Digital surround that is very good. There are also French and Spanish language tracks available.

THE EXTRAS

Deleted Scenes: Two are included here. The footage is from the rough, early drafts of the film and director Holmes introduces each one and explains the reason for it’s deletion. The second, a alternate version of Ariel following Flounder to the underground Catfish Club, is the better one, with a nice bit of comedy between Sebastian and a fish standing guard at Atlantica’s jail.

Games: The game included here is the “Mermaid Discovery Vanity Game.” It allows the player to choose one of Triton’s daughters to see her vanity and learn more about her. The use of music here is good and the diary entries can be entertaining, but this is strictly for the little girls.

Disney Song Selection: This is a feature that plays the songs in the film with the lyrics on screen, allowing viewers to sing along. This will probably only interest the kids, and I’m sure EVERYONE knows “Jump in the Line” by now, it‘s been used in so many other films!

Backstage Disney: There are two futurities here: “Splashdance” and “The Little Mermaid: Under the Sea and Behind the Scenes on Broadway.” The first is just over seven minutes long and focuses on the director of the film, Peggy Holmes. She explains how her dance and acting background influenced the way she directs animation. There is some cute footage proving her points. An animator also discusses how Peggy’s style helped them in their jobs, and voice actors Samuel Wright and Jodi Benson talk about returning to their roles from the original classic. The second extra is exactly what it’s name says- a behind the scenes look at the new Broadway version of The Little Mermaid.

The host is Sierra Boggess, who plays Ariel in the production, and there is some fun to be had here. We see a bit of the performances, including a snippet of a song originally written for the production and sung by Flounder called “She’s In Love.” These are the two extras parents will enjoy as much as the kids.

FINAL THOUGHTS

The Disney straight-to-DVD films have a solid addition in The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning. The original voice cast returning is an excellent touch that helps along the decent plot and wonderful animation. The music is memorable as well, which goes without saying, and the extras on this disc are of a variety that will please parents and kids. Buying will probably be the option for families and even those with no kids in the house but fondly remember the original might just want to rent this one.